Ontario Highway 129
| |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
North end | Chapleau south limits | ||||||
Location | |||||||
Country | Canada | ||||||
Province | Ontario | ||||||
Highway system | |||||||
| |||||||
|
King's Highway 129, commonly referred to as Highway 129, is a
Route description
Highway 129 is one of the most isolated in Ontario and among the least used of the King's Highways. Although the highway is an important access route for several isolated communities, including
The route begins in the town of Thessalon at Highway 17, north of Lake Huron.[8] It travels northeast through the Municipality of
North of Highway 554, the route is generally parallel to the river and
From this junction, the route travels northwest towards Highway 101, where drivers must turn right to continue north on the route. Both highways travel concurrently northeast for 7.6 kilometres (4.7 mi), at which point Highway 101 branches off to the east.[1] Highway 129 continues north alongside the Sudbury–White River CPR line. It ends at the southern town limits of Chapleau,[1] continuing north as a local road through the town and into the Chapleau Crown Game Preserve, the largest game preserve in the world.[11]
History
Highway 129 was first designated between Aubrey Falls and Chapleau in 1956, following the Thessalon–Chapleau Highway, a dirt road along the banks of the Mississagi River that opened to traffic on January 28, 1949.[2] Though opened, this initial road was almost impassable, and certainly dangerous. Despite this, it quickly gained notoriety for its breathtaking scenery and seemingly limitless hunting and fishing potential.[12][13] However, the poor condition of the road often left a terrible impression on tourists. John Austin Moore described his voyage up the road during the summer of 1951:[14]
- "Our first trip by car took us over the famed Chapleau Road, the scenery and unique loneliness of which have been often reported in magazines. And surely its condition not long after it had opened to travel, when we first drove it in June 1951, was unforgettable. One trip over its 145 miles was almost guaranteed to shorten your life"
The route was extended south on February 27, 1957,[3] absorbing the entire length of Highway 559, itself designated in 1956.[2] The Highway 559 designation has since been reused in Parry Sound District.[15] In 1961, the partially gravel surfaced highway was designated as the Chapleau Route of the Trans-Canada Highway, despite being only a spur in the network at that time.[13][16] This designation lasted until as early as 1974 and as late as 1978.[17][18]
Highway 129 was the last King's Highway to be paved; the section immediately south of Aubrey Falls remained a gravel road as late as 1982.[19] The one-lane Rapid River Bridge was replaced by an adjacent two-lane bridge in the second quarter of 2010.[20]
Major intersections
The following table lists the major junctions along Highway 129, as noted by the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario.[1]
Division | Location[5] | km[1] | mi | Destinations | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sudbury | Trans-Canada Highway | ||||
0.9 | 0.56 | Thessalon town limits | |||
Highway 554 east | |||||
96.6 | 60.0 | Highway 556 west | |||
Unorganized Sudbury | 184.3 | 114.5 | Five Mile Provincial Park entrance | ||
189.7 | 117.9 | Highway 667 (Sultan Road) | |||
210.1 | 130.6 | Highway 101 west – Wawa | |||
217.7 | 135.3 | Timmins | |||
Chapleau | 220.7 | 137.1 | Chapleau town limits | Highway ends at southern town limits | |
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi |
References
- ^ a b c d Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (2016). "Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) counts". Archived from the original on December 15, 2020. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
- ^ a b c Ontario Road Map (Map). Cartography by C.P. Robins. Ontario Department of Highways. 1956. § J13–14.
- ^ a b "Appendix 3 - Schedule of Assumptions of Sections". Annual Report (Report). Department of Highways. March 31, 1957. p. 281.
- ^ Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry (July 12, 2010). "Improving Highway 129 Near Thessalon". Government of Ontario. Archived from the original on July 6, 2011. Retrieved March 22, 2011.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-55198-226-7.
- ^ "Aubrey Falls". Aubrey Falls Trading Post & Resort. Archived from the original on 2020-02-21. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
- ^ "Welcome to Algoma Trails". Archived from the original on 2016-05-07. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
- ^ "Welcome to Thessalon". Town of Thessalon. Archived from the original on July 6, 2011. Retrieved March 22, 2011.
- ^ "Thessalon Township Heritage Park and Museum". Thessalon Union Public Library. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved March 22, 2011.
- ISBN 978-1-55198-226-7.
- ^ Welcome to Chapleau - Four Seasons Guide to Northern Adventure. Chapleau: Chapleau Regional Development Corporation.
- ^ MacQuarrie, Gordon (March 28, 1954). "Go North, Old Man, and Fish". Men's and Recreation Section. The Milwaukee Journal. p. 4. Retrieved March 22, 2011.
- ^ a b Vacation Guide. Rand McNally & Company. 1961. p. 166. Archived from the original on November 7, 2021. Retrieved March 22, 2011.
- ISBN 978-1-4251-3382-5. Archivedfrom the original on November 7, 2021. Retrieved March 22, 2011.
- ISBN 978-1-55198-226-7.
- ^ Ontario Road Map (Map). Cartography by C.P. Robins. Ontario Department of Highways. 1961. § K25–N26.
- ^ Ontario Road Map (Map). Cartography by Cartography Section. Ministry of Transportation and Communications. 1974. § N–P11.
- ^ Ontario Road Map (Map). Cartography by Cartography Section. Ministry of Transportation and Communications. 1978–79. § N–Q11.
- ^ Ontario Road Map (Map). Cartography by Cartography Section. Ministry of Transportation and Communications. January 1, 1982. § N–Q11.
- ^ Bellerose, Dan (2008). "Province Funds Highway Projects". The Sault Star. Sun Media. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved March 22, 2011.