Thomas B. McQuesten
Thomas McQuesten wore many hats. He was the Minister of Highways, a respected lawyer, a Parks board member, and a past president of the Ontario Liberal Association. He won the constituency of Hamilton in 1934, was a Minister of Public Works, Commissioner of the Hydro Electric Power Commission of Ontario, and Chairman of the Niagara Parks Commission. His ideas about the highway were based upon safety and aesthetics. He was inspired by the autobahns which were being built in Germany. It was McQuesten who oversaw the Middle Road into becoming a dual-lane highway with a median.
Thomas B. McQuesten
It was hoped that the QEW would take people around St. Catharines in order to alleviate the congestion in St. Catharines and other communities. This is a view of St. Paul Street, St. Catharines in 1940.
The St. Catharines Standard posted articles about the much anticipated opening of the Queen Elizabeth Way which passed through St. Catharines. This photo shows a straight course of the highway. This photo appeared in the paper on August 22, 1940.
There were a lot of preparations to complete before the grand opening of the highway. Here we see crews laying sod beside the highway.
Paving the road between Stoney Creek and St. Catharines in 1940
The $10,000,000 highway from Toronto to Niagara Falls was officially opened by T. B. McQuesten. The ceremony took place at the Henley Bridge on August 23, 1940. A crowd of 2,000 watched as McQuesten cut the ribbon.