Revenue enhancing speed limits.

Today I was driving on a highway now considered a secondary highway (two
lane undivided, one lane per direction) with a speed limit of 80 km/h. It
used to be a stretch of the Trans Canada highway, but due to deaths on this
stretch of highway (called "death highway" by some), and the lobbying that
followed, a 4 lane divided toll bypass was constructed. The vast majority of
traffic travels on the toll road, because it is quicker.



When this old road was part of the Trans Canada highway, the speed limit was
100km/h. Just after the opening of the toll section the speed of this
stretch dropped to 70km/h. The speed limit on the toll section was increased
to 110km/h a couple years later, and the speed on the old road was raised to
80km/h.



As it turns out there is some stupid law that says that if there is to be a
toll bypass, the old road must have a speed limit 30km/h less than the toll
road. There can be absolutely no justification for this, other than to
enhance revenue (get people to pay toll).



Everyone seems to disregard the signs and drive 100 anyways, since that is
the design speed, and now that road is safer because there is less traffic
and no large trucks.

In article >, Bill the second wrote:

> As it turns out there is some stupid law that says that if there is to be a
> toll bypass, the old road must have a speed limit 30km/h less than the toll
> road. There can be absolutely no justification for this, other than to
> enhance revenue (get people to pay toll).

Probably because the bypass is severely underposted its self.

In IL, USA, they recently raised the tolls. Now all the alternate routes
are being clogged with large trucks. The speed limits even look more
silly. A potholed two lane with bad sightlines may have a 55mph speed
limit, meanwhile an interstate with 6 or more lanes has the same 55mph
speed limit.