York Region, located in southcentral Ontario, Canada, assigned approximately 50 regional roads, each with a number ranging from 1 to 99. All expenses of York Regional Roads (for example, snow shovelling, road repairs, traffic lights) are funded by the York Region government. Several new roads were assumed by the region include King–Vaughan Town Line and Kirby Sideroad. Most north-south roads originating in Toronto retains the proper names from south of Steeles Avenue.
As in the rest of Ontario, the provincially maintained highways in York Region are designated with a shield-shaped sign topped with a crown. The highway number is in the centre, with the name ONTARIO below. These signs are known as shields.[3]
Provincially maintained highways generally have greater construction standards than municipally or locally maintained roads.[4] Although they are usually one lane in either direction, several short sections with two lanes in one direction as a passing lane exist along the highways.
York Region is also home to three 400-series highways, which are controlled-access freeways.
Toll highway
York Region is home to a privately-maintained (but provincially-owned) toll freeway, the 407 ETR. The freeway crosses the Region east-west near the southern border. Toll rates vary depending on the section, time of day, and mileage driven.
Regional Roads
York Regional Roads are signed with a flowerpot-shaped sign, as are most regional and county roads in Ontario. The road number appears in the centre of the sign, with the word REGION above and the word YORK below. Like King's Highways, these signs are known as shields.[3] As par standard practice in regional municipalities, they run through and are signed in urban areas in addition to rural areas.
King's Highways
The following is a list of provincially maintained highways in York Region. Communities are ordered by where the route encounters them (either from south to north or from west to east).
Richmond Hill, Markham, Aurora, Newmarket, Whitchurch-Stouffville, East Gwillimbury, Georgina
Highway 404 forms the eastern/western borders of part of Richmond Hill/Markham, Richmond Hill/Whitchurch-Stouffville, Aurora/Whitchurch-Stouffville, Newmarket/Whitchurch-Stouffville, and part of Newmarket/East Gwillimbury.
Highway 50 (Peel Regional Road 50; York Regional Road 24)
York-Durham Line (York Regional Road 30)
Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Markham
Privately-owned toll freeway
Georgina Island
The main arterial road is a series of different named roads:
Bear Road - runs along south side of Georgina Island
Chief Joseph Snake Road - runs along western side of Georgina Island and transitions to Loon Road at northern tip
Loon Road - runs along eastern side of Georgina Island and transitions to Chief Joseph Snake Road at northern tip
Boundaries of York Region
Steeles Avenue marks the York Region/Toronto boundary, internally designated as York Regional Road 95[5]
York–Durham Regional Road 30 (York–Durham Line), York Regional Road 32 (Ravenshoe Road), and Durham Region Road 23 (Lake Ridge Road) marks the York Region/Durham Region boundary
Formerly Highway 11. This road is the central divider of York Region (and Toronto, from where it continues). Very busy road (especially in Richmond Hill, Markham, and Vaughan). Yonge Street turns off York Road 1 south of Holland Landing and is signed York Road 51, while York Road 1 continues northwest to Bradford in Simcoe County. The Viva Blue BRT line serves Yonge Street.
Continues from Toronto. Before naming it was the 6th Line. Former sections of Kennedy before the present alignment include Old Kennedy Road, Fresno Circuit, and Main Street Unionville. Section bypassing Main Street Unionville was briefly named Unionville By-pass. York Regional Road status was interrupted between Davis Drive (continues briefly north to dead end) and Herald Road.[7] The interruption due to the existence of the Bendor and Grave Tract (York Regional Forest), created by re-forestation of developed land acquired by the province beginning in 1924.[8] Pheasant Run Golf Course's eastern end overlaps roadway. Its length is 68km (including Toronto parts of Kennedy road)
Continues from Toronto. Unsigned road continues north of Lloydtown-Auroa Road as to King Street then becomes 4th Concession Road ending just before the Holland River. Briefly across the Holland River is a short roadway called Keele Lane which end shortly at Tornado Road.
This route is a heavily travelled route, especially between Highway 400 and McCowan Road in Vaughan, Richmond Hill, and Markham. Most of Viva Purple and Viva Pink run on Highway 7. This route was part of Ontario Highway 7 before the 1997 downloadings. Portions in Markham was once called Wellington Street (short section exists south of 7 at Markham Road). Ontario Highway 7 continues east of Reesor Road.
Runs closely parallel to Highway 404. Formerly continued south into Toronto, with that section today incorporated into Highway 404, which was constructed on a separate alignment to the west through York Region. Connects with the highway south of Steeles with directional ramps. In 2010, the Woodbine Avenue By-Pass, was opened to preserve the community of Victoria Square in Markham as urbanisation encroached; with the old alignment renamed Victoria Square Boulevard', though the bypass was redesignated as part of Woodbine Avenue proper in 2015.[9][10][11] Several former road stub exists with new names after various realignments: Union Street, in Gormley south of Stouffville Road.
Baseline Road
Woodbine Avenue
Dalton Road
Georgina
The road is an undersigned York Regional Road number #88, which makes it the second highest numbered York Regional Road.[6] Road name derived from early road surveying commonly used in the 19th and early 20th Centuries in Ontario.
Two of the roads pass through the centre of the village of Sutton. Richard Dalton was a landowner in nearby Virginia located near the Roman Catholic Church along the route from Highway 48 east of Sutton.[12]
Markham, Richmond Hill, Aurora, Newmarket, East Gwillimbury, Georgina
Continues from Toronto as Don Mills Road at Steeles Avenue and becomes Leslie Street north of John Street. Becomes The Queensway and passes through the centre of Keswick. This section is proposed to be renamed Main Street Keswick in the future. Leslie Street also continues from Toronto, but a short section north of Steeles is bypassed and/or broken (hence the portion following Don Mills Road) due to geography including (German Mills Park, Duncan Creek) and the German Mills residential area; section from Steeles to slightly north of Simonston Boulevard was once part of German Mills Road. The section of Leslie from Steeles to Waterloo Court is not part of the regional road. All sections of Leslie in Markham were once signed as 3rd Line.[13]
Stouffville Road Main Street Stouffville King–Vaughan Line
Pine Valley Drive
York–Durham Line
Richmond Hill, Whitchurch–Stouffville
It passes through the centre of Gormley and Stouffville. It is one of the busiest rural roads in York Region. Named for Stouffville founder Abraham Stouffer. Regional Road status interrupted between Bathurst and Yonge Streets.[6] Formerly as known as Whitchurch Town Line before merger of Whitchurch-Stouffville.
From Highway 27 to 8th Concession it follows the 19th sideroad. At the 8th, to avoid Pottageville swamp, it curves diagonally southwards until it reaches 7th Concession road. From the 7th to 5th Concession Road (Jane St), it runs roughly due east, between sideroads. At Jane St, it turns south until it reaches the former 18th sideroad. Turning east again, it follows the former 18th to Dufferin (3rd Concession). At Dufferin, it turns east, running on 17th sideroad.
Continues from Toronto. Mostly running along the Humber River, this road is steep at times with many curves. North of Major Mackenzie the road is not signed and merges with Highway 27 north of Nashville Road.
Former northern terminus of Highway 404, on which it is marked as a truck route to Highway 400. Not to be mistaken for road of the same name in Markham.
Major suburban thoroughfare in Markham and Vaughan spanning the width of the Region. Named after Major Addison Alexander "Lex" Mackenzie, a former provincial politician and First World War veteran.[14]
One of the rural roads in York Region, and extending Kirby Road to Bathurst. Portion named for former York County Warden John William Gamble. Kirby was likely named for settler Nathaniel Kirby.[15] Kirby Road running from Dufferin to Albion-Vaughan Road, will likely become part this regional road in the future. In 2019, Gamble Road was realigned at Leslie Street to compensate for old surveying errors, and to create a continuous routing.[16]
Separates Durham Region and York Region. North of East Gwillimbury road continues as Concession Road 1 and Miles Road terminating at Highway 48 in Baldwin; south of Steeles/Taunton Road continues as Scarborough-Pickering Townline terminating at Finch Avenue East.
One of the busiest rural roads in York Region, separates East Gwillimbury and Whitchurch–Stouffville. The road is still referred to as Davis Drive east into Durham Region. Named for the Davis Leather Company (moved to area by Andrew Davis, son of the founder of Lowell Tannery of King Township and later ran by son Elihu James Davis and Aubrey Davis).[17][18] West of Highway 400 the road resumes old signage of Highway 9.
Very busy with a lot of traffic especially in Markham and Richmond Hill. A handful of York Region's government buildings can be found in Newmarket. The route is a continuation of Bayview Avenue in Toronto. Regional road status is interrupted between Davis Drive and Green Lane.[6]
The road was interrupted by the natural landscape in King where Old Bathurst Street runs further west and south of Mulock Drive. Formerly Second Concession Road. Continuation of Bathurst Street in Toronto.
Runs from Holland Landing to south of Queensville. While not part of Regional Road 50, Doane Road exists in two secions: West of Yonge Doane Road West ends at East Branch of the Holland River and east of Woodbine Avenue runs to McCowan Road with break and continues from east of Highway 48 to York-Durham Townline. Named for Ebenezer Doane, Quaker settler in Newmarket and related to John Doane.[20]
The road was built for trucks that have now been banned from Main Street Markham. Formerly called Markham Bypass from the 1980s to 1990s, the road is now named after the former mayor of Markham, Donald Cousens. The road is expected to be extended to Highway 48 in the future, with construction planned to start in 2026.[21]
Elgin Mills Road Teston Road Nashville Road
York Region/Peel Region Boundary (Peel Regional 50 / York Regional Road 24)
York Regional Road status was interrupted between Highway 27 and Pine Valley Drive, and also between Keele Street and Dufferin Street. Elgin Mills was a post office established in Richmond Hill in 1900 and named for James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin.[22] Non-regional road section of Elgin Mills runs from Woodbine east to York-Durham Town Line (ends in Mongolia, Ontario). Road was also referred to as Peaches Sideroad as it passed through Peaches located at McCowan Road and Elgin Mills Road.
The road passes through the centre of Holland Landing and is a bypassed (to through traffic) section of Yonge Street. Continuation of Yonge Street from southern York Region.
Continues from Toronto. Two of the only TTC subway stations outside the City of Toronto are located on or near Jane Street in or near Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. Formerly the 5th Concession Road.
Formerly the 6th Concession Road. Continuation of Weston Road in Toronto. A short stub called Old Weston Road was the former alignment of the roadway that was removed to align with the Toronto section of the road. Non-regional road section of Weston Roads ends north of Highway 9 at Woodchoppers Lane.
Passes through the centre of the developing Downtown Markham. Several traffic lights cause traffic to jam frequently up between Apple Creek and Highway 7. Continuation of Warden Avenue in Toronto. Before renaming it was signed as 5th Line.
Continues from McCowan Road in Toronto from the southern border at Steeles Avenue to Baseline Road (York RR 8A) in Georgina in the north, a distance of some 53 kilometres (33 mi), with one break of about 250 metres (820 ft) in the middle of the concession between St. John's Sideroad in the south and Vivian Road (York RR 74) in the north because of a gorge of a tributary of the Black River. The entire length is signed as McCowan Road, but officially as York Regional Road 67 for only two segments: the southern segment, between Steeles Avenue in the south and Bloomington Road/York RR 40 in the north; and the northern segment, between Davis Drive/York RR 31 in the south and Ravenshoe Road/York RR 32 in the north.
Formerly Highway 48 (downloaded in 1997), the road becomes Highway 48 after Major Mackenzie Drive. Continuation of Markham Road south of Highway 401 in Toronto and from Steeles Avenue north to Highway 407 in Markham. Signed as Main Street Markham North north of Highway 7 and Main Street Markham South south of Highway 7.
Was at once considered for an expressway. 9th Line borders Cornell and is now changing from a rural road to somewhat of an urban thoroughfare due to urban sprawl, especially in Cornell. Road breaks at Copper Creek Drive after re-alignment in 2006-2007 and continues due west at Rouge Bank Drive to a dead end south of Sanders Drive near Donald Cousens Parkway; southern portion continues via deteour on Donald Cousens southwest then south at the hydro lines to traffic light at Steeles Avenue East along the Toronto-York Region border. Jog north of Donald Cousens will be likely be eliminated by future road work by the region. The name Ninth Line is the original assignment provided in the 1793-1794 surveying.[23] North of Aurora Road Ninth Line continues as local road to Vivian Creek Road and ends as a driveway into Mount Albert water tower. Sometimes referred to as 9th Concession Road.
York Regional Road status interrupted between Warden Avenue and Bathurst Street. West of Warden Avenue it briefly is signed as Alden Road and resumes by turning north at lights at Hood Road. 14th Avenue ends at dead end at Highway 404 but section west of Woodbine was rerouted at a southwest angle. Former route west of 404 once ended at Leslie Street but was removed as residential area appeared. While a short section now called 14th Lane appears to be a stub of the old road allowance but aerial maps suggests Tanglewood Trail and parts of Lyndhurst Drive to Bronte Road are the former route. There are two sections of roadway re-routed: at Donald Cousens former section now a pathway ending at railway tracks (crossing marking removed); section west of Markham Road leads into plaza with signage as Old 14th Avenue. Centre Street begins at Yonge Street and heads westward and bends north after Dufferin Street to end at Highway 7. Although a partial section of Green Lane follows alignment of both 14th Avenue and Centre Street, but it is not part of Regional Road 71. The portion between Highway 7 and Dufferin Street has the unposted designation of Ontario Kings Highway 7195.
The road is interrupted twice. The first time is between Keele Street and Jane Street because of the CN rail yard. The second time is between Islington Avenue and Highway 27 because of the Humber River. Road likely linked to settler John Langstaff, whose property, along with Yonge Street, later became Langstaff Farm Jail.[24]
16th Avenue Carrville Road Rutherford Road
York Region/Peel Region boundary
York–Durham Line
Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Markham
One of the busiest roads in York Region. It is often congested during rush hours in the vicinity of Vaughan Mills mall in Vaughan and between Kennedy Road and Warden Avenue in Markham. Road connects with Castlemore Road west of Highway 50 (now Peel Regional Road 50) in Brampton, then as Bovaird Drive (Peel Regional Roads 10 and 107) within Peel Region. In Halton Region (near Norval), the road continues west into Georgetown as the western segment of Highway 7.
Southern boundary of York Region, bordering Toronto and spanning the width of the Region (and Toronto), with a short section near Kipling Avenue entirely within Toronto where it dips south. Not signed and internally designated only.
99
(Defunct)
–
Zenway Boulevard
North end of Highway 427 at Highway 7
Vaughan
Former York Region-built non-freeway extension of Highway 427. Ran 700 m (2,300 ft) north from Highway 7 to Zenway Drive. Closed and removed August 8, 2020 due to construction to tie in existing Highway 427 lanes to extension work ahead of the freeway's completion (opened Sept 2021).[25][26]
^Thompson, Don W. (1969). Men and Meridians: The History of Surveying and Mapping in Canada. Vol. 3: 1917 to 1947. Canadian Government Publishing Centre. p. 141. ISBN0-660-00359-7.
^Ontario Provincial Standards for Roads and Public Works (Report). Vol. General & Construction Specifications. Ministry of Transportation of Ontario. November 30, 2009.
^Transportation Services Department. Road Class Categories(PDF) (Map). Regional Municipality of York. Retrieved March 6, 2022.
Highway 48
Highway 404
Highway 400
Highway 9
Highway 427
Highway 7
407 Express Toll Route
