The Ontario Ministry of Transportation conducted an environmental assessment of the project, which considered the highway to be needed for forecast traffic needs of 2025. York Region included the highway in its official plans. Construction was expected to begin by the end of the 2000s, but this changed with the change in provincial government from Ernie Eves to Dalton McGuinty. The McGuinty government developed the "Smart Growth" plan for the Golden Horseshoe Region and did not include the Bradford Bypass in its plans for future highways. In 2016, renewed efforts by the Municipalities reaffirmed the need and request for this highway connection.