Police chief supports increased speed limit on Henday
CBC News | Posted: May 9, 2017 4:56 PM | Last Updated: May 9, 2017
Freeway can support higher speeds, chief says
Edmonton police chief Rod Knecht supports raising the speed limit on Anthony Henday Drive to 110 km/h from the current 100 km/h.
"I think the speed limit on the Henday is wrong," Knecht said during a wide-ranging interview with reporters at the southwest division station on Monday. "I think it should be raised.
"I think we have the technology in vehicles, I think (with) the state of that roadway, in the summer time in particular, probably 110 is not unreasonable. Because it's got lots of off ramps, it's big, it's well built. I think that might solve some of the problems.
The 77-kilometre ring road is under provincial jurisdiction. Motorists have complained repeatedly about photo-radar enforcement along the road, which results in thousands of speeding tickets every year.
Knecht said he has talked to provincial officials about the speed limit.
The chief said when he drives at, or near, 100 km/h on the Henday, "I'm almost contributing to an accident because I'm going so slow."