Ontario Highway 402 - Route Description

Route Description

The Blue Water Bridge crossing has 6 lanes of bridge traffic as well as non-stop freeway access, providing a quicker route over the busier Ambassador Bridge crossing in Windsor, which also suffers from 13 traffic lights leading to the bridge. Across the Blue Water Bridge, Highway 402 continues in Michigan as Interstates 69 and 94. With the exception of the Front Street interchange in Sarnia, the freeway features Parclos throughout its length. Although the freeway passes through Sarnia, it is not intended to operate as a commuter highway; the westbound lanes are signed as "Bridge to USA" instead of "Highway 402".

The freeway begins on the Canadian side of the Blue Water Bridge, descending over the village of Point Edward. After passing through a customs plaza, it enters Sarnia and travels parallel to and north of Exmouth Street through the city. Near the eastern limits, the freeway curves to the northeast to bypass its original alignment. It crosses the Howard Watson Nature Trail, a mixed-use recreational trail that was converted from a Canadian National Railway (CNR) line in 1988 as a result of the efforts of Lambton Wildlife Inc. The highway curves back to its east–west orientation as it interchanges with Highway 40. It exits the city as it passes south of Sarnia Chris Hadfield Airport.

Now parallel and north of London Line, the former route of Highway 7 (the predecessor route between Sarnia and London), the freeway jogs north to travel along the back lot line of farmland fronting London Line and the concession road north of Highway 402. In this manner, the freeway did not divide any farms when it was constructed, instead running between them. It meets Lambton County Road 21 (Oil Heritage Road), the northern terminus of the Oil Heritage Route, north of the town of Wyoming. The county road is also a former southern extension of Highway 21, which itself begins 9.3 km (5.8 mi) to the east. Highway 21 is also known as the Bluewater Route, as most of its length is parallel to the shore of Lake Huron.

The freeway crosses London Line, momentarily diverging from its straight alignment south of Warwick. It continues 25 km (16 mi) east, then interchanges with Middlesex County Road 81 (Victoria Street) as it passes north of Strathroy. Shortly thereafter it curves to the southeast and zig-zags towards London, bisecting farms and dividing woodlands. The freeway passes to the west of the town of Delaware and curves east. It enters London and meets Highway 4 south of Lambeth, interchanges with Wonderland Road and merges into Highway 401. Access to westbound and from eastbound Highway 401 is provided by Highway 4.