Highway Photos - Ontario King's Highway 2

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Last updated: August 4, 2004
(C) 2003, 2004, Micahel J. LaRochelle

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King's Highway 2

Hwy 2 was the original trans-provincial highway in Ontario, made up of a number of historical military roads including Dundas Street, the Longwoods Road, and the Kingston Road. Hwy 401 was built to "bypass" this increasingly busy highway. Despite its historical significance, all but two tiny sections along Hwy 49 and near Gananoque was downloaded gradually between 1991 and 1998.

Highway 2 looking westbound towards Delaware from just east of Martin Road. Photo taken February 2003.

Highway 2 looking westbound towards Delaware from Woodhull Road, in Middlesex Centre Township. Photo taken 11 March 2003.

Highway 2 looking eastbound towards Lambeth from Woodhull Road, in Middlesex Centre Township. Photo taken 11 March 2003.

Highways 2 & 4 (Wharncliffe Road) looking westbound towards Lambeth from Southdale Road, in the City of London. Photo taken 2 February 2004.

Highways 2 & 4 (Wharncliffe Road) looking eastbound towards Glendale from Southdale Road, in the City of London. Photo taken 2 February 2004.

An old alignment of Highways 2 & 4, now known as Old Wharncliffe Road, near Glendale in the City of London. The present alignment runs to the left of the Color Your World store at left, and is visible (along with the same store) in the previous photo. I am not sure when this stretch of highway was bypassed, so if anyone knows please e-mail me with the date. Photo taken 2 February 2004.

King's Highway crown image derived from Canadian Highway Markers - (C) 2000, James Lin

Some historical highway information courtesy The History of Ontario's King's Highways - (C) 2004, Cameron Bevers

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Highways 2 & 4 (Wharncliffe Road) looking southbound from Langarth Street near Manor Park, in the City of London. Photo taken 4 April 2003.

Highways 2 & 4 (Wharncliffe Road) looking northbound from Langarth Street near Manor Park, in the City of London. Photo taken 4 April 2003.

Highways 2 & 4 (Wharncliffe Road) looking northbound from Langarth Street near Manor Park towards Horton Street, in the City of London. Photo taken 4 April 2003.

Dundas Street, looking westbound from Ridout Street in Downtown London. This was part of Highway 2 prior to 1968, when it was moved to York Street. In the background is the forks of the Thames River, and the Wharncliffe Bridge, which was also part of Highway 2 when it ran along Dundas. Photo taken 11 March 2003.

Dundas Street, looking eastbound towards Talbot Street from Ridout Street in Downtown London, with the John Labatt Centre at right. This was also part of the original alignment of Highway 2 in Downtown London. When it was part of Highway 2, Dundas Street was four lanes through Downtown London, but it was narrowed to its present-day two lanes by the city in 1970. Photo taken 11 March 2003.

Highways 2 & 4 (York Street) looking westbound towards Thames Street from Ridout Street in Downtown London. From 1956 to 1968, this was known as Highway 2 ALT, although it likely was signed just as Highway 2, in addition to the Dundas Street routing. Note the King's Highway shield assembly on the utility pole is blank on the left, but still includes a Highway 4 shield on the right, eventhough Highway 4 no longer exists in this part of London. Photo taken 11 March 2003.

Highways 2 & 4 (York Street) looking eastbound towards Richmond Street from Talbot Street in Downtown London. This was also part of Highway 2 ALT between 1956 and 1968. Photo taken 11 March 2003.

Queen Street looking eastbound from Victoria Street in Downtown Toronto. Prior to the completion of the F.G. Gardiner Expressway in the late 1950s, King's Highway 2 had three distinct routes through Downtown Toronto, including Lakeshore Blvd., Front Street, and Queen Street. All of these routes were signed simply as Highway 2. Victoria Street is located one block east of Yonge Street, formerly Highway 11. Photo taken 5 June 1999.

Continue northward on Highway 4

Highway 2 looking westbound towards Delaware from the Highway 4 junction in Lambeth, in the City of London. Photo taken 23 May 2004.

Highway 2 looking westbound at the Highway 4 junction in Lambeth, in the City of London. Motorists wishing to continue south on Highway 4, or to access Highways 401 or 402, must turn left at this junction. Photo taken 23 May 2004.

Highway 2 looking eastbound at the Highway 4 junction in Lambeth, in the City of London. Highway 4 continues northbound concurrently with Highway 2 from this junction, and Highway 4 southbound is accessed by turning right here. Photo taken 23 May 2004.

Highways 2 & 4 looking eastbound from east of Campbell Street in Lambeth, in the City of London. In the distant background is the former Highway 135 junction. The photo quality is not great because a tornado watch was in effect at the time of this photo, and the clouds were somewhat dark.. Photo taken 23 May 2004.

Highways 2 & 4 looking eastbound at the Wonderland Road junction, in the City of London. Here I am in the left-turn lane, waiting to turn onto Wonderland Road northbound (formerly Middlesex Road 52). The traffic signals shown here are unique to the City of London. Previously this section of Highways 2 & 4 were under the jurisdiction of the MTO, and they maintained one of their standard suburban traffic signals used on four lane highways across the province, including Highway 2 in Kingston and Highways 11 & 17 in North Bay. The City of London has chosen to continue maintaining this traffic signal, which is a good thing because of its efficiency. Standard MTO left-turn signals are set up such that the left-turn arrow remains on until the left-turn lane is completely clear of vehicles, and if one direction is clear but the other direction is not, the other direction gets a green through light. The first direction gets a green once the other direction's left turn lane is clear of traffic. This system works extremely well, and is a far cry from the system employed in the rest of the City of London. Typically, advance left-turn signals are so short that only two or three vehicles can get through at a time, and during peak traffic times, this backs up traffic considerably on major arterials such as Oxford Street. Photo taken 23 May 2004.

A note to fellow roadgeeks: The above photo was a dangerous one to take, for I took it from the drivers seat while waiting at a red light, requiring me to remove my hands from the steering wheel. This is a very dangerous practice and should be avoided at all times. In addition, there was a tornado watch issued by Environment Canada at the time I was out taking highway photos in the Lambeth area on 23 May 2004. It is not advisable to be driving under these conditions, as a tornado watch can quickly turn into a tornado heading for your car. Always be aware of your own safety and that of others when driving and taking photographs.

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