Ontario construction News staff writer
A 10-kilometre expansion of Highway 427 from Finch Avenue to Major Mackenzie Drive opened on the weekend.
“As part of our vision for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, our government is investing in highway infrastructure to address congestion and keep up with the growing needs of Ontarians,” said Caroline Mulroney, transportation minister.
The 6.6-kilometre extension includes eight new lanes from Highway 7 to Rutherford Road and six to Major Mackenzie Drive. Three new interchanges at Langstaff Road, Rutherford Road and Major Mackenzie Drive have also been constructed to connect roadways without interruption.
A four-kilometre segment has also been widened to eight lanes from Finch Avenue to Highway 7 along with an upgraded full interchange at Highway 7.
According to the provincial government, about 1,000 construction jobs were created and sustained through 2018-2021 as a result of the Highway 427 expansion.
The Ministry of Transportation worked together with Infrastructure Ontario to deliver the Highway 427 expansion project using their public-private partnership (P3) delivery model.
“We are excited and pleased about the opening of the Highway 427 expansion on Saturday, September 18. We are proud to have delivered this important piece of transportation infrastructure that will serve people travelling through and around the GTA,” said Michael Lindsay, president and CEO of Infrastructure Ontario
To protect species at risk impacted by the project’s construction, the ministry completed a 3.20 hectare woodland restoration of a former agricultural field on the east side of the highway, just north of Rutherford Road, and installed 20 habitat structures for four species of bats (Little Brown Myotis, Northern Myotis, Eastern Small-footed Myotis and Tri-coloured Bat).
“The Highway 427 expansion will greatly benefit the people of Vaughan-Woodbridge,” said Michael Tibollo, MPP for Vaughan – Woodbridge. “Not only will it help take vehicles causing crippling gridlock off our local roads, but it will also make our community safer while reducing travel times for commuters and commercial vehicles,”
Ontario will also be opening one High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane in each direction of Highway 427 to further help improve traffic flow.
“Our government is expanding subways in York, improving all GO Stations in King and Vaughan, and completing the Highway 427 expansion to reduce congestion and get people moving. This expansion is critical to supporting families, commuters and small businesses who need to efficiently move across the GTA without the headache of debilitating gridlock,” said Stephen Lecce, MPP King–Vaughan