Hamilton man caught doing 148 km/h on Red Hill Valley Parkway: police

A 30-year-old Hamilton man is facing a stunt driving charge after police say he was travelling nearly 150 km/h on the Red Hill Valley Parkway.

On Monday, just before 4 a.m., police spotted a suspected speeder heading north on the Red Hill Valley Parkway in the area of King Street East. 

When officers measured the speed of the vehicle, they found it was travelling at 148 km/h. The speed limit on the parkway is 90 km/h.

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A 30-year-old Hamilton man was charged with stunt driving. His license was seized and his vehicle was impounded for seven days. 

The man was also given a ticket when police discovered he was driving with an expired license.

Speeding problem

Speeding along the Red Hill Valley Parkway has been an issue since it opened in late 2007. Since the start of this year, Hamilton Police have charged at least two others with stunt driving on the same stretch of roadway.

Late last year, a consulting firm hired by the city took a look at safety on the Red Hill Valley Parkway and the Lincoln Alexander Parkway.

They produced a report that recommended $4,395,200 in safety measures on the Red Hill and $5,966,090 on the Linc.

The Red Hill Valley Parkway has seen 474 collisions, or about 63 per year since the parkway opened, the report says. Of those, 131 were median-related collisions.

A detailed review shows that more than 500 vehicles a day go faster than 140 kilometres per hour and the 85th percentile drive at 115 kilometres per hour or faster. 

Suggestions for Red Hill include speed feedback signs, rain-activated flashing beacons, and a $2.5-million high-tension cable guide rail. It also recommends $810,000 for "continuous illumination" as a long-term goal.