Region of Durham Announces Possible Delays on Rural Roads During Harvest Season

Motorists travelling on rural roads in Durham Region may encounter temporary delays from early fall to late fall due to slow-moving farm equipment. According to an announcement from the Region of Durham dated August 27, 2025, this is attributed to the movement of farm machinery between fields during the harvest season, which takes place both during the day and at night.

The presence of agricultural vehicles on roads is common during harvest time, and the Region advises drivers that most farm equipment travels at speeds under 40 kilometres per hour. These vehicles may lack standard brake lights or turn signals, and often rely on hand signals from the driver. The Region indicates that an orange triangle emblem on the back of vehicles identifies slow-moving vehicles. Drivers are also informed that farm equipment often has large blind spots, and farmers may not be able to see other vehicles behind them.

Some farm vehicles with long or wide equipment may need to swing wide to make turns and may take up more than one travel lane, according to the Region. Machinery that is partially on the shoulder can move fully onto the road to avoid obstacles such as mailboxes, and there may be protrusions from tractors that are not immediately visible. The Region states that farmers may be unable to pull off the road due to equipment weight or shoulder conditions.

It is noted that large farm equipment requires longer distances to brake and may make lane changes without warning. The Region also states that passing is especially hazardous at intersections, where farm vehicles may turn without signaling or seeing traffic behind them.

A list of Regional roads is available from the Region of Durham at durham.ca/RegionalRoads. This summary is based on official information released by the Region of Durham on August 27, 2025.