Variable speed limits in Quebec expected this fall

Quebec's transport minister plans to launch a pilot project this fall on two of Quebec's highways to test out variable speed limits.

The speed limit on most Quebec highways is currently 100 km/h. A variable speed limit would mean potentially increasing it to 120 km/h during times when weather conditions permit.

“My intention is to have two pilot projects,” said Transport Minister Robert Poëti, adding that one project would be on a highway near Montreal and the other near Quebec City.

Poëti said the variable speed limits will likely be tested on two roads where the current speed limit is lower than 100 km/h.

"We're going to use that on a lower type of road where sometimes it looks like a highway but it’s not," Poëti said.

Not everyone thinks introducing variable speed limits is a good idea.

“One word — insane. We're in Quebec, people don't obey the posted speed limits," said truck driver Jeffrey Davison.

This month, British Columbia raised the speed limit to 120 km/h on some highways, despite warnings from police that it will increase the risk of serious crashes.

New photo radar system

The government is also looking into a new type of photo radar system.

It involves snapping a photo of a driver's licence plate at the beginning and end of a section of road to see if drivers are arriving too quickly.

If so, drivers could get a ticket in the mail for speeding.

“A similar system exists in Europe and we want to look into the possibility of establishing it in Quebec as well,” Poëti said.