A pilot project is now underway in Alberta to test a higher speed limit on a select portion of Highway 2.
Devin Dreeshen, the province’s Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors, notes that starting on April 29th drivers will see the new 120 kilometers an hour speed limit signs at a stretch beginning south of the Leduc commercial vehicle inspection station and extending 22 kilometers south along Highway 2. He says “in this corridor, we have made significant safety investments including longer ramps and speed sloped paving. Now I trust Albertans will drive responsibly and use their judgement, and adjust to road and weather conditions – obviously – and make safe passing decisions behind the wheel.”
According to Dreeshen, “now during the speed pilot we’ll closely monitor traffic flow, driver behaviour and safety outcomes ensuring that decisions are grounded in real world data. Now at the end of the day, this is all about respecting Albertans time and reflecting on the strength of our infrastructure and keeping our province moving.” He adds, that if the data from the pilot project proves positive, it is something that they will then be able to expand out to the rest of the province.
According to Alberta’s government, a recent survey showed that nearly 70 per cent of respondents were on board with the province increasing speed limits on rural divided highways to 120 km/hr.
