Bradford Bypass | |
|---|---|
 Bradford Bypass Interchanges | |
| Route information | |
| Maintained by Ministry of Transportation of Ontario | |
| Length | 16.2 km[1] (10.1 mi) |
| History | |
| Major junctions | |
| West end |  Highway 400 near Bradford |
 County Road 4 (Yonge Street) | |
| East end |  Highway 404 near Keswick |
| Location | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Ontario |
| Divisions | Simcoe County York Region |
| Towns | Bradford West Gwillimbury, East Gwillimbury |
| Highway system | |
The Bradford Bypass, also known as the Highway 400–404 Link is a proposed east–west 400-series highway in the northern Greater Toronto Area of the Canadian province of Ontario. The approximately 16.2-kilometre (10.1 mi) route is currently undergoing planning and analysis under an environmental impact assessment (EA) by the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) and the Government of Ontario. If approved, a new four-lane controlled-access highway would be built between Highway 400 near Bradford in Simcoe County, and Highway 404 near Queensville in York Region. It would serve as a bypass to the north side of Bradford.
The corridor originated in 1978 as an eastern extension of Highway 89 along Ravenshoe Road. This proposal was cancelled in 1986 and collaborative studies were undertaken between the province and affected municipalities over the next several years. A refined proposal for a freeway along a more southerly route, referred to as the Bradford Bypass, was released in 1989, after which an EA began in 1993. The assessment was completed in 1997 and approved in 2002, after which it was announced that construction would begin by 2006 and be completed by 2010. However, following the 2003 Ontario general election, the Liberal government of Dalton McGuinty shelved several highway proposals — including the Bradford Bypass — to the "beyond 2031" timeframe. After the 2018 Ontario general election, the new Progressive Conservative (PC) government of Doug Ford announced that the EA would be reviewed and updated. Funding was committed to the project in the 2021 budget, with early works construction beginning in early 2022. The highway is currently estimated to cost C$800 million.
The Bradford Bypass has been criticized for its potential environmental impacts, particularly to the Holland Marsh and surrounding wetlands draining into Lake Simcoe. While the route is endorsed by the municipalities surrounding it and through which it passes, critics note that the EA is outdated and that the highway would result in induced demand and encourage further reliance on personal vehicle usage.
- ^ Ministry of the Environment (April 13, 2011). "Highway 400 – Highway 404 Extension Link (Bradford Bypass)". Government of Ontario. Retrieved September 5, 2011.
- ^ "Bradford Bypass Gaining New Life?". Innisfil Journal. December 1, 2011. Retrieved March 30, 2021 – via Simcoe.com.
- ^ Public and Safety Information Branch (June 30, 1978). "Route Selected to Link Highways 400 and 12 South of Lake Simcoe" (Press release). Ministry of Transportation and Communications.
- ^ Brehl, Robert (May 13, 1986). "Highway Decision Challenged". North. The Toronto Star. p. N2. ProQuest 435438889. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
- ^ McCormick Rankin (December 1997). Highway 400 – Highway 404 Extension Link (Bradford Bypass) – Route Planning and Environmental Assessment Study (PDF) (Report). Ministry of Transportation of Ontario. p. 35. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
- ^ "Notice of Approval to Proceed with the Undertaking" (PDF). Ministry of Environment and Energy. August 28, 2002. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 31, 2021. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
- ^ Winfield, Mark (March 9, 2021). "Ontario Back in the Business of Building Roads to Sprawl". Hamilton Spectator. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
- ^ Scott, Jonathan (August 6, 2020). "One Year After Announcement, Work On Bradford Bypass Commences". Newmarket Today. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
- ^ Planning and Economic Development Committee Regional Council (March 27, 2008). Need for Bradford Bypass – Report No. 3 of the Meeting (PDF) (Report). Regional Municipality of York. p. 4. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
- ^ Riedner, Heidi (May 23, 2017). "East–West Transportation Artery Through Bradford Back on Province's Books". Bradford West Gwillimbury Topic. Retrieved April 4, 2021 – via Simcoe.com.
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