Ontario Highway 76 History - The King's Highways of Ontario

King's Highway 76 was a minor collector highway which connected Highway 2 northeast of Wardsville to Highway 3 at Eagle via West Lorne in Middlesex and Elgin Counties. The entire highway was only 18 km in length. The history of Highway 76 dates back to the mid-1930s, when the Department of Highways of Ontario (DHO) assumed a new King's Highway within Elgin County. A Preliminary Route Plan was prepared by the Department of Highways of Ontario (DHO) on June 16, 1936, showing the proposed King's Highway between West Lorne and Eagle. The route was first assumed by the DHO on September 16, 1936. At that time, the highway was only 5.6 km in length. Highway 76 was initially gravel surfaced for its entire length, but a concrete pavement was completed in 1937. In 1957, Highway 76 was extended north from West Lorne to connect to Highway 2 and the proposed route of Highway 401. The extension of Highway 76 from West Lorne to Highway 2 was designated by an Order-in-Council effective December 5, 1957. Initially, this extension from West Lorne to Highway 2 was gravel surfaced, but this section of Highway 76 was paved in 1962.

During the 1990s, the province determined that Highway 76 served mostly a local purpose and decided that the route was no longer needed in the provincial highway system. As a result, the entire route of Highway 76 was downloaded by the province to Elgin and Middlesex Counties on March 31, 1997. The highway is now officially known as Elgin County Road 76 and Middlesex County Road 76, although the road is still often referred to as "Highway 76" by motorists. There are no services available on Highway 76 other than in West Lorne. Unless posted otherwise, the speed limit on Highway 76 is 80 km/h (50 mph). Please visit the Highway 76 Mileage Chart page for a list of mileage reference points along Highway 76.