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All photographs displayed on this page were taken by the
Ontario Ministry of Transportation, unless specifically noted otherwise. Historical photographs are
arranged in approximate chronological order. Click on any thumbnail to see a larger image!
Please note that all photographs displayed on this
website are protected by copyright. These photographs must not be reproduced, published,
electronically stored or copied, distributed, or posted onto other websites without
my written permission. If you want to use photos from this website, please
email me first for permission. Thank-you!
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Page 2: Historical Queen Elizabeth Way Photographs (1939 to 1945)
 Left - QEW looking east towards Martindale Road Overpass and Henley Bridge (Sept. 21, 1939) Photo Courtesy of Archives of Ontario (Series RG-14-162-2-27, Box B983, Photo #2337S) Right - Looking east along QEW towards Patton & Ontario Streets in Grimsby (Nov. 22, 1939) Photo Courtesy of Archives of Ontario (Series RG-14-162-2-27, Box B983, Photo #2465S) 
 Left - Graded Queen Elizabeth Way at Jordan Harbour, looking west (Nov. 22, 1939) Photo Courtesy of Archives of Ontario (Series RG-14-162-2-27, Box B983, Photo #2467S) Right - QEW and Hwy 8 Junction at Homer, looking west from Homer Bridge (Nov. 29, 1939) Photo Courtesy of Archives of Ontario (Series RG-14-162-2-27, Box B983, Photo #2519S) This photo shows the graded QEW roadways, facing west from the old Homer lift bridge. The Cushman Road underpass can be seen on the QEW in the background. This portion of the QEW was bypassed in 1963, when the Garden City Skyway opened just a short distace to the north. 
 Left - QEW looking west towards Grimsby Beach Road Overpass (Nov. 29, 1939) Photo Courtesy of Archives of Ontario (Series RG-14-162-2-27, Box B983, Photo #2517S) Right - QEW looking east towards Niagara and Vine Streets in St. Catharines (Aug. 21, 1940) Photo Courtesy of Archives of Ontario (Series RG-14-162-2-27, Box B983, Photo #3068S) 
 Left - Facing east along QEW near Old Hwy 25 junction at Guelph Line (Aug. 15, 1940) Photo Courtesy of Archives of Ontario (Series RG-14-162-2-27, Box B983, Photo #3040S) Right - QEW facing north towards Hwy 2 junction from Burlington Beach (Aug. 16, 1940) Photo Courtesy of Archives of Ontario (Series RG-14-162-2-27, Box B983, Photo #3043S) 
 Left - View of completed Henley Course Bridge in St. Catharines in 1939 Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation Centre - Railroad/dual highway grade separation on QEW in St. Catharines (1939) Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation Right - Completed Kipling Avenue Overpass on QEW in 1939 in Etobicoke Township Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation 
 Left - New grade separation under construction at CPR tracks near Kipling Avenue (1939) Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation Centre - Construction of new QEW railway overhead at CNR tracks west of Toronto (1939) Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation Right - QEW Monument in the median of the dual highway, just west of Toronto (1941) Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation  Above - Highway Sign, Queen Elizabeth Way, Sheridan Diversion (February 20, 1940) Photo Courtesy of Archives of Ontario (Series RG-14-162-3, Box A1352, Photo #2617S)  Above - Martindale Road Cloverleaf on QEW near St. Catharines (1940) Photo Courtesy of Archives of Ontario (Series RG-14-162-2, Box B983, Photo #3266S)  Above - Cloverleaf interchange construction at QEW & Hwy 27, facing east towards Toronto (1940) Photo Courtesy of Archives of Ontario (Series RG-14-162-3 Photo #3262S) This photograph shows the area around the Hwy 27 (now Hwy 427) and QEW interchange in 1940. The fields in the lower left corner are now the site of the Sherway Gardens Shopping Centre. Evans Avenue can be seen to the right of the QEW, while Queen Street (Queensway) can be seen to the left of the QEW. Also, note the construction crew at centre left and upper left removing the old curved pavement of the former Queen Street-to-Middle Road transfer.  Above - QEW facing east towards Toronto from Church Street Overpass (October 8, 1940) Photo Courtesy of Archives of Ontario (Series RG-14-162-3 Photo #3112S) This photograph shows a newly-opened section of the QEW through Etobicoke Township. Church Street was later renamed Royal York Road. The overpass in the background is Grand Avenue. 
 Left - QEW Monument at the end of the highway, just west of Toronto (1941) Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation Right - Close-up of QEW Monument west of Toronto in 1941, showing the inscription in the stone. As a result of a highway widening project in the mid-1970s, the QEW Monument was moved from its old location in the QEW's median to a public park at the mouth of the Humber River. Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation  Above - Wartime traffic volumes on the QEW. Business and commercial vehicles outnumbered passenger vehicles at a ratio of 6 to 2. This photo was taken near Grimsby in 1941. Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation 
 Left - Construction of Victoria Avenue Overpass at Newman Hill in Niagara Falls (Feb. 26, 1941) Photo Courtesy of Archives of Ontario (Series RG-14-162-2-27, Box B983, Photo #3353S) Right - The new Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls. Bridge opened to traffic on November 1, 1941 Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation  Above - QEW Monument west of Humber River Bridge (November 14, 1941) Photo Courtesy of Archives of Ontario (Series RG-14-151-21-50 Photo #A05467) This photograph shows the new monument erected in the median of the QEW in 1940 to commemorate the completion of the highway. This beautiful structure graced the Toronto entrance to the QEW until 1974, when a highway widening project forced its removal. Due to the fortunate foresight of historians and the MTO, the monument was relocated to an adjacent park for future generations to enjoy. Sadly, this example of historical preservation is an exception rather than the rule. Ontario's highway heritage continues to disappear at an alarming rate.  Above - View across Rainbow Bridge from the Toll Plaza/Customs Buildings (1942) Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation 
 Left - New Toll Plaza and landscaped entrance in front of Rainbow Bridge (1942) Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation Right - QEW approach to Bridge at Newman Hill, showing overpass at Victoria Avenue (1942) Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation  Above - View of the new Rainbow Bridge from the Customs Building parking lot (1942) Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation  Above - Department of Highways Roadside park on QEW at Jordan Harbour (1943) Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation  Above - Aerial view of Queen Elizabeth Way approaching Jordan Harbour from the west (1944) Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation  Above - American motorists arriving in Ontario by the hundreds at the Peace Bridge in Fort Erie on Labour Day Weekend, 1945. The end of World War II brought about an unprecedented increase in tourism in Ontario. Motor travel had been severely restricted during the War due to gasoline rationing. This photo clearly illustrates the universal desire of motorists to "Hit the Road" again after six years of seemingly endless hostilities in Europe and the Pacific. Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation  Above - Postcard view of four-lane undivided QEW at Oakville Bridge (ca. 1945) |
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