York Regional Road 7

York Regional Road 7 is a major east-west arterial road in York Region, Ontario, Canada. It runs in Markham, Richmond Hill, and Vaughan, and is one of the rare regional roads that stretch from the western limit to the eastern limit of York Region. It continues west into Peel Region as Peel Regional Road 107 (otherwise known as Queen Street), and east into Durham Region with its provincial highway status as Highway 7.

The road previously formed part of provincial Highway 7, and is still referred to as Highway 7 on road signs and in everyday use. However, York Region and Markham council are considering changing the road's name to reflect its current role as an arterial road. One of the names being considered is Avenue 7.^[1]

York Regional Road 7 is commonly called the Chinatown of York Region^{[citation needed]}, since numerous Chinese shopping centres are located along the road, especially the section between Bayview Avenue and Warden Avenue. Such malls include Times Square and First Markham Place.

Road information

• Locally Referred to as: Highway 7
• Municipalities (from east to west): Markham, Richmond Hill, Vaughan
• Length: 41 km (25.5 miles) (Within York Region),
• Transportation: Mainly YRT Routes 1, and 77, along with Viva Purple
• Points of Interest: Vaughan Corporate Centre, Richmond Hill Centre, Richmond Hill Centre Terminal, Times Square, Seneca College Markham Campus, First Markham Place, Downtown Markham, Markham Civic Centre (Anthony Roman Centre), Markham Theatre (walking distance needed), Markville Mall, Main Street Markham (intersects YRR7)
• Road Status: Formerly a provincial highway, it was downgraded to the responsibility of the region. It has four lanes from Highway 50 to just before Highway 400, and from Montgomery Road to Main Street Markham. The rest of Highway 7 is 6 lanes. The section between Montgomery Road and Kennedy Road will be widened to 6 lanes in the near future, as Highway 7 forms the northern boundary of Downtown Markham. It is an at-grade expressway from east of Keele Street to Bayview Avenue. The speed limit varies between 50 and 80 km/h (30 to 50 mph), with 70 km/h (45 mph) the most common.
• Zoning: Generally a mix of everything, from high density residential to low density commercial, with lots of industrial in Vaughan, and lots of empty land along its boundary with the 407.
• Additional Information: The road was downgraded from provincial highway status on January 1, 1998. Since there was no other name people in York Region know it by, it is still referred to as "Highway 7" in York Region today. YRR7 resumes its provincial highway status east of Main Street Markham. Higher density growth has begun to occur along the road, as a bid by municipalities to curb suburban sprawl.

Public transit

Highway 7 is served by YRT Route 1, and a joint service Route 77 by YRT and Brampton Transit. It is served by Viva purple from McCowan Road to Yonge Street and Viva orange from Interchange Way to Martin Grove Road. Numerous other routes also use portions of Highway 7, including:

• YRT Route 10
• YRT Route 23
• YRT Route 40
• YRT Route 41
• YRT Route 87
• YRT Route 522
• TTC Route 25D
• Viva Purple (peak service west of Interchange Way)
• Viva Pink (peak hours only)
• Viva Green (peak hours only)

Major roads/highways that cross Highway 7

(from west to east)

• Image:YRR24.png Highway 50/Albion Road
• Image:Ontario 427.png Highway 427 (terminates at Highway 7)
• Image:YRR27.png Highway 27
• Kipling Avennue
• Image:YRR17.png Islington Avenue
• Pine Valley Drive
• Image:YRR56.png Weston Road
• Image:Ontario 400.png Highway 400
• Image:YRR55.png Jane Street
• Image:YRR6.png Keele Street
• Image:YRR71.png Centre Street
• Image:YRR53.png Dufferin Street
• Image:YRR38.png Bathurst Street
• Image:YRR1.png Yonge Street
• Image:YRR34.png Bayview Avenue
• Image:YRR12.png Leslie Street
• Image:Ontario 404.png Highway 404
• Image:YRR8.png Woodbine Avennue
• Image:YRR65.png Warden Avennue
• Image:YRR3.png Kennedy Road
• Image:YRR67.png McCowan Road
• Image:YRR68.png Main Street Markham South

Note: East of Main Street Markham, York Regional Road 7 is officially Highway 7

Major roads/highways parallel to R.R.7

• Jefferson Sideroad
• Image:YRR29.png Kirby Road/Gamble Road/19th Avenue
• Image:YRR49.png Teston Road/Elgin Mills Road
• Image:YRR25.png Major Mackenzie Drive
• Bur Oak Avenue
• Image:YRR73.png Rutherford Road/Carrville Road/16th Avenue
• Image:YRR7.png Highway 7
• Image:YRR72.png Langstaff Road
• Image:Highway407crest.png Highway 407 ETR
• Image:YRR71.png 14th Avenue/Alden Road/Esna Park Drive/John Street/Centre Street
• Denison Street
• Steeles Avenue
• Finch Avenue

See also

• Image:PRR107.PNG Peel Regional Road 107
• Highway 7

References