Forrest welcomes speed-limit drop on Highway 10

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This article was published 28/08/2025 (266 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

FORREST — The provincial government has lowered the speed limit in Forrest, something community members are thankful for.

RM of Elton Reeve Ches Bollman said the municipality did not specifically ask for the limit on Highway 10 to be lowered to 50 kilometres an hour from 70 km/h, but that the change made earlier this week is welcome.

The speed limit on Highway 10 outside of the village is 100 km/h, and community members have complained many drivers don’t slow down while travelling through.

“It has been a concern for quite a few years, you know, with two schools on each side of the highway, which is not very convenient,” Bollman said.

Both sides of town are connected by an uncontrolled crosswalk between Elton Collegiate and Forrest Elementary School.

Bollman said there have been a few close calls over the years with people crossing the provincial highway, although he didn’t recall anyone actually being hurt.

“Kids are important, we don’t want anybody getting hurt — kids and adults,” the reeve said.

As people come home from work between about 3:30 and 5 p.m., it can be a very busy stretch of road, and can be hard to turn onto at times, especially for school buses, he said. This change should help that.

The schools are part of Rolling River School Division. Division Supt. Jason Cline echoed Bollman’s sentiment.

“The school division is extremely supportive and pleased,” Cline said. “The lower speed limit will protect our students for school activities, but it’s also equally important for the community of Forrest.”

He said sometimes students from one school will walk across the highway to use the other school’s gym, but that it doesn’t happen very often. The division doesn’t let students walk home from school if their home is across the highway, for safety reasons.

Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure made the change after the RM of Elton lobbied for safety improvements along the stretch of Highway 10 running through Forrest, according to a government spokesperson.

“These new speed limits are more compatible with the crosswalk at this location, where motorists will be expecting pedestrians,” a spokesperson said. “The reduced speed limits will allow motorists to have more time to react and stop when they see pedestrians using the crosswalk.”

It will also be safer in the event of an accident, the spokesperson said.

“The reduction in speed limit also reduces the risk of a more serious injury in the event of a collision, especially if involving a pedestrian.”

Forrest resident Dianne McAdam also welcomed the new speed limit.

She said the 70 km/h zone did work for the most part, but some people just didn’t abide by it.

“I’m kind of glad it did go down to 50 because there’s young children that are crossing the street from one school to the other,” she said as she finished mowing the lawn in front of her home.

She said it will also make it a lot easier for her to turn onto the highway.

“Much easier getting across onto the highway, because sometimes I’ve got to wait and wait and wait until all the traffic goes by.”

The RCMP said it has “e-ticketed” six people for speeding from the start of 2024 to July 31, 2025, with tickets ranging from $325 to $639, according to RCMP spokesperson Michelle Lissel. The highest ticket was for someone going 115 km/h.

“Travelling 100 km/h in the newly reduced 50 km/h zone would result in a fine of $705, and possibly … a Serious Offence Notice for going 50 km over the posted limit,” Lissel wrote.

The highway now transitions from 100 km/h to 70 km/h when entering the outskirts of the village, before becoming 50 km/h in the community.

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