Province to start highway speed trials

By ANNA SMITH Local Journalism Initiative on December 17, 2025.

asmith@medicinehatnews.com

Following feedback from Albertans, the province plans to move forward with increased highway speed trials in the new year.

With roughly 59,400 responses, results showed that 68 per cent of respondents were in favor of higher speed limits on rural divided highways, according to a statement from Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors Devin Dreeshen.

“It’s clear that Albertans are ready for modern, common-sense rules that better reflect how our roads are built and how people actually drive,” said Dreeshen. “Alberta’s divided highways were engineered to safely handle 120 kilometres per hour, and advances in vehicle safety and road design make that even more practical today.”

Respondents were also overwhelmingly in favor of restricting commercial trucks from certain lanes on major highways, which aligned with what the ministry had heard from industry, municipal leaders and everyday drivers.

Next steps will be to launch a controlled 120 km/h “mini-trial” on select rural divided highways, paired with strong monitoring and safety evaluation, said Dreeshen. Through this, the province aims to make future decisions based on real-world data and local feedback.

“Albertans have spoken loud and clear,” said Dreeshen. “We’re taking that direction seriously, and we will continue to make improvements that support safety, mobility, and economic growth across the province.”

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