Route 2 (Prince Edward Island)
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Route 2 is a 216-kilometre (134-mile) two-lane uncontrolled access secondary highway traversing Prince Edward Island, Canada from Tignish to Souris.
Route 2 is commonly called the "All Weather Highway," as it was one of the first such roads in Prince Edward Island to be open for traffic in all seasons. It passes through the cities of Summerside and Charlottetown and roughly parallels the primary railway line through the province.
Route 2 was recognized as the first numbered highway in the province in 1890, when it opened between Charlottetown and Summerside. In 2003 the highway was designated "Veteran's Memorial Highway" - the same year that it qualified for federal infrastructure funding for much-needed capacity upgrades.
Route 2 has several local names:
- Souris Road (Souris to Route 4 at Dingwells Mills)
- St. Peter's Highway (Dingwells Mills to Charlottetown)
- Malpeque Road (Charlottetown to Hunter River); the Malpeque Road alignment continuing thereafter on the Princetown Road
- New Annan Road (Kensington to Summerside)
- Western Road (Summerside to Tignish)
The highway was first paved in the 1950s with many upgrades in recent decades; there have been preliminary discussions about making the highway a four-lane expressway, particularly since the abandonment of rail service in the province.
A perimeter arterial highway (ring road) across the northern and eastern part of Charlottetown was constructed as part of Route 2 in the 1990s with funding from a $200 million federal adjustment fund for road construction after the railway was abandoned. This section of road was extended to Upton Road and is now signed for Route 1 (the Trans-Canada Highway), although Route 2 uses a small portion of the arterial highway between the Malpeque Road and St. Peter's Highway.
[edit] Trivia
Interestingly, the highway running through the farming hamlet of Mount Pleasant west of Summerside was diverted for several years during the 1940s with the establishment of the RCAF Station Mount Pleasant air force base. The base was closed following World War II and the "Western Road" was returned to its original alignment which currently runs along the former flight line and tarmac of the air force base. The diversion road constructed around the base is still in use as a local public road.
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