Ontario Raises Speed Limit to 110 km/h on Section of Highway 417
LONDON, Ontario – Starting in mid-September, the maximum speed limit on Highway 417 from Ottawa/Gloucester to the Ontario/Quebec border will be increased to 110 km/h, the Ontario government announced on Friday.
This is part of a pilot project to explore new ways to improve traffic flow and safety on provincial highways.
In addition to Highway 417, the speed limit will be increased on Highway 402 from London to Sarnia and on the Queen Elizabeth Way from St. Catharines to Hamilton.
"Results from the pilot and all feedback received during consultations will be carefully considered as a part of the final decision-making process," said Jeff Yurek, Ontario’s Minister of Transportation. "We're also working with our road safety and enforcement partners."
"Safety is the government's number one priority and each pilot location was carefully chosen based on a number of factors, including its ability to accommodate higher speed limits," he added.
As part of the pilot, the government will add extra safety measures such as increased signage and messaging to make sure drivers are aware of highway sections with new speed limits.
There are currently six other provinces in Canada that have posted speed limits of 110 km/h or higher on certain highways.
British Columbia raised the limit to 120 km/h in 2014, while Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan decided on 110 km/h.