Speed limit lowered on QEW
Posted By GRANT LaFLECHE
Posted 1 day ago
A heavy foot carries a hefty price tag on the QEW now, thanks to changes to the speed limit through St. Catharines.
Starting Monday, 80 km/h is the posted limit on the stretch of highway between Seventh Street and the Garden City Skyway, said OPP Staff Sgt. Jan Idzenga.
"We've had a lot of accidents in this area, including one death, and people need to be aware of the change," Idzenga said.
From May to December, there were 170 accidents on that part of the QEW, he said. Of those, 26 involved injuries and one was a fatality. Construction has narrowed the road, making it more hazardous to drive at high speeds, Idzenga said. In November, Idzenga warned motorists to slow down. But accidents still happened.
So the OPP lobbied Ontario's Ministry of Transportation to have the speed limit from Seventh Street to the skyway reduced to 80 km/h.
"The MTO has their process to go through and that can take some time," Idzenga said.
The approvals from the ministry came in Monday and new signs were posted Niagara-bound near Seventh Street and Toronto-bound at the base of the skyway.
It's not just the speed limit that has changed, Idzenga said. Enforcement is also being stepped up.
Idzenga said because that zone of the highway is a designated construction zone, fines for speeding have doubled. And if you decide to floor it? Your wallet is going to feel the impact.
"For those who think that they can street race or drive at 130 km/h, let me be clear that the penalties are serious," he said, noting motorists who drive excessively fast face the loss of their driver's licence for seven days and a $10,000 fine.