In the 1950s, Ontario Hydro built a series of transmission lines around Toronto, and paralleled Finch from Highway 400 eastward into Pickering.

As suburban development in North York progressed northward in the 1960s, Finch was rapidly reconstructed from a gravel road into a four-laned traffic artery.

This began with the realignment of several sections, such as at Bayview where Newtonbrook Creek flows diagonally beneath the crossroads.

Earlier, in the 1980s a short extension was built northwestward into Mississauga and Brampton with the construction of Highway 427, following the former Toronto Gore Township Concession 3, which originally spurred off Indian Line, the precursor to the 427.

Finch ends at Steeles Avenue, and Gorewood Drive continues it for a short distance north of Highway 407, where the concession is cut off by the Claireville Conservation Area.

The concession is then called McVean Drive in northeastern Brampton, north of Queen Street, the former Highway 7.

On August 19, 2005, a freak rainstorm in Toronto caused the Black Creek water level to rise, which caused a section of Finch Avenue West near Sentinel Road (due south of York University between Keele and Jane Streets) to collapse, leaving a deep pit that prevented any pedestrian or vehicular traffic from passing through.

The North York City Centre area, which runs south from Finch's intersection with Yonge Street, has many condominium and office high-rises.

After the succeeding mayor Rob Ford cancelled the line, it was restored through a vote in the city council.

It runs from Morningside Avenue to east of Sewells Road in northeastern Scarborough, and ends at the western boundary of Rouge Park.