KG hwy/blvd discussion

[Silvermink]

Speaking of old road names, there's Dewdney Trunk Road at its starting point in Coquitlam.  Hardly a trunk road of any sort.

Though it's just the western section of what used to be a continuous and much longer road - broken into three parts now, if memory serves. My parents live on the eastern section of Dewdney Trunk, way out by Stave Lake. That part still ends at Dewdney, which is near Hatzic Lake east of Mission.

Old Yale Road in Surrey/Langley/Abbotsford/Chilliwack (just called Yale Road in Chilliwack, actually) is similar - there are pieces of the old road here and there, but most of it ran along what's been redesignated as other highways (e.g., Fraser Highway).

Actually, those two roads were the main arterials on either side of the Fraser River back in the late 19th century.

[Masozi]

The route originally opened as an extension roadway from the then newly completed Patullo Bridge which had been built from October 1934 to November 1937. The original name for KGH from 1937 to 1939 was "Peace Arch Highway". This was then changed to "King George the 6th Highway" on December 13th 1939, a few months after the King and Queen of England crossed Canada in May 1939. At the Highway's opening ceremonies at Peace Arch Park on October the 16th 1940 "King George the 6th" highway was officially declared. Back in those days Surrey was still undeveloped and there were very few cross roads.  Today with all the development of housing, businesses and cross roads the highway has been relegated to nothing more than a large arterial street.  With on demand traffic signaling at most intersections along the current day route it is a good place to avoid when driving through Surrey or else you may get EFRL.

The Pattulo bridge replaced a smaller road crossing that used to be on the upper deck of the current railway bridge that crosses over the Fraser River just below it, (which opened in 1904.)  Many of the men who built King George VI Highway were persons who had been involved in the unemployment riots during the great depression. Many of these men went to "relief camps" where they would be housed, fed and would be able to go to work, (even though conditions were bad at these camps.) Out here in the south Surrey White Rock area there were two camps. Camp 205, ( Located at Stokes Road for men working on the roadbed from there to Sunnyside Road.) There was also Camp 206, ( Located at Sunnyside Road for the men who worked from there to the US border. )  The camps caused some problems because some of the men would set up stills in the bush nearby to produce bootleg alcohol and operate a small black market with goods taken from the commissary. 

The highway itself was originally constructed in sections through what was then a mostly treed Surrey, very few cross streets and settlements. The closest roads were Semiahmoo Trail (1872), Scott Road (1875), Yale Road (1875), McLellan Road (1874-5) and the Fort Langley Road (1858).  The Pacific Highway, (currently 176th Street) opened in 1923 to run from Cloverdale south to The US border.  Much of Pacific Highway was constructed on the abandoned New Westminster and Southern railway grade.  Today Harvie Road from 92nd Ave south to Fraser Highway near 72nd st sits on the old railway grade. Parts of the old rail bed can still be seen on the geographic east side of Pacific Highway between 72nd and 68th Aves.

[Rukario]

Wow, thanks for the history on KGH, Lope!  I guess, then, that the original route followed the alignment of what is now Highway 99 on the segment south of 8 Avenue.  But the name change still defies logic, from Highway to Boulevard.  What gets me is that the name changes "will convince people to stay in Whalley", particularly WRT KGH, is ridiculous.  Whatever Dianne Watts was on when she came up with that idea, I want some!

[Silvermink]

What gets me is that the name changes "will convince people to stay in Whalley", particularly WRT KGH, is ridiculous.  Whatever Dianne Watts was on when she came up with that idea, I want some!

Mmm, wishful thinking.

[Fargo]

A highway is not necessarily a freeway.  A highway is just a major arterial route.  Just a note, Fraser Highway still has its name unchanged.

And it's still numbered too. BC Highway 1A.

[mediar]

Maybe call it Hwy to Crackville. :P Whalley is such an ugly place after dark D:

[Rukario]

Maybe call it Hwy to Crackville. :P Whalley is such an ugly place after dark D:

Yeah, was caught there for an hour last night at Surrey Central station.  Very, very ugly place after dark.

[Silvermink]

I accidentally picked up a prostitute on King George Highway once. True story. It pretty much went down like that episode of Frasier (she was standing on the side of the road waving at the car and looked like she needed a ride), only without me giving her any money.

[Vanilla Skunk]

A highway is not necessarily a freeway.  A highway is just a major arterial route.  Just a note, Fraser Highway still has its name unchanged.

And it's still numbered too. BC Highway 1A.

It's the highway OUT of crackville.  Though, it's 30km/h not far from my house. :P

[Rukario]

It's the highway OUT of crackville.  Though, it's 30km/h not far from my house. :P

The reference was to KGH, but I guess Fraser Hwy also runs through Whalley.  But KGH is mostly 70 km/h around here.  And, it goes TO Whalley, hence Highway TO Crackville.  :P

[Fargo]

It's the highway OUT of crackville.  Though, it's 30km/h not far from my house. :P

The reference was to KGH, but I guess Fraser Hwy also runs through Whalley.  But KGH is mostly 70 km/h around here.  And, it goes TO Whalley, hence Highway TO Crackville.  :P

Unless you're heading east of course. ;) Then you're going through Fleetwood, Langley, Murrayville, Aldergrove and Aberdeen, before crossing Hwy 1 and becoming Old Yale Road in the west part of Abbotsford.

[Rukario]

It's funny, though, I was at the Surrey Pride parade, along with Wolffie, Gray Coyote, Buddy, and some others (let me know if I missed you).  And even Dianne Watts even referred to "The Highway".

[Silvermink]

It's funny, though, I was at the Surrey Pride parade, along with Wolffie, Gray Coyote, Buddy, and some others (let me know if I missed you).  And even Dianne Watts even referred to "The Highway".

Surrey has a Pride parade now? Wild.

[Univaded_Fox]

There's still one sign at the roundabout at 14AVE that stubbornly says "King George Hwy".

[Rukario]

Yeah, there's still a lot of signs that still say "Highway", like the signs on Hwy 99 leading up to it, and the ones on KGB/H itself at the junction with the slip roads.