Calgary 
Alberta is taking a cautious step toward faster highways, starting with a test stretch on one of its busiest routes.
The provincial government has raised the speed limit from 110 km/h to 120 km/h on a 22 kilometre section of Highway 2, just south of Leduc. The change comes after a recent survey found nearly 70 per cent of respondents supported higher limits on rural divided highways.
Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen says the move reflects what residents have been asking for, but it is not a blanket change. Instead, the province is treating it as a pilot, working with law enforcement to monitor driver behaviour and collect safety data.
The review will also include five kilometres on either side, giving a broader sense of how traffic adjusts to the higher limit.
Mayor Tanni Doblanko said Leduc County supports the decision, pointing to recent improvements along the corridor, including upgraded acceleration and deceleration lanes.
The province says the test area was chosen in part because of those upgrades. Work along the route has included resurfacing, interchange improvements, and the addition of safety barriers. New signage has also been installed to clearly mark where the higher speed begins and ends.
At the same time, Alberta is tightening penalties for risky driving. Fines for serious offences such as careless driving, excessive speeding, racing, and stunting have increased by 50 per cent, while most other penalties are up by 30 per cent.
Officials stress that the posted speed applies only under ideal conditions. Drivers are still expected to slow down when weather or visibility becomes an issue.
The trial is expected to help determine whether higher speed limits can be expanded elsewhere without compromising safety.
