Ontario map highlights highway oddities

A University of Waterloo civil engineering student has created an online map that points out unusual features along Ontario highways, including abandoned bridges, incorrect signs and submerged road sections. Jonathan Silverman, who grew up in Thornhill, said his interest began on childhood road trips, when he started noticing oddities in the province’s transportation network. He built the map, called Ontario Oddities, to help people learn the history behind the roads they use every day. The project has drawn interest from road enthusiasts and local contributors, who have helped add locations such as the submerged section of Highway 2 near Ottawa, unused bridges near Key River, the West Montrose Covered Bridge and an abandoned stretch of Highway 407 near Oshawa. Silverman has also added a tool that lets users search for unusual sights along a planned route.