▁had ▁comm enced ▁on ▁June ▁ 8 , ▁ 2 0 1 5 . ▁Bey ond ▁Highway / Reg ional ▁Road ▁ 2 4 , ▁the ▁highway ▁returns ▁to ▁a ▁six - lane ▁cross ▁section ▁and ▁me and ers ▁towards ▁Mil ton , ▁passing ▁through ▁hills ▁and ▁rock ▁cut s ▁along ▁the ▁way . ▁ ▁Gre ater ▁Toronto ▁Area ▁▁ ▁As ▁Highway   4 0 1 ▁approaches ▁the ▁Gre ater ▁Toronto ▁Area ▁( G TA ), ▁it ▁desc ends ▁through ▁the ▁e colog ically ▁protected ▁Ni ag ara ▁Esc arp ment ▁to ▁the ▁west ▁of ▁Mil ton . ▁Upon ▁entering ▁the ▁town , ▁it ▁enters ▁the ▁first ▁urban ized ▁section ▁of ▁the ▁G TA , ▁passing ▁through ▁two ▁rural ▁areas ▁between ▁there ▁and ▁O sh awa . ▁The ▁first ▁rural ▁gap ▁is ▁the ▁western ▁side ▁of ▁Toronto ' s ▁Green b elt , ▁a ▁zone ▁around ▁Toronto ▁protected ▁from ▁development . ▁After ▁this ▁ ▁gap , ▁the ▁highway ▁inter changes ▁with ▁the ▁Highway   4 0 7 ▁Express ▁T oll ▁Route . ▁Within ▁the ▁G TA , ▁the ▁highway ▁passes ▁several ▁major ▁sho pping ▁m alls ▁including ▁York dale ▁Sho pping ▁Centre , ▁Sc ar borough ▁Town ▁Centre ▁and ▁Pick ering ▁Town ▁Centre . ▁ ▁Highway   4 0 1 ▁wid ens ▁into ▁a ▁collect or - express ▁system ▁as ▁it ▁approaches ▁Hur ont ario ▁Street ▁in ▁Mississ aug a , ▁a ▁concept ▁inspired ▁by ▁the ▁Dan ▁Ryan ▁Express way ▁in ▁Chicago . ▁The ▁system ▁div ides ▁each ▁direction ▁of ▁travel ▁into ▁collect