Highway 404 (Ontario)

Highway 404 (Ontario) is a major controlled-access highway in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada. It serves as a crucial north-south arterial route, connecting the northern suburbs of Toronto with the city's downtown core via its terminus at the Highway 401 interchange. The highway is officially named the Donald Cousens Parkway in honor of the former MPP for Markham. It is a vital commuter and freight corridor, managed by the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario.

Route description

Highway 404 begins at a massive interchange with Highway 401 in the North York district of Toronto, near the Don Valley Parkway. From this junction, it travels north through the Don River valley, passing just east of the York University Glendon campus. The route serves as the primary eastern boundary for the cities of Vaughan and Richmond Hill, while forming the western edge of Markham. It traverses largely suburban landscapes, with significant commercial and residential development along its corridor. North of Major Mackenzie Drive in Stouffville, the character shifts to a more rural setting as it continues into East Gwillimbury. The highway currently ends at an at-grade intersection with Raven Road, just south of the community of Queensville.

History

The planning for a highway through the Don Valley to relieve congestion on Yonge Street dates back to the 1950s. Construction on the initial segment began in the early 1970s, with the first section from Highway 401 to Steeles Avenue opening to traffic in 1977. This early phase was built to connect with the proposed Metro Spadina Expressway, which was later cancelled. A major extension opened in 1985, pushing the northern terminus to Highway 7 in Markham. Further northward expansions followed, reaching Major Mackenzie Drive in 1993, Bloomington Road in 1998, and Green Lane in 2004. The final completed extension to its current terminus at Raven Road opened in 2014, significantly improving access to growing communities in York Region.

Future

Long-term plans consistently call for the extension of Highway 404 north to connect with Highway 12 near Sunderland, providing a continuous freeway link to the Durham Region and Lake Simcoe areas. The proposed route would pass east of Lake Simcoe and the town of Keswick. Environmental assessments for this extension have been completed, but construction remains unfunded and is considered a future project. Within its existing length, the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario continues to implement managed lane technologies and interchange improvements, such as the recent reconfiguration at Highway 407 to alleviate chronic congestion in the Markham and Richmond Hill corridors.

Exit list

The following table lists the major interchanges and exits along Highway 404, proceeding from south to north. The entire route is located within York Region, except for the southernmost portion within Toronto.

{| class="wikitable" |- ! scope="col" | Location ! scope="col" | km ! scope="col" | mi ! scope="col" | Exit ! scope="col" | Destinations ! scope="col" | Notes |- | rowspan="2" | Toronto | 0.0 | 0.0 | – | style="text-align:center;" | Highway 401 – Toronto, London | Southern terminus |- | 1.6 | 1.0 | 1 | Sheppard Avenue | |- | Toronto–Vaughan boundary | 3.5 | 2.2 | 3 | Finch Avenue | |- | rowspan="2" | Vaughan–Richmond Hill boundary | 5.5 | 3.4 | 5 | Steeles Avenue | |- | 7.5 | 4.7 | 7 | Highway 407 (ETR) – Burlington, Pickering | Tolled highway |- | Richmond Hill | 10.5 | 6.5 | 10 | Highway 7 – Richmond Hill, Markham | |- | Markham | 13.5 | 8.4 | 13 | 16th Avenue | |- | rowspan="2" | Markham–Whitchurch-Stouffville boundary | 16.5 | 10.3 | 16 | Major Mackenzie Drive | |- | 22.5 | 14.0 | 22 | Elgin Mills Road | |- | Whitchurch-Stouffville | 28.5 | 17.7 | 28 | Bloomington Road | |- | rowspan="2" | East Gwillimbury | 35.5 | 22.1 | 35 | Green Lane | |- | 53.8 | 33.4 | – | Raven Road | Northern terminus |}

Major intersections

The following is a concise list of the most significant junctions along Highway 404. The highway's southern terminus is its most critical interchange, a complex multi-level structure with Highway 401, one of North America's busiest highways, providing direct access to downtown Toronto and western Ontario. The junction with the tolled Highway 407 is a major transfer point for east-west traffic across the Greater Toronto Area. Further north, the interchanges with Highway 7 and Major Mackenzie Drive serve as primary east-west arterials for the municipal centers of Markham and Richmond Hill. The northern terminus at Raven Road functions as a temporary end-point, with traffic dispersing onto regional roads in York Region. Category:Provincial highways in Ontario Category:Transportation in the Greater Toronto Area Category:Roads in York Region of, York