Ontario Construction News staff writer
The Ontario government will pay the full cost to build the Bradford Bypass, connecting Highways 400 and 404 across the top of the GTA, Premier Doug Ford announced Monday.
The new 16.2-kilometre route is needed to relieve congestion in the greater 905 area.
“Past governments, our opponents, they side with ideological activists who oppose any and all highways over hard-working families,” Ford said.
Construction expected early next year on controversial Bradford Bypass project
The planned highway would connect Highway 404 south of Holborn Road, running west with interchanges planned at Leslie Street, Bathurst Street, and County Road 4 (Yonge Street).
“With both Simcoe County and York Region expected to grow at incredible speed, building the Bradford Bypass is a no-brainer,” Ford said. “Delivering on this and other important infrastructure projects will create good jobs, help stimulate our economy and reduce highway congestion as our government delivers on our mission of building Ontario.”
Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney said shovels will go into the ground once an update to an existing environmental assessment is completed.
“I can tell you that congestion on Hwy. 400 and our local roads has been the No. 1 issue that I have been hearing from constituents since being elected,” Mulroney said Monday. “For decades, drivers in this region have demanded a connecting link between Highways 400 and 404.
“The Bradford Bypass will set up local families and businesses for success by not only easing congestion that already exists, but also unlocking housing opportunities and job creation in the region, securing Ontario’s growth and prosperity for generations to come.”
A preliminary design and environmental assessment in accordance with Ontario Regulation 697/21 for the project is currently underway and is expected to be completed by December 2022.
The project is expected to support more than 700 jobs per year on average during construction and generate more than $70 million in annual real GDP. Motorists and trucks are anticipated to see more than a 60 per cent savings in travel time when using the new freeway compared to existing routes along local roads, which will save up to 35 minutes.
On November 4, the government released the 2021 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review: Build Ontario. The plan lays out how the government will build the foundation for Ontario’s recovery and prosperity by getting shovels in the ground on critical infrastructure, attracting increased investment, restoring leadership in auto manufacturing and other industries, and supporting Ontario workers. That includes $2.6 billion for 2021–22 in support of the Ontario Highways Program, which features more than 580 expansion and rehabilitation projects including the Bradford Bypass.