Emergency Detour Route
Encyclopedia
The Emergency Detour Routes, originally Emergency Diversion Routes (EDR), are a system of temporary detour routes paralleling many major highways in Ontario
. Most of these follow county or municipal roads within the province that are not (currently) provincially-controlled (though many were former provincial highways). These routes are designed to be used in the event of a closure on a major road or 400-series highway, such as construction
or a serious automobile collision
.
Though most EDRs are set up along 400-series highways, a select few have been established along two lane King's Highways, notably Highway 21 due the lake effect of Lake Huron
, which can result in sudden snowsquall
conditions during the winter.
in the case of 400-Series Highways, are large rectangular signs. An orange bar at the top contains the text, in black writing, Emergency Detour Route. Below that, the sign is white and shows the highway or freeway that the route serves, as well as a portion of the second sign to indicate to drivers what to watch for.
The second sign is orange (indicating it is a temporary condition type of sign), with a black circle inside, containing the letters "EDR" in white. Below that the route that the EDR serves is indicated, as well as an arrow at intersections indicating whether or not to turn.
The RCAP utilized folding signs that police could open to "activate" the route. Similar in appearance to the EDR signs of today, the RCAP signs featured a trapezoid shaped orange EDR sign, as opposed to an orange square with a black circle containing the letters EDR. These signs were first deployed along a limited stretch of the Queen Elizabeth Way
in March 2001,
between Dorval Drive and Trafalgar Road in Oakville
and between Bronte Road and Burloak Drive in Burlington
, both the location of major ravines with limited alternative crossings.
By the spring of 2003, when the deployment of the system was complete, the entire Queen Elizabeth Way, Highway 401 and Highway 403 had diversion routes within Halton Region.
Following Halton's tests, the MTO and the Ontario Good Roads Association formed a joint task force, and using the RCAP as a model, developed the Emergency Detour Route program.
In 2010 and 2011, an aggressive program was instituted to place EDRs alongside major routes throughout the province.
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. Most of these follow county or municipal roads within the province that are not (currently) provincially-controlled (though many were former provincial highways). These routes are designed to be used in the event of a closure on a major road or 400-series highway, such as construction
Construction
In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...
or a serious automobile collision
Car accident
A traffic collision, also known as a traffic accident, motor vehicle collision, motor vehicle accident, car accident, automobile accident, Road Traffic Collision or car crash, occurs when a vehicle collides with another vehicle, pedestrian, animal, road debris, or other stationary obstruction,...
.
Though most EDRs are set up along 400-series highways, a select few have been established along two lane King's Highways, notably Highway 21 due the lake effect of Lake Huron
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
, which can result in sudden snowsquall
Snowsquall
A snowsquall is a sudden moderately heavy snow fall with blowing snow and strong, gusty surface winds. It is often referred to as a whiteout and is similar to a blizzard but is localized in time or in space and snow accumulations may or may not be significant.-Lake effect snow:When arctic air...
conditions during the winter.
Signage
There are two types of signage along the routes. Near the beginning of an EDR, usually the off ramps of interchangesInterchange (road)
In the field of road transport, an interchange is a road junction that typically uses grade separation, and one or more ramps, to permit traffic on at least one highway to pass through the junction without directly crossing any other traffic stream. It differs from a standard intersection, at which...
in the case of 400-Series Highways, are large rectangular signs. An orange bar at the top contains the text, in black writing, Emergency Detour Route. Below that, the sign is white and shows the highway or freeway that the route serves, as well as a portion of the second sign to indicate to drivers what to watch for.
The second sign is orange (indicating it is a temporary condition type of sign), with a black circle inside, containing the letters "EDR" in white. Below that the route that the EDR serves is indicated, as well as an arrow at intersections indicating whether or not to turn.
History
Halton was the first jurisdiction in Ontario to create EDRs, although it initially referred to them as Emergency Diversion Routes. In August 1999, the regional council approved the preparation of the Road Closure Action Plan (RCAP), which was developed with input from the Halton Regional Police Services and the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO).The RCAP utilized folding signs that police could open to "activate" the route. Similar in appearance to the EDR signs of today, the RCAP signs featured a trapezoid shaped orange EDR sign, as opposed to an orange square with a black circle containing the letters EDR. These signs were first deployed along a limited stretch of the Queen Elizabeth Way
Queen Elizabeth Way
The Queen Elizabeth Way, commonly abbreviated as the QEW, is a 400-Series highway in the Canadian province of Ontario. The freeway links Buffalo, New York and the Niagara Peninsula with Toronto. It begins at the Peace Bridge in Fort Erie and travels around the western shore of Lake Ontario, ending...
in March 2001,
between Dorval Drive and Trafalgar Road in Oakville
Oakville, Ontario
Oakville is a town in Halton Region, on Lake Ontario in Southern Ontario, Canada, and is part of the Greater Toronto Area. As of the 2006 census the population was 165,613.-History:In 1793, Dundas Street was surveyed for a military road...
and between Bronte Road and Burloak Drive in Burlington
Burlington, Ontario
Burlington , is a city located in Halton Region at the western end of Lake Ontario. Burlington is part of the Greater Toronto Area, and is also included in the Hamilton Census Metropolitan Area. Physically, Burlington lies between the north shore of Lake Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment...
, both the location of major ravines with limited alternative crossings.
By the spring of 2003, when the deployment of the system was complete, the entire Queen Elizabeth Way, Highway 401 and Highway 403 had diversion routes within Halton Region.
Following Halton's tests, the MTO and the Ontario Good Roads Association formed a joint task force, and using the RCAP as a model, developed the Emergency Detour Route program.
In 2010 and 2011, an aggressive program was instituted to place EDRs alongside major routes throughout the province.