With the completion of Highway 16 New, the MTO needed only to construct interchanges and the southbound lanes in order to create a full freeway corridor. The upgrade to Highway 416 took place between 1989 and 1999 and was carried out through two separate projects: Highway 416 North was a freeway on a new alignment through Ottawa and an interchange at Highway 417, and Highway 416 South was the twinning of of Highway 16 New and an interchange at Highway 401.