View source for Highbury Avenue

{{short description|Limited-access highway in London, Ontario}}
{{Infobox road
| province = ON
| type = Expressway
| name = Highbury Avenue
| alternate_name = Wenige Expressway<br /><small>Formerly '''Highway 126'''</small>
| maint = City of London, Elgin County, Middlesex County
| map = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=290|frame-height=290|raw={{Wikipedia:Map data/Wikipedia KML/Highbury Avenue}}}}
| map_custom = yes
| map_notes = A map of Highbury Avenue<br />{{Legend inline|#cc0000|Highbury Avenue}} {{Legend inline|#800000|Former Highway{{nbsp}}126}}
| map_alt = Map of Highbury Avenue as well as surrounding roads and places
| length_km = 45.6
| direction_a = South
| direction_b = North
| terminus_a = {{jcon|Hwy|3}} and Centennial Avenue in [[St. Thomas, Ontario|St. Thomas]]
| terminus_b = {{jcon|Hwy|7}} near [[Elginfield, Ontario|Elginfield]]
| junction = {{jcon|Hwy|401}}<br />[[List of roads in London, Ontario#Bradley Avenue|Bradley Avenue]]<br />[[List of roads in London, Ontario#Commissioners Road|Commissioner's Road]]<br />[[List of roads in London, Ontario#Hamilton Road|Hamilton Road]]<br />[[List of roads in London, Ontario#Dundas Street|Dundas Street]] (former [[Ontario Highway 2|Highway&nbsp;2]])
| cities = [[St. Thomas, Ontario|St. Thomas]], [[London, Ontario|London]]
| counties = [[Elgin County|Elgin]], [[Middlesex County, Ontario|Middlesex]]
| history = Created 19th century<br />Extended/expanded December{{nbsp}}9, 1963<ref name="wenige" />
| browse = {{on-exp browse
 | previous_link = [[Harbour Expressway]]
 | route         = Highbury Avenue
 | next_link     = [[Ontario Highway 2A|Highway 2A]]
}}
{{Browse break}}
{{Browse links|province=ON|type=ON}}
{{ON browse
 | previous_type   = ON
 | previous_route  = 125
 | next_type       = ON
 | next_route      = 127
}}
}}

'''Highbury Avenue''' is an [[arterial road]] and [[municipal expressway]] located in the [[List of Canadian provinces and territories|Canadian province]] of [[Ontario]]. In addition to serving as a primary north–south thoroughfare in eastern [[London, Ontario|London]] – through which part of it is a [[limited-access road|limited-access freeway]] – the road also provides access to [[Ontario Highway 401|Highway&nbsp;401]] and continues south to [[St. Thomas, Ontario|St. Thomas]]. The southern terminus of Highbury Avenue is located at a roundabout with [[Ontario Highway 3|Highway&nbsp;3]]; the eastern end of the [[St. Thomas Expressway]], and Centennial Avenue. From there, it travels {{convert|45.6|km}} north to [[Ontario Highway 7|Highway&nbsp;7]], east of [[Elginfield, Ontario|Elginfield]]. Outside of London and St. Thomas, the road also passes through the communities of [[Ballymote, Ontario|Ballymote]] and [[Bryanston, Ontario|Bryanston]]. It is designated as '''Elgin County Road 30''' within [[Central Elgin]], and as '''Middlesex County Road 23''' within [[Middlesex Centre]], the two rural [[List of municipalities in Ontario|municipalities]] through which the route passes.

North of the [[Thames River (Ontario)|Thames River]], the road was laid out as part of the survey of London Township. It came to be known as the '''Asylum Side Road''' until being renamed Highbury Avenue in 1928. It was extended south of the river to Highway{{nbsp}}401 as a four-lane freeway in 1963, which the City of London named the '''Wenige Expressway''' in 1965. Between 1963 and 1991, the section from Wilton Grove Road to Hamilton Road was [[Ontario Provincial Highway Network|provincially maintained]] and designated as '''Highway 126'''. In the 1990s, Highbury Avenue was continued south to St. Thomas along Hubrey Side Road and Radio Road.

== Route description ==
{{multiple image
 | align             = left
 | direction         = vertical
 | header            = 
 | header_align      = left/right/center
 | header_background = 
 | footer            = 
 | footer_align      = left/right/center
 | footer_background = 
 | width             = 
 | image1            = Highbury avenue construction.JPG
 | width1            = 
 | caption1          =
 | image2            = Highbury Southbound.JPG
 | width2            = 
 | caption2          = Highbury Avenue from the [[List of roads in London, Ontario#Commissioners Road|Commissioner's Road]] overpass, looking north and south respectively. The concrete southbound lanes were being rehabilitated at the time these photos were taken in 2010.
}}
Highbury Avenue is a {{convert|45.6|km}} road that travels north from St. Thomas, through London, to Highway{{nbsp}}7, east of Elginfield. Located within [[Elgin County]], [[Middlesex County, Ontario|Middlesex County]] and the City of London, it is [[Hierarchy of roads|classified]] as an arterial road throughout its length, with the exception of a {{convert|5.0|km|adj=on}} section between Highway{{nbsp}}401 and the Thames River, which is classified as a freeway by the City of London.<ref name="volumes">{{cite web

 | title       = London CityMap, Traffic Volumes 
 | publisher   = City of London, Ontario
 | date        = December 10, 2020
 | url         = https://london.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=580f8891b84548dca9cd162d4dc73a03
 | via         = [[ArcGIS.com]]
 | access-date = April 27, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite map

 | title       = Middlesex County Road Map
 | cartography = Planning Department
 | publisher   = County of Middlesex
 | date        = January 2016
 | section     = F2–G4
 | scale       = 1:130,000
 | url         = https://www.middlesex.ca/sites/default/files/documents/2015_MC_Road_map.pdf
 | access-date = April 27, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web

 | title       = Road Network Dataset
 | author      = Elgin County GIS
 | publisher   = County of Elgin
 | url         = https://www.elginmapping.ca/gis-data/elgin-county-road-network
 | access-date = April 27, 2021}}</ref>

Between St. Thomas and London, approximately 15,000{{nbsp}}vehicles travel Highbury Avenue on [[annual average daily traffic|an average day]]. This climbs to 48,000{{nbsp}}vehicles at the Thames River crossing before gradually dropping to 30,000{{nbsp}}vehicles at [[List of roads in London, Ontario#Fanshawe Park Road|Fanshawe Park Road]]. North of there, traffic levels drop to 9,000–10,000 through Middlesex Centre.<ref name="volumes" /><ref>{{cite web

 | title       = Traffic Counts Spreadsheet
 | year        = 2019
 | publisher   = Middlesex County
 | url         = https://www.middlesex.ca/departments/roads
 | access-date = April 28, 2021}}</ref>

=== South of Highway 401 ===
The southern terminus of Highbury Avenue is an intersection with South Edgeware Road, just north of Highway{{nbsp}}3 and the eastern end of the St. Thomas Expressway. It travels in a straight line north as a two lane road through an industrial park on the outskirts of St. Thomas and crosses the [[Ontario Southland Railway]] tracks. The northeastern corner of a subdivision and a [[electric power transmission|high voltage transmission line]] meet Highbury Avenue at the intersection of Elgin County Road{{nbsp}}52 (Ron McNeil Line), after which the road enters the rural township of Central Elgin. Through Central Elgin, the road is designated as [[List of numbered roads in Elgin County|Elgin County Road&nbsp;30]].<ref name="2010 mapart">{{cite map

 | title       = Ontario Back Road Atlas
 | year        = 2010
 | publisher   = Peter Heiler Ltd
 | cartography = [[MapArt]]
 | pages       = 14–15
 | sections    = R16–V17
 | isbn        = 978-1-55198-226-7}}</ref><ref name="gmaps">{{Google maps

 | title       = Highbury Avenue – Length and Route
 | url         = https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/42.7925263,-81.1503966/43.1824278,-81.2989279/@42.9799985,-81.4108248,66918m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!4m1!3e0
 | access-date = April 27, 2021}}</ref>

Dipping into the [[Kettle Creek (Ontario)|Kettle Creek]] valley, Highbury Avenue passes the trailhead of the [[Dan Patterson Conservation Area]] at Mapleton Line. It crosses Salt Creek and Kettle Creek within the valley before returning to an agricultural setting at Elgin County Road{{nbsp}}48 (Ferguson Line).<ref name="2010 mapart" /><ref name="gmaps" />
Approaching the Elgin County boundary, the road swerves northwest as it transitions from the [[Lake Erie]]-oriented [[Concession road#Survey Systems|survey]] of Elgin County to the Thames River-oriented survey of former [[Westminster, Middlesex County, Ontario|Westminster Township]].<ref>{{cite report

 | title       = The Thames River Watershed: A Background Study for Nomination Under the Canadian Heritage Rivers System
 | author      = Thames River Background Study Research Team
 | publisher   = Upper Thames River Conservation Authority
 | year        = 1998
 | isbn        = 1-894329-00-7
 | pages       = 72–76
 | url         = http://thamesriver.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/Publications/Thames-CHRS-BackgroundStudy.pdf
 | access-date = April 27, 2021}}</ref>

Highbury Avenue crosses from Central Elgin into the city of London at the intersection of Webber Bourne and Thompson Line, although the surroundings remain agricultural. It travels between farm fields for the next {{convert|8|km|mi|0|abbr=on}}, with the [[Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design|LEED Certified]] London Southeast Pumping Station and Reservoir near the [[ghost town|ghost village]] of [[Hubrey, Ontario|Hubrey]] breaking the monotony.<ref>{{cite book

 | title       = Vanished Villages of Middlesex
 | first       = Jennifer | last = Grainger
 | publisher   = Natural Heritage/Natural History
 | year        = 2002
 | isbn        = 1-896219-51-9
 | pages       = 223–225
 | url         = https://books.google.com/books?id=RTkA0yKBjmgC&q=hubrey&pg=PA225
 | access-date = April 27, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web

 | title       = London SE Pumping Station & Reservoir
 | website     = CityGreen Stories
 | publisher   = City of London
 | url         = https://citygreenstories.ca/stories/london-se-pumping-station-reservoir
 | access-date = April 27, 2021}}</ref>
Leaving the farmland to cross two branches of Dingman Creek, Highbury Avenue widens to four lanes, and enters urban London at Wilton Grove Road, where it divides the Wilton Grove Industrial Park.<ref name="2010 mapart" /><ref name="gmaps" />

=== Urban London ===
Proceeding north, Highbury Avenue curves northwest as it crosses Highway{{nbsp}}401 at Exit{{nbsp}}189. North of that [[interchange (road)|interchange]], the opposing [[carriageway]]s separate as Highbury Avenue transitions into a [[controlled-access highway]]. It curves back northward parallel to and east of high-voltage transmission lines before encountering an interchange with [[List of roads in London, Ontario#Bradley Avenue|Bradley Avenue]].<ref name="2010 mapart" /><ref name="gmaps" />
It continues, sandwiched between the established neighbourhood of Pond Mills and the developing neighbourhood of Summerside,
to an interchange with [[List of roads in London, Ontario#Commissioners Road|Commissioner's Road]].<ref>{{cite web

 | title       = Southeast – Pond Mills
 | website     = NeighbourGood London
 | publisher   = City of London
 | url         = https://www.neighbourgoodlondon.ca/neighbourhoods/pond-mills
 | access-date = April 28, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web

 | title       = Southeast – Summerside
 | website     = NeighbourGood London
 | publisher   = City of London
 | url         = https://www.neighbourgoodlondon.ca/neighbourhoods/summerside
 | access-date = April 28, 2021}}</ref>
It then begins to descend into the Thames River valley as it travels west of the Meadowlily Nature Preserve.<ref>{{cite web

 | title       = Meadowlily Woods Environmentally Significant Area
 | publisher   = Upper Thames River Conservation Authority
 | date        = 2018
 | url         = http://thamesriver.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/ESAs/2019-MeadowlilyESA-brochure.pdf
 | access-date = April 28, 2021}}</ref>

Crossing the Thames River and the Thames Valley Parkway recreational trail, the freeway portion of Highbury Avenue ends at Power Street, alongside the Highbury [[Electrical substation|transformer station]].<ref name="volumes" />
It transitions back to an arterial road as it approaches [[List of roads in London, Ontario#Hamilton Road|Hamilton Road]], with detached residences lining the route between Hamilton Road and Trafalgar Street. After crossing over the [[Canadian National Railway]] (CN) Dundas subdivision and passing the [[London Transit]] main office, it continues between residences and crosses the CN Guelph subdivision [[Grade separation|at grade]]. Between [[List of roads in London, Ontario#Dundas Street|Dundas Street]] (former [[Ontario Highway 2|Highway&nbsp;2]]) and [[List of roads in London, Ontario#Oxford Street|Oxford Street]], Highbury Avenue crosses over the [[Canadian Pacific Railway]] (CP) Galt subdivision and travels along the western side of the former [[London Psychiatric Hospital]].<ref name="2010 mapart" /><ref name="gmaps" /><ref>{{cite web

 | title       = London Psychiatric Hospital
 | publisher   = Parks Canada
 | website     = Canadian Register of Historic Places
 | url         = https://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=11684
 | access-date = April 28, 2021}}</ref>

After passing to the west of [[Fanshawe College]], Highbury Avenue travels through the neighbourhood of Huron Heights. It crosses the North Thames River, and reaches the London [[rural–urban fringe]] just north of the historic crossroad hamlet of [[Fanshawe, Ontario|Fanshawe]] at Stoney Creek. It narrows to a two-lane rural road and becomes surrounded by farmland north of there. Approximately {{convert|0.7|km|abbr=on}} north of [[List of roads in London, Ontario#Sunningdale Road|Sunningdale Road]], it crosses from London into Middlesex Centre.<ref name="2010 mapart" /><ref name="gmaps" />

=== Middlesex Centre ===
Highbury Avenue travels north through the municipality of Middlesex Centre, where it is designated as Middlesex County Road{{nbsp}}23. It bisects the communities of Ballymote at Middlesex County Road{{nbsp}}28 (Medway Road), and Bryanston at Middlesex County Road{{nbsp}}16 (Plover Mills Road). Otherwise, it is almost exclusively surrounded by farmland for the remainder of its length. It ends at Highway{{nbsp}}7 (Elginfield Road), the boundary between Middlesex Centre and [[Lucan Biddulph]], approximately {{convert|5.0|km|abbr=on}} east of Elginfield.<ref name="2010 mapart" /><ref name="gmaps" />

== History ==
[[File:Highbury Avenue, 1965.tif|thumb|right|Highbury Avenue in 1965, shortly after it was extended south of the Thames River|alt=Aerial photograph of a semi-built up area showcasing Highbury Avenue]]
North of the Thames River, what would eventually become Highbury Avenue was first laid out as a [[concession road]] in the original survey of [[London Township, Ontario|London Township]]. [[Mahlon Burwell]] began this survey in 1810, but its completion was delayed until after the end of the [[War of 1812]].<ref name="wenige">{{cite report

 | title       = Wenige Expressway Bridge (4-BR-14) – Cultural Heritage Evaluation Report
 | author      = AECOM Canada
 | publisher   = City of London
 | date        = January 2018
 | pages       = 10–13
 | url         = https://pub-london.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=50019
 | access-date = April 23, 2021}}</ref>
Because it connected to the London Asylum (opened 1870, later the London Psychiatric Hospital), the concession road came to be known as the Asylum Side Road.<ref>{{cite web

 | title       = Finally!!
 | first       = Arthur | last = McClelland
 | date        = March 26, 2015
 | publisher   = London Public Library
 | url         = https://www.londonpubliclibrary.ca/blog/2015/03/26/mcclella/finally
 | access-date = April 23, 2021}}</ref><ref name="1915topo">{{cite map

 | title       = Lucan, Ontario. Map Sheet 40-P/03, ed. 1
 | cartography = Survey Division
 | publisher   = Department of Militia and Defence
 | year        = 1915
 | scale       = 1:63,360
 | url         = http://geo.scholarsportal.info/#r/details/_uri@=HTDP63360K040P03_1915TIFF&_add:true_nozoom:true
 | via         = Scholars GeoPortal
 | access-date = April 23, 2021}}</ref>
However, this name was apparently never official.<ref>{{cite news

 | title       = Don't Like Name of Asylum Road
 | work        = The Windsor Star
 | date        = December 5, 1941
 | page        = 10
 | volume      = 47 | issue = 83
 | url         = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/76334291/dont-like-name-of-asylum-road/
 | access-date = April 23, 2021
 | via         = Newspapers.com}}</ref>
As development in London crept eastward along Hamilton Road in the early 20th{{nbsp}}century, Highbury Avenue was adopted as the local name of the route near that crossroad as early as 1921.<ref>{{cite news |id={{ProQuest|1350741342}} |title=London News |work=The Globe |location=Toronto |date=9 July 1921 |page=2 }}</ref>
It became the official name of the entire route north of the Thames River in late 1928.<ref>{{cite news

 | title       = Killed Self, Jury Decides
 | work        = The Windsor Star
 | date        = November 16, 1928
 | page        = 9
 | volume      = 21 | issue = 64
 | url         = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/76334520/killed-self-jury-decides/
 | access-date = April 23, 2021
 | via         = Newspapers.com}}</ref>
South of the Thames River, no road existed before the 1960s between the present-day Green Valley Road, south of Highway{{nbsp}}401, and Power Street, on the north shore of the river.<ref name="1961topo">{{cite map

 | title       = Pond Mills, Ontario. Map Sheet 40-I/14g, ed. 2
 | cartography = Surveys and Mapping Branch
 | publisher   = Department of Energy, Mines and Resources
 | year        = 1961
 | scale       = 1:25,000
 | url         = http://geo.scholarsportal.info/#r/details/_uri@=HTDP25K040I14g_1961TIFF&_add:true_nozoom:true
 | via         = Scholars GeoPortal
 | access-date = April 23, 2021}}</ref>

Plans to widen Highbury Avenue and extend it south to the new Highway{{nbsp}}401 emerged in the late 1950s. In February 1958, a new four-lane overpass of the {{abbr|CPR|Canadian Pacific Railway}} north of Dundas Street was opened, replacing an old bridge that had existed since at least 1915. This was the first obstacle to widening the entire road as an eastern bypass of London.<ref name="1915topo" /><ref name="wenige" />
Later in the year, on September{{nbsp}}9, Minister of Highways [[Frederick Cass|Fred Cass]] announced that pre-engineering work would begin on the Highbury Avenue extension to Highway{{nbsp}}401 the following year.<ref>{{cite news

 | title       = Cass Admits 401 Work
 | work        = The Windsor Daily Star
 | date        = September 10, 1958
 | edition     = Ontario
 | page        = 5
 | volume      = 81 | issue = 8
 | url         = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/76361997/cass-admits-401-work/
 | access-date = April 23, 2021
 | via         = Newspapers.com}}</ref>
A contract to build a bridge over the Thames River was awarded in November 1960.<ref>{{cite news

 | title       = Bridge Will Link Roads 401 and 126
 | work        = The Windsor Star
 | date        = November 19, 1960
 | page        = B-7
 | volume      = 85 | issue = 67
 | url         = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/76365298/bridge-will-link-roads-401-and-126/
 | access-date = April 23, 2021
 | via         = Newspapers.com}}</ref>
Dinsmore Construction of Windsor was awarded a separate contract to [[Grading (earthworks)|grade]] and pave the extension in April 1962.<ref>{{cite news

 | title       = Given Contract
 | work        = The Windsor Star
 | date        = April 11, 1962
 | page        = 5
 | volume      = 88 | issue = 36
 | url         = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/76365625/given-contract/
 | access-date = April 23, 2021
 | via         = Newspapers.com}}</ref>
Construction also began that year on an overpass of the {{abbr|CNR|Canadian National Railway}} tracks north of Trafalgar Street.<ref name="wenige" />

The CNR overpass and Highbury Avenue extension were opened together by a motorcade ceremony on December{{nbsp}}9, 1963.<ref name="wenige" />
The extension was built by the [[Ontario Department of Highways|Department of Highways]] (DHO), and was signed as Highway{{nbsp}}126 from Wilton Grove Road to Hamilton Road.<ref>{{cite book
 | title      = AADT Traffic Volumes 1955–1969 And Traffic Collision Data 1967–1969
 | publisher  = Ontario Department of Highways
 | year       = 1969
 | page       = 112}}</ref>
This became a contentious issue for the City of London, which had adopted a resolution in August of that year to name the extension the Wenige Expressway, in honour of [[List of mayors of London, Ontario|nine-term mayor]] of London, [[George Wenige]].<ref name="wenige" /><ref>{{cite news

 | title      = Name Expressway for Wenige
 | work       = London Free Press
 | date       = August 7, 1963}}</ref>
Despite objections from the DHO, which preferred the readability of a number on signage for safety reasons, London ordered signs erected with the name in May 1965.<ref>{{cite news

 | title      = City Defies Province 'Wenige' Signs Go Up
 | work       = London Free Press
 | date       = May 13, 1965}}</ref>
However, the DHO prevailed and these signs were only installed along a {{convert|330|m|ft|-1}} section between Power Street and Hamilton Road. The signs remained in place until at least 1981, when it was described by a city traffic official as a "20-second expressway".<ref name="wenige" />

By the time construction had begun on the extension, proposals for a freeway to connect London with St. Thomas were also being considered.<ref name="hfh">{{cite news

 | title       = Highway For Half Canada's Population
 | first       = William C. | last = Heine
 | work        = The Ottawa Citizen
 | date        = July 15, 1961
 | page        = 22
 | volume      = 11 | issue = 28
 | url         = https://www.newspapers.com/image/456980174
 | access-date = April 25, 2021
 | via         = Newspapers.com}}</ref>
In October 1964, potential route locations for several controlled-access highways around London were revealed to Middlesex, Elgin and Oxford county officials. Among them were what would eventually become [[Ontario Highway 402|Highway&nbsp;402]], a link between London and St. Thomas, as well as a route around the northern edge of London.<ref>{{cite news

 | title       = Twenty-Year Area Highway Plan
 | work        = St. Thomas Times-Journal
 | date        = February 22, 1965
 | url         = https://inmagic.elgin.ca/ask/permalink/116770/
 | access-date = April 26, 2021
 | via         = Elgin County Archives}}</ref>
Several months later, deputy minister of highways, A.T.C. McNab, announced on May{{nbsp}}19 that planning was underway on the London–St. Thomas link.<ref>{{cite news

 | title       = Highway 401 St. Thomas Link Ahead
 | work        = The Windsor Star
 | date        = May 20, 1965
 | page        = 7
 | volume      = 94 | issue = 69
 | url         = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/76546878
 | access-date = April 26, 2021
 | via         = Newspapers.com}}</ref>
The DHO-commissioned London Area Highway Planning Study, published in July 1966, examined traffic patterns and determined ideal travel lines and redundant routes. It confirmed the need for and priority of the new link, as well as continuing Highway{{nbsp}}126 north then west to Highway{{nbsp}}402.<ref name="LAHPS">{{cite report

 | title     = London Area Highway Planning Study
 | year      = 1966
 | author    = Traffic and Planning Studies Division
 | publisher = Ontario Department of Highways}}</ref><ref name="shores">{{cite news

 | title       = Highway Development a 20-Year Program
 | work        = The Financial Post
 | date        = October 1, 1966
 | page        = O18
 | url         = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71275220
 | access-date = April 27, 2021
 | via         = Newspapers.com}}</ref>

Planning studies for the London–St. Thomas route were completed by 1968.<ref>{{cite news

 | title       = What One City Faces to Update Highways
 | work        = National Post
 | date        = November 30, 1968
 | page        = 9
 | url         = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/76543761/what-one-city-faces-to-update-highways/
 | access-date = April 26, 2021
 | via         = Newspapers.com}}</ref>
The proposed route was presented to the public at the [[Western Fair]] on September{{nbsp}}8, 1972, along with the St. Thomas Expressway.<ref>{{cite news

 | title       = St. Thomas Expressway – Model Unveiled
 | work        = St. Thomas Times-Journal
 | date        = September 9, 1972
 | url         = https://inmagic.elgin.ca/ask/permalink/116825/
 | access-date = April 29, 2021
 | via         = Elgin County Archives}}</ref>
Ultimately, the St. Thomas Expressway would open alone on September{{nbsp}}7, 1981.<ref>{{cite news

 | title       = St. Thomas Expressway – Grand Opening
 | work        = St. Thomas Times-Journal
 | date        = September 8, 1981
 | url         = https://inmagic.elgin.ca/ask/permalink/116869/
 | access-date = April 29, 2021
 | via         = Elgin County Archives}}</ref>

With the outward growth of suburban London and the proposed annexation of Westminster Township in the early 1990s, responsibility for Highway{{nbsp}}126 was transferred from the provincial government to the City of London effective June{{nbsp}}12, 1991.<ref name="wenige" />
That year also saw an interchange opened at Bradley Avenue.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}
Later in 1994, the Highbury Avenue interchange and overpass at Highway{{nbsp}}401 was reconstructed. The reconstruction led to the existing [[cloverleaf interchange|cloverleaf]] being converted to a [[Parclo Interchange|parclo]] configuration with [[traffic light]]s.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}
Highbury Avenue was extended south to St. Thomas circa 1999,<ref>{{cite map

 | title       = Ontario Road Map
 | cartography = Surveys and Mapping Section
 | publisher   = Ministry of Transportation of Ontario
 | year        = 1998
 | inset       = London}}</ref><ref>{{cite map

 | title       = Ontario Road Map
 | cartography = Geomatics Office
 | publisher   = Ministry of Transportation of Ontario
 | year        = 1999
 | inset       = London}}</ref>
along what was known as Hubrey Side Road within London,{{citation needed|date=April 2021}} and Radio Road within Elgin County.<ref>{{cite web

 | title       = Kettle Creek Conservation Authority – Tree Planting
 | publisher   = Elgin County Archives
 | url         = https://inmagic.elgin.ca/ask/permalink/50782/
 | access-date = April 29, 2021}}</ref>
{{clear}}

== Future ==
Work is currently underway to replace the bridge over the Thames River, which as of 2021 is 57 years old. Following completion, a {{CAD|20}} million contract is set to begin in late 2022 to rebuild the route south of the bridge to Highway{{nbsp}}401. A cost–benefit analysis is being conducted to determine if a concrete or asphalt surface is better suited for the road.<ref>{{cite news
 | first       = Daryl | last = Newcombe
 | title       = City to eliminate the Highbury Avenue 'budump-budump' with $20M rebuild
 | work        = [[CTV News]]
 | location    = London, Ontario
 | date        = December 9, 2021
 | url         = https://www.ctvnews.ca/london/article/city-to-eliminate-the-highbury-avenue-budump-budump-with-20m-rebuild/
 | access-date = December 11, 2021}}</ref>

== Major intersections ==
{{ONinttop|length_ref=<ref name="gmaps" /><ref>{{cite journal
 | title     = Provincial Highways Distance Table
 | author    = Ministry of Transportation of Ontario
 | journal = Provincial Highways Distance Table: King's Secondary Highways and Tertiary Roads
 | publisher = Government of Ontario
 | date      = April 1, 1989
 | issn      = 0825-5350
 | pages     = 85}}</ref>}}
{{ONint
| municipality_special = [[St. Thomas, Ontario|St. Thomas]]
| km                   = 0.0
| road                 = South Edgeware Road
| notes                = To [[Ontario Highway 3|Highway&nbsp;3]]
}}
{{ONint
| division_special     = [[Elgin County]]
| dspan                = 3
| location_special     = St. Thomas – Central Elgin boundary
| type                 = trans
| km                   = 2.1
| road                 = {{jcon|Elgin|52|Ron McNeil Line}}<hr/>{{jcon|Elgin|30|dir=begins}}
| notes                = St. Thomas city limits; Elgin County Road&nbsp;30 southern terminus
}}
{{ONint
| location_special     = [[Central Elgin]]
| km                   = 4.8
| road                 = {{jcon|Elgin|48|Ferguson Line|dir=west}}
| notes                = 
}}
{{ONint
| location_special     = Central Elgin – London boundary
| type                 = trans
| km                   = 7.8
| road                 = Webber Bourne west / Thompson Line east<hr/>{{jcon|Elgin|30|dir=ends}}
| notes                = London city limits; Elgin County Road&nbsp;30 northern terminus
}}
{{ONint
| municipality_special = [[London, Ontario|London]]
| lspan                = 16
| km                   = 8.9
| road                 = Glanworth Drive – [[Glanworth, Ontario|Glanworth]]
| notes                = 
}}
{{ONint
| km                   = 12.9
| road                 = Westminster Drive
| notes                = Ghost hamlet of [[Hubrey, Ontario|Hubrey]]
}}
{{ONint
| km                   = 15.6
| road                 = [[List of roads in London, Ontario#Wilton Grove Road|Wilton Grove Road]]
| notes                = Highbury Avenue widens to four lanes
}}
{{ONint
| km                   = 15.9
| bridge               = Beginning of divided freeway<ref name="volumes" />
}}
{{ONint
| km                   = 16.5
| road                 = {{jcon|Hwy|401|city=Windsor|city2=Toronto}}
| notes                = Signalized interchange; Highway&nbsp;401 exit&nbsp;198
}}
{{ONint
| km                   = 17.6
| road                 = [[List of roads in London, Ontario#Bradley Avenue|Bradley Avenue]]
| notes                = Interchange
}}
{{ONint
| km                   = 19.6
| road                 = [[List of roads in London, Ontario#Commissioners Road|Commissioners Road]]
| notes                = Interchange
}}
{{ONint
| km                   = 20.7
| bridge               = Wenige Expressway Bridge over the [[Thames River (Ontario)|Thames River]]
}}
{{ONint
| km                   = 21.0
| road                 = Power Street
| notes                = End of divided freeway<ref name="volumes" />
}}
{{ONint
| km                   = 21.3
| road                 = [[List of roads in London, Ontario#Hamilton Road|Hamilton Road]]
| notes                = 
}}
{{ONint
| km                   = 22.1
| road                 = Trafalgar Street
| notes                = 
}}
{{ONint
| km                   = 23.3
| road                 = Florence Street
| notes                = 
}}
{{ONint
| km                   = 23.6
| road                 = [[List of roads in London, Ontario#Dundas Street|Dundas Street]] – [[Woodstock, Ontario|Woodstock]]
| notes                = Former [[Ontario Highway 2|Highway&nbsp;2]]
}}
{{ONint
| km                   = 24.9
| road                 = [[List of roads in London, Ontario#Oxford Street|Oxford Street]]
| notes                = 
}}
{{ONint
| km                   = 26.3
| road                 = [[List of roads in London, Ontario#Huron Street|Huron Street]]
| notes                = 
}}
{{ONint
| km                   = 29.0
| road                 = [[List of roads in London, Ontario#Fanshawe Park Road|Fanshawe Park Road]]
| notes                = 
}}
{{ONint
| division_special     = [[Middlesex County, Ontario|Middlesex County]]
| dspan                = 5
| location_special     = London – Middlesex Centre boundary
| type                 = trans
| km                   = 36.7
| road                 = {{jcon|Middlesex|23|dir=begins}}
| notes                = London city limits; Middlesex County Road&nbsp;23 southern terminus
}}
{{ONint
| location_special     = [[Middlesex Centre]]
| lspan                = 4
| km                   = 31.9
| road                 = {{jcon|Middlsex|28|Medway Road}}
| notes                = Community of [[Ballymote, Ontario|Ballymote]]
}}
{{ONint
| km                   = 37.4
| road                 = {{jcon|Middlesex|16|Ilderton Road}}
| notes                = 
}}
{{ONint
| km                   = 38.8
| road                 = {{jcon|Middlesex|16|Plover Mills Road}}
| notes                = Community of [[Bryanston, Ontario|Bryanston]]
}}
{{ONint
| km                   = 45.6
| road                 = {{Jcon|Hwy|7|Elginfield Road}}
| notes                = 
}}
{{jctbtm|type=trans}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Attached KML|display=title, inline}}
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdMVv7geM48 Video of Highbury Avenue between Wilton Grove Road and Hamilton Road]

{{Roads in London, Ontario}}
{{Ontario Controlled Access Highways}}

[[Category:Roads in London, Ontario]]
[[Category:Municipal expressways in Ontario]]