QEW的走線大致跟隨安大略湖西端的湖岸綫而呈「L」字狀,亦因此並未與加拿大其他公路般被歸類為東西向或南北向。QEW從伊利堡至多倫多的行車線被標為「QEW Toronto」,而相反方向的行車線則因路段而異:多倫多至咸美頓的路段被標為「QEW Hamilton」,咸美頓至尼亞加拉瀑布城的路段被標為「QEW Niagara」,而尼亞加拉瀑布城至伊利堡的路段則被標為「QEW Fort Erie」[4]。
伊利堡-聖嘉芙蓮斯段
QEW始於和平橋在伊利堡端的落腳點。從美國入境的車流駛經加拿大邊檢關卡後便抵達中央大道(Central Avenue)交匯處,由此可通往安大略3號省道和尼亞加拉園林路。除了和平橋落腳點一帶設有民居和工廠之外,公路首25公里(16英里)路段主要位於樹林之内。公路在基爾摩道(Gilmore Road)交匯處往西北拐,穿越萊昂斯溪道(Lyons Creek Road)交匯處後則改往北伸延[5],跨越威蘭河後進入尼亞加拉瀑布城周邊的農地,並於一座大型交匯處與420號公路交接。
QEW早期依靠一座兩線行車升降橋跨越咸美頓港連接伯靈頓和咸美頓。該橋於1952年被一艘船隻撞擊[37],導致該段QEW封閉直至當局臨時搭建的橋樑開通為止;安省公路部因此計劃在當地興建一座新的高架橋。與此同時,當局亦計劃興建一條高速公路連接咸美頓和胡士托(即403號公路)。該兩條道路在伯靈頓市的西南角匯合;當局遂從1952年起在該處興建費里曼交匯處(Freeman Interchange),並於1958年8月完工[38]。新高架橋則於同年10月30日開通,全長2,700米(8,900英尺),來回共有四條行車線,同年11月10日起開始收費[39]。伯靈頓和咸美頓兩市居民各要求大橋冠以自己所屬城市的名稱;省府則最終將之名為「伯靈頓灣高架橋」(Burlington Bay Skyway)。
省府亦於同期計劃在尼亞加拉區興建另一座高架橋跨越威蘭運河,取代承載QEW的兩線行車荷默升降橋(Homer Lift Bridge)。大橋於1960年7月動工,1963年10月18日通車[40],全長2,200米(7,200英尺),耗資2千萬加元(1963年金額),以聖嘉芙蓮斯市的暱稱取名「花園城市高架橋」(Garden City Skyway)[41]。大橋起初如伯靈頓灣高架橋般收取過路費,但兩者皆於1973年12月28日取消收費[42]。
QEW沿線車流不斷上升,當中咸美頓和布靈頓之間的來回四線路段尤以為甚。布靈頓灣高架橋的設計車流量為每日5萬架次,但到了1973年已達致每日6萬架次;省府遂決定於原有高架橋旁興建多一座四線行車橋樑。新橋於1983年動工[58][41],1985年10月11日開幕[42]。舊橋封閉以進行復修,並於1988年8月22日重開[42];舊橋自此承載多倫多方向行車線,而尼亞加拉方向行車線則取道新橋跨越咸美頓港。新舊兩橋一併名為「伯靈頓灣詹姆斯·N·艾倫高架橋」(Burlington Bay James N. Allan Skyway)[41],以紀念舊橋興建期間出任公路部長的詹姆斯·N·艾倫。
^Shragge p. 55 "...the Toronto-to-Hamilton highway which, when completed in 1917, was both Ontario's first concrete highway and one of the longest such inter-city stretches in the world."
^Hopes to Improve Roads. The Gazette 165 (42) (Montreal). February 18, 1936: 14 [February 9, 2010].
^English, Bob. Remember that 'little four-lane freeway?'. Globe And Mail (Toronto). March 16, 2006 [February 9, 2010]. ...the freeway concept was promoted by Hamiltonian Thomas B. McQuesten, then the highway minister. The Queen Elizabeth Way was already under construction, but McQuesten changed it into a dual-lane divided highway, based on Germany's new autobahns.
^Division No. 6 - Toronto. Annual Report (报告). Department of Highways: 84. March 31, 1960. The construction of the [Shook's Hill] interchange will complete the facilities necessary for the complete control of access of the Queen Elizabeth Way between the Humber River and Highway 25
^Chronology. Annual Report (报告). Department of Highways: 269. March 31, 1961.
^Division No. 4 - Hamilton. Annual Report (报告). Department of Highways: 99. March 31, 1965.
^Construction – Central Area. Annual Report (报告). Department of Highways: 31–32. March 31, 1963.
^ 47.047.1Summary of the Report. Annual Report (报告). Department of Highways: xvi. March 31, 1967.
^Queen Elizabeth Way–Oakville–Fort Erie. Highway Construction Program (报告). Department of Highways: xii. 1970–1971.
^Queen Elizabeth Way – Oakville to Fort Erie. Highway Construction Program (报告). Ministry of Transportation and Communications: xii. 1971–1972.
^ 51.051.1Drivers Face Three More Years of QE-27-401 Motoring Misery. The Toronto Star. July 22, 1969: 43.
^QE and 27 Interchange Opens Friday. The Toronto Star. November 13, 1969: 1.
^Queen Elizabeth Way – Hamilton to Fort Erie. Highway Construction Program 1972-73 (报告). Ministry of Transportation and Communications: xv. April 1972.
^ 54.054.1Construction Program (报告). Ministry of Transportation and Communications: xiii. 1975–1976.
^Provincial Highways Construction Projects (报告). Ministry of Transportation and Communications: X. 1985–1986. ISSN 0714-1149.
^Provincial Highways Construction Projects (报告). Ministry of Transportation and Communications: 9. 1989–1990. ISSN 0714-1149.
^Tait, Eleanor. Sod Broken On QEW and Hwy. 403 Link. The Hamilton Spectator. October 23, 1993: T8.|section=被忽略 (帮助)
^Provincial Highways Construction Projects (报告). Ministry of Transportation and Communications: 8. 1991–1992. ISSN 0714-1149.
^Boyle, Theresa. Rae Announces 407 Extension. The Toronto Star. April 1, 1995: A12. Rae also announced yesterday that the province will ask for private-sector proposals to design and construct the Burlington–Oakville link of Highway 403 as part of Highway 407.|section=被忽略 (帮助)
^Signs of the Times. Milestones (Ontario Good Roads Association). February 2002, 2 (1) [January 2, 2012]. (原始内容存档于2012年4月26日).
^Schankula, Tina. Transfer of Responsibility for Provincial Highways to Municipalities (报告). Ontario Federation of Agriculture. November 18, 1997.
^Red Hill Opening Delayed. Local. The Hamilton Spectator. November 15, 2007: A4.
^De Lazzer, Rachel. Ramp Delay Puts Pressure on Woodward. Local. The Hamilton Spectator. November 13, 2008: A4.
^Ministry of Transportation of Ontario. Red Hill Creek Expressway Interchange, QEW Burlington Street to Centennial Parkway. Southern Highways Program 2010–2014(PDF) (报告). Government of Ontario: 6. 2010 [February 8, 2014]. (原始内容(PDF)存档于2014年2月22日).
^Phillips, Carol. QEW Widening Starts With $15.2m Bridges Project. The Hamilton Spectator. December 17, 2004: A7.