Ontario Expanded Highway 401 & Here's How It Will Save You Time On Your Commute

Those who regularly commute via Highway 401 may find themselves stuck in less gridlock traffic than usual from now on, thanks to a recent expansion of the popular roadway.

In a press release on Monday, the provincial government announced that it had officially completed its multi-lane expansion of the highway, which spans 18 kilometres from Mississauga to Milton.

A map of the highway expansion.West Corridor Constructors

The initiative, launched to lessen traffic congestion and keep goods moving across the Greater Golden Horseshoe, has doubled the lanes of the previous six-lane Highway 401.

"Highway 401 is the busiest and most congested highway in North America with approximately 180,000 vehicles on average per weekday from Credit River in Mississauga to Regional Road 25 in Milton," said Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation, in a statement.

"Widening Highway 401 is another step forward in our government's plan to build Ontario with investments in our transportation system to reduce gridlock, improve economic productivity and get drivers home to their loved ones faster," she added.

Drivers can expect to see the following changes:

• "A 12-lane core-collector system from the Credit River to Winston Churchill Boulevard
• 10 lanes from Winston Churchill Boulevard to the Highway 407 ETR/Highway 401 interchange
• A 12-lane core-collector system from Highway 407 ETR/Highway 401 interchange to east of the James Snow Parkway
• 10 lanes from the James Snow Parkway to west of Regional Road 25
• One new median High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane in each direction
• An additional 50 spaces at the existing Mississauga Road carpool lot (now open)
• Nine new, replaced or widened bridges."

The expansion is just one of 100 actions being taken by the government as part of its Connecting the GGH: A Transportation Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe.

The Highway 401 Expansion Project followed the approved planning process under The Ontario Environmental Assessment Act and aims to help reduce greenhouse gases and fuel consumption.

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.