Ford announces intention to investigate tunneling beneath Highway 401

Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced that his government is assessing the possibility of constructing a tunnel under Highway 401 to serve as a new expressway, aimed at reducing traffic congestion.

Ford shared this during a Wednesday morning press conference, though no specific costs or timeline for the project were provided.

The province has initiated a "technical evaluation" to determine how the expressway could create a "new, faster route" for roads north of Toronto, extending through Brampton and Mississauga to Markham and Scarborough.

Premier Ford emphasized that the project is intended to significantly alleviate traffic in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA).

“Gridlock is causing Toronto-area commuters to lose 98 hours annually in traffic, time that could be spent with loved ones, and is costing the GTHA economy $11 billion each year,” said Ford.

Ford expressed confidence that the project would avoid the delays and cost overruns experienced by Boston's "big dig," which took 25 years and cost at least $8 billion.

The evaluation will consider ways to expand Highway 401, looking at potential routes, lane numbers, length, and designs for interchanges connecting to other highways.

Consultations with First Nations communities about the project will also begin.

Ford confirmed that the proposed expressway under Highway 401 would not require tolls.

“This announcement is part of our nearly $100 billion plan to address gridlock by building and expanding highways and transit, including Highway 401, the Bradford Bypass, and Highway 413, to get people and goods moving again,” Ford added.

Fieldwork for Highway 413, a planned 52-kilometre route extending from Highway 400 in Vaughan through Peel Region to Highway 401 in Milton, is already underway.

The federal government has flagged the Highway 413 project for review under the Impact Assessment Act.