Hwy 401 expansion at Cambridge completed
Construction work is now completed on four additional lanes of traffic along a stretch of Highway 401 near Cambridge.
The Ontario government announced the news on December 22. The work sees the expansion of the highway from six lanes to 10 between Highway 8 and Townline Road. One HOV lane has also been added in each direction.
“Highway 401 is the busiest and most congested highway in North America with up to 150,000 vehicles travelling between Highway 8 and Townline Road every day,” said Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria.
The additional lanes are part of the government’s plan to reduce gridlock and keep goods and people moving across the Greater Golden Horseshoe.
The project also includes:
- replacing the Hespeler Road bridges
- a new multi-use trail crossing for pedestrians and cyclists along Hespeler Road over Highway 401
- reconstruction of the Hespeler Road interchange
- rehabilitation of the Townline Road Bridge
- expanding the capacity of the Townline Road commuter parking lot from 195 to 297 vehicles
- new lighting and noise barriers
- a traffic management system which includes traffic cameras and traffic counting stations
Expanding Highway 401 and adding HOV lanes in the Cambridge area are among the more than 100 actions identified in the government’s Transportation Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. More than $1.16 trillion worth of goods are transported annually on the region’s highways.
By 2051, population and employment figures in the Greater Golden Horseshoe are forecast to grow from 10 million to 14.9 million people, and 4.9 million to seven million jobs, respectively.