on ▁announced ▁the ▁w iden ing ▁of ▁Highway   4 0 1 ▁in ▁Toronto ▁from ▁four ▁to ▁a ▁minimum ▁of ▁ 1 2   lan es ▁between ▁Is ling ton ▁Avenue ▁and ▁Mark ham ▁Road . ▁The ▁design ▁was ▁taken ▁from ▁the ▁Dan ▁Ryan ▁Express way ▁in ▁Chicago , ▁which ▁was ▁w iden ed ▁into ▁a ▁similar ▁configuration ▁around ▁the ▁same ▁time . ▁Const ruction ▁began ▁immediately . ▁While ▁the ▁plan ▁initially ▁called ▁for ▁construction ▁to ▁end ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 7 , ▁it ▁continued ▁for ▁nearly ▁a ▁de cade . ▁At ▁least ▁four ▁lan es ▁were ▁always ▁open ▁during ▁the ▁large ▁reconst ruction ▁project , ▁which ▁included ▁complex ▁new ▁inter changes ▁at ▁Highway   2 7 , ▁Highway   4 0 0 , ▁the ▁planned ▁Sp ad ina ▁Express way ▁and ▁the ▁Don ▁Valley ▁Park way . ▁The ▁system ▁was ▁completed ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁along ▁with ▁the ▁Highway   2 7 ▁( ren amed ▁Highway   4 2 7 ) ▁by pass ▁between ▁the ▁Q E W ▁and ▁Pear son ▁Airport . ▁Most ▁of ▁the ▁inter changes ▁in ▁Toronto ▁were ▁re construct ed ▁as ▁partial ▁clo ver leaf s ▁and ▁a ▁continuous ▁light ing ▁system ▁was ▁installed . ▁ ▁On ▁January ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 1 9 6 5 , ▁at ▁the ▁dinner ▁celebr ation ▁of ▁Sir ▁John ▁A . ▁Mac don ald ' s ▁ 1 5 0 th ▁birth day , ▁the ▁Premier ▁of ▁Ontario ▁John ▁Rob arts ▁designated ▁Highway   4 0 1