Highway 135 (Ontario)
Encyclopedia
King's Highway 135 is a former provincial highway in London, Ontario
, along Exeter Road, which it is better known as. This short provincial highway was an important connector link in the early days of Highway 401. The road's main purpose was to link Highway 401 in London with Highway 2
in Lambeth
, at a time when the London-area section of Highway 401 was only completed to the interchange with Highway 4
(Colonel Talbot Road).
The road was first designated as Highway 135 in 1956, and was just 6.6 kilometers in length. While Highway 401 continued west of Highway 135's interchange to Highway 4, this road was suited for drivers that wished to head towards Windsor
along the less-popular Highway 3
, as Highway 2
was still the main trans-provincial highway at the time, and was quite busy. The usefulness of Highway 135 as a shortcut to Windsor had dwindled dramatically in 1964, when Highway 401 was completed from Tilbury
to Highway 4 as a grade-separated Super two
Freeway
, finally linking Windsor to London and Toronto
. This rendered travelling along Highway 2 to be obsolete, as Highway 401 was straight, did not have stoplights and towns to slow down travellers (though it did bypass several small towns just a few kilometers away, such as Ridgetown
and Glencoe).
The road was still a provincially-significant highway, despite its short length, as it allowed motorists headed to and from Sarnia
to travel to Highway 401, by using Highway 135, to Highways 4/2 (multiplexed in London for a while), then Highway 81, to Highway 7
to Sarnia, as Highway 402 was only completed in the Sarnia area. During the 1970s, Highway 402 would be extended in stages towards Strathroy and London. When Highway 402 was completed in 1983, Highway 135's significance was greatly reduced. The road was little more than a shortcut to Highway 4 and the western end of London by the end of the 1980s, and it was formally decommissioned in 1995 by the Ministry of Transportation
, thus ending its career as a provincial Kings Highway. Today, the road is simply known as Exeter Road.
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
, along Exeter Road, which it is better known as. This short provincial highway was an important connector link in the early days of Highway 401. The road's main purpose was to link Highway 401 in London with Highway 2
Highway 2 (Ontario)
King's Highway 2, usually referred to simply as Highway 2 is a provincially maintained highway in Ontario. Once the primary east–west route across the southern end of the province, Highway 2 became mostly redundant in the 1960s following the completion of Highway 401, which more or less...
in Lambeth
Lambeth, Ontario
Lambeth, Ontario may refer to:*Lambeth, Middlesex County, Ontario*Lambeth, Oxford County, Ontario...
, at a time when the London-area section of Highway 401 was only completed to the interchange with Highway 4
Highway 4 (Ontario)
King's Highway 4, also known as Highway 4, is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario. Originally much longer than its present length, more than half of Highway 4 was transferred to the responsibility of local governments in 1998. In its present form, it travels...
(Colonel Talbot Road).
The road was first designated as Highway 135 in 1956, and was just 6.6 kilometers in length. While Highway 401 continued west of Highway 135's interchange to Highway 4, this road was suited for drivers that wished to head towards Windsor
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
along the less-popular Highway 3
Highway 3 (Ontario)
King's Highway 3, commonly referred to as Highway 3 and historically as the Talbot Trail, is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario which travels parallel to the shore of Lake Erie. It has three segments, the first of which runs from the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor...
, as Highway 2
Highway 2 (Ontario)
King's Highway 2, usually referred to simply as Highway 2 is a provincially maintained highway in Ontario. Once the primary east–west route across the southern end of the province, Highway 2 became mostly redundant in the 1960s following the completion of Highway 401, which more or less...
was still the main trans-provincial highway at the time, and was quite busy. The usefulness of Highway 135 as a shortcut to Windsor had dwindled dramatically in 1964, when Highway 401 was completed from Tilbury
Tilbury, Ontario
Tilbury is a community in the municipality of Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada. It is located between Chatham and Windsor on Highway 401.-History:...
to Highway 4 as a grade-separated Super two
Super two
A super two, super two-lane highway or wide two lane is a two-lane surface road built to high standards, typically including partial control of access, occasional passing lanes and hard shoulders...
Freeway
Two-lane freeway
A two-lane expressway is an expressway with only one lane in each direction, and usually no median barrier. It may be built that way because of constraints, or may be intended for expansion once traffic volumes rise. The term super two is often used by roadgeeks for this type of road, but traffic...
, finally linking Windsor to London and Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. This rendered travelling along Highway 2 to be obsolete, as Highway 401 was straight, did not have stoplights and towns to slow down travellers (though it did bypass several small towns just a few kilometers away, such as Ridgetown
Ridgetown, Ontario
Ridgetown is a community located in south-east Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada. It is home to the University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus. It has a population of roughly 3,500 and is one of many small farming communities in Chatham-Kent.-History:...
and Glencoe).
The road was still a provincially-significant highway, despite its short length, as it allowed motorists headed to and from Sarnia
Sarnia, Ontario
Sarnia is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada . It is the largest city on Lake Huron and is located where the upper Great Lakes empty into the St. Clair River....
to travel to Highway 401, by using Highway 135, to Highways 4/2 (multiplexed in London for a while), then Highway 81, to Highway 7
Highway 7 (Ontario)
King's Highway 7, commonly referred to as Highway 7 and historically as the Northern Highway, is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario...
to Sarnia, as Highway 402 was only completed in the Sarnia area. During the 1970s, Highway 402 would be extended in stages towards Strathroy and London. When Highway 402 was completed in 1983, Highway 135's significance was greatly reduced. The road was little more than a shortcut to Highway 4 and the western end of London by the end of the 1980s, and it was formally decommissioned in 1995 by the Ministry of Transportation
Ministry of Transportation (Ontario)
The Ministry of Transportation of Ontario is the provincial ministry of the government of Ontario which is responsible for transport infrastructure and related law in Ontario. The ministry traces its roots back over a century to the 1890s, when the province began training Provincial Road Building...
, thus ending its career as a provincial Kings Highway. Today, the road is simply known as Exeter Road.