Ontario Highway 401 Photographs - Page 29 - History of Ontario's Kings Highways

Left - Aerial view of the Bloor Street Interchange in Oshawa, facing north. This interchange was substantially reconstructed in the 1970s, replacing the bizarre Base Line Road Interchange that was built in 1952. The interchange today consists of a pair of "buttonhook" or "J" ramps on each side of the bridge structure. The old 1952 Base Line Road Interchange featured an elongated "diamond" interchange ramp configuration on the south side of the bridge structure and a modified "trumpet" interchange ramp configuration on the north side of the bridge structure. The south ramp terminal was reconstructed in 1972 with buttonhook ramps, in preparation for the widening of Hwy 401 through Oshawa to six lanes. The old trumpet at the north ramp terminal was left in place until the highway was widened to six lanes in 1978-1979. At that time, the trumpet was replaced by the current buttonhook ramps. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on May 30, 2004 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Approaching the Bloor Street Overpass on Hwy 401 in Oshawa, facing east towards Newcastle. This two-span concrete rigid frame structure was completed in 1952. Compare this present-day photo of the Bloor Street Interchange with this Historic 1956 Photo of the interchange. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on May 29, 2010 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Facing west along Hwy 401 towards Whitby from the Bloor Street Overpass in Oshawa. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on July 8, 2006 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Western side of the Bloor Street Overpass on Hwy 401 in Oshawa. When Hwy 401 (then known as Hwy 2A) first opened to traffic between Oshawa and Newcastle in 1952, Base Line Road (Bloor Street) was the last grade-separated interchange along the highway until Liberty Street in Bowmanville. Due to the unavailability of structural steel and other construction materials in the years following World War II and the Korean War, construction of many proposed grade separations along Hwy 401 had to be deferred until the early 1960s. When the highway was first built in the late 1940s and early 1950s between Toronto and Bowmanville, only major intersections were grade-separated. Many lower-volume intersections had to be left at-grade until the shortage of structural steel eased. In fact, no fewer than 12 at-grade intersections existed in the rural section of Hwy 401 lying between Oshawa and Bowmanville until 1962, when the construction of three new grade separations and a service road system converted the divided highway into a fully controlled-access freeway. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on July 8, 2006 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - The sidewalk on the Bloor Street Overpass is cantilevered off of the main structure. When this bridge was originally designed in 1950, it had a sidewalk on the Oshawa (western) side of the structure that was 6 feet in width and two traffic lanes that were each 15 feet in width. A second northbound lane was added along Bloor Street in the early 1990s. As a result, the sidewalk was relocated slightly by building an extension off of the existing bridge. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on July 8, 2006 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Eastern side of the Bloor Street Overpass on Hwy 401 in Oshawa. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on July 8, 2006 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Facing west along Hwy 401 towards the Bloor Street Overpass. This interesting structure essentially marks the eastern entrance to the Greater Toronto Area. For the next 87 km, Hwy 401 passes through the largest urban area in Canada. Almost all land adjacent to the highway has been developed. It is not until Winston Churchill Boulevard in Mississauga that the urban landscape finally ceases. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on July 8, 2006 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - By contrast, the landscape suddenly becomes quite rural along Hwy 401 east of Bloor Street. Within 2 km of the Bloor Street Interchange, large areas of open country are visible for the first time in almost 90 km. The change in the landscape is rather dramatic, especially considering that there are only a handful of cities and towns located on Hwy 401 between Oshawa and Kingston. The section of Hwy 401 between Oshawa and Newcastle officially opened to traffic on November 19, 1952. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on July 8, 2006 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Facing east along Hwy 401 near the Bloor Street Interchange in Oshawa. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on May 29, 2010 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Aerial view of Hwy 401 at the Bloor Street Interchange in Oshawa, facing southwest. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on May 30, 2004 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Aerial view of Hwy 401 east of the Bloor Street Interchange in Oshawa, facing south towards Darlington Provincial Park. Eastbound motorists catch a brief glimpse of Lake Ontario as the highway emerges from Oshawa. From this point easterly to the Trenton area, Hwy 401 closely follows the northern shoreline of Lake Ontario. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on May 30, 2004 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Aerial view of Hwy 401 near the General Motors Canada Headquarters in Oshawa. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on May 30, 2004 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Aerial view of Hwy 401, facing east towards the Courtice Road Interchange in Clarington. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on May 30, 2004 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Aerial view of the Courtice Road Interchange on Hwy 401 in Clarington, facing north. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on May 30, 2004 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Aerial view of the Courtice Road Interchange on Hwy 401 in Clarington, facing northeast. This was one of two new interchanges built along Hwy 401 in 1962 in an effort to convert the divided highway into a fully controlled-access freeway between Oshawa and Bowmanville. The south ramp terminal was reconfigured in 1980, when Hwy 401 was widened from four to six lanes. As originally constructed, the eastbound Hwy 401 ramps at Courtice Road were on the eastern side of the structure in a modified "Parclo B-2" configuration. The South Service Road tied into the eastbound Hwy 401 on and off ramps rather than Courtice Road itself. This created an intersection within the interchange ramps, which was less than desirable once traffic volumes started to grow throughout the 1960s and 1970s. In 1980, the south ramp terminal was reversed so that the ramps were on the western side of the structure instead (as they exist today). The South Service Road was then extended to meet Courtice Road directly, thereby consolidating two intersections into one. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on May 30, 2004 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Aerial view of the Courtice Road Interchange on Hwy 401 in Clarington, facing south. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on May 30, 2004 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Aerial view of the Holt Road Interchange on Hwy 401 in Clarington, facing north. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on May 30, 2004 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Aerial view of the Holt Road Interchange on Hwy 401 in Clarington, facing southwest. Ontario Power Generation's massive Darlington Nuclear Generating Station can be seen in the background. It was put into service in the early 1990s. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on May 30, 2004 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Facing west along Hwy 401 towards Oshawa from the Holt Road Overpass near Bowmanville. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on September 23, 2007 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Holt Road Overpass on Hwy 401 west of Bowmanville. Structure completed in 1962. There was no interchange on Hwy 401 at Holt Road at the time the structure was built. A two-ramp partial interchange was built at Holt Road in 1980. The loop ramp originally only provided access from northbound Holt Road, but it was retrofitted in 2000 to allow access from southbound Holt Road as well. The Holt Road Interchange was completely rebuilt as a full interchange starting in 2014. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on September 23, 2007 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Facing east along Hwy 401 from the Holt Road Overpass near Bowmanville. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on September 23, 2007 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Holt Road is only a partial interchange, with one exit ramp from eastbound Hwy 401 to Holt Road and one loop ramp in the northeast interchange quadrant from northbound and southbound Holt Road to westbound Hwy 401. The exit ramp from eastbound Hwy 401 to Holt Road has a bizarre intersection with a service road located along the south side of Hwy 401. The eastern approach to the intersection is seen here. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on September 23, 2007 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Westbound Service Road traffic is diverted onto the roadway to the right of this median, which then curves and intersects the Hwy 401 ramp at a right angle. Traffic on the South Service Road must stop at the ramp from Hwy 401 and yield to any traffic exiting the freeway. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on September 23, 2007 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - All vehicles must stop at the intersection with the Hwy 401 exit ramp. Fortunately, the Service Road intersects the exit ramp at a right angle, to allow drivers maximum visibility of vehicles diverging off of Hwy 401. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on September 23, 2007 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Facing west along the ramp from Hwy 401 at the South Service Road intersection. Eastbound Service Road traffic (approaching from the left in this photo) must stop and turn right onto the ramp to access Holt Road. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on September 23, 2007 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Facing east along the ramp from Hwy 401 at the South Service Road intersection. The intersection is clearly marked with signs indicating that the ramp is one way only. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on September 23, 2007 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - View of the Hwy 401 ramp and South Service Road intersection. This interesting ramp configuration is certainly not ideal, but it still works quite well because the interchange at Holt Road carries relatively low traffic volumes. The interchange was completely replaced in 2014-2015. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on September 23, 2007 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Facing north towards the Hwy 401 ramp and South Service Road intersection. The redesigned interchange at Holt Road will see the Service Road connect directly to Holt Road, rather than utilizing the eastbound Hwy 401 off-ramp for access. This new interchange is now under construction. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on September 23, 2007 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Aerial view of the Waverley Road Interchange on Hwy 401 in Bowmanville, facing north. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on May 30, 2004 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Aerial view of the Waverley Road Interchange on Hwy 401 in Bowmanville, facing northwest. The Waverley Road Interchange was originally built in 1962 as a "Parclo A-2" interchange. Like the Courtice Road Interchange lying to the west, the South Service Road intersected with the eastbound Hwy 401 on and off ramps at Waverley Road, rather than connect directly to Waverley Road. During the reconstruction and widening of Hwy 401 from four to six lanes in 1980, the south ramp terminal was rebuilt with two "buttonhook" ramps which connected to the South Service Road. A southbound directional ramp to westbound Hwy 401 was also built in 1980 to accommodate the growing traffic volumes in the Bowmanville area. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on May 30, 2004 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Bowmanville Canadian National (CN) Railway Subway on Hwy 401, prior to being demolished. This railway subway was constructed in 1982. It was built in order to eliminate the very last at-grade railway crossing along Hwy 401. Until it was abandoned a number of years ago, this short railway spur extended north from the main CN Railway into Bowmanville's industrial area. Up until 1982, this industrial spur line crossed Hwy 401 at-grade, immediately west of Liberty Street. The at-grade crossing was taken out of service as a result of the construction of the new grade separation and associated railway diversion, which is best illustrated in the aerial photo shown at right. The site of the former at-grade railway crossing was completely obliterated when the highway was expanded to six lanes in 1982-1983. After the railway spur was abandoned, the railway structure became redundant. The bridge was demolished in July, 2011. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on May 29, 2010 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Aerial view of Hwy 401, facing west towards the Waverley Road Interchange from the Liberty Street Interchange in Bowmanville. Note the railway diversion in the photo, which bypassed the last at-grade railway crossing on Hwy 401 in 1982. The former site of the at-grade crossing was where the Liberty Street off-ramp diverges from eastbound Hwy 401. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on May 30, 2004 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Facing east along Hwy 401 from the Waverley Road Interchange in Bowmanville. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on July 10, 2011 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - The Bowmanville Canadian National (CN) Railway Subway was demolished in 2011, since it was no longer being used by railway traffic. At the time this photo was taken, the north part of the bridge spanning the westbound lanes of Hwy 401 had already been removed. The span over the eastbound lanes was still in place at the time this photo was taken, although it was also removed in July, 2011. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on July 10, 2011 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Aerial view of the Liberty Street Interchange on Hwy 401 in Bowmanville, facing south. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on May 30, 2004 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Liberty Street Underpass on Hwy 401 in Bowmanville, facing north. Structure originally completed in 1952 and widened in 1982. Compare this present-day photo of the Liberty Street Interchange with this Historical 1956 Photo of the original structure. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on August 25, 2012 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Structure identification number and date stamp (1982) on the Liberty Street Underpass on Hwy 401 in Bowmanville. The date of 1982 refers to the extensions added onto the original 1952 Liberty Street Underpass structure. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on August 25, 2012 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Liberty Street Interchange on Hwy 401 in Bowmanville, facing west. The "Bowmanville Cloverleaf" has changed very little since this section of Hwy 401 first opened to traffic in 1952. The interchange consists of a pair of "buttonhook" or "J" ramps on each side of Hwy 401, connecting to Duke Street and Liberty Street. In fact, this is the only interchange along the first section of Hwy 401 from Toronto to Newcastle which has more or less retained its original ramp configuration. Every other interchange between Toronto and Newcastle has been substantially rebuilt or replaced since Hwy 401 first opened more than 60 years ago. Up until 1982, drivers on Hwy 401 encountered an at-grade railway crossing just west of this interchange. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on August 25, 2012 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Northern side of the Liberty Street Underpass on Hwy 401 in Bowmanville. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on August 25, 2012 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Aerial view of the Liberty Street Interchange on Hwy 401 in Bowmanville, facing north. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on May 30, 2004 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Southern side of the Soper Creek Bridge on Hwy 401 immediately east of the Liberty Street Interchange in Bowmanville. Structure originally completed in 1952 and widened in 1982. This Historic 1956 Photo shows the original Soper Creek structure a few years after the highway was first opened to traffic. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on August 25, 2012 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Hwy 401 facing east from the Soper Creek Bridge towards the Bennett Road Interchange in Bowmanville. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on May 29, 2010 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Pre-advance guide sign on eastbound Hwy 401, showing the distance to the Hwy 35 & Hwy 115 Interchange between Bowmanville and Newcastle. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on May 29, 2010 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Bridge-mounted freeway guide signs on eastbound Hwy 401, showing the distance to the upcoming Hwy 35 & Hwy 115 Interchange and the exit sign for Bennett Road. These two interchanges are less than 1 km apart and are located along Hwy 401 between Bowmanville and Newcastle. Compare this present-day photo of the Bennett Road Interchange with this Historic 1967 Photo of the interchange. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on May 29, 2010 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Aerial view of the Bennett Road Interchange on Hwy 401 east of Bowmanville, facing north. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on May 30, 2004 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Aerial view of the Bennett Road Interchange on Hwy 401 east of Bowmanville, facing southeast. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on May 30, 2004 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Older Hwy 401 green guide sign at Bennett Road near Bowmanville. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on July 8, 2006 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Facing west along Hwy 401 towards Bowmanville from the Bennett Road Overpass. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on August 25, 2012 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - The ramps at the Bennett Road Interchange are in a "Parclo B-2" configuration. A Parclo B-2 is a four-ramp freeway interchange, with ramps in two diagonally-opposing quadrants. This interchange type is characterized by traffic exiting from the freeway on a loop ramp on the far side of the grade separation. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on August 25, 2012 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Hwy 401 facing east towards the Hwy 35 & Hwy 115 Interchange from the Bennett Road Overpass east of Bowmanville. When Hwy 401 was first opened to traffic between Oshawa and Newcastle in 1952, the divided highway ended a short distance east of Bennett Road. The two-lane highway then curved sharply to the north along the route of today's Hwy 35 & Hwy 115. Just west of Newcastle, Hwy 401 came to an end at Hwy 2. This point was the terminus of Hwy 401 for more than 7 years, until Hwy 401 was completed and extended from Newcastle easterly to Port Hope. The old bypassed section of Hwy 401 from the former curve to Hwy 2 became a part of Hwy 35 & Hwy 115. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on August 25, 2012 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Structure identification number and date stamp (1966) on the Bennett Road Overpass on Hwy 401 between Bowmanville and Newcastle. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on August 25, 2012 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Eastern side of the Bennett Road Overpass on Hwy 401 east of Bowmanville. The completion of the Bennett Road Overpass in 1966 removed the last at-grade intersections along Hwy 401 between Toronto and Port Hope. Bennett Road was grade-separated and adjacent Lambs Road was closed at the freeway and rebuilt so that it connected to Bennett Road. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on August 25, 2012 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Facing north across the Bennett Road Overpass on Hwy 401 east of Bowmanville. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on August 25, 2012 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Western side of the Bennett Road Overpass on Hwy 401 between Bowmanville and Newcastle. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on August 25, 2012 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Facing south across the Bennett Road Overpass on Hwy 401 between Bowmanville and Newcastle. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on August 25, 2012 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Newer overhead signs on eastbound Hwy 401 marking the Hwy 35 & Hwy 115 Interchange between Bowmanville and Newcastle. This is the last overhead sign structure on Hwy 401 until Kingston. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on May 29, 2010 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Old overhead signs for the Hwy 35 & Hwy 115 Interchange west of Newcastle. These older overhead freeway signs were likely installed in 1982, as part of the reconstruction and widening of Hwy 35 & Hwy 115 between Hwy 401 and Hwy 2 near Newcastle. Sadly, this interesting highway sign structure has since been replaced. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on July 8, 2006 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Aerial view of the Hwy 35 & Hwy 115 Interchange on Hwy 401 near Newcastle, facing south. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on May 30, 2004 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Aerial view of the Hwy 35 & Hwy 115 Interchange on Hwy 401 near Newcastle, facing west. Until the Newcastle to Port Hope section of Hwy 401 was completed and opened to traffic in 1960, Hwy 401 curved to the north at this location, following what is today's Hwy 35 & Hwy 115. For many years, Hwy 401 ended at Hwy 2 west of Newcastle. Following the extension of Hwy 401 to Port Hope, the old bypassed north-south section of Hwy 401 became Hwy 35 & Hwy 115. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on May 30, 2004 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Aerial view of the Hwy 35 & Hwy 115 Interchange on Hwy 401 near Newcastle, facing north. See an Enlarged Photo here.
(Photograph taken on May 30, 2004 - © Cameron Bevers)