www.eastgwillimbury.ca/Government/Highway_400-404_Connecting_Link.htm "The next step involves updating the 2002 Environmental Assessment and Transportation Environmental Study Report, which will describe the impacts and mitigation measures for the project, confirm the preferred design, and estimate the total project cost.No commitments have been made on the timeline for construction to begin, but staff will continue to monitor any announcements and share them with the public as they occur.The Highway 400–404 Connecting Link is a proposed 16.2 kilometre, four-lane controlled access highway that will provide an east-west connection between Highway 400 in Bradford West Gwillimbury and Highway 404 in the Town of East Gwillimbury. Many companies are attracted to lands close to highways that allow the convenient movement of goods and easy access for employees.Since completion of Simcoe County’s Transportation Master Plan in 2008, the County and its local municipalities continue to experience growth in employment and tourism, as well as seasonal and year-round residents. We look forward to the next steps in this exciting project. These corridors provide travel across cities and towns and connect with regional transportation systems. The updated Growth Plan does not outline timelines for construction. It would support a wide variety of travel for commuters, transit, tourists and freight.Projections show the Connecting Link will be heavily used in 2041, with 3,700 vehicles travelling in the peak direction during morning rush hour. Employment will also grow in York Region from 565,000 in 2014 to 900,000 jobs in 2041 and in Simcoe County from 195,000 in 2011 to 304,000 in 2041.raffic and congestion remain key concerns for residents and businesses. The Connecting Link would provide a key link between the Simcoe Area and York Region and would aid in economic development of the Simcoe Area and York Region.The Highway 400–404 Connecting Link would reduce congestion, provide a significantly improved connection between York Region and Simcoe Area and make it easier to divert traffic between these roads when incidents occur. On August 15, 2019, York-Simcoe MPP Caroline Mulroney announced in the media that the Province will be moving forward with the Highway 400 –Highway 404 Connecting Link.
extension from Green Lane to Ravenshoe Road (which now carries up to 50,000 vehicles daily), ongoing projects such as bus rapid transit, as well as plans for Regional Express Rail and the Highway 427 extension are a few examples. York Region residents have some of the longest commute times and distances in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. York Region is committed to continued creation of communities where people want to work and live, reducing traffic on our roads and improving overall quality of life. Addressing these concerns is a top priority to ensure our communities continue to be places where people and businesses want to locate.An east-west connection between Highway 400 and Highway 404 would reduce the demand on Regional, County and local roadways, enhance travel options and support employment opportunities in and around the surrounding communities.Both York Region and Simcoe County provide major transportation corridors accommodating auto, transit, bicycle and pedestrian travel.
We have been lobbying for this core piece of infrastructure for many years,” said Mayor Virginia Hackson. Although currently planned as a four-lane highway, projections indicate a six-lane highway may be required by 2041.The Connecting Link is key to supporting growing economic development, specifically in the Towns of Georgina, East Gwillimbury, Bradford West Gwillimbury and Innisfil.In Simcoe County, an important indicator of long-term growth opportunities is the relationship between the number of jobs and the number of resident workers. “Thanks to the power of our municipal partnerships, the province has recognized the need for the Connecting Link to help alleviate congestion as we grow.”The Connecting Link will improve east-west connectivity through East Gwillimbury and Bradford West Gwillimbury by providing an alternative path for those travelling from the eastern Greater Toronto area to Highway 400.