King's Highway 74, commonly referred to as Highway 74, was a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario that travelled north from Highway 3 at New Sarum to Middlesex County Road 29 (Hamilton Road) on the outskirts of London. The 22.4-kilometre-long (13.9 mi) was assumed by the province in September 1937. Aside from paving and the construction of an interchange with Highway 401, it remained generally unchanged for the next six decades until it was decommissioned in 1997 and transferred to Elgin County and Middlesex County. The road has since been redesignated as Elgin County Road 74 and Middlsex County Road 74.
Route description
Highway 74 began at an intersection with Highway 3 in the community of New Sarum, midway between the city of St. Thomas to the west, and the town of Aylmer to the east. It crossed the St. Thomas and Eastern Railway just north of Highway 3 before curving to cross the West Catfish Creek, which it meandered alongside into Mapleton. Immediately north of that community, the route curved to the north and was straight for the remainder of its route. The highway continued, entering the village of Belmont, where it intersected a Canadian Pacific Railway line. North of there it crossed the boundary between Elgin County to the south and Middlesex County to the north. North of the county line, Highway 74 continued into the community of Derwent. Shortly thereafter, it crossed and interchanged with Highway 401 at Exit 195. The highway ended just north of Highway 401 in Nilestown at an intersection with Middlesex County Road 29 (Hamilton Road).[1][4]
History
Highway 74 was established in mid-1937 when the New Sarum to Dorchester Road was designated by the Department of Highways (DHO), the predecessor to the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO). The section within Elgin County was assumed by the DHO on August 25, 1937, while the section within Middlesex County was assumed one week later on September 1.[2]
Originally an unpaved gravel road, the route was paved between Belmont and its northern terminus by 1938.[5]
The remainder of the route was paved in 1952.[6][7]
Otherwise, the route remained generally unchanged for six decades until March 31, 1997, when it was decommissioned in its entirety and transferred to Elgin County and Middlesex County.[3]
It has since been known as Elgin County Road 74 and Middlesex County Road 74.[4]
