Highway 5 (Ontario)

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Highway 5 was for the most part, decommissioned in 1997 by the Ontario Provincial Government. The current Highway 5 runs from Highway 6 at Clappison's Corners, north of Hamilton, Ontario westerly to Highway 8 at Peter's Corners, a total of 12.7km. The decommissioned sections of highway 5 are now managed by the individual cities, towns, and counties they run through.

[edit] Route

Highway 5 was constructed as northerly alternative to Highway 2, and until fairly recently it has been a very effective one. The Highway's eastern terminus was the intersection of Danforth Ave and Kingston Rd (formerly Highway 2), in the City of Toronto. The highway ran west from that point, along Danforth Ave and Bloor St in the City of Toronto and Dundas St through Etobicoke, Mississauga, Oakville and Burlington. The western terminus is at the intersection of the former Highway 2 in Paris, Ontario.

[edit] Description

From the western terminus in Paris, Ontario, through to the western boundary of Mississauga, the highway is largely a multi-lane rural road. The cities of Burlington and Oakville however, are expanding northerly quite quickly and may soon envelop Highway 5. Through Mississauga, Ontario, Highway 5 is named Dundas St, and is one of the busiest east-west routes in the city of nearly 700,000.

Highway 5 took on a very different description through most of Toronto. It has been described as Toronto's other "Main Street" (with Yonge Street being the primary "Main Street" of Toronto). With a very urban feel, the former highway, through most of the city, is followed underground by Toronto's only complete East-West subway line.