Ontario Exploring 401 Tunnel Expressway

New underground car and transit expressway expected to significantly reduce gridlock for drivers while supporting economic growth

The Ontario government launched the technical evaluation for the construction of a new driver and transit tunnel expressway under Highway 401. This expressway is expected to provide a new, faster route for some of the most gridlocked roadways in the province north of the City of Toronto, extending from beyond Brampton and Mississauga in the west to beyond Markham and Scarborough in the east. This project is expected to significantly reduce traffic in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) while supporting economic growth during construction and in the long-term by helping to get goods and services to market sooner.

“Ontario’s gridlock problem is leaving the average Toronto-area commuter stuck in traffic for 98 hours every year, taking up precious time that would be better spent with family, friends and loved ones, and is costing our economy $11 billion every year in the GTHA alone,” said Premier Doug Ford. “Today’s announcement is the latest step in our nearly $100 billion plan to tackle this gridlock by building and expanding highways and transit, including Highway 401, the Bradford Bypass and Highway 413, so we can get people and goods moving across Ontario once more.”

Engineering services will be secured through the Ministry of Transportation, with support from Infrastructure Ontario. The feasibility work will include the following:

• Examining various options to increase Highway 401 capacity, including potential routes within the existing right-of-way, number of lanes, length, and the number and design of interchanges connecting to other highways;
• Refining the province’s understanding of the proposed tunnel’s economic contributions, both in the short- and long-term, as well as the project’s impact on reducing gridlock;
• Reviewing best practices from similar projects in other jurisdictions;
• Conducting initial soil boring testing to improve the province’s understanding of the route’s geology and its impact on design and construction;
• Preparing to start the environmental assessment processes for the project; and
• Conducting an initial market sounding, with feedback informing any potential procurement and commercial structuring strategies.

Additionally, the province will begin meaningful consultations with First Nations communities about the potential project.

Consistent with the Get It Done Act, 2024, this new expressway would not be tolled.

As Ontario continues to grow, there is a clear need to continue building out the province’s roads and highways to keep drivers moving and improve economic productivity. Ministry of Transportation modelling confirms that by 2051, travel times on the main stretch of Highway 401 will double with travel time taking 90 minutes longer on the 401 through the GTHA. The ministry’s modelling also shows that all of the province’s 400-series highways in the GTHA, including Highway 407, will be at or exceed capacity within the next decade. The numbers of hours lost in congestion will more than triple by 2051 if capacity is not added beyond the committed highway and rapid transit projects, adding to the $11 billion in annual lost productivity the region is already experiencing due to existing congestion.