Ontario Proposes Legislation to Address Traffic Congestion

The Ontario government has introduced the Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act, aimed at expediting highway construction and addressing traffic congestion. The proposed legislation includes measures to accelerate the construction of Highway 413 and extensions of Highways 410 and 427. It proposes a new environmental assessment process and exempts certain early works from this process to facilitate quicker construction starts.

Minister of Transportation Prabmeet Sarkaria stated that the legislation is intended to save drivers money and reduce travel times by building new highways and speeding up approvals for early works on Highway 413. The act also aims to save drivers up to $72 million over the decade by freezing fees for knowledge and road tests and making the Tow Zone Pilot a permanent program.

Additionally, the legislation would require municipalities to obtain provincial approval before installing new bike lanes that remove traffic lanes. The province plans to consult with municipalities to develop a pothole prevention and repair fund, expected to be operational by the 2025 construction season. The government also intends to increase speed limits to 110 km/h on all 400-series highways where it is deemed safe.

The Building Highways Faster Act is also part of the proposed legislation, designating Highway 413, Bradford Bypass, and Garden City Skyway bridge as priority projects. This act would allow the province to prioritize other highway projects to expedite construction.