York Region is showing its support for Aurora’s push for an interchange at the intersection of St. John’s Sideroad and Highway 404.
Regional council agreed Jan. 16 to forward the town's resolution for staff to work on. The resolution asks the interchange be built sooner rather than later with expected growth in the area and ongoing traffic concerns.
“Traffic congestion is a growing concern for all Aurora residents and has an impact, socially, environmentally and economically, on the Town, neighbouring municipalities, and the Region at large,” the resolution reads in part.
An interchange at the intersection is already in consideration for the future with development coming into the area, to be built by 2051 under York Region’s transportation master plan. The resolution notes the interchange has been built into the planning framework of the town for nearly two decades, dating back to plans made in 2010. The resolution asks Aurora and York Region to meet to discuss the possibility of speeding up construction of the interchange, before something as far off as 2035.
On his blog in October, Aurora Mayor Tom Mrakas said it is highly needed.
"An interchange at St. John’s Sideroad would help ease traffic, support local businesses, create jobs, and improve connections within the region. Building this interchange is key to managing the town’s future growth, maintaining economic stability, and improving life for residents," Mrakas said. "This interchange should have already been built, and it is crucial for both Aurora and the region’s economic growth."
The discussion has been bandied about for years as well. During a council discussion about a new multi-unit residential building near St. John’s Sideroad and Leslie Street in April 2023, councillors highlighted the need for an interchange.
“Anybody that takes the 404 on a daily basis knows the Wellington intersection is a bit of a bottleneck as it is now and it will only get worse,” Aurora Councillor Michael Thompson said at the time. “We have been advocating for that interchange year after year, and personally I would rather see it sooner rather than later, but a little bit of it is out of our hands.”
The resolution notes that Aurora’s employment area along the 404 corridor is over two kilometres long and is anticipated to generate more than 6,000 new jobs, but is forced to rely on one existing interchange at the south end.
The resolution will also see Aurora town staff provide the region with traffic and housing data to support an interchange there.
