Some major Ontario highways are about to get a speed limit change

Drivers heading out on some highways in Ontario will soon be able to get to their destinations faster — notoriously gridlocked traffic permitting, of course — as the provincial government is bumping the speed limits in certain areas this week.

Starting Friday, July 12, select sections of Highway 401, Highway 416, Highway 403, Highway 406 and Highway 69 will have their posted limits raised from the standard 100 km/h to 110 km/h.

This comes after maximums were permanently upped the same amount along parts of Highways 404, 401, 417, 402 and the QEW back in 2022. 

Pilot programs of such changes have proven successful in the past, with Ontario's Ministry of Transportation saying that "people are telling us loud and clear that they support a safe and moderate increase to speed limits on these highways."

Early surveys about the "common-sense" 10 per cent boost show the vast majority of the public in support, with 82 per cent hoping higher limits will be rolled out to even more portions of more 400-series highways.

Ontario is about to change the speed limits on some major highways https://t.co/iwhTChN2EJ pic.twitter.com/T99dZgjO3g

— blogTO (@blogTO) April 24, 2024

The segments where the speed limit will be increased this Friday, as announced in the spring, are:

• Hwy 401 in Tilbury, extending the existing 110 km/h zone further east by 7 km
•  Hwy 401 from Hwy 35/115 to Cobourg (approximately 35 km)
•  Hwy 401 from Colborne to Belleville (approximately 44 km)
•  Hwy 401 from Belleville to Kingston (approximately 66 km)
•  Hwy 401 from Hwy 16 to Quebec boundary (approximately 107 km)
•  Hwy 403 from Woodstock to Brantford (approximately 26 km)
•  Hwy 403 from Brantford to Hamilton (approximately 14.5 km)
•  Hwy 406 from Thorold to Welland (approximately 13 km)
•  Hwy 416 from Hwy 401 to Ottawa (approximately 70 km)
•  Hwy 69 from Sudbury to French River (approximately 60 km)