Ontario Highway 420 History - The King's Highways of Ontario

King's Highway 420 is a short urban freeway which provides access to Niagara Falls from the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW). The highway was once part of the QEW, but the route was renumbered as Highway 420 in 1972. The highway primarily serves as an approach road to the Rainbow Bridge, which connects to U.S. Route 62 and New York State Routes 104 & 384 in Niagara Falls, New York. A 1.6 km portion of Highway 420 from Stanley Avenue to the Rainbow Bridge was transferred from the province to the Regional Municipality of Niagara, effective December 4, 2002. This transferred section of Highway 420 was subsequently designated as a Municipal Connecting Link by a Minister's Order dated April 30, 2003. This Municipal Connecting Link is actually signed as Niagara Regional Road 420, and not as Highway 420.

Highway 420 is now the shortest 400-Series Highway in Ontario, with a length of only 3.0 km (1.9 miles). Highway 420 is a minimum of four through lanes, depending on the road segment. The highway has an express-collector lane configuration from the QEW to Drummond Road. Unless posted otherwise, the speed limit on Highway 420 is 80 km/h (50 mph). Exits along Highway 420 are not numbered, but distances along the highway can be calculated by visiting the Highway 420 Mileage Chart page.