Mayor Marianne Meed Ward hosted a group of local leaders and provincial partners on March 23, 2026, to find ways to reduce traffic jams and improve road safety in Burlington, Ontario. The meeting focused on how to manage growing congestion on major highways like the QEW and Highway 403, which often causes local streets to become blocked when accidents or construction occur.
The city was recently ranked as the second most dangerous place for drivers in the province, with about 14 percent of drivers having an accident on their record. This safety issue is complicated by a population that has grown from 60,000 to nearly 195,000 people over the last 30 years, putting massive pressure on local roads that were not originally built for so many vehicles.
To help manage these challenges, the City of Burlington is spending $48.9 million this year on road repairs and $675,000 on new traffic technology. This technology is designed to help fire trucks and buses move through intersections with traffic lights more quickly, which helps improve emergency response times and keeps public transit on schedule.
Officials are also exploring new ideas like on-demand electric vehicles to give people more ways to get around without using their own cars. Residents can learn more and share their own feedback about local roads at a community traffic forum on April 1, 2026, starting at 6:30 p.m. at the Art Gallery of Burlington.
