Alberta Provincial Highway No. 51, commonly referred to as Highway 51, was a short east–west highway in central Alberta, Canada that existed between the 1950s and January 1988. It is now part of Highway 12.[3][2]
| Route information | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length | 36 km[1] (22 mi) | |||
| Existed | 1950s–January 1988[2] | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end |  Hwy 761 near Leslieville | |||
| East end |   Hwy 12 / Hwy 20 in Bentley | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | Canada | |||
| Province | Alberta | |||
| Specialized and rural municipalities | Clearwater, Lacombe | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
Route description
Highway 51 was a short highway that originated at the Highway 12 / Highway 20 intersection in Bentley and travelled west, running parallel to Highway 11. It was mostly gravel, ending at Highway 761 north of Leslieville.[3]
History
Highway 51 began appearing on maps in the 1950s and followed Township Road 404 west of Bentley.[4][5] At the time, Highway 12 turned north at Bentley and continued towards Rimbey and Breton, while Highway 20 connected Bentley to Sylvan Lake.[3] In January 1988, Highway 51 was renumbered to Highway 12, while the section of Highway 12 north of Bentley became part of Highway 20.[2] In the 1990s, Highway 12 (formerly Highway 51) was extended west to Highway 22, 10 km (6 mi) north of Rocky Mountain House.[6]