Ontario Highway 134 (#1) History - The King's Highways of Ontario

The first King's Highway 134 was somewhat of an anomaly when it was designated in Renfrew County during the 1950s. Although the existence of Highway 134 has now been confirmed with historical Department of Highways of Ontario (DHO) records, it appears that the highway existed under that designation only briefly before being renumbered. On April 11, 1957, a new King's Highway was designated by an Order-in-Council between Eganville and Pembroke. Preliminary Assumption Plans were prepared in June 1957, which identified this new King's Highway as Highway 134. The newly-designated highway was previously known as Development Road 14 between Letts Corners and Pembroke, which encompassed portions of former Renfrew County Roads 5 and 10.

A decision was made in late 1957 to renumber Highway 134 as an extension of Highway 41 north of Eganville. The DHO's Official Road Map for 1958 indicates the Eganville to Pembroke route as Highway 41 rather than Highway 134. However, clues of Highway 134's brief existence can be found on some road maps issued by commercial map makers in the latter part of 1957. Until recently, it was not known for certain whether the appearance of Highway 134 on these late 1957 road maps was simply a cartographic error. It is still unclear whether or not this route was ever actually signed with King's Highway 134 route markers during the highway's brief existence. Regardless, the Highway 134 designation was retired for a number of years, before being used again in 1975 on another unrelated Highway 134 in Peterborough County.