Ontario Highway 56 History - The King's Highways of Ontario

King's Highway 56 was a short collector highway which connected Highway 3 near Canfield with Highway 20 & Highway 53 at Elfrida. The highway was first commissioned on March 28, 1934. When the highway was first assumed, the highway was only paved from Binbrook to Elfrida. The balance of the highway was gravel-surfaced. The section between Binbrook and Blackheath was paved in 1937 and the remainder of the highway from Blackheath to the Highway 3 Junction was paved in 1945. On March 31, 1997, the entire highway was downloaded to Haldimand-Norfolk Region and Hamilton-Wentworth Region. The section of Highway 56 within Haldimand-Norfolk Region was initially renamed as Haldimand-Norfolk Regional Highway 56, but it has since been renamed Haldimand Highway 56, after the Region was reorganized into separate municipalities. In the amalgamated City of Hamilton, Highway 56 has been renamed Hamilton Highway 56. Services are frequently available along Highway 56. Unless posted otherwise, the speed limit on Highway 56 is 80 km/h (50 mph). Please visit the Highway 56 Mileage Chart page for a list of mileage reference points along Highway 56.