VAUGHAN, Ont. – As part of York Region’s rapid transit plan, construction on an expansion of rapidways along Highway 7 in Vaughan is expected to begin in 2013.

“Our plan will make it easier for people to take transit, help reduce gridlock, improve the quality of the air we breathe and help our economy to grow,” Minister of Transportation Bob Chiarelli said.

A part of York Region’s $1.4-billion transit plan, the project involves widening the highway to construct a 3.5 kilometre extension of the Highway 7 West rapidway.

One of three new Viva stations, a station at Vaughan Metropolitan Centre will connect the rapidway with the Toronto-York Spadina subway extension and an inter-regional bus terminal.

“Traffic gridlock risks choking our economy,” Chiarelli said. “Not just fumes from too many cars on the road affect our air quality and our environment and we’re making progress.

According to Chiarelli, the Toronto-York-Spadina subway extension will eliminate 30 million car trips per year and add 36 million transit trips.

The project is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2015.