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  • City of Vaughan Highway 7 Widening Municipal Class Environmental Assessment Study

    Rainbow Creek Bridge (west of Kipling Avenue) to Wigwoss Drive / Helen Street

  • The City of Vaughan is studying Highway 7 between Rainbow Creek Bridge (west of Kipling Avenue) and Wigwoss Drive/Helen Street to provide improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, transit users and motorists. This work will include assessing options to widen Highway 7 from four (4) to six (6) lanes, while providing for two (2) additional Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lanes in the future and adding new pedestrian and cycling facilities.

    The purpose of the first round of public engagement is to:

    • introduce the study and hear from the public on the general corridor experience.
    • share considerations that will inform the development of the alternative design concepts and evaluations.
    • seek initial community input.

  • We want to hear from you!

    For a complete overview of the project, please review the Open House #1 boards before taking the survey. If you prefer to proceed right away, the survey also includes key information to guide your responses. It will take approximately 15 minutes to complete and will be available until Friday, July 17, 2026.

    Email the project team at: Highway7Widening@vaughan.ca.

    Tareq Mahmood Michelle Mascarenhas
    City Project Manager Consultant Project Manager
    City of Vaughan HDR Corporation

  • Notice of collection

    Personal information in this form is collected under the authority of the Municipal Act, 2001 and will be used for the purpose of administering the Highway 7 Widening Environmental Assessment Study from Rainbow Creek Bridge (west of Kipling Avenue) to Wigwoss Drive / Helen Street. Questions about this collection can be directed to Tareq Mahmood, Project Manager, Transportation Planning and Engineering via email at Highway7Widening@vaughan.ca. With the exception of personal information, all comments will become part of the public record.

  • General Questions

  • What is your interest in this study? (Check all that apply)
  • Did you attend the Open House on Thursday, June 25, 2026?
  • How did you hear about the Highway 7 Widening EA project? (Check all that apply)
  • When you travel along Highway 7 between Rainbow Creek Bridge (west of Kipling Avenue) and Wigwoss Drive / Helen Street, where are you typically traveling to?
  • What is your primary mode of travel along Highway 7 between Rainbow Creek Bridge (west of Kipling Avenue) and Wigwoss Drive / Helen Street?

  • Existing Corridor Conditions

  • This stretch of Highway 7 is approximately 1.7 kilometres in length, with four lanes (two in each direction) between Kipling Avenue and Wigwoss Drive/Helen Street, and six lanes (three in each direction) west of Kipling Avenue. Although there are sidewalks on both sides of the road, cycling facilities only exist east of Bruce Street.

    The posted speed limit is 60 km/h and traffic signals are located at the following intersections:

    • Highway 7 and Kipling Avenue
    • Highway 7 and Islington Avenue
    • Highway 7 and Bruce Street
    • Highway 7 and Wigwoss Drive/Helen Street

    Key features include:

    1. Rainbow Creek Crossing
    2. Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) Rail Crossing
    3. Humber River Crossing
    4. Hillcrest Cemetery and Cremation Centre
    5. Wigwoss-Helen Viva Station and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lanes east of Bruce Street
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  • Alternative Design Concepts

  • This study will assess two road widening cross-sections for Highway 7:

    • An interim 6-lane vision (widening for six traffic lanes) to address congestion
    • An ultimate 8-lane vision (widening for six traffic lanes while providing for two additional Bus Rapid Transit lanes in the future) to address congestion and support rapid transit connections

    Studying both the interim and ultimate visions will help the City plan and protect for longer term improvements.

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  • The following three widening alternatives will be studied to determine how best to widen Highway 7, while minimizing adverse impacts. The ultimate 8-lane cross-section is shown for graphic purposes, but these three widening alternatives will be reviewed for both the interim 6-lane vision and the ultimate 8-lane vision.

     

    • Alternative 1: Widening about the centreline – balances impacts on both sides of Highway 7
    • Alternative 2: Widening to the north – additional lanes and impacts occur on the north side of Highway 7
    • Alternative 3: Widening to the south – additional lanes and impacts occur on the south side of Highway 7
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  • Which widening alternative do you prefer? (Select one)

  • Design Features

  • This stretch of Highway 7 currently has sidewalks and limited cycling facilities, and accommodates landscaping, lighting, and utilities. This Environmental Assessment study will consider boulevard and intersection improvements, including but not limited to:

    • Sidewalks on both sides – for pedestrians only and separated from cyclists
    • Boulevard cycle tracks on both sides – cyclists would travel in the same direction as vehicular traffic
    • Crosswalks – dedicated crossing for pedestrians at intersections
    • Crossrides – dedicated crossing for cyclists at intersections
    • Street trees/ landscaping
    • Street furniture and transit amenities
    • Streetlights/ utilities
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  • Which design features would you like to see in the boulevard and at intersections? (Select all that apply)

  • Evaluation Criteria

  • The following criteria will be used to assess the alternatives.

    • Transportation Service
      • Public transit service
      • Traffic congestion and delays
      • Pedestrian and cyclist experience
      • Safety
      • Emergency services
    • Natural Environment
      • Designated areas, vegetation, wildlife, aquatic habitat
      • Air quality
      • Surface water and ground water
      • Climate change impacts
      • Flooding and erosion, slope stability
    • Social Environment
      • Property access
      • Traffic noise
      • Archaeological and cultural heritage features
      • Visual aesthetics
    • Infrastructure Design & Economic Environment
      • Utilities
      • Planned development and growth
      • Access to businesses
      • Property requirements
      • Costs (capital, operating, maintenance)
      • Construction impacts
  • Are there any additional Evaluation Criteria we should consider?

  • Other Comments / Contact Us

  • Do you have other ideas or concerns about transportation today or in the future, on Highway 7 from Rainbow Creek Bridge (west of Kipling Avenue) to Wigwoss Drive / Helen Street?
  • Do you wish to join the study mailing list to receive future notifications and updates?
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