Ontario Highway 77 (#2) Photographs - History of Ontario's Kings Highways

Left - Facing west along Talbot Street (Old Hwy 3) towards the Hwy 18 & Hwy 77 Junction at Erie Street in Downtown Leamington. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Junction sign assembly facing westbound traffic at Talbot Street & Erie Street. Old Hwy 3 (now Essex Road 34) continues straight ahead, while at right, Hwy 77 heads north towards Hwy 401 via Erie Street. The route of Hwy 77 through Downtown Leamington has always been under municipal jurisdiction. Today, provincial jurisdiction over Hwy 77 begins at the Leamington Bypass (Hwy 3) at the northern entrance to Leamington's urbanized area. Although it is no longer signed today, the former route of Hwy 18 began at this intersection and headed south via Erie Street. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Facing east along Talbot Street (Old Hwy 3) from the Hwy 18 & Hwy 77 Junction at Erie Street in Downtown Leamington. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Approaching the historical terminus of Hwy 18 at Erie Street & Talbot Street in Downtown Leamington, facing north. Erie Street continues north beyond the traffic signals towards Hwy 401 as Hwy 77, while Talbot Street (Old Hwy 3) crosses Erie Street at the traffic signals. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Facing south along Erie Street (Hwy 18) from Talbot Street in Downtown Leamington. Up until the 1990s, Hwy 18 began at Talbot Street (Old Hwy 3) and continued south through Leamington along Erie Street. At Seacliff Drive, Hwy 18 turned west towards Kingsville and Amherstburg. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Junction sign assembly facing northbound traffic on Erie Street (Hwy 18). Green-and-white trailblazer route markers at Talbot Street (Old Hwy 3) direct traffic northbound along Erie Street to reach Hwy 77 & Hwy 401. The signs which once marked the historical terminus of Hwy 18 at this intersection were removed long ago. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Facing south along Erie Street (Hwy 77) approaching Talbot Street (Old Hwy 3) in Downtown Leamington. Up until 2000, Hwy 77 reached its southern terminus at the traffic signals. Erie Street continues straight ahead towards the Pelee Island Ferry Dock. Historically, this intersection also marked the beginning of Hwy 18, which continued west towards Kingsville and Amherstburg after a brief southerly jaunt via Erie Street. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Junction sign assembly facing southbound traffic at Erie Street & Talbot Street. Old Hwy 3 (Talbot Street) through Leamington is now known as Essex Road 34. The former route of Hwy 18 via southbound Erie Street is no longer signed at this intersection, leaving no evidence that this street was once a King's Highway. There is also no remaining evidence that Hwy 77 ended at this intersection prior to 2000. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Facing north along Hwy 77 (Erie Street) from Talbot Street (Old Hwy 3) in Downtown Leamington. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - View of Talbot Street (Old Hwy 3) approaching Erie Street (Hwy 18 & Hwy 77) in Downtown Leamington, facing east. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Junction of Old Hwy 3, Hwy 18 & Hwy 77 (Talbot Street & Erie Street) in Downtown Leamington, facing northeast. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Facing west along Talbot Street (Old Hwy 3) from the Hwy 18 & Hwy 77 Junction at Erie Street in Downtown Leamington. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Facing south towards Downtown Leamington along Erie Street (Hwy 77) from the Hwy 3 Junction (Leamington Bypass). See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 1, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Junction sign assembly on northbound Erie Street (Hwy 77) approaching the Leamington Bypass (Hwy 3). Provincial jurisdiction over Hwy 77 begins at this highway junction and continues uninterrupted to the Hwy 401 Interchange near Comber. Coincidentally, this highway junction also marks the terminus of the provincially-owned section of Hwy 3 from Windsor to Leamington. The leg of Hwy 3 from Leamington easterly to Talbotville has been under municipal jurisdiction since the mass provincial highway downloading spree of the late 1990s. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 1, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Approaching the Leamington Bypass (Hwy 3) on Erie Street (Hwy 77), facing north. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 1, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Facing east along the Leamington Bypass (Essex Road 33) from the Hwy 77 Junction. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 1, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Approaching the Hwy 77 Junction on the Leamington Bypass (Hwy 3), facing west towards Windsor. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 1, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Facing west along the Leamington Bypass (Hwy 3) towards Windsor from the Hwy 77 Junction. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 1, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - King's Highway 3 route marker on the Leamington Bypass at the Hwy 77 Junction. Provincial jurisdiction over Hwy 3 resumes at the Hwy 77 Junction in Leamington and continues westerly to Windsor. The Leamington Bypass is a fairly new highway facility. It opened to traffic in 1999, bypassing the rather congested old route of Hwy 3 through Leamington and nearby Ruthven. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 1, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - King's Highway 3 & King's Highway 77 route markers on the eastbound Leamington Bypass. East of Hwy 77, the Leamington Bypass is known as Essex County Road 33. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 1, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - King's Highway 3 & King's Highway 77 route markers approaching the Leamington Bypass, facing south. As the sign indicates, provincial jurisdiction over Hwy 77 ends at the Hwy 3 Junction. Up until 2000, Hwy 77 continued south into Downtown Leamington via Erie Street to join the original route of Hwy 3 & Hwy 18 at Talbot Street. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 1, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Directional guide signs at the Hwy 3 & Hwy 77 Junction marking the routes to the Leamington and Kingsville Pelee Island Ferry Terminals. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 1, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Facing south along Hwy 77 approaching the Leamington Bypass (Hwy 3). See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 1, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Green guide sign for Essex Road 33 on southbound Hwy 77. The eastern leg of the Leamington Bypass is maintained by the County of Essex. The Leamington Bypass offers a convenient cut-off route to Point Pelee National Park and Old Hwy 3 (Essex Road 34). Prior to the completion of the Leamington Bypass in 1999, all through traffic had to pass through Downtown Leamington, which resulted in significant traffic congestion in the town centre. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 1, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Facing north along Hwy 77 towards Comber from the Leamington Bypass (Hwy 3). Unlike many of Southern Ontario's King's Highways which were established back in the 1920s and 1930s, Hwy 77 is a relative newcomer to the provincial highway system. The Department of Highways of Ontario (DHO) assumed jurisdiction over the Leamington-Comber Road (Essex Road 12) in April, 1963. The new provincial highway from Leamington to Comber was designated as King's Highway 77. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 1, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Facing south along Hwy 77 towards Leamington from Essex Road 46 (Old Hwy 98) in Comber. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Approaching the Essex Road 46 (Old Hwy 98) Junction on Hwy 77 in Comber, facing north. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Facing east along Old Hwy 98 towards Tilbury from the Hwy 77 Junction in Comber. Before the completion of Hwy 401 between Windsor and Tilbury in the 1950s, Hwy 98 served as an important east-west through route across Essex County. Traffic volumes on Hwy 98 declined once Hwy 401 opened to traffic, as most long-distance through traffic began to use the freeway instead. Provincial jurisdiction over Hwy 98 ceased in 1971, when the highway was transferred from the DHO to Essex County. Old Hwy 98 is now known as Essex Road 46. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Approaching the Hwy 77 Junction on Essex Road 46 (Old Hwy 98) in Comber, facing west. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Junction sign assembly on westbound Essex Road 46 (Old Hwy 98) at the Hwy 77 Junction in Comber. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Facing west along Essex Road 46 (Old Hwy 98) towards Windsor from the Hwy 77 Junction in Comber. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Approaching the Hwy 77 Junction on Essex Road 46 (Old Hwy 98) in Comber, facing east. This highway junction is quite unusual, in that the county road is actually the "through highway", while traffic on Hwy 77 has to stop and yield the right-of-way before proceeding through the intersection. Under Ontario's Highway Traffic Act (HTA), the King's Highway is always the "through highway" by default, with any exceptions to this general rule-of-the-road defined by a case-specific regulation under the HTA. This intersection is one of the rare exceptions where traffic on a municipal road has right-of-way over traffic using the King's Highway. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Junction sign assembly on eastbound Essex Road 46 (Old Hwy 98) at the Hwy 77 Junction in Comber. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - An older King's Highway 77 route marker in Comber. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on December 5, 2004 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Stop-control and flashing warning beacon on southbound Hwy 77 at Essex Road 46 (Old Hwy 98) in Comber. This intersection right-of-way configuration is rather unusual, in that the King's Highway has to stop and yield the right-of-way to a municipal road (Essex Road 46). The reason for this configuration is based entirely on the history of this intersection. Essex Road 46 was previously a King's Highway (Hwy 98) which was established decades before Hwy 77 was designated. Since Hwy 98 was the only King's Highway approaching this intersection in the early days of the provincial highway system, traffic on Hwy 98 had the right-of-way over the intersecting municipal road heading to Leamington (Essex Road 12). Once Essex Road 12 was assumed by the province in 1963 and also designated as a King's Highway, it was decided to leave the existing stop-control in place facing traffic on the newly-assumed route of Hwy 77. It has remained so ever since. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Facing south along Hwy 77 towards the Essex Road 46 (Old Hwy 98) Junction in Comber. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Facing north along Hwy 77 from the Essex Road 46 (Old Hwy 98) Junction. The route of Hwy 77 passes through Comber along the village's main street before arriving at the Hwy 401 Interchange about 1 km to the north. The province has retained ownership of Hwy 77 through the built-up area of Comber as this is an unincorporated village. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Facing south towards Leamington along Hwy 77 (Main Street) at McAllister Avenue in Comber. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Facing north along Hwy 77 (Main Street) from McAllister Avenue in Comber. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - View of Hwy 77 (Main Street) from the former Michigan Central Railway (MCR) crossing, facing south towards Leamington. Comber's small commercial district is clustered along Hwy 77 immediately south of Taylor Avenue near the former railway crossing. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - View of Hwy 77 (Main Street) at the former Michigan Central Railway (MCR) crossing, facing north. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on August 2, 2019 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Facing north along Hwy 77 towards the Hwy 401 Interchange near Comber. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on December 5, 2004 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Facing east along Hwy 401 towards Tilbury from the Hwy 77 Overpass near Comber. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on December 5, 2004 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Old bi-directional ramps at the Hwy 401 & Hwy 77 Interchange between Windsor and Tilbury. These ramps were replaced during an interchange reconstruction project in 2005. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on December 5, 2004 - © Cameron Bevers)

Left - Hwy 77 Overpass on Hwy 401 near Comber. This single span concrete rigid frame structure was completed in 1957 and was demolished in 2005. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on December 5, 2004 - © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Facing west along Hwy 401 towards Windsor from the Hwy 77 Overpass near Comber. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on December 5, 2004 - © Cameron Bevers)