Planning for Highway409 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 Highway427 in order to modify the ramps leading into the airport.
The speed limit along Highway409 is 100 kilometres per hour (62mph) east of Highway427 and 80km/h (50mph) 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
Highway409 serves as a direct link between Highway401, Highway427, 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. Highway409 also serves as the only connection between westbound Highway401 and northbound Highway427 and between southbound Highway 427 and eastbound Highway 401, as access between these routes is not provided at the 401–427 interchange.[2]
Highway409 begins at Airport Road as the knotted flyovers from Pearson International Airport converge into the freeway from the various terminals.[2] The highway then turns northeast and encounters Highway 427. Through this section to Highway427, the highway is maintained by the Greater Toronto Airport Authority (GTAA) and has a posted speed limit of 60 kilometres per hour (37mph).[4][5]
As the highway passes under Highway427, it turns southeast and takes on an east–west orientation. It passes over Carlingview Drive, and begins to descend into a trench, passing beneath Highway27, two CN railway spurs, and Iron Street before returning to level grade. Around the interchange with Martin Grove Road, the freeway twists slightly to the north and south between factories and warehouses.[6]
At its eastern terminus, the eastbound Highway409 crosses Kipling Avenue and two of its lanes merge onto each of the Highway401 express and collector lanes. From Highway 401 westbound, two westbound collector lanes diverge and become the westbound lanes of Highway409, 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 Highway409, originally known as the Belfield Expressway, were first presented in 1965 to the Peel County (now Peel Region) council. In September1968, three possible routes were submitted to the council. At the time, the town of Malton, within Peel County, occupied the area of the planned expressway, having not yet been amalgamated with municipalities within Peel County to the south to create the City of Mississauga. The 45-metre-wide (148ft) strip of land would require the expropriation and demolition of 50 houses, as well as several businesses, a school, and two community parks. Citizens of the village formed a group to protest the freeway and to demand another route be taken. An above-grade alternative, similar to the Gardiner Expressway was proposed, as well as a tunnel under the airport.[7]
However, at the same time, Toronto was embroiled in heated debate over the fate of its planned urban expressway system. When the Spadina Expressway was cancelled in 1971, the planned Belfield Expressway was completely revised. Instead of continuing northwest from Highway427 and through Malton's four-corners at Derry Road and Airport Road towards Brampton, it would curve southwest and provide access to the developing Toronto International Airport.[8]
Before plans for the new route were finalized, a flyover was built to provide access from Belfield Road to eastbound Highway401, opening on October7, 1968.[9]
Because the lands on which the freeway was to be built were occupied, the province elected to apply to expropriate the right-of-way in April 1972.[10]
Construction was underway by the end of the year, with the first contracts constructing the trench section near Highway27. Structures, drainage and grading were completed west of Iron Street to Carlingview Avenue in 1974. In June of that year, contracts were awarded for the same work east of Iron Street to Highway401. When this was completed in 1975, a paving contract was awarded from Carlingview Avenue to Highway401.[11]
Highway409 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 Highway427 interchange and connect Highway409 with the airport road system.[12]
The entire freeway opened on August 25, 1978.[3]
The flyover ramp, which connects southbound Highway427 with eastbound Highway409 was constructed in the early 1990s. Prior to that, an at-grade intersection crossed the northbound lanes of Highway427, 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 Highway409 west of Highway427 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 Highway409.[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 July10, 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]
"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
Hicks, Kathleen A. (2006). "Road Controversy - 1968". Malton: Farms to Flying(PDF). Friends of the Mississauga Library System. pp.208–209. ISBN0-9697873-9-1. Retrieved April 4, 2010.
Ministry of Transportation of Ontario. "Contract 2008-2004". Government of Ontario. Archived from the original on July 6, 2011. Retrieved October 28, 2011.
This article uses material from the Wikipedia article Ontario_Highway_409, and is written by contributors.
Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.