Ontario Highway 409
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King's Highway 409, commonly referred to as Highway 409 and historically as the Belfield Expressway, is a
Planning for Highway 409 took place in the late 1960s amidst considerable controversy around its originally proposed path through the historic town of Malton. Eventually, the route was changed to provide access to the airport instead of northward towards Brampton and was completed through the mid-1970s, opening in 1978. The significance of the route has increased over the years alongside expansion of the airport. In 2000, the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) purchased the section of the highway west of Highway 427 in order to modify the ramps leading into the airport.
The speed limit along Highway 409 is 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph) east of Highway 427 and 80 km/h (50 mph) west of it. It is patrolled by the Ontario Provincial Police east of the Toronto–Peel boundary and by the Peel Regional Police to the west of it. The original name of the freeway was derived from Belfield Road, which runs parallel to and north of the highway in Toronto from Kipling Avenue to Atwell Drive.
Route description
Highway 409 serves as a direct link between Highway 401, Highway 427, and Pearson International Airport. While it is not intended as a commuter route, there are three exits serving industrial areas in Etobicoke centred on the highway. Highway 409 also serves as the only connection between westbound Highway 401 and northbound Highway 427 and between southbound Highway 427 and eastbound Highway 401, as access between these routes is not provided at the 401–427 interchange.[2]
Highway 409 begins at
As the highway passes under Highway 427, it turns southeast and takes on an east–west orientation. It passes over Carlingview Drive, and begins to descend into a trench, passing beneath Highway 27, two CN railway spurs, and Iron Street before returning to level grade. Around the interchange with
At its eastern terminus, the eastbound Highway 409 crosses Kipling Avenue and two of its lanes merge onto each of the Highway 401 express and collector lanes. From Highway 401 westbound, two westbound collector lanes diverge and become the westbound lanes of Highway 409, while the remaining three westbound collector lanes join up with the westbound Highway 401 express lanes to form six lanes west of there. Highway 409 is also accessible from Highway 401 westbound express lanes.[2]
History
Plans for Highway 409, originally known as the Belfield Expressway, were first presented in 1965 to the
However, at the same time, Toronto was embroiled in heated debate over the fate of its
Before plans for the new route were finalized, a flyover was built to provide access from Belfield Road to eastbound Highway 401, opening on October 7, 1968.[9] Because the lands on which the freeway was to be built were occupied, the province elected to apply to
Highway 409 first opened to traffic by 1976, with temporary ramps at Carlingview Avenue acting as the western terminus. That year the final contracts were awarded to construct portions of the Highway 427 interchange and connect Highway 409 with the airport road system.[12] The entire freeway opened on August 25, 1978.[3]
The flyover ramp, which connects southbound Highway 427 with eastbound Highway 409 was constructed in the early 1990s. Prior to that, an at-grade intersection crossed the northbound lanes of Highway 427, controlled by a traffic signal. This signal had the longest cycle of any traffic light in Toronto during its years of operation.[13]
The portion of Highway 409 west of Highway 427 is owned and operated by the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA). Despite its private ownership, the section east of Airport Road is still considered a part of Highway 409.[1] The GTAA purchased this section of the highway in 2000 in order to rebuild the approaches to Toronto Pearson Airport.[4]
Until 2008, Highway 409 remained almost unchanged from its original construction. However, beginning on July 10, 2008, traffic access was restricted to the outermost lanes. The steel "W" guardrail and truss light posts in the median were replaced by an Ontario Tall Wall barrier with a high-mast lighting system. Construction was carried out over several years and was scheduled for completion on September 1, 2011.[14]
Exit list
The following table lists the major junctions along Highway 409, as noted by the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario.[1][2]
Division | Location | km[1][2] | mi | Destinations | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mississauga | 0.0 | 0.0 | Toronto Pearson International Airport | No access to Viscount Road from Terminal 1 arrivals level or Terminal 3 | |
Airport Road ) | No eastbound exit; no access to Terminal 1 from westbound entrance; no access to Viscount Road and Network Road from eastbound entrance | ||||
0.3 | 0.19 | Viscount Road | No westbound entrance; no access to and from Network Road | ||
0.8 | 0.50 | Network Road | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; no access to and from Viscount Road, Airport Road | ||
Peel–Toronto boundary | Mississauga–Toronto boundary | 1.4 | 0.87 | Highway 427 | No westbound entrance from northbound Highway 427; westbound ramps to Viscount Road and Airport Road; Highway 427 exit 13 |
Toronto | 2.6 | 1.6 | Attwell Drive | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | |
4.1 | 2.5 | Martin Grove Road | |||
5.2 | 3.2 | Belfield Road, Kipling Avenue | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | ||
5.6 | 3.5 | Highway 401 east | No access to Highway 401 westbound; Highway 401 exit 355 | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi |
References
- ^ a b c Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (2008). "Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) counts". Government of Ontario. Archived from the original on July 6, 2011. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e Google (September 7, 2014). "Highway 409 length and route" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
- ^ a b "New Shortcut Will Let Some 'Fly' to Airport". Metro News. The Toronto Star. August 19, 1978. p. A6.
Highway 409, a new shortcut to Toronto International Airport, opens next Friday
- ^ a b Mitchell, Bob (February 10, 2000). "Airport buys highway to create new gateway ; $280 million will be spent on better road access". News. Toronto Star. Torstar Corp. p. 1. Retrieved July 9, 2010.
- ^ Google (September 7, 2014). "Streetview: Speed limit drop to 60 km/h immediately west of Highway 427" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
- ISBN 978-1-55198-213-7.
- ISBN 0-9697873-9-1. Retrieved April 4, 2010.
- ^ "New Terminal Expected to Ease Jams". News. The Toronto Star. June 9, 1972. p. 4.
- ^ Information Section (October 3, 1968). "Belfield Expressway Ramps Will be Open for Traffic" (Press release). Department of Highways.
- ^ "New Shortcut Will Let Some 'Fly' to Airport". Metro News. The Toronto Star. August 19, 1978. p. A6.
- ^ Construction Program: King's and Secondary Highways (Report). Ministry of Transportation and Communications. 1976–77. p. xvii.
- ^ Construction Program: King's and Secondary Highways (Report). Ministry of Transportation and Communications. 1976–77. p. XIV.
- ^ Gamester, George (June 22, 1981). "The Speed of Light". Metro. The Toronto Star. p. A3.
- ^ Ministry of Transportation of Ontario. "Contract 2008-2004". Government of Ontario. Archived from the original on July 6, 2011. Retrieved October 28, 2011.