Ontario Highway 18A Photographs - History of Ontario's Kings Highways

Left - Facing west along Hwy 18 towards Amherstburg from the Former Hwy 18A Junction at Malden Centre. Like many King's Highways in Southwestern Ontario, jurisdiction over the entire route of Hwy 18 was transferred or "downloaded" from the province to the municipal tier in the late 1990s. This former King's Highway was transferred to the County of Essex in 1998 and is officially known as Essex Road 20 today. The section of Hwy 18 seen in this photo is actually a diversion built in the 1930s to bypass two 90-degree turns in the original highway's route. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Approaching the Former Hwy 18A Junction at Malden Centre, facing east along Hwy 18 towards Harrow. Up until the late 1970s, Hwy 18A formed an alternate route to Hwy 18 along the Lake Erie shoreline via Colchester. After provincial jurisdiction over Hwy 18A ended in 1978, the former highway became known as Essex Road 50. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Approaching the western terminus of Former Hwy 18A at the Hwy 18 Junction at Malden Centre. Up until the late 1970s, Hwy 18A formed a loop from Malden Centre easterly to Kingsville via Colchester, with Hwy 18A connecting back to Hwy 18 at both ends of the loop. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Facing east along Former Hwy 18A towards Colchester from the Hwy 18 Junction at Malden Centre. This route was first assumed by the Department of Highways of Ontario (DHO) as a King's Highway in April 1938. The route remained in the provincial highway system for just over 40 years, but ownership of the highway was eventually transferred over to the County of Essex in July 1978. Former Hwy 18A is officially known as Essex Road 50 today. This former King's Highway is rather noteworthy, in that it was Canada's southernmost provincial highway at the time of its existence. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Junction sign assembly at the Hwy 18 & Former Hwy 18A Junction at Malden Centre. The old Hwy 18 provincial crown route markers were replaced with newer Essex County Road 20 "flowerpot" route markers in the 1990s. Unfortunately, Essex County already had a rather lengthy County Road 18 in their road system and was therefore forced to change the old Hwy 18 designation to something different once the county took over the highway in 1998. When Hwy 18 was first assumed as a King's Highway in 1931, the route of Hwy 18 actually turned and followed Concession Road 6 northerly for a short distance before it resumed its route west towards Amherstburg. This old loop of Hwy 18 was bypassed by a new highway diversion from Malden Centre westerly in 1932. There is no longer any trace of the bypassed former east-west portion of Hwy 18 lying between the highway diversion and Concession Road 6. Jurisdiction over the old loop of Hwy 18 at Malden Centre reverted to the Township of Malden in October 1932. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Facing west along Hwy 18 towards Amherstburg at Malden Centre, approaching the Former Hwy 18A Junction. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Facing east along Hwy 18 towards Harrow from the Former Hwy 18A Junction at Malden Centre. During the 1930s, this section of Hwy 18 was abuzz with activity. The province assumed jurisdiction over the road in December 1931, and immediately commenced an extensive Depression-era unemployment relief project. At the height of construction activities in 1932, more than 2,000 people found temporary employment building this highway between Amherstburg and Kingsville. This section of Hwy 18 has been recently resurfaced by Essex County. Unlike many other King's Highways in Southwestern Ontario which were originally constructed with a concrete surface, this section of Hwy 18 has always been surfaced with asphalt. In 1936, a bituminous penetration macadam pavement was constructed for a distance of about 7 miles between Malden Centre and Harrow under Contract #1936-37. This paving contract completed paving operations along Hwy 18, as it closed the final gap in the pavement between Windsor and Leamington. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Approaching Malden Centre on Hwy 18, facing west. Although the sign is broken, traffic is guided to the Holiday Beach Conservation Area via Essex Road 50 (Former Hwy 18A). Years ago, Holiday Beach Park was operated by the Ontario Department of Lands and Forests as a Provincial Park. However, the local conservation authority has operated Holiday Beach Park since the 1980s. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Approaching the eastern junction of Former Hwy 18A on Hwy 18, facing east towards Kingsville's Town Centre. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Facing west along Former Hwy 18A (Essex Road 50) towards Colchester from the Hwy 18 Junction in Kingsville. Former Hwy 18A is a very interesting and leisurely highway route which is well worth the detour if one has the time to explore. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - These ancient fingerboard guide signs at the Hwy 18 & Former Hwy 18A Junction in Kingsville have probably been on the highway since the 1970s. As with all highway junctions along this route, guide signs have been updated to remove the old Hwy 18 provincial crown signs. They have been replaced by County Road 20 "flowerpot" route markers. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Facing west along Hwy 18 towards Harrow from the eastern junction of Former Hwy 18A in Kingsville. Although it is several miles longer and a lot slower than taking Hwy 18 between Kingsville and Malden Centre, Former Hwy 18A will also bring motorists to Malden Centre on a route which is much more pleasant and scenic than continuing through via Hwy 18. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Approaching the Former Hwy 18A Junction in Kingsville on Hwy 18, facing west towards Harrow. This is actually a relocated highway junction between Hwy 18 & Hwy 18A. When it was first established in 1938, Hwy 18A ended near Downtown Kingsville at the intersection of Main Street (Hwy 18) and Queen Street. Hwy 18A was rerouted via Malott Side Road along the western edge of Kingsville during 1961, where it met Hwy 18 at this relocated highway junction. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Eastern terminus of Former Hwy 18A at the Hwy 18 Junction in Kingsville. This junction lies along Hwy 18 at the western entrance to Kingsville, so motorists must turn right at this junction onto Hwy 18 in order to access Kingsville's Town Centre. Motorists turning left will quickly leave Kingsville and return back towards Harrow and Malden Centre. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Above - Approaching Kingsville from the Former Hwy 18A Junction at the western entrance to town. From 1938 until 1961, Hwy 18A intersected with Hwy 18 approximately 1/2 mile east of here at the intersection of Main Street & Queen Street. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)