Kirby Road Extension

This extension will complete the missing link between east Vaughan to west Richmond Hill and make it easier for people to get to and across the city. It will also shorten travel times and provide additional pedestrian options for everyone living and working in the area. Additionally, the Kirby Road extension will offer access to enhanced cycling networks and future transit services, and help improve emergency services response times for the community. To learn more, read the Kirby Road Extension Environmental Assessment, which was approved by Council in June 2020.

Yes! Those travelling to and along Kirby Road are currently restricted to using Teston Road or King Vaughan Road as their east-west connector road between Dufferin Street and Bathurst Street. Traffic and development in and around the area will continue to increase and, eventually, exceed the capacity of the existing road network. Extending Kirby Road will help relieve the pressure on our transit network.

The extension of Kirby Road from Dufferin Street to Bathurst Street contributes to Vaughan Council’s 2022-2026 Term of Council Service Excellence Strategic Plan objective to create fully connected and integrated communities. This will be done by undertaking initiatives to improve the municipal road network, support the development of transit and increase active transportation through cycling and pedestrian infrastructure.

The project is well underway and is anticipated to be complete by summer 2026. Project updates and construction timelines will be posted on this webpage and shared with the community regularly, so continue to check back often.

The City is implementing measures that will help lessen construction impacts, including noise. While work is underway, there may be temporary disruptions to intersections at Dufferin Street and Kirby Road, or Bathurst Street and Kirby Road, and detours may be put in place. These disruptions will be communicated well in advance to residents through multiple channels, including printed notices mailed to residents and a disruption alert posted on this webpage.

Measures to help reduce construction impacts include:

• complying with noise limits set by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks and the City’s Noise By-law 121-2021.
• using construction equipment that meets the requirements of the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.
• preventing unnecessary noise and vibration by maintaining equipment in proper working condition, including using non-defective muffler systems, properly securing various construction components and keeping moving parts well lubricated.
• restricting the use of equipment to the minimum necessary to perform the specified work.
• minimizing excessive idling of construction vehicles. 

Once complete, the newly extended Kirby Road will feature:

• four lanes (two in each direction).
• a new bridge structure crossing East Patterson Creek.
• connections to a future underpass trail crossing at East Patterson Creek.
• an in-boulevard multi-use pathway on the north and south sides of the road for cyclists and pedestrians.
• drainage improvements.
• enhanced roadway lighting.
• intersection improvements.
• updated traffic signals.

The proposed posted speed limit for Kirby Road will be 60 kilometres per hour.

In 2015, the City permitted Rizmi Holding Limited to undertake an Environmental Assessment Study (PDF) for the Kirby Road Extension between Dufferin Street to Bathurst Street. The study was completed in June 2019. The Notice of Study Completion (PDF) was then filed with the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks in September 2019. Schaeffers Consulting Engineers was the consultant retained to lead the study and an extensive public consultation process. The Kirby Road Extension Environmental Assessment was finalized by Council in June 2020.

An EA is a planning and decision-making tool used to predict the environmental effects of proposed initiatives before they are carried out. An EA:

• identifies potential adverse environmental effects.
• proposes measures to mitigate adverse environmental effects.
• predicts whether there will be significant adverse environmental effects after mitigation measures are implemented, including a follow-up program to verify the accuracy of the EA and the effectiveness of the mitigation measures.

The EA study for the Kirby Road Extension Project included:

• a background of the study.
• an overview of the consultation process.
• the need and justification for the study.
• a description of existing conditions.
• the alternative solutions and design concepts.
• a description of the suggested bridge design.
• a summary of anticipated impacts and suggested mitigation measures to implement prior to, during and after construction.

If you would like to receive updates about this project, email infrastructure.delivery@vaughan.ca and request to be added to the project’s mailing list.