▁the ▁eastern ▁system ▁from ▁Neil son ▁Road ▁to ▁Bro ck ▁Road ▁in ▁Pick ering ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 8 0 s , ▁but ▁took ▁over ▁a ▁de cade ▁to ▁reach ▁f ru ition ▁by ▁ 2 0 0 0 . ▁This ▁was ▁followed ▁shortly ▁there after ▁by ▁the ▁w iden ing ▁of ▁the ▁highway ▁through ▁Ajax ▁and ▁a ▁new ▁inter change ▁at ▁Pick ering ▁Beach ▁Road ▁( ren amed ▁S alem ▁Road ) ▁and ▁Stevens on ▁Road . ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁also ▁saw ▁the ▁first ▁step ▁in ▁w iden ing ▁the ▁highway ▁to ▁six ▁lan es ▁from ▁Toronto ▁to ▁London . ▁A ▁project ▁in ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 9 0 s ▁brought ▁the ▁highway ▁up ▁to ▁a ▁minimum ▁of ▁six ▁lan es ▁between ▁Highway   8 ▁in ▁K itch ener ▁and ▁Highway   3 5 ▁/ ▁ 1 1 5 ▁in ▁New castle . ▁Other ▁projects ▁prepared ▁sections ▁for ▁event ual ▁w iden ing . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁the ▁stretch ▁of ▁Highway   4 0 1 ▁east bound ▁near ▁Mil ton ▁and ▁west bound ▁near ▁Whit by ▁had ▁che v rons ▁painted ▁in ▁each ▁l ane ▁in ▁an ▁effort ▁to ▁reduce ▁tail g ating , ▁a ▁concept ▁borrow ed ▁from ▁France ▁and ▁Britain . ▁Sign s ▁ad vised ▁motor ists ▁to ▁keep ▁at ▁least ▁two ▁che v rons ▁apart , ▁in ▁ess ence ▁warning ▁them ▁not ▁to ▁follow ▁too ▁closely . ▁Some ▁of ▁these ▁che v rons ▁remained ▁int act