Ontario Highway 53
Encyclopedia
Highway 53 is a former provincial highway in Southern Ontario
, connecting Woodstock
to Hamilton
via Brantford
. For much of its history, the road was co-signed
with Highway 2 from Woodstock to Eastwood, where they parted ways. The road also serves as a viable alternative to Highway 2 or Highway 403.
between Woodstock and Brantford. The road was fully paved by 1939, as most sections of it were already paved when it was first commissioned as a provincially-controlled highway. Highway 53 was extended east to the junction of Highways 20
and 56 in Elfrida. This extension also absorbed the east-west portion of Highway 20A from Duff's Corners to Elfrida.
In 1954, the concurrency with Highway 2 was discontinued, shortening the road by 7 km, thus moving Highway 53's terminus east to Eastwood. In 1997, the remainder of Highway 53 was downloaded to Regional Municipality of Oxford County
, Brant County, and the City of Hamilton
(formerly the Regional Municipality of Hamilton-Wentworth). The road is now known as Oxford County Road 55, Brant County Highway 53, and Brant County Highway 2/53 (for being co-signed with fellow defunct road Highway 2). In Hamilton, the road is simply known as Rymal Road and Garner Road.
Rymal Road is named after William Rymal
, (1759-1852), farmer and one of earliest settlers on the Hamilton mountain.
Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario is a region of the province of Ontario, Canada that lies south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14 to 15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of...
, connecting Woodstock
Woodstock, Ontario
Woodstock is a city and the county seat of Oxford County in Southern Ontario, Canada. Woodstock is located 128 km southwest of Toronto, north of Highway 401 along the historic Thames River...
to Hamilton
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
via Brantford
Brantford, Ontario
Brantford is a city located on the Grand River in Southern Ontario, Canada. While geographically surrounded by the County of Brant, the city is politically independent...
. For much of its history, the road was co-signed
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
with Highway 2 from Woodstock to Eastwood, where they parted ways. The road also serves as a viable alternative to Highway 2 or Highway 403.
History
Highway 53's original intention was to bypass a busy and congested section of Highway 2Highway 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...
between Woodstock and Brantford. The road was fully paved by 1939, as most sections of it were already paved when it was first commissioned as a provincially-controlled highway. Highway 53 was extended east to the junction of Highways 20
Highway 20 (Ontario)
King's Highway 20, also known as Highway 20, is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario. Presently, it is a short stub between Highway 58 and Niagara Regional Road 70 in the town of Thorold.- History :...
and 56 in Elfrida. This extension also absorbed the east-west portion of Highway 20A from Duff's Corners to Elfrida.
In 1954, the concurrency with Highway 2 was discontinued, shortening the road by 7 km, thus moving Highway 53's terminus east to Eastwood. In 1997, the remainder of Highway 53 was downloaded to Regional Municipality of Oxford County
Oxford County, Ontario
Oxford County is a regional municipality and census division of the Canadian province of Ontario, located in the Southern portion of the province. The regional seat is in Woodstock...
, Brant County, and the City of Hamilton
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
(formerly the Regional Municipality of Hamilton-Wentworth). The road is now known as Oxford County Road 55, Brant County Highway 53, and Brant County Highway 2/53 (for being co-signed with fellow defunct road Highway 2). In Hamilton, the road is simply known as Rymal Road and Garner Road.
Rymal Road is named after William Rymal
William Rymal
William Rymal, born: November 19, 1759 at Upper Bethel Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania. died: May 25, 1852 in Hamilton, Ontario, buried at Barton Union Cemetery. Farmer and one of earliest settlers on the Hamilton, Ontario mountain....
, (1759-1852), farmer and one of earliest settlers on the Hamilton mountain.