The Ontario government is launching three speed limit pilots on select highways to explore new ways to improve traffic flow on provincial highways.
Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney announced that on September 26, 2019, the highway speed limit will change from 100 km/h to 110 km/h along three sections of highways in Southern Ontario:
- Highway 402 from London to Sarnia (90 km).
- Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) from St. Catharines/Lincoln to Hamilton (32 km).
- Highway 417 from Ottawa/Gloucester to Ontario/Quebec border (102 km).
“A pilot program like the one announced today is a measured approach and an ideal way to gradually explore the subject of raising speed limits and determine the impact on road safety,” said Teresa Di Felice, assistant vice president of government and community relations at CAA South Central Ontario. “CAA looks forward to working with the Ministry of Transportation and other road safety partners during this pilot period.
“Our collective goal is to both inform drivers about the importance of safely navigating Ontario’s roads, paying particular attention to weather and road conditions, and understand the data collected during this period to ensure that Ontario retains its standing of having some of the safest roads in North America,” Di Felice added.
The Ontario government is also launching online consultations to obtain the public’s feedback on the speed limit pilots. The information will help inform decisions related to increased speed limits and will be considered in the final decision-making process. Ontarians can share their feedback by completing an online survey by November 23, 2019.
“Our government puts people first in every decision we make,” said Caroline Mulroney, minister of transportation. “That’s why we want to hear first-hand from those who rely on our roads about how we can safely modernize our highways to better fit the needs of the people.”
