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The Ford government is officially embarking on a feasibility study for a proposed tunnel expressway beneath Highway 401, having issued a request for companies to explore the project’s viability.
On Monday afternoon, the government announced its call for proposals for a two-year feasibility assessment, which will evaluate a route extending from Mississauga to just east of Scarborough.
This initiative was initially proposed by Premier Doug Ford in September 2024, who indicated that this ambitious project aims to address the escalating congestion on Highway 401. Ford asserted that the feasibility study would inform critical aspects such as the project’s dimensions and overall scope, while expressing intentions to proceed regardless of the study’s conclusions.
It has been six months since the initial announcement, resulting in the recent issuance of the request for proposals aimed at determining project feasibility. According to public documents, the selected contractor is expected to complete the study by February 2027.
Details regarding the length of time the government will take to review the feasibility study’s findings or proceed with route planning remain uncertain. Additionally, a construction timeline and overall budget have yet to be established.
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Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria labeled the release of the tunneling feasibility contract a pivotal achievement. “This RFP for the 401 tunnel marks a significant advancement in our government’s initiative to combat gridlock and enhance traffic flow,” he stated.
An internal document previously reviewed indicated certain requirements and strategies for the feasibility study. In January, the government sought:
- An analysis of tunneling options to increase vehicle and transit capacity
- Consideration of alternative infrastructure solutions, such as elevated highways and adjacent routing
- Preliminary cost estimates and economic analyses
- Design, environmental, and construction considerations
The internal presentation emphasized that options to augment highway capacity are severely limited without implementing large-scale tunnel or fly-over infrastructure. The feasibility study will also examine alternative routes and modes of transportation.
Companies are being asked to perform a thorough evaluation of “other vehicle and transit capacity options” and to explore additional “complementary congestion relief options.”
Global News has learned that there were modifications to the feasibility study framework between January and the recent RFP release. Although work on the feasibility study will commence shortly, the idea of a tunnel beneath Highway 401 is not a novel concept. Canadian construction firm Aecon has been advocating for this tunnel expressway to political leaders for years.
The concept was first introduced in 2015 with a proposal for a tunnel extending from Highway 427 to the Don Valley Parkway. This proposal was later suggested to the Ontario Liberal government and resurfaced in 2019 when Aecon presented a similar unsolicited plan to the Ford government, estimating costs between $50 to $60 billion. After some dormancy, the concept gained traction and was officially supported by the government at the end of last summer, becoming a key part of the Progressive Conservatives’ platform during the February snap election, leading to their majority win.
Source
globalnews.ca