Donald Cousens Parkway

The history of Donald Cousens Parkway dates back to the 1970s when Metropolitan Toronto and the Ontario Department of Highways, (now the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario or MTO) planned out the East Metro Transportation Corridor. This corridor was originally envisioned as a six-lane expressway connecting Highway 401 with the planned but unbuilt Highway 407 to service the future towns of Cornell and Seaton using the greenspace between the two. However, the drive for expressway construction faded through the 1970s and 1980s as a result of opposition and the resulting cancellation of the Toronto expressway network. Studies nonetheless continued to be performed confirming the need for the route. The formation of Rouge Park in 1990 resulted in a commitment for "no new roads" through the park south of Steeles Avenue, ending the potential for any expressway proposals to be approved.[5]

During 1994 and 1995, the MTO conducted two studies termed the Morningside Transportation Corridor Review. While the study once again confirmed the need for the route, it also suggested that while an expressway was the ideal solution, an arterial road would be the practical solution. It also suggested that the road be a municipal route, rather than a provincial one.[5] In 1997, the Environmental Assessment for the Markham Bypass extension was completed, approving construction of an interchange at the future Ontario Highway 407 (then open only as far as Ontario Highway 404[7]) and a divided roadway north from there to Major Mackenzie Drive.[8]

Construction on the two lane section between 16th Avenue and Major Mackenzie Drive, connecting with the north end of the Old Markham Bypass, began in 2002,[8] and was completed by the end of 2004.[9] Phase 2, which included construction of a partial interchange with Highway 407, began in 2004[5] and was completed by the end of the year; it and the four lane section north of it to Highway 7 opened on December 17, 2004.[9] In 2005, construction began on the third phase of the bypass,[9] connecting the southern segment at Highway 7 with the northern segment north of 16th Avenue. This four lane section opened on October 24, 2006. The two lane road between this new section and 16th Avenue was subsequently closed and removed. Phase 1 cost an estimated $19.3 million; phase 2 an estimated $5.5 million; phase 3 an estimated $10.8 million.[10]

On October 19, 2006, York Regional Council voted to rename the Markham Bypass to honour the work of mayor Don Cousens. Following this decision, a report was prepared outlining the costs; it was presented to council on February 22, 2007,[11] and a bylaw enacted. The name change became effective April 1, 2007.[12]

South of Highway 407, planning for the controversial link to Morningside Avenue has been underway since 2002. Although York had intended for Donald Cousens Parkway to tie directly into Morningside, thus completing and arterial link the Highway 401, Toronto has firmly opposed this direct link since 2005 due to the requirement for a new crossing of the Rouge River. After a lengthy and contentious debate between the two, the province brought in former York Region CAO Alan Wells as a mediator in 2007.[5][13] In September 2010, York announced that it had reached a compromise to construct a discontinuous route, with Donald Cousens Parkway ending at the current Steeles Avenue / Ninth Line intersection, widening the two-laned Steeles to six west of that point, and extending Morningside north to Steeles immediately east of Eastvale Drive.[14] The Regional Municipality of York applied for and obtained environmental assessment approval for this undertaking in July 2011 and January 2013, respectively.[15][16] In July 2014 it was announced that Toronto and York would begin sharing jurisdiction over 1.5 km (0.93 mi) of Steeles west from Ninth Line in order to move forward on the planned widening project.[17]

In the interim period since the debate erupted in 2005, York Region and the Town of Markham began collaboration on linking Donald Cousens Parkway between Steeles and Highway 407. Markham oversaw construction of the Box Grove Bypass (or Ninth Line Bypass) and Town Arterial Road, (or Box Grove Collector Road), with construction carried out by it and the developers of the adjacent Box Grove community. The Box Grove Bypass was constructed by the town beginning in 2005 and opened in the spring of 2007, partially utilizing the Donald Cousens Parkway alignment along the north side of the CP Havelock railway subdivision.[5] Construction of the Box Grove Collector Road, between the Box Grove Bypass and Highway 407, began in 2009 and included a realignment of 14th Avenue. The developers of the surrounding communities – Box Grove Hill Developments Inc. to the north of 14th Avenue and Box Grove Developers Group to the south[18] – were contracted to build this section, which was scheduled for completion by December 2010.[19] Although a short portion between Copper Creek Drive and Highway 407 — including the unfinished ramps at the interchange — was opened by 2011,[20] the remainder of the project was delayed by issues involving a new railway crossing along 14th Avenue. It opened in 2012 at an estimated cost of $15.5 million.[19]