The corridor originated in 1978 as an eastern extension of Highway 89 along Ravenshoe Road. This proposal was cancelled in 1986 and collaborative studies were undertaken between the province and affected municipalities over the next several years. A refined proposal for a freeway referred to as the Bradford Bypass was released in 1989, after which an began in 1991. The assessment was completed in 1997 and approved in 2002, after which it was announced that construction would begin by 2006. However, following the 2003 Ontario general election, the Liberal government of Dalton McGuinty shelved most highway proposals — including the Bradford Bypass — to the "beyond 2031" timeframe.