Niagara Parkway
Niagara Parkway | |
|---|---|
| Niagara Boulevard | |
| Route information | |
| Maintained by the Old Fort Erie – Fort Erie | |
| North end | Fort George – Niagara-on-the-Lake |
| Location | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Ontario |
| Highway system | |
| |
The Niagara Parkway, formerly known as Niagara Boulevard and historically as the Niagara Road, is a scenic road in the province of
The Niagara Parkway begins at Fort Erie in the south. It passes through several villages along the river before passing through the tourist district of Niagara Falls. North of the city it provides access to several attractions, including the Whirlpool Rapids, Butterfly Conservatory, and Brock's Monument at Queenston Heights. The route ends at Fort George, southeast of the urban centre of Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Construction on the modern Niagara Parkway began in 1908; it was completed from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario in 1931 as a scenic road with gardens and manicured lawns throughout its length. The parkway was referred to by Sir Winston Churchill, having been driven down it, as "the prettiest Sunday afternoon drive in the world."[2]
Route description
The Niagara Parkway is a two-lane minor arterial road with a 60 km/h (37 mph) speed limit for the majority of its length, although the section from Hiram Street to Upper Rapids Boulevard in Niagara Falls is a four lane divided road signed at 40 km/h (25 mph). It is 55 km (34 mi) in length, crossing the entire Niagara Peninsula between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.[3][4] The route falls under the jurisdiction of the Niagara Parks Commission, an agency of the Government of Ontario, for most of its length. However, the section from Hiram Street to Glenview Avenue belongs to the City of Niagara Falls.[5] Despite this, it is still signed as part of the Niagara Parkway.[3] The Niagara River Recreation Trail, a mixed-use pedestrian and cycling path, follows 53 km (33 mi) of the length of the parkway between Niagara-on-the-Lake and Fort Erie.[2]
The parkway begins at the old Fort Erie, south of the
The Niagara Parkway travels alongside the Upper Rapids and passes adjacent to Horseshoe Falls.[4] It crosses through Queen Victoria Park and enters downtown Niagara Falls, where it is known as River Road north of
North of the bridge, the route descends the
History
The Niagara Parkway is one of the oldest roads in Ontario. Predating it, an aboriginal trail along the west side of the Niagara River existed before the arrival of Europeans.[9] The first survey along the length of the river was done by Augustus Jones in 1786. The survey set aside a one chain reserve along the bank of the river for military purposes; one chain being equivalent to 20 metres (66 ft).[10] Despite this reserve, early settlers extended their fences to the river. In 1791, the Land Board ordered that the fences be removed to permit the reserve's use as a public road. The Niagara Road quickly became the primary route between
When the First Welland Canal was opened in 1829, the Niagara Road became a towpath for vessels exiting the Welland River. Oxen on the road would tow boats against the rapid current of the Niagara River as they exited the canal and continued south to Lake Erie. In 1833, a large cut was made to connect the canal with Port Colborne, eliminating the use of the road as a towpath. It continued to be used as a public road until the government gave the reserve to the Niagara Parks Commission in 1891.[9]
In 1908, after receiving approval from the government, the Parks Commission began to expropriate land along the length of the river. The broadened strip of land was used to construct a new paved parkway, which was opened in segments.[10] The new parkway was ornamental and designed to be aesthetically pleasing, a prime consideration of road construction at that time.[9] The section south of the falls was completed first, opening in 1912. It was extended north to the Whirlpool Rapids, incorporating the existing River Road, by 1915. The section between the rapids and Queenston was opened between 1921 and 1923. Finally, the remaining section between Queenston and Niagara-on-the-Lake opened in 1931, completing the present parkway.[10]
In mid-August 1943,
On May 30, 1977, the City of Niagara Falls assumed River Road between Hiram Street, north of the Rainbow Bridge, and Glenview Avenue, east of Victoria Avenue. This section is still designated as part of the Niagara Parkway despite not being under the jurisdiction of the Niagara Parks Commission.[5]
Major intersections
The following table lists the major junctions along Niagara Parkway.[1] The entire route is located in the Regional Municipality of Niagara.[3]
| Location | km[1] | mi | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Fort Erie | ||||
| 2.6 | 1.6 |  Regional Road 17 (Bertie Street) | ||
| 5.4 | 3.4 |  Regional Road 124 (Central Avenue) | ||
| Black Creek | 16.3 | 10.1 |  Regional Road 25 (Netherby Road) | |
Regional Road 47 west (Main Street) | Parkway detours to cross Welland River | |||
| Niagara Falls | 32.4 | 20.1 |  Falls Avenue to Highway 420 | |
| 32.6 | 20.3 | Clifton Hill | Tourist district for Niagara Falls | |
| 34.8 | 21.6 | Queen Street | ||
| 36.8 | 22.9 | Victoria Avenue | ||
Toronto | Ramp removed in December 2006[7] | |||
| 44.0 | 27.3 |  St. Catharines | ||
| Niagara-on-the-Lake | 55.0 | 34.2 | Fort George | |
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
| ||||
See also
- The Niagara Scenic Parkway, a scenic parkway along the American side of the Niagara River.
References
- ^ a b Google (February 16, 2010). "Niagara Parkway length and route" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved February 16, 2010.
- ^ a b c "Niagara River Recreation Trail". Niagara Parks Commission. Retrieved February 13, 2011.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-55368-221-9.
- ^ a b c "Explore The Niagara Parkway". Tourism Niagara. Archived from the original on November 29, 2010. Retrieved February 13, 2011.
- ^ a b Bylaw 77-114. May 30, 1977. City of Niagara Falls
- ^ ISBN 978-0-88640-767-4.
- ^ a b D. Hackston; R. Taylor; P. Skorochod; G.W. English; P. Heimrath; J. MacDonald (March 2007). Eastern Ontario Transportation Logistics Study (PDF) (Report). Northumberland County. pp. 20–21. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 2, 2012. Retrieved June 28, 2010.
- ISBN 0-7705-1242-9.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-9688996-6-3.
- ^ a b c Berketa, Rick. "Niagara Parks: A History & Pictorial". Niagara Falls Thunder Alley. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
External links
- Images of the Niagara Parkway/Boulevard - Niagara Falls Public Library