Ontario Highway 48B Photographs - History of Ontario's Kings Highways

Left - Facing south along Hwy 48 towards Sutton approaching the Old Hwy 12 Junction (known today as Sideroad 17) near Port Bolster. Prior to the construction of the Beaverton Bypass in the 1960s, Hwy 12 curved sharply to the right at this location. Once the Beaverton Bypass was completed, Hwy 12 was rerouted onto the new eastern bypass around Beaverton. The old route of Hwy 12 through Beaverton was subsequently renumbered as Hwy 48B, while a short section of Hwy 12 near Port Bolster became a part of Hwy 48. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - View of Hwy 48 facing north from the Old Hwy 12 Junction at Sideroad 17. Hwy 48 continues north for about 3 km where it meets the relocated route of Hwy 12 at the Beaverton Bypass. This section of Hwy 48 between Sideroad 17 and the Beaverton Bypass was actually a part of Hwy 12 from 1927 up until 1966. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Approaching the Old Hwy 12 Junction (Former Hwy 48B) on Hwy 48, facing south towards Sutton. Although it hasn't been a provincial highway since 1978, traffic is still directed into Beaverton from Hwy 48 via Sideroad 17. It is actually a fast way to get into Beaverton from Hwy 48, as the old bypassed route of Hwy 48 passes through Port Bolster and several other small beachside communities located along Lake Simcoe's southeastern shores. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Facing north along Hwy 48 at the Old Hwy 12 Junction near Port Bolster. A dedicated left-turn lane was provided along Hwy 48 for traffic turning north into Beaverton via Beaverton's Business Route (Hwy 48B). Through traffic with destinations beyond Beaverton could continue straight ahead to Hwy 12 and bypass Beaverton altogether. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Facing south along Hwy 48 towards Sutton from Sideroad 17 (Old Hwy 12). Although the road ahead is known as Hwy 48 today, this road only became a provincial highway during the 1960s. The Department of Highways of Ontario (DHO) assumed jurisdiction and control over the Brock-Thorah Townline Road in January 1965, as part of the proposed Beaverton Bypass and associated relocation of Hwy 48. As originally established in 1937, Hwy 48 went through nearby Port Bolster. The new Hwy 48 Diversion from this intersection to the original route of Hwy 48 at Port Bolster was built under Contract #1965-41 and paved under Contract #1966-147. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - View of Hwy 48 approaching the Old Hwy 12 Junction (Sideroad 17) near Port Bolster, facing north. Although it is now part of the Regional Municipality of Durham, this area of the province was originally part of the County of Ontario. This historical county, along with the County of Lincoln on the Niagara Peninsula, both disappeared entirely as a result of municipal amalgamation and restructuring done in the 1970s. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Facing north along Sideroad 17 (Old Hwy 12) from the Hwy 48 Junction. In the early 1930s, a curved diversion was constructed for Hwy 12 at these corners in order to allow through traffic to continue along the highway without having to stop. This diversion of Hwy 12 curved in from the right at the crest of this hill. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Approaching the Hwy 48 Junction on Old Hwy 12, facing south. During the construction of the relocated Hwy 48 in 1965, the old 1930s curved diversion was closed and the pavement removed. This was done so that the relocated Hwy 48 intersected with this highway at a right angle. Today, there are only faint traces of grading that indicate that there ever was a curved road diversion here. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - A small superelevated curve exists along Sideroad 17 (Old Hwy 12) north of the Hwy 48 Junction. While it may not look like much to a casual observer, superelevated curves such as this one greatly improved traffic safety by reducing the risk of a vehicle rollover as motorists travelled around the highway curve. Previously, there were two 90-degree turns in the highway at this location. The two curves were flattened out back in 1930 through the construction of a short realignment of Hwy 12. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - The curve superelevation on Old Hwy 12 is much more obvious when approaching from the north. This superelevated curve was constructed when a concrete pavement was built along this section of Hwy 12 in 1933. Concrete pavement was laid from Beaverton southerly for a distance of approximately 5 1/4 miles under Contract #1933-08. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Facing north along Old Hwy 12 (Sideroad 17) towards Beaverton near Concession Road 3. It may seem hard to believe that this back road was a part of the Trans-Canada Highway's Central Ontario Route up until the completion of the Beaverton Bypass in 1966, but it was! Interestingly, this route was numbered as Hwy 48B following the completion of the Beaverton Bypass, even though this specific portion of the route was never part of Hwy 48 historically. It is also rather perplexing that Beaverton never had a Hwy 12B Business Route assigned. Many of the bypassed communities along Hwy 12's route were subsequently granted a Hwy 12B designation for their old bypassed highway routes, so this makes Beaverton a rather obvious outlier. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Approaching the historical junction of Hwy 12 and Hwy 48 south of Beaverton, facing north along Sideroad 17. This highway junction had especially ugly geometry and was likely among the most dangerous intersections along Hwy 12 in its day. Hwy 12 and Hwy 48 essentially merged together at this elongated Y-junction, with Hwy 12 being the "through highway" and Hwy 48 being under Stop-control. However, for many years, there was no diversion or offset for northbound traffic on Hwy 48. Motorists who were not paying very close attention could easily slip through the intersection before even realizing that they had not yielded to traffic on Hwy 12. An offset traffic island was built at the intersection in the early 1960s to reinforce the Stop-control. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - View of the former Hwy 12 & Hwy 48 Junction, facing north. Today, Sideroad 17 curves to the left and connects to Old Hwy 48 (today's Durham Road 23) at a T-intersection. However, this iteration of the intersection is relatively recent. Originally, Hwy 12 curved to the right at this point where it quickly converged with Hwy 48 coming in from the left. Traces of the old highway's alignment can be seen to the right of the guide rail, which was likely installed merely to keep motorists from driving over the closed part of the old highway. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Facing south along Old Hwy 12 (Sideroad 17) from Old Hwy 48 (Durham Road 23). The roadside business at right is called "At the Y" - a most appropriate name indeed, given the intersection's layout. Historically, Hwy 12 and Hwy 48 joined at such an acute angle that it would have been virtually impossible for a long truck to make the turn from northbound Hwy 48 to southbound Hwy 12, or vice-versa. Therefore, it is little wonder that the DHO made a point of relocating Hwy 48 onto a new route south of Beaverton to avoid this problematic Y-junction. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Facing north along Old Hwy 48 (Durham Road 23) approaching Old Hwy 12 (Sideroad 17). While this former highway junction has been reconstructed since the 1970s, the historical curve on Hwy 48 would have more or less matched the curve seen on Durham Road 23 today. Just beyond the present-day intersection of Sideroad 17, Hwy 12 once curved in and converged from the right. Although it might have appeared to just be a merge to drivers, it actually wasn't - the onus was on northbound Hwy 48 traffic to stop and yield to all traffic on Hwy 12 before proceeding straight through. Given the highway's geometry through here, it is virtually certain that some early motorists missed the Stop sign and inadvertently failed to yield. Once a traffic island was built here, traffic was physically diverted and arrived at Hwy 12 at a T-intersection, where a Stop condition would likely be more anticipated by northbound motorists. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - View of Old Hwy 48 facing south at the Y-junction with Old Hwy 12 south of Beaverton. When Hwy 48 was first established in 1937, it was originally just a short highway which connected Hwy 12 south of Beaverton to nearby Port Bolster, with a total length of about 6 miles. The Port Bolster Road was assumed by the DHO as a new King's Highway (Hwy 48) in March 1937. It wasn't until 1954 that Hwy 48 was extended from Port Bolster down towards the Toronto area as it exists today. Following the completion of the Beaverton Bypass and the opening of the relocated Hwy 48, jurisdiction over the old route of Hwy 48 via Port Bolster was transferred over to municipal control in April 1968. Directly ahead, a bypassed loop of Hwy 48 can be seen which now serves as a private driveway. The revised route of Hwy 48 at right was built during a highway improvement project carried out in the mid-1940s under Contract #1946-36. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Approaching the Old Hwy 12 & Old Hwy 48 Junction, facing south. Early motorists arriving at this junction had the option of curving left onto Hwy 12 to Whitby or curving right onto Hwy 48 to Port Bolster. The Y-junction was reconfigured many years ago to make Old Hwy 48 (today's Durham Road 23) as the through highway. Previously, Hwy 12 curved to the left where the guide rail is positioned. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Facing north along Old Hwy 12 & Old Hwy 48 (today's Durham Road 23) from the Y-junction south of Beaverton. The overlapped route of Hwy 12 & Hwy 48 through Beaverton was introduced in 1961, when Hwy 48 was extended northerly from Beaverton to Bolsover. Previously, the highway through Beaverton was known only as Hwy 12. Both Hwy 12 & Hwy 48 were rerouted via the Beaverton Bypass when it opened in 1966. The old highway through Beaverton seen here was known as Hwy 48B for a number of years after the bypass was completed. Provincial jurisdiction over Hwy 48B ended in July 1978, when jurisdiction over the route was transferred to the Regional Municipality of Durham. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Facing south along Old Hwy 12 & Old Hwy 48 from the southern entrance to Beaverton from Concession Road 5. Note the innovative "shark's teeth" pavement markings implemented by the Regional Municipality of Durham on the northbound lane to help manage vehicle speeds approaching the built-up area. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Entering Beaverton on Old Hwy 12 & Old Hwy 48, facing north at Concession Road 5. Historically, the route of Hwy 12 & Hwy 48 through the Village of Beaverton was designated as a Municipal Connecting Link. The highway was under municipal jurisdiction for a distance of 1 3/4 miles from this intersection northerly to the White's Creek Bridge north of Beaverton's village centre. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Approaching Beaverton's village centre on Osborne Street (Old Hwy 12 & Old Hwy 48), facing north from Bay Street. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Prior to the completion of the Beaverton Bypass in 1966, the old route of Hwy 12 & Hwy 48 turned left at the end of Osborne Street onto Simcoe Street. Today, traffic is directed out of town to Hwy 12 via Simcoe Street (Durham Road 15). Note the "TO 12" green-and-white trailblazer marker on the pole at right. Traffic can also connect back to Hwy 12 by proceeding north along the old highway's route through the village centre (today's Durham Road 23). See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Facing south along Osborne Street (Old Hwy 12 & Old Hwy 48) from Simcoe Street. The old highway route through Beaverton was rather slow and indirect, with a very tight intersection in the village centre which would have been difficult for large trucks to negotiate. Prior to 1966, traffic on Hwy 12 & Hwy 48 would have proceeded south out of Beaverton via Osborne Street, where motorists could either follow Hwy 12 south to Sunderland Corners and Whitby, or follow Hwy 48 south to Sutton, Markham and Toronto. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - View of Downtown Beaverton on Simcoe Street (Old Hwy 12 & Old Hwy 48), facing east towards Osborne Street. Prior to the completion of the Beaverton Bypass in 1966, southbound traffic on Hwy 12 & Hwy 48 would have turned right just ahead onto Osborne Street. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Intersection of Osborne Street and Simcoe Street in Beaverton, facing west. Fortunately, due to the skew of Osborne Street, the geometry of this intersection is rather large. Thus, the intersection would have accommodated trucks along Hwy 12 & Hwy 48 fairly easily. However, the second turn in the village centre at Mara Road was a very tight turn. Undoubtedly, traffic was snarled at that intersection every time a long truck passed through town. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Facing west along Simcoe Street (Old Hwy 12 & Old Hwy 48) in Beaverton. Prior to the completion of the Beaverton Bypass in the mid-1960s, the highway route turned right onto Mara Road just ahead. It is unfathomable to think that Trans-Canada Highway through traffic had to navigate this tight downtown intersection up until 1966! Thanks to the foresight of DHO engineers who planned out the new Beaverton Bypass, this traffic bottleneck is fortunately now a thing of the past. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - View of Beaverton's village centre along Simcoe Street, facing east from Mara Road. The tree-lined streets and historical buildings make the village centre well worth a stop. Indeed, the main street of Beaverton became a lot more leisurely after the bypass was completed. Traffic volumes approaching Beaverton on the former route of Hwy 12 & Hwy 48 collapsed by two-thirds once the Beaverton Bypass opened to traffic in the 1960s. The Beaverton Bypass was officially opened to traffic on November 4, 1966. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Facing north across the Beaverton River Bridge on Old Hwy 12 & Old Hwy 48 (Mara Road). This bridge lies immediately north of Simcoe Street. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Western side of the Beaverton River Bridge (Site #22-20) on Old Hwy 12 & Old Hwy 48 (Mara Road) in Beaverton. This single-span concrete beam structure was completed in 1967. This new bridge replaced a large concrete bowstring arch truss structure with a 92-foot span length that was built in 1923, several years before the Sunderland Corners-Orillia Road was assumed as a Provincial Highway in 1927. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - View of the intersection of Mara Road and Simcoe Street in Beaverton. Prior to the completion of the Beaverton Bypass in 1966, traffic using Hwy 12 & Hwy 48 had to turn onto Beaverton's main street at a very constrained urban intersection. With the overhead arches of the adjacent concrete truss bridge even further constraining the roadway width to the north, it is quite remarkable that long trucks were even able to make this turn at all! Those that did make the turn likely had considerable difficulty and would have had to do so at a very low speed. While some of Ontario's historical traffic bottlenecks were quite obvious, other bottlenecks like this example were a lot more subtle - but were nevertheless problematic. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Plaque commemorating the completion of the new Beaverton River Bridge in 1967. It is interesting to note that the new bridge was officially opened to traffic a mere 8 months following the opening of the Beaverton Bypass. This indicates that the old bowstring bridge on Mara Road was closed for replacement as soon as through traffic was rerouted onto the new Hwy 12 & Hwy 48 Bypass. By 1965, a 15 ton load limit had been placed on the old bridge as a precaution, which suggests that years of heavy through traffic had begun to take its toll on the old bridge. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - The Beaverton River Bridge was built under an agreement between the Village of Beaverton and the DHO. Unsurprisingly, this bridge features a common 1960s DHO bridge design feature - the embossed decorative scoring on the concrete handrail approaches. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Facing south across the Beaverton River Bridge on Old Hwy 12 & Old Hwy 48 (Mara Road) in Beaverton. The new 1967 structure eliminated two major geometric constraints on the old highway route through town. The old 1923 structure was a tied bowstring arch bridge, with transverse beams which crossed the highway. These transverse beams created a limited vertical clearance through the bridge. In 1961, DHO reported the vertical clearance through the bridge as being 13 feet, 10 inches (approximately 4.2 metres), which although geometrically deficient, was actually not the lowest-clearance bridge in existence on Hwy 12 at that time. The bigger problem with the old bridge was the roadway's constrained width, which was only 24 feet from the vertical face of each truss arch. While a 24-foot roadway was actually wider than what was typically used for a bridge built in early 1920s, the fact that the bridge extended to the throat of a busy adjacent intersection caused a lot of problems for turning traffic. When the new bridge was built in 1967, designers seized the opportunity to expand the roadway width from 24 feet to 30 feet in order to allow for off-tracking for turning vehicles. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - View of Old Hwy 12 & Old Hwy 48 (Mara Road), facing north from the Beaverton River Bridge. The overhead truss of the old Beaverton River Bridge would have posed a sight distance constraint for adjacent streets and driveways. While concrete bowstring arch bridges are quite beautiful, then can also be rather impractical in an urban setting. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - View of Mara Road (Old Hwy 12 & Old Hwy 48) approaching Beaverton's village centre, facing south from King Street. The constrained right-of-way available though Beaverton made it far more economical for the DHO to build a new orbital bypass of the village, rather than try to improve the geometry of existing streets through the village centre. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Facing south along Old Hwy 12 & Old Hwy 48 (Mara Road) approaching Beaverton's north entrance. For many years, Beaverton marked the northern limit of the concrete pavement along Hwy 12 from Whitby. The section of Hwy 12 from Beaverton to Brechin remained a gravel-surfaced highway until after World War II, when a hot-mix asphalt pavement was completed between the two villages under Contract #1946-36. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Start of the White's Creek Diversion on Old Hwy 12 & Old Hwy 48 (Mara Road) just north of Beaverton. Originally, Hwy 12 continued straight ahead, but a revised route for Hwy 12 was established in 1930 when a new bridge was built to carry the provincial highway over White's Creek. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - A long-abandoned and heavily-overgrown steel truss bridge exists on the old alignment of Hwy 12 at White's Creek, See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Facing north across the abandoned steel truss bridge over White's Creek. For a few years, Hwy 12 traffic did actually have to make use of this narrow one-lane bridge. However, a new two-lane concrete bowstring arch bridge was constructed over White's Creek on an improved alignment in 1930. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - The old bridge over White's Creek is a single-span steel truss (Warren type) structure. The exact age of this bridge is unknown, but it is believed to have been constructed around 1915. The bridge last carried Hwy 12 traffic in 1930, when a new bridge was built on the provincial highway over White's Creek a short distance downstream. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Facing south along Old Hwy 12 & Old Hwy 48 approaching White's Creek. At left, the original route of Hwy 12 can be seen branching away from the current road. The diversion over White's Creek was built in 1930, when grading was completed on an 8 1/2 mile section of Hwy 12 between Beaverton and Brechin under Contract #1930-21. A new concrete bowstring arch bridge with a span length of 71 feet, 6 inches was built on the diversion over White's Creek under Contract #1930-70. This concrete bowstring arch bridge was replaced with a new bridge in 1980 by the Regional Municipality of Durham. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - The old route of Hwy 12 & Hwy 48 curves sharply to the right at Concession Road 8. As originally assumed in 1927, Hwy 12 continued ahead into the corners, where the highway turned right. However, this intersection layout meant that at least one direction of Hwy 12 faced a Stop sign at the corners. A curved diversion was built to bypass the corners in 1930, in order to make Hwy 12 a continuous through highway. By eliminating the Stop-control at the corners, through traffic could move freely around the corners via the diversion. During the early years of World War II, consideration was given to the construction of an entirely new route for Hwy 12 from these corners northeasterly towards Gamebridge. A highway route was proposed and surveyed, but for some reason, the proposed route of Hwy 12 was ultimately abandoned in 1942. It is possible that the DHO recognized that the new highway would be very difficult to construct under Wartime conditions, particularly when there were more vital highway projects to complete, such as the new Trans-Canada Highway link between Hearst and Geraldton. As a result of this abandoned scheme, Hwy 12 remained on its existing route via Mara Road right up until the completion of the Beaverton Bypass in 1966. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Facing south along Old Hwy 12 & Old Hwy 48 (Mara Road) at the start of the curved diversion north of White's Creek. Prior to the completion of the curved diversion in 1930, Hwy 12 continued straight ahead via the road at right. Jurisdiction over the old alignment of Hwy 12 through the corners reverted back to the Township of Thorah in April 1932. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - This curve warning sign accurately depicts the old corners and the curved diversion built for Hwy 12 traffic. About 100 of these curved diversions were built along the King's Highways of Ontario prior to World War II in order to remove Stop-controlled intersections along highways. The former route of Hwy 12 & Hwy 48 turns in a general east-west direction from this curved diversion to the Beaverton Bypass, which lies about 1 km to the east of here. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Approaching the Beaverton Bypass Junction on Old Hwy 12 & Old Hwy 48 (Mara Road), facing east. The Beaverton Bypass comes to an end at this junction, where the relocated route of Hwy 12 & Hwy 48 ties back into the original route of the highway. At left, a slight clearing in the trees indicates that another curved diversion once existed here. The pavement was removed from the old curved diversion during construction of the Beaverton Bypass in the 1960s. Today, the old highway's route around the curve is quite overgrown. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Facing east along Mara Road (Old Hwy 12 & Old Hwy 48) from the Beaverton Bypass. The old highway route curves south about 1 km ahead as it approaches Beaverton. The curved diversion which used to carry through traffic on Hwy 12 & Hwy 48 many years ago connected just ahead at right, at the edge of the woodlot. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Junction of the Beaverton Bypass (Hwy 12 & Hwy 48) at Mara Road (Old Hwy 12 & Old Hwy 48), facing east. During the construction of the Beaverton Bypass in the mid-1960s, the old 1930s curved diversion at these corners was closed and the pavement removed. This was done so that the two highways intersected at a right angle. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Distance guide sign on Hwy 12 & Hwy 48, facing south at Mara Road. It is interesting to note that distance guide signs are still in place on Hwy 12 & Hwy 48 at this former highway junction, even though provincial jurisdiction over the old highway route though Beaverton ceased in 1978. Typically, distance guide signs such as these are only posted downstream of a provincial highway junction or departing from an urbanized area. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Facing north along the Beaverton Bypass (Hwy 12 & Hwy 48) at Mara Road (Old Hwy 12 & Old Hwy 48). This intersection marks the northern end of the Beaverton Bypass, which was originally constructed under Contract #1964-139. The old route of Hwy 12 & Hwy 48 tied into the Beaverton Bypass at the end of a curved diversion situated immediately north of this intersection. When the Beaverton Bypass first opened to traffic in 1966, Mara Road was an un-signalized Stop-controlled intersection. Traffic signals were installed at this junction in 2002. For many years, Hwy 12 & Hwy 48 shared a concurrent overlapped route along the bypass east of Beaverton, but the overlapped route was discontinued in 2004. Today, the Beaverton Bypass is signed as Hwy 12 only. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - View of the Beaverton Bypass (Hwy 12 & Hwy 48) at Mara Road, facing south towards Whitby. During reconstruction of this intersection under Contract #2002-2006, Hwy 12 was expanded to four lanes offset exclusively on the western side of the highway. When the Beaverton Bypass was originally designed in the 1960s, an extra wide right-of-way was acquired to accommodate the construction of a future four-lane divided highway. The widened route of Hwy 12 seen here was constructed where the future southbound carriageway would have been built, had the bypass been constructed as a divided highway as originally envisioned. Most of the Beaverton Bypass was constructed along the route of an old county road (County Road 13), which was previously under the jurisdiction of the former County of Ontario. In April 1964, the DHO assumed jurisdiction and control over Ontario County Road 13 as part of the proposed route of the Beaverton Bypass. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Junction sign assembly and fingerboard destination signs facing Mara Road (Old Hwy 12 & Old Hwy 48). Up until 2004, the Beaverton Bypass was signed as an overlapped, concurrent route of Hwy 12 & Hwy 48. However, all references to Hwy 48 have since been removed. This change in signing was necessary since Hwy 48 was no longer a provincial highway between Hwy 12 at Gamebridge and Hwy 35 at Coboconk. This northeastern leg of Hwy 48 was one of many King's Highways in Central Ontario lost to provincial service downloading to the municipal tier during the 1990s. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Facing north along Hwy 12 & Hwy 48 from Mara Road (Old Hwy 12 & Old Hwy 48). The former curved diversion coming from Beaverton once joined in at left, just beyond the woodlot. The completion of the Beaverton Bypass in 1966 reduced the highway distance between Whitby and Orillia by about 2 1/2 miles (4 km). See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Facing south along Hwy 12 & Hwy 48 approaching Durham Road 23 (Mara Road). Even today, traffic is directed to enter Beaverton via the old route of Hwy 12 & Hwy 48 (Mara Road). See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Distance guide sign on northbound Hwy 12 & Hwy 48 at Mara Road. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)

Above - Junction sign assembly and fingerboard destination sign for Orillia facing Concession Road 8. This road continues straight ahead towards Beaverton as Mara Road (Old Hwy 12 & Old Hwy 48). Durham Road 23 is part of a signed Emergency Diversion Route (EDR), whereby traffic can follow an alternate route if Hwy 12 is closed due an emergency. Note the opening "Drive Safely" sign in the background, which can be opened by emergency responders to show a route marker which directs traffic back to Hwy 12 downstream of the highway closure. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 22, 2023 - © Cameron Bevers)