103-409: The Union Pearson Express ( UP Express or UPX ) is an airport rail link connecting Union Station in Downtown Toronto to Toronto Pearson International Airport . The UP Express began operation on 6 June 2015, in time for the 2015 Pan American Games . The UP Express travels between Union and Pearson in 25 minutes departing every 15 minutes, seven days a week. At the launch announcement, it
206-457: A Presto card , the service was criticized for being the most expensive airport rail link service in North America. Amid public concern, fares were drastically reduced on 9 March 2016 to $ 12.00 cash and $ 9.00 with a Presto card . The change also introduced GO pricing between Bloor, Weston, and Union stations. President Kathy Haley, who was heading up the project, stepped down on 31 March 2016, in
309-472: A trumpet interchange with Major MacKenzie Drive (Regional Road 25), with the northbound exit ramp defaulting into Garnet Williams Way, a local side street. Although Highway 427 was not officially designated until 1972, several sections of freeway were already in place prior to that date. The designation was applied following the completion of the interchanges at the QEW and Highway 401 as well as
412-583: A Presto card. Residents living along the Weston section of the route have objected to alterations to accommodate the GO Georgetown South corridor improvements and the addition of UP Express trains. Concerns include the division of Weston from the closing of level crossings, noise levels, air quality and property values. In April 2009, the Clean Train Coalition (CTC), representing the communities along
515-469: A cloverleaf, the new interchange with the QEW was built over 48.5 ha (120 acres) and required the construction of 19 bridges and the equivalent of 42 km (26 mi) of two-lane roadway. The project involved the temporary diversion of QEW traffic to an overpass that would eventually be used for The Queensway . Construction began in September 1968, although preliminary work had been ongoing since 1966;
618-582: A connection from the GO Georgetown (later extended and renamed Kitchener ) train line or the Toronto Transit Commission 's Bloor–Danforth line (since renamed "Line 2 Bloor–Danforth"). Transport Canada made a request for proposal for an airport rail link in April 2001. In May 2003, the bidding parties were shortlisted to four consortia, who were invited to submit business cases. On 13 November 2003,
721-551: A considerable amount of traffic from Highway 401 (eastbound), the QEW/Gardiner Expressway, and Highway 407 make use of the route for airport access. First designated in 1972, Highway 427 assumed the recently completed 12-lane collector-express freeway of Highway 27 , as well as a short freeway north of Highway 401 known as the Airport Expressway . Both routes were upgraded throughout
824-692: A cost of $ 53 million, for the service. This was later expanded to 18 DMU cars (adding one car to each train via an option order). This brought the cost to US$ 75 million. The DMUs were manufactured in Japan , assembled in Nippon Sharyo's facility in Rochelle, Illinois , and towed by rail to Toronto, with the first trainset arriving on 15 August 2014. The trainsets seat between 115 and 173 people. On-board features include power outlets, Wi-Fi , luggage facilities, and washrooms. The UP Express DMUs are based on
927-409: A direct connection must use a people mover to access their terminal. People movers typically also serve parking lots, airport hotels and off-site car rental facilities. People movers are seen to have a higher perceived quality compared to a shuttle bus. Another hybrid solution is a direct link to an airport railway station connected to a shuttle bus. The passenger transfers from the railway station to
1030-603: A four-week period in September 2015, a drop of 29 percent since June. The service needed about 7,000 riders per day to break even on operating costs. A report in February 2016 showed a drop in monthly ridership from the summer to 65,593 rides (just over 2,100 per day) in November 2015. This led Metrolinx to start considering price adjustments to boost ridership numbers. By January 2016, average ridership slumped further to 1,967 passengers per day. Fares were reduced on 9 March 2016 to $ 12 for
1133-851: A major upgrade to the Union Pearson Express to better integrate it into the GO Transit rail network and to double the frequency of trains to the airport. As of September 2019, planning work was in its early stages and no plans had been finalized. The proposal includes: According to the planning document dated 22 February 2019, it is uncertain whether the UP Express infrastructure at airport Terminal 1 can be modified to accommodate electrified GO trains. There were no cost estimates for infrastructure changes. 43°40′37″N 79°28′12″W / 43.677°N 79.470°W / 43.677; -79.470 Airport rail link An airport rail link
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#17328557939331236-704: A new loop ramp from the Highway 427 southbound collectors to the Gardiner, aimed at relieving the congestion in the express lanes created by the southbound collector-to-express transfer near Bloor Street, as the collector lanes originally lacked direct access to the Toronto-bound QEW (downloaded from the province in 1998 to become the part of the Gardiner). The Gardiner Expressway also received an off-ramp to Sherway Gardens , which necessitated an underpass to be implemented in
1339-418: A one-way trip between Union and Pearson, or $ 9 with a Presto card. On the first day of reduced fares, staff counted 5,300 boardings with 40 per cent of the riders being first-time UPX users, 83 per cent being air travelers and 17 per cent being commuters. By June 2016, the daily average ridership had risen to 7,657, and a new record was set on 29 July, when the service carried more than 11,000 passengers. However,
1442-488: A popular solution in Europe and Japan for decades, only recently have links been constructed in North America, South America, Africa, Oceania, and the rest of Asia. Some early examples of inter-city railway stations built to serve an airport include: The first rapid transit station to connect with an airport was Berlin's U-Bahn U6 Paradestraße station which opened in 1927 as Flughafen ( lit. ' airport ' ) and
1545-533: A portion of the route is divided into a collector-express system with twelve to fourteen continuous lanes. Notable about Highway 427 are its several multi-level interchanges; the junctions with the QEW/Gardiner Expressway and Highway 401 are two of the largest interchanges in Ontario and were constructed between 1967 and 1971, while the interchanges with Highway 409 and Highway 407 were completed in 1992 and 1995, respectively. Highway 427
1648-624: A pre-purchased UPX ticket or tapped-in Presto card, contactless credit or debit card, or mobile wallet while on board the train(s); these fare media must be presented for inspection upon request. Failure to do so can result in a fine. However, ridership declined in the service's opening months. Ridership in August 2015 was 17 percent lower than in June 2015 and a further 4 percent lower in the first two weeks of September. Ridership ended up averaging 2,300 per day during
1751-612: A shakeup of the ranks that resulted in changes to the line's management approach. In 2017, the Discounted Double Fare program was introduced, which offered UP Express and GO Transit customers a discount of $ 1.50 when transferring to or from the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), equal to a 50 percent reduction of the $ 3.00 TTC cash fare at the time. The arrangement ended in March 2020 when the Government of Ontario terminated funding for
1854-469: A short shuttle bus transfer from the station to the airport terminal, whilst Cleveland's link is considered the first direct service in the Western Hemisphere. Tokyo Monorail , which opened in 1964 as Japan's first airport rail link, had its original southern terminus underneath the old domestic terminal of Haneda Airport . When Haneda Airport was expanded onto landfill reclaimed from Tokyo Bay in
1957-551: A test of whether government agencies must obey their own legislation. On 21 November 2012, the Ontario Divisional Court turned down the application, and ordered the CTC to pay $ 30,000 in court costs. The Toronto Transit Commission offers a frequent express bus route, the 900 Airport Express, between Kipling station and Pearson. Buses depart every 10 minutes or less, and a trip from downtown to Pearson Airport takes 45 minutes for
2060-584: A view of the Downtown Toronto and Mississauga City Centre skylines. At Pearson, the UP Express arrives at Terminal 1 , where riders can transfer to the airport's Terminal Link people mover to connect with Terminal 3 and the Viscount parking garage . At Toronto Union Station , UP Express operates from a dedicated platform in the station's west wing along the SkyWalk . The platform is fully enclosed and features
2163-714: A waiting area, a guest services desk, café, gift shop, and lounge. At Bloor and Weston stations, UP Express operates from dedicated high-level platforms adjacent to the GO Transit Kitchener line low-level platforms. An infill station at Mount Dennis , featuring a connection with the under-construction Line 5 Eglinton , is scheduled to open in 2024. The Union Pearson Express uses Nippon Sharyo DMU trains. The fleet consists of 18 diesel multiple unit (DMU) cars, as four three-car and three two-car sets. Initially, on 1 March 2011, Metrolinx announced that it had chosen to buy 12 DMU cars (six two-car trains) from Nippon Sharyo at
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#17328557939332266-404: Is a heavily traversed transit corridor; the 1.61-kilometre (1.00 mi) stretch between Burnhamthorpe and Rathburn saw an average of over 400,000 vehicles and over 5,000 buses per day in 2016, including express buses from GO Transit , MiWay , and the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) . The freeway is also the main feeder to Toronto Pearson International Airport from the north and south, as
2369-603: Is a service providing passenger rail transport between an airport and a nearby city. Direct links operate straight from the airport terminal to the city, while other links require an intermediate use of a people mover or shuttle bus . Advantages for the passenger include faster travel times and easy connections with other public transport. Advantages for the airport include increased patronage and enhanced accessibility for staff. Additionally, authorities have benefitted from less highway congestion, less pollution, and more business opportunities. Although airport rail links have been
2472-506: Is often used where the airport is outside the urban area and some way from the mass transit system but a direct downtown service is required. There are various ways this can be achieved: it may operate on a combination of existing or newly built mainline rail track using a dedicated fleet of rolling stock designed for airport service. Similarly to high-speed and inter-city services, these services often have premium fares, lower frequencies and luxury features. For airports built within or close to
2575-553: Is one of two complete north-south freeways in Toronto, the only other one being Highway 404 / Don Valley Parkway serving North York and Scarborough. Highway 427 serves as a major traffic route for the western portion of Toronto ( Etobicoke ), the northeastern portion of Mississauga ( Malton ), the southeastern portion of Brampton ( Claireville ), and the western portion of Vaughan ( Woodbridge ). The section of Highway 427 between Highway 401 and Dundas Street
2678-601: Is to provide high-capacity service. A hybrid solution adopted in some cities is a direct link to an airport railway station connected to a people mover . The passenger transfers from the railway station to the people mover which then completes the journey to the airport terminal. While this option is commonly chosen to reduce construction costs, it is only feasible when a rail line is near the airport. Some airports, such as San Francisco International Airport , are directly served by an airport rail link to some terminals but not others. In such cases, passengers using terminals that lack
2781-483: The Georgetown South Project , which expanded the rail corridor the UP Express shares with GO Transit and Via Rail . UP Express uses diesel multiple unit (DMU) trains that meet United States Environmental Protection Agency Tier 4 emission standards . The Kitchener line and UP Express will be electrified , although no date has been set. The UP Express has been criticized for not using electric trains from
2884-729: The Narita Express between Narita International Airport and Tokyo , the Union Pearson Express between Toronto Pearson International Airport and Toronto , and the Leonardo Express between Leonardo da Vinci–Rome Fiumicino Airport and Rome . Examples include the East–West Line between Changi Airport station and Singapore, the Silver Line between Washington Dulles International Airport station and Washington, D.C., and
2987-812: The Orange Line between DFW Airport Terminal A station and Dallas. Examples include Soekarno–Hatta International Airport via Soekarno–Hatta Airport Skytrain to/from SHIA station, London Luton Airport via Luton DART to/from Luton Airport Parkway station, and Paris Orly Airport via Orlyval to/from Antony station. Examples include Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport via shuttle bus to/from Zhengding Airport station, Salvador Bahia Airport via shuttle bus to/from Aeroporto station, and Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport via shuttle bus to/from Milwaukee Airport station. Ontario Highway 427 King's Highway 427 (pronounced "four twenty-seven"), also known as Highway 427 and colloquially as
3090-683: The federal government . In November 2008, Metrolinx , the Ontario government agency for Greater Toronto and Hamilton transportation, released its regional transportation plan titled The Big Move , outlining how an airport rail link was part of a strategy to establish multi-directional high-order transit connectivity to the Pearson Airport district, in addition to the Mississauga Transitway , rapid transit corridors along Highways 427 and 407 , and light rail transit lines along Eglinton and Finch Avenues. In December 2008, Metrolinx became
3193-508: The 1950s and 1960s, eventually becoming intertwined into the present configuration in 1972. The freeway was extended north from Pearson Airport to Highway 7 over the following twenty years. Construction of an extension north to York Regional Road 25 ( Major Mackenzie Drive ) began in 2017 and was opened on September 18, 2021. Highway 427 is the second-busiest freeway in Canada with an average of 300,000 vehicles that use it between
Union Pearson Express - Misplaced Pages Continue
3296-660: The 1980s–2010s, the monorail was extended to the new terminals as well, with the original southern terminus later renamed as Tenkūbashi Station . A high-speed or inter-city service provides direct travel between an airport and its surrounding cities. This solution usually requires the building of new track, whether it is a newly built main line or a branch (spur) line . These services often have premium fares, lower frequencies (e.g. every 30 minutes) and luxury features (e.g. luggage racks, power outlets, Wi-Fi, bathrooms). Integration with high-speed and inter-city services has produced alliances where airlines sell tickets that include
3399-682: The 427 , is a 400-series highway in the Canadian province of Ontario that runs from the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) and Gardiner Expressway in Toronto to Major Mackenzie Drive ( York Regional Road 25 ) in Vaughan . It is Ontario's second busiest freeway by volume and the third busiest in North America , behind Highway 401 and Interstate 405 in California . Like Highway 401,
3502-466: The Georgetown South Project, the work consisted of five new road overpasses and two road underpasses, one railway grade separation, one bridge reconstruction and the widening of 15 other bridges, construction or re-construction of four stations, major track and grading construction, signal installations utility relocations, as well as the new 3.3-kilometre (2.1 mi) elevated spur to and from
3605-477: The Georgetown–UP Express diesel service would contribute on the order of 0.2% to local air pollution, and that electrification would result in only a small improvement to local air quality. In an additional review of human health assessment in 2011, GO Transit examined the current plan for Tier 4 emission controls on both the UP Express trains and conversion of existing GO locomotives to Tier 4 and found that
3708-530: The Pan American Games, a proper analysis between operating diesel and electric trains was not completed, running contrary to Metrolinx's legislated mandate. It also asserted that another review of air quality was warranted due to the World Health Organization 's (WHO) reclassification of diesel exhaust as a carcinogen . Saba Ahmad, the lawyer representing the CTC, described the application as
3811-474: The QEW and Highway 401 per day. The section between Burnhamthorpe Road and Rathburn Road has an annual average daily traffic (AADT) count of 353,100. The route was 19.9 km (12.4 mi) long from 1991 until 2021, with the latest extension bringing it to approximately 27 km. At its southern terminus, the route begins at Coules Court, where it continues as Brown's Line , once the southernmost stretch of Highway 27. Alderwood Plaza, located on
3914-476: The Richview Memorial Cemetery. Highway 427 passes through the sprawling Highway 401 interchange and becomes displaced approximately 1 km (0.62 mi) to the west. There are no ramps to provide access from southbound Highway 427 to eastbound Highway 401 and vice versa, as this connection is handled by Highway 409 . Highway 427 crosses Renforth Drive and then curves to
4017-639: The Toronto/Mississauga boundary to briefly run exclusively through Toronto again. It crosses the West Humber River where it drains from the Claireville Reservoir. The highway crosses Steeles Avenue and enters Vaughan , as it approaches a fourth and final sprawling interchange with Highway 407. It then interchanges with Highway 7 ( York Regional Road 7 ), Langstaff Road (Regional Road 72), Rutherford Road (Regional Road 73), and ends at
4120-512: The UP Express between were $ 27.50, or $ 19 with a Presto card. By 19 June 2015, the Union Pearson Express was averaging about 3,250 riders a day, or 12 percent capacity. Metrolinx has projected that a year after opening, the service will attract 5,000 riders a day — about 1 million customers. By 2020, Metrolinx expects about 2.46 million rides per year will bring it up to full operating cost recovery. The UP Express uses an honour-based proof-of-purchase system, in which customers must carry
4223-473: The UP Express carried approximately 719,000 passengers. On 11 March 2021, UP Express became the first transit agency in the Greater Toronto Area to launch the new Presto open payment system. Riders have the option to tap on and off using a credit card ( Visa , Mastercard or American Express ), Interac debit card or a mobile device (mobile phone or watch) on a PRESTO fare device, instead of tapping
Union Pearson Express - Misplaced Pages Continue
4326-448: The UP Express heads northwest along the existing GO Transit Kitchener line . This 22-kilometre (14-mile) section of track between Bathurst Street and Highway 427 was upgraded as part of GO's Georgetown South Project, which improved infrastructure along the route to accommodate the UP Express, GO Transit, Canadian National , and Via Rail services. The UP Express makes two intermediate stops at Bloor and Weston GO stations. Bloor Station
4429-403: The UP Express of 2009 was carried out assuming that trains would be Tier 3 standard rather than Tier 4, and showed that at peak frequency the air quality effect of the additional trains would not raise any pollution level above the provincial criterion levels. The 2010 Metrolinx electrification study, which did assume the use of Tier 4 emissions technologies for diesel propulsion options, found that
4532-735: The Union Pearson AirLink Group, a subsidiary of SNC-Lavalin , was selected to finance, design, construct, operate and maintain an airport rail link. The service was to be called Blue22 , as a trip would take 22 minutes to or from Pearson with a stop at the Bloor GO Station (within walking distance of the Dundas West Toronto Transit Commission station). Trains were to be refurbished Budd Rail Diesel Cars and were expected to begin running between 2008 and 2010. By 2008, there had not been significant progress on
4635-533: The airport. The work was conducted while minimizing disruption to existing train operations, local residents and businesses. A new rail tunnel under Highway 401 was still required at a later date to meet future ridership demands. Construction of tunnels for two tracks began in July 2019 and is expected to be completed in late 2021. Service began on 6 June 2015, operated by the Union Pearson Express division of Metrolinx. With an adult one-way fare of $ 27.50 cash or $ 19.00 with
4738-445: The auxiliary power generator, and helps to provide onboard lighting and heating. They also comply with FRA Tier 1 crash energy management features. Modifications for UP Express use include enclosed overhead luggage bins that comply with Transport Canada rules and an enhanced enclosed luggage tower. The Tier 4 engines produce substantially lower emissions than most other diesel vehicles in Toronto. The Environmental Impact Assessment for
4841-551: The city limits, extending rapid transit or light rail to the airport allows seamless transport to suburbs and full integration with other lines. These services usually have a higher frequency (e.g. every 5 minutes) but longer travel times due to the service making many intermediate stops between the airport and the city centre. Additionally, there may not be enough space for baggage commonly carried by airport-bound passengers. Luggage stowing facilities are not commonly found on rapid transit or light rail vehicles as their primary objective
4944-470: The cleanest diesel technology in the world," stated Prichard. In August 2012, the CTC took legal action against Metrolinx by submitting an application for judicial review. The application requested "quashing and setting aside any decision to implement or run Diesel Multiple Units along the Air Rail Link", on the basis that by taking direction from the Ontario government to complete the UP Express in time for
5047-437: The collector lanes diverge, and the express lanes cross the southbound collectors. The collector lanes cross Eglinton Avenue at a half-cloverleaf interchange and then dives under Highway 401 while transitioning into Highway 27, while the express lanes interchange with Highway 401 and continue the route of Highway 427. The Highway 427 express lanes and ramps connecting to Highway 401 are constructed around
5150-444: The collector lanes provide local access between those interchanges. After crossing Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) tracks, the freeway interchanges with Dundas Street (former Highway 5 ). A set of criss-crossing ramps provide access between the collector and express lanes north of this point, referred to as "The Basketweave", with the northbound express-to-collector transfer also having an offramp to Dundas Street. North of Dundas,
5253-479: The collector lanes would continue the Highway 27 routing while the express lanes would shift westward to meet the rebuilt Airport Expressway. The reconstructed interchange also including connections to Eglinton Avenue (ultimately meant for the proposed but never-built municipal Richview Expressway ) from all directions except for Highway 401 east of that interchange, while Carlingview Drive received ramps to Highway 401 east of that interchange. While
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#17328557939335356-427: The connecting rail service. Parts of Europe have seen integration of high-speed rail stations into airports, with domestic and international TGV services from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport and ICE services from Frankfurt Airport . Because of this, some stations have received IATA codes . A regional or commuter "airport express" service provides direct travel between an airport and its city centre. This solution
5459-607: The construction of the interchange between the two freeways. By the beginning of 1980, this work was completed, and construction was progressing on the section north to Rexdale Boulevard, which opened by the end of the year. In 1982, construction began on the next section of Highway 427, which would extend it to just north of the West Humber River, afterwards the freeway would narrow to two lanes and continue on as Indian Line until an intersection with Albion Road ( Highway 50 ). This project included an interchange with
5562-467: The construction of two interchanges: a three-way interchange at Highway 401 and a large cloverleaf at the QEW, the latter of which would become one of the worst bottlenecks in the province a decade after its completion, according to Minister of Transportation Charles MacNaughton . By September 1956, it was possible to bypass Toronto entirely on the four lane divided highway composed of Highway 401 and Highway 27. Highway 401
5665-409: The conventional bridge widening practice of the expansion using a similar construction to the original bridge since post-tensioned concrete additions require falsework which in turn would close down Highway 407 ETR lanes for extended periods. The completed HOT lanes stretch from south of Highway 409 to north of Rutherford Road. In conjunction with the widening work, and in anticipation of the opening of
5768-623: The cost of a TTC fare . From 1993 until 2014, the Toronto Airport Express was a privately operated airport bus service from the airport to downtown Toronto operated by Pacific Western Transportation . The route was founded by Gray Coach in 1979. As of 2012, a "One Ride Scheduled Service" to or from downtown Toronto cost $ 26.95 and a "One Ride On-Demand Airport Express Connect" fare cost $ 29.95. A one-way trip took approximately 45 to 90 minutes, depending on traffic. The service ceased operation on 31 October 2014 due to declining ridership,
5871-690: The design created for the Sonoma–Marin Area Rail Transit system in California. Powered by a diesel hydraulic drive with a six-speed automatic transmission and regenerative braking, the DMUs are believed to be the first trains in the world that comply with the United States Environmental Protection Agency Tier 4 emission standards , which will reduce emissions up to 90%. Braking energy is converted into electricity by
5974-425: The design, financing, and construction of the extension, as well as its maintenance for thirty years. Construction required the periodic closure of eleven roads, as well as the removal of Regional Road 99. McGillivray Road was realigned at Rutherford Road, as was the intersection of Huntington Road and Major Mackenzie Drive. The extension north to Major Mackenzie Drive opened on September 18, 2021, after
6077-564: The directional ramp from the Highway 427 southbound express to the Hamilton-bound QEW. An 800-metre (2,600 ft) four-lane arterial road designated as Regional Road 99 was opened in the autumn of 2008 by York Region. This road unofficially extended Highway 427's northern terminus from Highway 7 to a signalized intersection with Zenway Boulevard, and mainly served to provide improved access to Highway 27 and Highway 50 . York Regional Road 99
6180-456: The east of Runway 24R and 24L of Toronto Pearson International Airport . Shortly thereafter, it crosses and interchanges with Dixon Road and Airport Road, between which it forms the demarcation line. Several ramps diverge at this point to provide access to Pearson Airport, and the freeway narrows to eight lanes. From here to just south of Finch Avenue , the freeway follows the boundary line between Toronto and Mississauga. It encounters
6283-517: The east side of the route, has a parking lot which provides access to the highway; this is the only at-grade access along the length of the route. The four-lane road splits into a divided highway and descends below Evans Avenue. The highway weaves through a complicated interchange , providing northbound access to Evans Avenue and the Gardiner Expressway, and southbound access to The Queensway , QEW/Gardiner Expressway, and Evans Avenue. North of
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#17328557939336386-464: The existing Richview Memorial Cemetery. On Highway 401 this required the removal of the existing interchange with Highway 27 as well as the half-cloverleaf interchange with the Airport Expressway which was 1 km (0.62 mi) to the west as both were originally conceived as separate routes. These two interchanges were replaced with a single large junction, where north of Highway 401
6489-600: The existing interchange with Highway 27. In 1963, MacNaughton announced that Highway 401 would be widened from a four-lane highway to a collector-express system, modeled after the Dan Ryan Expressway in Chicago . Plans were soon developed to apply this model to the QEW between Highway 27 and Royal York Road and to Highway 27 between the QEW and Highway 401, and were unveiled to Etobicoke council on October 13, 1966. Design work followed and
6592-562: The expansion of the section between them into a collector-express system . Highway 27 was designated as a two-lane road travelling north from Highway 2 ( Lake Shore Boulevard ) towards Barrie . As Toronto grew outwards following the annexation of various municipalities , the Ontario Department of Highways (DHO) began planning for a bypass of the city, aptly named the Toronto Bypass . A significant portion of this bypass
6695-423: The extension included direct access to the airport and Dixon/Airport Roads, north of which at a temporary terminus it defaulted to Indian Line. Highway 401's new junction with Highway 27 remains the largest interchange in Canada as it sprawls over 156 ha (385 acres) and required the construction of 28 bridges and the equivalent of 46.6 km (29 mi) of two-lane roadway, being built around
6798-638: The extension north of Highway 7, exit numbers were added (still ongoing as of late 2021), starting with the northern sections of the highway. An environmental assessment was completed on a northward extension of Highway 427 to Major Mackenzie Drive to relieve traffic issues on Regional Road 27 and 50, as well as provide improved access to the Canadian Pacific Intermodal Terminal, with construction beginning in May 2017. The project included HOT lanes as far north as Rutherford Road, and
6901-526: The extension of Finch Avenue west from Humberline Drive to Steeles Avenue and was completed in late 1984. Highway 427 was extended north to Highway 7 in Vaughan beginning with the construction of the interchange between the two in 1988. The extension followed a new alignment since this has sufficient right-of-way for future expansion and a junction with the initial phase of Highway 407, as opposed to upgrading Indian Line and incorporating it into
7004-466: The fare reduction has lowered the total revenue collected by the UP Express, which is expected to be below what is required for its operating costs. It was revealed that since opening day to March 2016, the UP Express' provincial operating subsidy totaled $ 39.3 million or about $ 52.26 per ride. In July 2018, the most recent month for which ridership data is available, the UP Express carried approximately 356,000 passengers. From July to September 2022,
7107-416: The fourth-level flyover ramp from westbound Highway 407 to Highway 427 southbound by 1991, following by the third-level flyover ramp from Highway 427 northbound to Highway 407 westbound, and the interchange was finally put into service when Highway 407 opened in 1997. In 2001-02, modifications were made to the interchange with the QEW and Gardiner Expressway . This included
7210-456: The freeway. The extension was opened in late 1991, with the Highway 7 interchange only half-completed since the freeway would not be extended further north until 2021. Access to Indian Line from Albion Road ( Highway 50 ) was then closed off to vehicular traffic. The final at-grade intersections were removed in the early 1990s, the first being the signalized left turn from the southbound lanes with eastbound Highway 409 which
7313-492: The highway has a northbound right-in/right-out (RIRO) interchange with Gibbs Road, the first of several that provide collector lane access to minor streets that mostly connect to The East Mall and The West Mall, which run parallel with the collector-express section of the freeway. The highway passes beneath Bloor Street but has no interchange with it. A full interchange is provided shortly after with Burnhamthorpe Road, southwest of Burnhamthorpe Collegiate Institute . Across from
7416-590: The human health risks of the diesel UP Express service are negligible, but that current background air quality (from other pollution sources in Toronto) is an issue. Fares are based on age, origin and destination, and the method of payment (children ages 12 and under can ride UP Express for free year-round). Discounts are available for families, round trips, and airport staff. As with other GO Transit lines, integrated train tickets can be purchased through Via Rail to railway stations across Canada. Upon launch, one-way fares on
7519-509: The installation of high-mast lighting, median barriers, and the addition of high-occupancy toll lanes (HOT) in both directions, and was completed in 2021 in conjunction with the Vaughan Extension (see below). One of the challenges during this project was widening the Highway 427 bridges crossing Highway 407 ETR, with the solution being steel box girders added on either side of the existing post-tensioned concrete structures , as opposed to
7622-454: The interchange opened to traffic on November 14, 1969. The existing Airport Expressway was removed in its entirety, as the DHO deemed it insufficient for future expansion beyond an airport access road, but its replacement in the form of the Highway 427 extension (also known as the Airport Expressway until 1980) still followed roughly the same alignment. Like the former Airport Expressway,
7725-476: The interchange, the lanes from Brown's Line diverge and form the collector lanes of a collector-express system . Flyover ramps to and from the QEW/Gardiner pass over the southbound lanes and converge to form the express lanes. This collector-express system serves to divide local traffic from freeway-to-freeway traffic; the express lanes provide access between the QEW/Gardiner Expressway and Highway 401, while
7828-459: The legal dispute was settled. There is a planned extension that would see the freeway pushed north to near Bolton to meet the proposed Highway 413 , should that highway be constructed. On April 30, 2024, the Ontario provincial government confirmed it will start constructing Ontario Highway 413 in 2025 after coming to an agreement with the Canadian federal government , and Highway 413 would be
7931-419: The new Airport Expressway. North of Highway 401, while the existing Highway 27 remained a provincial route as it transitioned from an expressway to an arterial road, the parallel section of Highway 427 effectively served as a freeway bypass. At the recently-opened interchange between Highway 401 and Highway 427, the off-ramp from westbound Highway 401 to Carlingview Drive
8034-404: The new interchange with the QEW was opened to traffic on November 14, 1969, the more complex Highway 401 junction required several more years of construction staging, fully opening on December 4, 1971 (though portions were opened in the weeks prior to that). On that same date, Highway 427 was inaugurated as it assumed the collector-express portion of Highway 27 and
8137-506: The outset, and for its initial fare prices that were very high compared with other North American airport–city connections. The Union Pearson Express' maximum operating speed is 145 km/h (90 mph), and its average speed is 56 km/h (35 mph). Improved transit connections to Pearson Airport had been of interest since the late 1980s. Before pursuing the airport rail link , three formal studies were conducted, in 1989, 1990 and 1991. The last two presented options for either making
8240-534: The popularity of the Billy Bishop Airport on Toronto Island, delays due to downtown road construction, and anticipated competition from the Union Pearson Express. Other public transit bus services – operated by GO Transit, MiWay , and Brampton Transit – connect Pearson Airport to Toronto and other cities in the Greater Toronto Area . As of 2019, Metrolinx is planning
8343-432: The program. On 20 April 2019, monthly capping of fares was silently discontinued, resulting in an effective fare increase of 10 to 15 per cent for regular commuters, while single fares did not change. Metrolinx continues to offer a monthly pass for airport employees. Union Pearson Express operates daily between 4:55 am and 11:00 pm every 15 minutes, making approximately 68 trips per day. From Union Station,
8446-512: The project because of failed consensus in negotiations, regulatory hurdles and community opposition. In June 2008, the Ontario government revised the environmental assessment process from a required three-year period to six months, and later that summer it resumed negotiations with Union Pearson AirLink Group on terms for a public-private partnership. Furthermore, the high-speed link received public statements of strong support from Premier of Ontario Dalton McGuinty , Toronto Mayor David Miller and
8549-406: The proponent of new EA that would simultaneously assess a combination of both the UP Express and GO Transit 's Georgetown South expansion . The final Environmental Project Report was released on 30 July 2009. After two years of failed negotiations and financing difficulties, the public-private partnership between Ontario and the Union Pearson AirLink Group was called off in July 2010, and Metrolinx
8652-579: The proposed northern terminus of Highway 427. The Highway 427 Extension Transportation Needs Assessment Study examined further extensions; connections with the Bradford Bypass freeway, as well as Highway 400 and Highway 11 north of Barrie were considered. In the past decade, there has been little discussion of this highway extension due to concerns with traversing the Oak Ridges Moraine and Minesing Wetlands . The following table lists
8755-461: The rail corridor, formed to put pressure on Metrolinx and the province to immediately prioritize electrification of the densely populated Georgetown South corridor and Union-Pearson Rail Link on opening day. However, both the province and Metrolinx Chairman Rob Prichard have indicated that using diesel trains is the only way to prevent significant delays. "We believe the Greater Toronto Area needs this project as fast as possible, and that means going with
8858-401: The same alignment as today's Highway 427) where it tied in with and downgraded into Indian Line . The Airport Expressway featured a connection with the western terminus of Richview Sideroad at the southern end of the interchange with Highway 401 as well as an interchange with Renforth Drive. On Highway 401 the Airport Expressway interchange was located 1 km (0.62 mi) to the west on
8961-569: The school, another RIRO provides access from the southbound lanes to Holiday Drive and The West Mall. Following the off-ramp, to the north, is a half-cloverleaf interchange with Rathburn Road, which provides access from the northbound lanes and to the southbound lanes. Transfers provide a second and final opportunity to cross between the express and collector lanes, or vice versa, south of the complicated 1.56-square-kilometre (0.60 sq mi) Highway 401 interchange. A final RIRO provides southbound access to and from Eringate Drive, after which
9064-425: The service designed for air travellers rather than for conventional commuters. Changes from SNC Lavalin's former proposal included refinements to take into account synergies with GO Transit. Metrolinx engaged Sumitomo Corporation of America to supply Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs) for the line. Kathy Haley was named the first president of the division in July 2011. In October 2011, the consortium AirLinx Transit Partners
9167-562: The shuttle bus which then completes the journey to the airport terminal. A shuttle bus requires no specialised infrastructure, and is often the preferred choice at smaller or low-cost airports. Shuttle buses may involve a wait for a transfer to the next stage of the journey and often suffer from lower perceived quality and market share compared to direct connections. Examples include Schipol Airport station to other Dutch cities, Zürich Flughafen station to other Swiss cities, and Daxing Airport station to other Chinese cities. Examples include
9270-574: The third multi-level junction along its length, with Highway 409, which provides access to the airport as well as the southbound to eastbound movement that cannot be performed at the interchange with Highway 401 to the south. Highway 427 continues straight north and narrows again to six lanes. After crossing the Kitchener GO line , it passes west of Woodbine Racetrack and interchanges with Rexdale Boulevard /Derry Road and Finch Avenue. The freeway bends slightly eastward, diverging from
9373-648: Was built to provide direct access to Berlin Tempelhof Airport . However, the connection was removed in 1937 and the preceding Platz der Luftbrücke station was instead granted the connection and remained so until Berlin Tempelhof Airport's closure in 2008. Other early examples of rapid transit stations connecting with airports include Boston's MBTA Blue Line Airport station which opened in 1952 (rebuilt in 2004), and Cleveland's RTA Rapid Transit Red Line Cleveland Hopkins International Airport station which opened in 1968 (rebuilt in 1994). Boston's link requires
9476-469: Was completed by May 1967. The widening of Highway 27 required the demolition and rebuilding of overpasses at Bloor Street, Burnhamthorpe Road, and Rathburn Road constructed just over a decade earlier. The rest of the route was rebuilt by September 1968, the next stage involved the reconstruction of the interchanges with QEW and Highway 401 which were reconfigured into complicated multi-level interchanges to permit free-flow movement. Replacing
9579-559: Was designed to be incorporated into the Transprovincial Highway, now Highway 401. The remainder was designed to follow the existing right-of-way of Highway 27 between the QEW and Richview Sideroad (now Eglinton Avenue). Construction of the Toronto Bypass began near Yonge Street in 1949 (along present-day Highway 401) and on the four-laning of Highway 27 in 1953. The Highway 27 work involved
9682-621: Was extended to the west soon after, but Highway 27 remained a two-lane highway north of it. During the early 1960s, Toronto International Airport was expanded with the construction of the Aeroquay One terminal. To serve the expected demand of the airport expansion, the DHO built a new four-lane freeway known as the Toronto Airport Expressway which opened on January 3, 1964. This new route ran north from Highway 401 at Renforth Drive to Dixon/Airport Roads (roughly followed
9785-424: Was handed responsibility to directly own and operate the service. Metrolinx established the new operating division that would become Union Pearson Express. Until November 2012, when the official name was announced, the name "Air Rail Link" was used as a placeholder name; "UPX" was an occasionally used acronym. Metrolinx largely preserved the same project scope as had been approved in the environmental assessment, with
9888-406: Was permanently closed on August 8, 2020, to make way for the extension of Highway 427 northwards to Major MacKenzie Drive (Regional Road 25), which also involved constructing an overpass for Zenway Boulevard to cross the extended freeway. A section of Highway 427 between Campus Road-Fasken Drive and Highway 7 was expanded to four lanes in each direction. This project included
9991-401: Was planned to extend Highway 427 north along Indian Line (although a 680 m (2,230 ft) stretch of that road would be retained to maintain access to driveways) to the future Highway 407, where ramps would direct northbound traffic onto Highway 27. An extension north of Dixon/Airport Roads began in 1976 as part of the work to build Highway 409, and it included
10094-551: Was redesigned for better access and connection to GO Transit, and Metrolinx is working towards a future direct connection to the Dundas West subway station . Beyond Highway 427, a newly constructed 3.3 km (2.1 mi) rail spur carries the UP Express from the Kitchener line to the airport, forming the longest elevated rail line in Ontario. The elevated spur to Pearson Airport reaches a maximum height of 28 metres (92 feet), offering
10197-408: Was replaced by a flyover ramp in 1992, and the second being at Morning Star Drive where an overpass was constructed in 1994 to extend the street across the freeway to Humberwood Boulevard, making Highway 427 a fully controlled-access freeway for its entire length. Work on the interchange with Highway 407 proceeded in stages, starting with the underpasses for Highway 407 as well as
10300-465: Was scheduled to open in 2021, with the HOT lanes opening the following year. However, a pending legal dispute between the provincial government and the constructor delayed the opening of the extension in late April 2021. The extension was built by Link 427, a consortium of six companies that tendered the winning bid to Infrastructure Ontario , The project was estimated at a cost of $ 616 million, and included
10403-460: Was selected to complete building the UP Express. The consortium was made up of some of Canada's largest construction companies such as Aecon and Dufferin Construction. Construction on the spur line and passenger station at Pearson airport began in the spring of 2012, at a cost of $ 128.6 million. At the time, the entire project was expected to cost $ 456 million. Undertaken as part of
10506-538: Was stated that the UP Express was projected to carry 2.35 million passengers annually and eliminate approximately 1.2 million car trips in the first year. As of 2019, it carried 4.5 million passengers annually. UP Express is operated as an independent division of Metrolinx , similarly to GO Transit . An airport rail link was one of the priority projects identified in Metrolinx's regional transportation plan, The Big Move . Construction began in 2011 as part of
10609-503: Was temporarily signed as "Airport Expressway", since Carlingview Drive had a temporary on-ramp to northbound Highway 427 near the Renforth Drive underpass but that on-ramp was closed in the early 1970s. Direct access from westbound Highway 401 to northbound Highway 427 would be restored a few years later once Highway 409 opened, which had greater capacity then the short-lived Carlingview ramps. Ultimately, it
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