This page lists all of the numbered county roads in Essex County, Ontario.
Contents |
The official maps of Essex County, Ontario can be found here: [1].
| Shield | Number | Names | Western/Southern Terminus | Eastern/Northern Terminus | Major Communities | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wheatley Road, Queen Street, Baptiste Road | Dead end at a factory plant parking lot just south of Wheatley, Ontario | CR 2 | Wheatley, Tilbury | Dual designation of Essex County Road 1, and Chatham-Kent Road 1. | |
| 2 | Tecumseh Road, Notre Dame Street, 2nd Concession Road | Brighton Road (CR 21) | Essex-Kent County border (with CR 1) | Techumseh, St. Clair Beach, Puce, Ontario, Emeryville, Ontario, Belle River, Ontario, Deerbrook, Ontario, Pointe-Aux-Roches, Ontario (All now a part of Lakeshore, Ontario). | Is split in two parts: From CR 21 to County Road 22 in Puce, Ontario, and then from County Road 22 in Belle River to Essex-Kent County border (with CR 1). Formerly Highway 39 until 1961, when the Pike Creek Bypass/E.C. Row Expressway bypass of Pike Creek, Ontario was finished, from Banwell Road to CR 2/22 Intersection. Former bridge approach is now used as a driveway/boat launch for the bordering house, next to the current roadway. Continues as Chatham-Kent Road 36. | |
| 3 | Malden Road | River Canard, Ontario at CR 20 (15 km/9 mi) | Windsor City limit | Lasalle, Ontario, Windsor, Ontario | A north-south semi-rural road in Essex County, Ontario. It travels from Highway 3 (Huron Church Road) in Windsor to its terminus with Essex County Road 20 in River Canard, Ontario. Like several other nearby county roads, Malden Road was listed as a Windsor Suburban Road until 1998. There are other Malden Roads in Essex County. County Road 12 between County Road 11 (Walker Road) and County Road 34 (Talbot Road North) is named Malden Road. The road next north is named North Malden Road, while the road next south is named South Malden Road. Another Malden Road exists northwest in Maidstone between County Road 8 and Manning Road. An Old Malden Road exists between 14th Concession and 12th Concession/Walker Sideroad. | |
| 5 | Thomas Road, Meloche Road | CR 18 | CR 10 | Amherstburg, Ontario | Is currently discontinuous due to expansion of the Amherstburg quarry. | |
| 6 | Todd Lane | CR 3 | Highway 3 | Lasalle, Ontario | Can be thought of as a continuation of County Road 40 and County Road 42 | |
| 7 | Huron Church Line | Highway 3 | Lasalle, Ontario | CR 9 (Howard Avenue) | ||
| 8 | Townline Road | CR 3 in River Canard | CR 1 | Lasalle, Ontario, Amherstburg, Ontario, Techumseh, Ontario, Essex, Ontario, Lakeshore, Ontario, Kingsville, Ontario, Leamington, Ontario | Cuts across the mid-line of Essex County, almost directly half-way. Road heads due-east from River Canard in the west, straight towards Essex, and continuing all the way to the County boundary with Chatham-Kent, Ontario. The road is appropriatelly named "Townline Road", as it acts as the boundary line with all of the current municipalities of Essex County. It also cuts Essex County nearly in half, as it is situated half-way between Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie. | |
| 9 | Howard Avenue (7th Concession Road) | Windsor City limits/Highway 3 | CR 20 | Lasalle, Ontario, Techumseh, Ontario | acts as a townline between Lasalle and Tecumseh, Ontario. | |
| 10 | Middle Side Road | CR 20 (Front Road) | CR 11 (Walker Road) / Essex, Ontario town limit | Amherstburg, Ontario, McGregor, Ontario. | ||
| 11 | Walker Road | Windsor City limit | CR 20 | Tecumseh, Ontario, Essex, Ontario, Amherstburg, Ontario, McGregor, Ontario, Harrow, Ontario | Close to the Chrysler Canada Greenway, acts as a townline between Amherstburg and Essex. Has a brief concurrency with CR 18. | |
| 12 | Malden Road (unrelated to CR 3) | CR 11 (Walker Road) | CR 23 (Arner Townline) | Gesto, Ontario, Essex, Ontario | ||
| 13 | Erie Street | CR 20 in Harrow | CR 50 in Colchester, Ontario | Harrow, Colchester, Essex | Can be thought of as an extension of CR 11 | |
| 14 | Mersea Road | CR 27, just north of Cottam, Ontario | CR 1 | Kingsville, Ontario, Cottam, Ontario, Albuna, Ontario, Leamington, Ontario | ||
| 15 | Edgars Sideroad, Campbell Sideroad, South Malden Road, Marsh Road | CR 8 | CR 11, just north of Harrow | Essex, Ontario, Harrow, Ontario, Gesto, Ontario | ||
| 16 | Alma Street | CR 20 | CR 5 | Amherstburg, Ontario | One of Essex County's shortest county roads | |
| 17 | 10th Concession | Windsor, Ontario, Techumseh, Ontario | Windsor city limit at Highway 401 | CR 46 | Used to continue to CR 42, however, annexation by the City of Windsor, moved the terminus south to the new Windsor city limit on the north side of Highway 401. | |
| 18 | Pike Road, 7th Concession Road, Road 4, Mersea Road 4 | 20 | Highway 77 | Amherstburg, Ontario, Essex, Ontario, Kingsville, Ontario, Leamington, Ontario | ||
| 19 | Manning Road | Riverside Drive | CR 8 | Techumseh, Ontario, St. Clair Beach, Ontario, Lakeshore, Ontario, Maidstone, Ontario, Essex, Ontario | One of the busiest roads in any category in Essex County. | |
| 20 | Front Road, Highway 18, Main Street, Seacliff Drive | Morton Drive / Windsor city limit | CR 37, east of Leamington, Ontario | Windsor, Ontario, Lasalle, Ontario, River Canard, Ontario, Amherstburg, Ontario, Essex, Ontario, Harrow, Ontario, Kingsville, Ontario, Ruthven, Ontario, Leamington, Ontario | Formerly Highway 18, continues as Ojibway Parkway in Windsor. It is also the Detroit River Heritage Parkway from intersection with E.C. Row Expressway to just south of Amherstburg. Former alignment for the River Canard bridge is now known as Sari Lane. | |
| 21 | Brighton Road | CR 2 | CR 42 | St. Clair Beach, Ontario, Techumseh, Ontario, Lakeshore, Ontario | ||
| 22 | E.C. Row Expressway, Highway 2, County Road 22, Tecumseh Road, Notre Dame Street | Windsor city limit (just east of CR 43 (Banwell Road) | CR 42 (just south of Belle River, Ontario | Windsor, Ontario, Techumseh, Ontario, St. Clair Beach, Ontario, Puce, Ontario, Emeryville, Ontario, Belle River, Ontario, Lakeshore, Ontario | Formerly Highway 39 from July 11, 1934 until 1970, when Highway 2 absorbed it entirely. Was re-routed along the Pike Creek Bypass portion of E.C. Row Expressway (section from Manning Road to CR 2/22 intersection) in 1961. One of the busiest roads in any category in Essex County. Was Highway 2 from 1970 until turned back in 1998. | |
| 23 | Arner Townline, Gosfield Townline, Fairview Avenue, Naylor Sideroad | CR 50 | CR 46 | Arner, Ontario, Essex, Ontario, Lakeshore, Ontario | Acts as a townline between Essex, Ontario and Kingsville, Ontario | |
| 25 | Puce Road, 12-13 Sideroad | CR 22 | CR 46 | Puce, Ontario, Lakeshore, Ontario | ||
| 27 | Belle River Road, Cottam Sideroad | CR 2 (Belle River) | CR 23 | Belle River, Ontario, Woodslee, Ontario, Cottam, Ontario, Lakeshore, Ontario, Kingsville, Ontario, Essex, Ontario. | ||
| 29 | Division Road, South Talbot Road | CR 34, south of Cottam | CR 20 | Kingsville, Ontario, Cottam, Ontario | Main road leading from Highway 3 into downtown Kingsville. | |
| 31 | Albuna Townline, French Line Road, St. Joachim Road, West Ruscom River Road | CR 2 in Deerbrook | CR 20 in Ruthven | Kingsville, Ontario, Leamington, Ontario, Ruthven, Ontario, St. Joachim, Ontario, Lakeshore, Ontario, Deerbrook, Ontario | The only county road to touch both lakes (Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair) under a single designation. | |
| 33 | Leamington By-Pass, Bevel Line, Point Pelee Road | Intersection with Highways 3 and 77 in Leamington | Point Pelee National Park entrance | Leamington, Ontario, Point Pelee | currently in two parts, from Highway 3/77 intersection, to CR 34, and again from CR 20 to Point Pelee Nat. Park. Leamington intends to connect the two via an "East End Arterial Road" to alieviate growth on the east side of town. | |
| 34 | Talbot Road, Highway 3, County Road 34 | Highway 3, Maidstone, Ontario | CR 1, in Wheatley, Ontario | Techumseh, Ontario, Maidstone, Ontario, Lakeshore, Ontario, Essex, Ontario, Kingsville, Ontario, Cottam, Ontario, Ruthven, Ontario, Leamington, Ontario, Wheatley, Ontario. | Former alignment of Highway 3, until the Essex By-Pass (current Highway 3) was completed, in 1981. The Leamington By-Pass was completed in 1997, and Highway 3 was routed along that road, being truncated at Highway 77. | |
| 35 | Comber Sideroad | Highway 77-Highway 401 interchange, just north of Comber, Ontario | CR 2 | Pointe-Aux-Roches, Ontario/Stoney Point, Ontario, Comber, Ontario | ||
| 37 | Gracie Sideroad, Simpson Sideroad, Manery Road | CR 20 | CR 2 | No towns of major significance | ||
| 39 | Lighthouse Sideroad, 1st Concession, Tisdelle Drive | CR 2 | Lighthouse Cove, Ontario | Lighthouse Cove, Ontario | ||
| 40 | Sprucewood Avenue | Windsor city limit | CR 3 | Windsor, Ontario, Lasalle, Ontario | Can be thought of as a continuation of CR 6 and CR 42 | |
| 41 | Meadows Road | CR 20 | CR 50 | Amherstburg, Ontario, Essex, Ontario | Can be thought of as a continuation of CR 9 (Howard Avenue) | |
| 42 | Division Road, County Road 42, Old Highway 2 | Windsor city limit | Tilbury, Ontario | Windsor, Ontario, Techumseh, Ontario, Lakeshore, Ontario, Belle River, Ontario, St. Joachim, Ontario, Tilbury, Ontario | Formerly Highway 18 from June 11, 1930 until re-numbered Highway 2 on December 16, 1931, when it gained its current routing. CR 42 became Highway 2, until 1970 before being re-routed via CR 22 in Belle River. Fully turned back in 1998. Continues as Chatham-Kent Road 2. | |
| 43 | Banwell Road, 11th Concession Road | E.C. Row Expressway | CR 46 | Windsor, Ontario, Techumseh, Ontario | Acts as the border between Windsor and Techumseh | |
| 45 | Union Avenue | CR 20 | CR 34 | Kingsville, Ontario, Ruthven, Ontario, Union, Ontario | Formerly Highway 18B (1937-1953), then Highway 107 from 1953 onward, before being turned back in 1970. Temporarily re-transferred to provincial control as Highway 18 for a few months during a re-routing to bring people towards the newly-opened Leamington By-Pass (Highway 3), before being turned back in its entirety in 1998, being reverted back to CR 45. | |
| 46 | Provincial Road, Middle Road, County Road 46 | Windsor city limit | CR 1 | Windsor, Ontario, Techumseh, Ontario, Maidstone, Ontario, Lakeshore, Ontario, Woodslee, Ontario, Ruscom Station, Ontario, Comber, Ontario | Formerly Highway 2A (1929-1938, then Highway 98 until 1970. Was the longest provincial highway lost to downloading until 1997. | |
| 48 | Oak Street | Intersection with CR 34 and Fraser Road | Erie Street (Formerly part of Highway 77) | Leamington, Ontario | Somewhat busy, travels through downtown Leamington, by the Heinz Canada Ketchup Factory. Has a 5-way traffic signal at its western terminus. | |
| 50 | Heritage Road | CR 20 | CR 20 | Amherstburg, Ontario, Colchester, Ontario, Kingsville, Ontario | Formerly Highway 18A from April 13, 1938 until being turned back in 1979, southern-most highway in Canada. Acts as a loop to CR 20, former Highway 18. Hwy 18A was turend back in 1983. Was fully paved by 1952. One Rand McNally map lists CR 50 as continuing north past CR 20 and CR 18, ending at Alma Street. | |
| Former Highway 114 | Old Hwy 114, Malden Road, Malden Sideroad | CR 34 | CR 46 | Maidstone, Ontario, Tecumseh, Ontario, Lakeshore, Ontario | Originally Highway 3B from 1931-1938. Became Highway 98A in 1938, and then finally, Highway 114 in 1954. Turned back in 1970. Still signed as "Old HWY 114" and "Malden Road" |
| Shield | Number | Names | Western/Southern Terminus | Eastern/Northern Terminus | Major Communities | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 43 (Original) | Jefferson Road | E.C. Row Expressway | Division Road (CR 42) | Windsor, Ontario, Techumseh, Ontario | In the early 1970s, Windsor Airport was expanded, and Pilette Road and Jefferson Road were both closed off to traffic, permanently. Jefferson is used as an auxiliary parking lot for Chrysler Canada's excesse production at times, though. | |
| 117 | Lauzon Parkway | Windsor city limit | CR 42-17 Intersection | Windsor, Ontario, Tecumseh, Ontario | Originally was a spur of CR 17 (Lauzon Road), now a separate county road in its own right. |
Since Windsor, Ontario is a Separated Municipality, it no longer participates with the County of Essex in signing county roads within its City Limits, and the County no longer lists certain County Roads (6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 40, 42, and 46) as "Windsor Suburban" County Roads. There are no provincial or county roads on Pelee Island.
| County Road 2 | |
|---|---|
| Location: | Windsor, Tecumseh, St. Clair Beach, Puce, Emeryville, Belle River, Deerbrook, Stoney Point |
| Length: | 35 km (22 mi) |
| Existed: | 1998–present |
County Road 2 is the designation given to Tecumseh Road outside of Windsor, Ontario. It skirts along the shore of Lake St. Clair in the northern edge of Essex County, Ontario, from Tecumseh, Ontario to its terminus near Lighthouse Cove and Tilbury. Though Tecumseh Road shares roughly 9/10s of this road's path, the two are not exactly synonymous, as County Roads are no longer signed in Windsor, and Tecumseh Road diverts from the county road in Belle River, Ontario.
Part of the route was the original alignment of Highway 39, until it was absorbed by Highway 2 in 1970.
| Malden Road County Road 3 |
|
|---|---|
| Location: | Windsor, LaSalle, River Canard, Amherstburg |
| Length: | 15 km (9 mi) |
County Road 3, also named Malden Road, is a long north-south semi-rural road in Essex County, Ontario. It travels from Highway 3 (Huron Church Road) in Windsor to its terminus with Essex County Road 20 in River Canard, Ontario. Like several other nearby county roads, Malden Road was listed as a Windsor Suburban Road until 1998.
There are other Malden Roads in Essex County. County Road 12 between County Road 11 (Walker Road) and County Road 34 (Talbot Road North) is named Malden Road. The road next north is named North Malden Road, while the road next south is named South Malden Road.
Another Malden Road exists northwest in Maidstone between County Road 8 and Manning Road. An Old Malden Road exists between 14th Concession and 12th Concession/Walker Sideroad.
| Townline Road Maidstone Avenue County Road 8 |
|
|---|---|
| Location: | LaSalle, Tecumseh, Amherstburg, Essex, Kingsville, Lakeshore, Leamington, Ontario |
| Length: | 38 km (24 mi) |
| Existed: | 1953–present |
County Road 8 is one of the County roads in Essex County, Ontario, travelling from River Canard in the east, straight towards Essex, and continuing all the way to the County boundary with Chatham-Kent, Ontario. The road is appropriatelly named "Townline Road", as it acts as the boundary line with all of the current municipalities of Essex County. It also cuts Essex County nearly in half, as it is situated half-way between Lake St. Clair and lake Erie.
Part of the road was re-designated as Highway 77 in 1963, and has been dually-designated ever since. The stretch of road from County Road 3 to County Road 25 east of Essex was once a Windsor Suburban Road.
The road is lightly travelled, but has busy sections, particularly in Essex, Ontario, River Canard, Ontario, and along its concurrency with Highway 77.
| Manning Road Essex County Road 19 |
|
|---|---|
| Location: | Windsor, Tecumseh, St. Clair Beach, Puce, Belle River, Ontario |
| Length: | 12 km (7 mi) |
| Existed: | 1934 (as part of Highway 39–1961 (As part of Highway 39) |
County Road 19 (also known as Manning Road) is among the busiest roads in Essex County, Ontario, as it provides a direct route from Highway 401 into Tecumseh, Ontario and St. Clair Beach, Ontario, as well as a very direct route to Windsor, Ontario via E.C. Row Expressway.
The road starts at its intersection with Riverside Drive, and continues southbound to Townline Road (County Road 8), just east of Essex, Ontario.
The part of the road between Division Road/CR 42 road was designated as part of Highway 39 from 1934 to 1961, when the Pike Creek Bypass opened.
For much of its length, the road is only 2 lanes wide and in average to deplorable condition, though the Town of Tecumseh is widening the road from north of Tecumseh Road (County Road 2), south towards its intersection with E.C. Row Expressway (County Road 22), with assistance from the Provincial and Federal governments.
Manning Road was designated as a "Windsor Suburban Road", with its shield remaining the same, but with Windsor Suburban replacing "Essex County". This is no longer the case, and all county roads in Essex County have the county's name on their shields.
In recent months, a large public feud has ignited between the Windsor City Council and the towns of Tecumseh and Lakeshore, Ontario over Tecumseh's and Lakeshore's desires to widen Manning to a four-lane arterial road to handle the increase of traffic. City council fears this is the first step towards upgrading Manning Road into a freeway (as it has very few houses along it for its entire length and has enough room to be upgraded and widened) to connect to a widened E.C. Row Expressway for cross-border truck traffic. The towns of Tecumseh and Lakeshore however, feel they have a legal right to widen their road (Manning Road acts as the townline and border between the two), since traffic levels are growing as more people commute towards Essex and Maidstone.
| Tecumseh Road County Road 22 |
|
|---|---|
| Location: | Windsor, Tecumseh, St. Clair Beach, Puce, Belle River, Ontario |
| Length: | 21 km (13 mi) |
| Existed: | 1934 (as part of Highway 39–1961 (as part of Highway 39) |
Essex County Road 22 is a county road in Essex County, Ontario, linking the city of Windsor with Tecumseh and Lakeshore, terminating in Belle River.
County Road 22 began its life in 1961 as the Pike Creek Bypass of Highway 39, when Highway 39 was re-aligned from what is now Tecumseh Road (County Road 2). Highway 2 was re-aligned and absorbed Highway 39's final routing in 1970, and was itself turned back in 1998, being re-numbered as Essex County Road 22.
The road is extremely busy due to a housing boom in western Lakeshore, Ontario, and is the main direct arterial road leading into Windsor via E.C. Row Expressway.
For much of its length, the road is only 2 lanes wide, but is a divided highway from Banwell Road (CR 43) to Lesperance Road, and a super-4 from Lesperance Road to Manning Road (CR 19). After Manning Rd., CR 22 narrows down to a Super-2 freeway, having two lanes (one per direction).
Although there are no adjacent property accesses, there are no interchanges or grade separations, from all the development along the entire route, and the narrow right of way. Traffic can aceess the road via traffic light-controlled intersections.
In Belle River, the road is designated as a Connecting Link, as it is a former alignment of Highway 2.
In recent months, the Town of Tecumseh and Municipality of Lakeshore have been widening County Road 22 from East Pike Creek Road (County Road 21) to Patillo Road, to four lanes. This road will become a standard undivided four-lane arterial road, without grade separations or property accesses.
On November 7th, 2008, the Windsor Star reported on the assessment of plans to widen County Rd 22 from Banwell Road to Lakeshore Road just east of Manning. In addition to a new six-lane roadway, grade-separations will be built at Lesperance and Manning Roads with on-ramps.
| Talbot Road County Road 34 |
|
|---|---|
| Location: | Windsor, Tecumseh, Oldcastle, Maidstone, Essex, North Ridge, Cottam, Ruthven, Ontario, Kingsville, Leamington, Ontario, Wheatley, Ontario |
| Length: | 44 km (27 mi) |
| Existed: | 1809, 1818 (to Essex), finished 1823–present |
County Road 34 is the original alignment of Highway 3 in Essex County, Ontario.
The road branches from the original Highway 3 alignment in Maidstone, Ontario (just north of Essex, Ontario, and continues east, paralleling the current Highway 3 (and South Talbot Road) 1 km to the north, and 1 km south of North Talbot Road, for most of the way to Ruthven, Ontario.
The stretch of road from Windsor, Ontario to Manning Road was built with enough right of way to be twinned into a dual carriageway in the 1930s, but this has not happened, yet.
Highway 3 originally travelled down CR 34's path all the way through Essex, Cottam, Ruthven, and Leamington until 1971, when the MTO decided to build a bypass around the town of Essex. This Essex By-Pass was built and opened in 1977, and was temporarily re-routed along Malden Road (Formerly an extension of CR 12, not to be confused with Highway 114 OR Essex County Road 3) to CR 34 in North Ridge while it was being extended to Ruthven. This section opened in 1982.
By 1996, the town of Leamington and Township of Gosfield South were proposing a bypass around Leamington to alleviate the traffic in the town. After a debate on where the road should go ("Think Twice, Road Built Once", as the Windsor Star reported on this), the road was built by the MTO from the current terminus of CR 34 to Highway 3 on the east side of Leamington.
Though Highway 3 east of Highway 77 was downloaded to the county as CR 34, the Leamington Bypass was built by the MTO, and the part of the bypass east of Highway 77 was numbered as CR 33 (as the town of Leamington is proposing an "East Side Arterial Road" to link up with the other CR 33).
Today, County Road 34 is a quiet county road, with only a few busy spots (Essex, Ruthven, Leamington). For the most part, traffic is fairly light. It has the Talbot Trail designation from its intersection with Highway 3 in Leamington to the Essex/Chatham-Kent boundary, and it is a part of the Heritage Highway for its entire length. A couple re-alignmened curves can be seen roughly 5 km south of Cottam, as well as a former alignment "Service Road" that serves a farm residence.
| Cabana Road Division Road County Road 42 |
|
|---|---|
| Location: | Windsor, Tecumseh, St. Clair Beach, Puce, Belle River, Ontario, St. Joachim, Tilbury |
| Length: | 42 km (26 mi) |
| Existed: | 1930 (as part of Highway 18)–1970 (as part of Highway 39) |
County Road 42 has quite the colourful history, both as a Provincial highway, and as a county road. It is also one of the longest and busiest of the east-west arterial roads in Essex County, Ontario
The road was a part of Highway 18 from it was first uploaded as a provincial highway on June 11, 1930, designated as Base Line Road. However, since the road was intended to be an "alternate route" to Highway 2, but was much more direct, and quicker, it was re-numbered as Highway 2 on December 16, 1931. The former alignment along Provincial Road/County Road 46 was redesignated as Highway 2A.
The road was re-designated as Highway 2 on June 11, 1930, and remained so until 1970, when Highway 2 was re-routed along Highway 39/County Road 22's path west of Belle River.
The bi-directional on/off ramp leading along Division Road just north of the Provincial Road/Cabana Road intersection was gradually changed from a two-lane (one per direction) bi-directional ramp into a one-way one-lane west-to-northbound ramp in 1970, when Highway 2 absorbed nearby Highway 39, and traffic levels decreased.
Until 1998, County Road 42 was designated as a "Windsor Suburban Road" (west of its junction with Highway 2/County Road 22), with its shield remaining the same, but with Windsor Suburban replacing "Essex County". This is no longer the case, and all county roads in Essex County have the county's name on their shields.
In Windsor, the road continues as County Road 42 in the annexed Sandwich South area, Division Road and Cabana Road.
| Provincial Road Middle Road County Road 46 |
|
|---|---|
| Location: | Windsor, Maidstone, Woodslee, Comber, Tilbury, Merlin, Blenheim |
| Length: | 96.2 km (59.8 mi) |
| Existed: | 1823 (as Middle Road), 1929 (as Highway 2A), 1938 (as Highway 98), 1970 as County Road 46–1970 |
County Road 46 is a primary artery in northern Essex County, Ontario, linking Windsor, Ontario with Tilbury, Ontario, serving as a viable alternative to County Roads 42, 8, and Highway 401. In Windsor, the road is named "Provincial Road", and travels as a two-lane road for its entire length from its split with "Division Road".
The road is a typical county road today, having low traffic volumes outside of Windsor, but at one time, it was a vital provincial highway.
The road first began as the historic "Middle Road", which led from London and Toronto to Windsor, to allow colonists to enter the area and turn Essex County from untamed forest into farmland.
In the 1920s, the Province of Ontario's Department of Public Highways of Ontario (DPHO, the predecessor of today's Ministry of Transportation) decided to start numbering its roads. This road would gain the designation of Highway 18. in 1929, when the Ambassador Bridge opened, this road was re-named Highway 2A, and was intended to bring travellers into downtown Windsor (and eventually to the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel), while Highway 2 (which had absorbed the original routing of Highway 18 along modern day County Road 42), would lead people into downtown Windsor. Highway 3 would travel down the newly-built alignment leading to the bridge. This road was re-named Highway 98 in 1938.
Before 1929, Highway 18 connected Windsor to Tilbury along today's County Road 42/Division Road, while Highways 2 and 3 were concurrent along Howard Avenue from the Ferry Docks (located between Howard Avenue and Ouellette Avenue) to Talbot Road. They split company at Maidstone (today's junction of County Road 34 and Former Highway 114). Highway 3 would continue through Essex, Ontario to Leamington and points east, while Highway 2 followed Malden Road (Former Highway 114) to Middle Road (What would become Highway 2A, then Highway 98, ultimately today's County Road 46).
In 1929, the Ambassador Bridge opened, offering the first direct and permanent link to Detroit. This caused a cascade of route re-numberings in the Windsor and Maidstone areas.
Highway 2 was rerouted along North Talbot Road, and diverted onto the newly-built Provincial Road, leading northwest to Howard Avenue. At Howard, the road turned west along Tecumseh Road to Ouellette Avenue, turning north and terminating at the ferry docks.
Highway 3 would be routed along the newly-built Huron Church Road to the Ambassador Bridge.
Since Base Line Road (Today's County Road 42/Division Road) was much quicker than Highway 2's former alignment along Middle Road, the province decided to extend Highway 18 from Tilbury to Leamington, and to have Highway 2 absorb its Windsor-Tilbury segment. The former routing of Highway 2 (along Middle Road) became Highway 2A (then Highway 98, and today's CR 46).
In 1931, Highway 2 was re-routed along County Road 42's current path, and the precursor to Highway 98 was re-designated as Highway 2A, and this lasted until 1938, when it was re-designated as Highway 98.
When Highway 401 was built in the 1950s, traffic dropped, as drivers preferred the faster and more direct freeway, and this only increased when Highway 401 was twinned from a Super 2 to a four-lane divided freeway in 1965. By 1970, Highway 98 had been decommissioned as a provincial highway, and was turned over to Essex County's control.
Until 1998, County Road 46 was designated as a "Windsor Suburban Road" (west of its junction with Walker Road, with its shield remaining the same, but with Windsor Suburban replacing "Essex County". This is no longer the case, and all county roads in Essex County have the county's name on their shields.
In Windsor, the road continues as Division Road and Provincial Road.
| Tecumseh Road County Road 22 |
|
|---|---|
| Location: | Windsor, Tecumseh, St. Clair Beach, Puce, Belle River, Ontario |
| Length: | 7.4 km (4.6 mi) |
| Existed: | 1934–1970 (re-numbered as Highway 2) |
The Pike Creek Bypass is the part of Essex County Road 22 that stretches from Manning Road (County Road 19) east to its terminus in Puce, Ontario with Tecumseh Road (County Road 2). The road continues west past Manning Road as an extension of E.C. Row Expressway, eventually becoming that road.
The Bypass was constructed in 1961 to alleviate traffic along the former Highway 39 alignment (now Tecumseh Road/County Road 2). It was opened to traffic, and bypassed the town of St. Clair Beach, Ontario.
In 1970, Highway 2 was re-aligned along its path, eliminating Highway 39 from the system. Highway 2 would be decommissioned in 1998, however, and redesignated as Essex County Road 22.
Aside from a brief segment east from Manning Road for about 1 km, the road is entirely 2-lanes and without store and house accesses (it was built as a two-lane expressway, and only has access at intersections, with no adjacent properties or driveways.
Due to a housing boom in western Lakeshore, the road has become extremely congested, and many people have desired the road be widened to four lanes, or even a divided highway or freeway, but due to the narrow right of way, the road is being widened to four lanes as a new Super-Arterial road or even a Super 4, with the possibility of an interchange at Manning Road.
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