▁War ▁I . ▁The ▁highway ▁was ▁designed ▁to ▁run ▁along ▁the ▁lake ▁shore , ▁instead ▁of ▁D und as ▁Street ▁to ▁the ▁north , ▁because ▁the ▁numerous ▁hills ▁encountered ▁along ▁D und as ▁would ▁have ▁increased ▁costs ▁without ▁impro ving ▁access ibility . ▁Middle ▁Road , ▁a ▁d irt ▁l ane ▁named ▁because ▁of ▁its ▁position ▁between ▁the ▁two , ▁was ▁not ▁considered ▁since ▁Lake ▁Sh ore ▁and ▁D und as ▁were ▁both ▁over c row ded ▁and ▁in ▁need ▁of ▁serious ▁rep airs . ▁The ▁road ▁was ▁formally ▁opened ▁on ▁November ▁ 2 4 , ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁ ▁wide ▁and ▁nearly ▁ ▁long . ▁It ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁concrete ▁road ▁in ▁Ontario , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁longest ▁st ret ches ▁of ▁concrete ▁road ▁between ▁two ▁cities ▁in ▁the ▁world . ▁ ▁Over ▁the ▁next ▁de cade , ▁vehicle ▁usage ▁increased ▁substantial ly , ▁and ▁by ▁ 1 9 2 0 ▁L akes h ore ▁Road ▁was ▁again ▁con g ested , ▁particularly ▁during ▁week ends . ▁In ▁response , ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁High ways ▁exam ined ▁impro ving ▁another ▁road ▁between ▁Toronto ▁and ▁Hamilton . ▁The ▁road ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁more ▁than ▁twice ▁the ▁width ▁of ▁L akes h ore ▁Road ▁at ▁ ▁and ▁would ▁carry ▁two ▁lan es ▁of ▁traffic ▁in ▁either ▁direction . ▁Const ruction ▁on ▁what ▁was ▁then ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Queen ▁Street ▁Ext ension ▁west ▁of ▁Toronto ▁began ▁in ▁early ▁ 1 9 3 1 . ▁ ▁Before ▁the ▁highway ▁could