Raising speed from 100 km/h to 110 km/h on Mississauga 400-series highways pushed back two years

Will Mississauga soon see 100 km/h speeds raised to 110 km/h on Highways 401, 410, 407 and 403, as well as the QEW?

If it wasn’t for the pandemic, they likely would have by now.

Back on September 26, 2019, the Province began a two year pilot project, raising the speed limits from 100 km/h to 110 km/h on three sections of 400-series highways.

They are Queen Elizabeth Way from Hamilton to St. Catharines (a 32 km stretch), Highway 402 from Sarnia to London (a 90 km patch of road) and Highway 417 from Gloucester, just east of Ottawa to the Ontario-Quebec border (the longest piece at 102 km).

But those two years were up at the end of last month and nothing changed. Why?

According to the province, the pandemic threw the traffic volume numbers out of whack.

“There has been a significant reduction in traffic volumes across Ontario highways, including in the pilot sections, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Traffic volumes are an important factor that can influence vehicle speeds and the number and severity of collisions.”

Because of that, Mississauga drivers won’t know for a while, as the province just extended the pilot program for another two years, meaning the end of September 2023.

However, when it does go through and the province is pushing it, it would also affect Hwy 401 in Milton, Hwys 401 and 407 in Durham, Hwy 410 into Brampton and the QEW in both Oakville and Burlington.

The province has show some eagerness in pushing the limits up to 110 km/h, saying it would bring Ontario in line with “other provinces, such as Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan.”