Highway 2 (PE)

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Route 2 is a 216-kilometre (134-mile) two-lane uncontrolled access secondary highway traversing Prince Edward Island from Tignish to Souris.

Route 2 is commonly called the "All Weather Highway", as it was one of the first such roads in Prince Edward Island to be open for traffic in all seasons. It passes the cities of Summerside and Charlottetown and roughly parallels the primary railway line through the province.

Route 2 was recognized as the first numbered highway in the province in 1890, when it opened between Charlottetown and Summerside. In 2003 the highway was designated "Veteran's Memorial Highway" - the same year that it qualified for federal infrastructure funding for much-needed capacity upgrades.

Route 2 has several local names:

  • Souris Road (Souris to Route 4 at Dingwells Mills)
  • St. Peter's Highway (Dingwells Mills to Charlottetown)
  • Malpeque Road (Charlottetown to Hunter River); the Malpeque Road alignment continuing thereafter on the Princetown Road
  • New Annan Road (Kensington to Summerside)
  • Western Road (Summerside to Tignish)

The highway was first paved in the 1950s with many upgrades in recent decades; there have been preliminary discussions about making the highway a four-lane expressway, particularly since the abandonment of rail service in the province. A perimeter arterial highway (ring road) around Charlottetown was constructed as part of Route 2 in the 1990s, although this section of road will become part of Route 1 (the Trans-Canada Highway) once a bypass of the town of Cornwall is completed.