TORONTO — Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the province is planning to increase speed limits on 400-series highways across the province.
The government increased speed limits from 100 km/h to 110 km/h on six sections of provincial highways in 2022 after several successful pilot programs that first began in 2019.
Earlier this year, the province raised the speed limit on 10 more sections of highways across the province, including a 70-kilometre stretch of Highway 416 from Highway 401 to Ottawa.
Ford said Wednesday that he had directed Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria to raise the speed limit to 110 km/h on all 400-series highways “where it is safe to do so.”
Ontario Drivers: … so now I can get away with doing 130 km/h
Ottawa Drivers: LOL! Imma still merge at 60.
I just drove from Ottawa to Toronto this morning and it’s so true! Them and the random québécois doing 70 in the middle lane.
Imagine thinking they don’t already? This is pretty routine on my 400 series commute.
130 is slow, last time I was leaving Toronto I was doing 140 and getting passed
In my experience, where it’s 3 lanes each way, the effective 401 speed limits have often been:
Right lane: 105km/h Middle lane: 120km/h Left lane: 130km/h. I don’t think that will change with the new signage, maybe 130 and 135 for the left two lanes.
Where it’s 2 lanes, the 401 has these effective speed limits:
Right lane: The speed of the truck. Left lane: The speed of the other truck passing the one in the right lane.
They need to enforce the low end too. ie. People doing 90 or less in the left lane.
Yeah the law is just so vague about it though:
But just yesterday I encountered someone doing 70-something on the highway and it caused a lot of frustrated drivers making hurried lane changes - so I can definitely see the danger there.
That’s the thing - if everybody’s doing 100 and someone’s doing 90 or less, that’s impeding the reasonable flow. Then someone has to switch lanes which affects the other lane.
That’s probably just an Ontario thing though. It’s much nicer driving outside of Ontario.
Everywhere you go there’s always someone who loves to sit in the left lane doing 10 under.
why
90 (soon to be 100) is better than 110 (soon to be 120)
Will be curious to see if this does anything other than increase the number of accidents and creating more slowdowns…
Higher speed limits -> private health care -> tax revenue.
Oh see no that won’t happen see because Ford says safety is his number one concern, and then right after that is reducing gridlock. So I’m sure he’s got both of your concerns covered already!
This changes nothing. Speeds on isolated sections of the 400 highways are already well over 110km/h.
The average speed on the 401 islike 130kph already, now idiots will do 160 all day long
Good. Shit’s too slow everywhere.
