The provincial government is considering increasing speed limits by 10 km/h
The Alberta government wants to know if drivers are okay with going faster on some highways.
Albertans have until Dec. 12 to weigh in on the idea of increasing speed limits on divided highways by 10 km/h.
A divided highway “is where the travel directions are separated, usually by a grass median, and there are two or more travel lanes in each direction,” the survey page says.
Speed limits on the following seven highways could increase:
- Highway 1 from Banff to the Saskatchewan border, approximately 400 kilometres (km),
- Highway 2 between Edmonton and Calgary and south (excluding Deerfoot Trail), approximately 400 km,
- Highway 3 (divided portions), approximately 80 km,
- Highway 4 from Lethbridge to the US Border, approximately 100 km,
- Highway 16 from Hinton to Lloydminster, approximately 500 km,
- Highway 63 from north of Highway 55 to Fort McMurray, and then north of Fort McMurray, approximately 270 km, and
- Highway 43 from west of Edmonton to Grande Prairie, approximately 400 km.
The survey also asks respondents specifically about rural divided highways.
The questionnaire asks Albertans to what extent they agree or disagree the government should increase speed limits on rural divided highways to 120 km/h. It also asks people what they like about higher speeds on these highways.
Another question asks for opinions on if commercial trucks should be restricted from using the far-left lane on highways with three or more lanes in each direction.
The provincial government is considering these changes to help drivers make full use of the highway system.
“We are investing more than $1.5 billion this year alone to improve highway safety and upgrade infrastructure across the province,” Devin Dreeshen, Alberta’s minister of transportation and economic corridors, said in a statement. “We want Albertans to be able to drive the speed limit that the highways are designed for. Modern vehicles combined with public awareness mean we can explore higher speed limits.”