OHTA.ca

I was going east on the 416 highway in Ottawa and exited at Maitland Avenue. The ramp speed is 40kms. There is only one exit ramp from 416 to Maitland Avenue. At the end of the ramp it divides into a right yield or a light to turn left. I was entering the right turn at a slow speed and stopped. I changed my mind and backed up 20 or 30 feet to turn in the left. Just as I was backing up an OPP cruiser pulled behind me.

Without hesitation he gave me a ticket.

The ticket is related to backing up on a divided highway. Is the top of the off ramp still considered divided highway? Speed limit at this point should only be 40kms.

Thank you in advance for any response.

here is the intersection map on Google maps

highway" includes a common and public highway, street, avenue, parkway, driveway, square, place, bridge, viaduct or trestle, any part of which is intended for or used by the general public for the passage of vehicles and includes the area between the lateral property lines thereof; ("voie publique")

That is the HTA definition of a highway. It pretty much means any roadway in Ontario. So yes it is a highway.

ops

To the best of my knowledge, the the off ramp still considered part of the divided highway it exits from. If the 40 km/hr speed limit signs are yellow with black lettering, they're only a suggested speed, not an actual limit.

You might be able to plea-bargain to a lesser charge, depending on your driving record, though.