Hwy 543 West Bound (photo by V.A. McMillan)
Blog Title: Designing a Better Highway System
21 February 2026
Welcome back.
Ever have one of those ideas that just won't let you go??? Well I have one of those ideas and it deals with improving the highway system. In the last five or so years I have had the pleasure to commute many thousand kilometres on the blacktop between various work locations and back home when time allows. Long drives give you time to think and consist many different perspectives. So, allow me to share my ideas for improving the highway system connecting our communities together.
If I was going to design a highway system, especially a national or federal highway system, these are the points I would address when new highways are being designed or existing highways are needing upgrading.
First, the physical spacing between opposing traffic lanes. I acknowledge inside urban spaces this may not be possible, however, there are millions of kilometres of blacktop between urban centres across this country where this can be adopted and employed.
Many highways there is only about 100 metres separating the multiple lanes of traffic flowing in each direction. There are some good examples of highways separated by more than 500 metres, like the Yellowhead Highway (#16 west of Edmonton) or the Trans-Canada Highway (#1 near Ernfold, SK). In both of these examples traffic rarely sees the headlights of oncoming traffic due to rolling hills, forests, or shear distance. With the proclivity of wildlife adjacent to roadways in Canada, driving at night is challenging enough without having to drive great distances with only low beams to warn you of Bambi or a moose grazing on the shoulder of the road.
Separation Distance
My suggestion for increasing safety, especially when night driving, is increasing the separation distance between traffic lanes, from the current 100m to at least 1000m/1km. For the life of me I cannot comprehend why multi-lane highways need to have opposing traffic within sight of each other. Why??? More separation will allow major highway systems to avoid obstacles and allow contouring the best elevations. This will also permit the use of high-beam setting on headlights when traffic thins.
The next item that can be improved with a national highway system is the standardizing the design of rest stops. We will address spacing between rest stop a bit later. One of the other benefits of more spacing between lanes of traffic is it allows space for creating places like rest stops. When systems are only looked at in small pieces and not in the totality of the system you end up with the system we currently have – a waste of time...piecemeal, ad hoc, mishmash of rest stops. Will the exit be on the left or the right? Will you have to cross opposing traffic to enter? Will there be pit toilets or flush toilets? Will the rest stop be open? Winter? Late at night? If you are tired can you safely park for four hours to catch a nap before driving on?
The preferred rest stop is located between the lanes of travel. With shared flushing toilets and running water. If planned in advance, these rest stops will service traffic traveling in either direction with a single structure. The amenities will include:
Washrooms in a building
Parking for passenger vehicles, RV's, and tractor-trailer rigs
These spaces will also support picnic areas and maybe open areas for kids or pets to run around before being getting back in the vehicle.
A Better Rest Stop Design
For security and safety, there will not be bypass lanes to allow for “U” Turns. These rest areas will create spaces for use by good people and not designed to encourage nefarious activities. Make these spaces favourable for families and pets and the criminal element will find other spaces for conducting their illicit activities.
The next needed feature of an improved highway system is the placement of Full Service Rest Stops at predictable spacing. Again, we will address the spacing shortly.
These Full Service Stops will use the same traffic pattern of feeding traffic in both directions without crossing over opposing lanes of traffic. These stops will meet the needs of travelers – fuel, washrooms, food, power, Wi-Fi, cellular service, picnic areas, and plenty of parking.
The traffic pattern off the highway will employ multiple lanes for both deceleration and acceleration, to reduce conflict with the flowing traffic on the highway. Proper signage with proper symbology shall be used to ensure all road users are in the proper lanes before the Rest Stop and not making radical unpredictable erratic driving manoeuvres. Flow in and flow out.
A Better Full Service Rest Stop Design
The Full Service Rest Stop will share features with the basic Rest Stop as well as these features:
Fuel services (gasoline, diesel, propane)
Charging stations for electric vehicles
Restaurants and other food & beverage services
Potential for locating laundromats and coin operated showers
Picnic areas with playgrounds
Police Call Box
Open 24/7
With the basic design features addressed...Let's discuss strategic spacing of Rest Stops and Full Service Rest Stops along a well design highway system.
Distances are based on either the location of the perimeter highway system or the corporate limits of the community. The first critical distance is the Full Service Rest Stops outside a city or large community, this distance will be at least 30 km out from the ring road but no more than 60 km's. At 120 km/h these distances translate to fifteen but not more than 30-minutes before arriving at an urban centre. This location allows travelers who are not comfortable driving, navigating, or stopping in urban areas to top up their fuel, food, beverages before the stressful driving begins. This stop will also allow travelers to review maps – digital or paper and plan the next leg of their trip from a safe location off the highway.
Next is the spacing to the next Rest Stop (a basic Rest Stop) which should be about 50 km's. Followed by the next Full Service Rest Stop being another 50 km's.
Linear Spacing of Rest Stops
You may recognize the spacing between Full Service Rest Stops is 100km. This is to create a system of predictable spacing between service centres. This will benefit all road users and travelers with electric vehicles will appreciate this planning and convenience, as well.
The final comment on spacing rest stops is that it should start from major centres to major centres. Thus the TCH #1 Calgary to Medicine Hat to Swift Current to Moose Jaw, etc. The distances will work from the perimeter of each major centre towards the other to establish locations. If the spacing does not divide perfectly, spacing for one of the rest stops will approximate the best average or convenient location keeping in the spirit of this concept.
National / Federal Highway Speed Limit
Lastly, a national or federal highway system should have certain features to differentiate this class of highway from provincial or municipal primary, secondary, or tertiary highways or roadways. The primary feature of a national highway is it shall be designed for the flow of traffic and commerce. There will not be any:
Level rail crossings
Traffic lights
Stop signs
Crossroads
No tractor-trailer rigs passing another tractor-trailer unit when there are less than two lanes of traffic in a single direction (no rigs blocking traffic flow by clogging all the traffic lanes)
Conversely, the national / federal highway will have:
National speed limit of 120 km/h
Bypass towns, communities, or cities where the speed cannot be maintained
Strategically located and spaced Rest Stops & Full Service Rest Stops
I believe that has captured the bulk of the features for this idea of an improved designed highway system.
Until next time...if ideas will not give you rest or peace...
Share those ideas!!
Mountainman.
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