Ontario Highway 61
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Major junctions | ||||
South end | MN 61 near Grand Portage, MN | |||
Highway 130 north towards Twin City | ||||
North end | Highway 11 / Highway 17 in Thunder Bay | |||
Location | ||||
Country | Canada | |||
Province | Ontario | |||
Highway system | ||||
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King's Highway 61, commonly referred to as Highway 61 and historically known as the Scott Highway, is a
Highway 61 was added to the highway system on October 6, 1937, following the amalgamation of the Department of Northern Development into the Department of Highways. Prior to that it was known as the Scott Highway. The bridge over the Pigeon River was originally known as The Outlaw, as it was constructed without formal approval of the Canadian or American governments.
Route description
Crossing the
The highway passes Chippewa Road, its former route through Thunder Bay, and returns to its northward orientation. It officially enters the city as it crosses the Kaministiquia River. The highway swerves east at Thunder Bay International Airport as it widens to four lanes then continues north, crossing Arthur Street. North of Arthur Street, the highway is also known as the Thunder Bay Expressway.[4] It continues north for 3 km (1.9 mi) and ends at the Harbour Expressway and Trans-Canada Highway.[1]
The northernmost section in Thunder Bay is a four-lane, undivided expressway. The remainder of Highway 61 is a conventional two-lane highway.[5] Traffic volumes along the southern portion of the highway are generally low, with an annual average daily traffic (AADT) of 1,000 vehicles. This increases progressing north; within Thunder Bay the AADT peaks at 17,200 vehicles.[1]
Highway 61 also forms a small portion of the
History
The road that would become Highway 61 was first constructed in 1916. The Pigeon River Timber Company had cleared lands surrounding the towns of
In response, the
By 1962, construction was underway to bypass the inland route of the highway as well as the bridge.[12] This bypass opened on November 1, 1963;[13]
the American approach was rebuilt along the shore of Lake Superior, and a new bridge constructed over the river 10 km (6.2 mi) to the east.
In 1963, Charles MacNaughton, minister of the Department of Highways, announced plans for the Lakehead Expressway to be built on the western edge of the twin cities of Port Arthur and Fort William (which amalgamated in 1970 to form Thunder Bay).[14] Construction began in the late 1960s and progressed rapidly.[15][16] Following its completion by late 1970, Highway 61 was rerouted along it as far north as Arthur Street.[17][18][19] The former route followed Chippewa Road, turned north on James Street and then east on Frederica Street. From there, it turned north along Ford Street and followed it and Kingsway to Highway 11 and Highway 17 at Arthur Street. This route was renumbered as Highway 61B; it remained in place into the 1990s,[6] but was decommissioned by 1999.[20]
Beginning in 1991, Highway 61 was completely reconstructed south of Thunder Bay to the border in preparation for the
Major intersections
The following table lists the major junctions along Highway 61, as noted by the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario.[1] The entire route is located in Thunder Bay District.[4]
Location | km[1] | mi | Destinations | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
U.S. border | |||||
Pigeon River Bridge | |||||
Neebing | |||||
3.1 | 1.9 | Highway 593 north | |||
35.3 | 21.9 | Highway 608 west | |||
Oliver Paipoonge | 40.0 | 24.9 | Highway 130 north | ||
Highway 61B north | |||||
54.5 | 33.9 | Broadway Avenue | |||
56.9 | 35.4 | Neebing Avenue / Princess Street | |||
58.0 | 36.0 | Arthur Street | Formerly Highway 11 / Highway 17 west; formerly Highway 11B / Highway 17B east; Thunder Bay Expressway southern terminus | ||
61.0 | 37.9 | Fort Frances Harbour Expressway east Highway 11 / Highway 17 / TCH east (Thunder Bay Expressway) – Cochrane, Sault Ste. Marie | Highway 61 northern terminus; roadway continues as Highway 11 / Highway 17 east (Thunder Bay Expressway) | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi |
Highway 61B
Location | Thunder Bay |
---|---|
Length | 7.6 km (4.7 mi) |
Existed | 1968–1997 |
King's Highway 61B was established in 1968 through Fort William. The former route followed Chippewa Road, turned north on James Street and then east on Frederica Street. From there, it turned north along Ford Street and followed it and Kingsway, ending at Highway 11B and Highway 17B at Arthur Street. Highway 61B was decommissioned in 1997.[20]
Highway 61B used James Street
See also
- Highway 61, a 1991 film by Canadian director Bruce McDonald.
- U.S. Route 61
References
- ^ a b c d Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (2016). "Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) counts". Retrieved January 1, 2021.
- ^ ISBN 0-7743-9388-2.
- ^ "Chapter 4: The Watery Boundary". United Divide: A Linear Portrait of the USA/Canada Border. The Center for Land Use Interpretation. Winter 2015.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-55198-226-7.
- ^ a b Google (September 12, 2010). "Highway 61 Length and Route" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved September 12, 2010.
- ^ a b Geomatics Office (1990). Ontario Official Road Map (Map). Government of Ontario. Thunder Bay inset.
- ISBN 978-0-88663-001-0.
- ^ ISBN 1-55002-074-9.
- ^ Angus, Jim (July 7, 2010). "The Outlaw Bridge at Pigeon River". District 5580. Rotary Global History Fellowship. Archived from the original on August 24, 2010. Retrieved September 8, 2010.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-87351-626-6. Retrieved September 8, 2010.
August 18, 1917 Outlaw bridge.
- ^ 1688 to 1923: Geloso, Vincent, A Price Index for Canada, 1688 to 1850 (December 6, 2016). Afterwards, Canadian inflation numbers based on Statistics Canada tables 18-10-0005-01 (formerly CANSIM 326-0021) "Consumer Price Index, annual average, not seasonally adjusted". Statistics Canada. Retrieved April 17, 2021. and table 18-10-0004-13 "Consumer Price Index by product group, monthly, percentage change, not seasonally adjusted, Canada, provinces, Whitehorse, Yellowknife and Iqaluit". Statistics Canada. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
- ^ Robins, C.P. (1962). Ontario Road Map (Map). Ontario Department of Highways. § J13–14.
- ^ a b AADT Traffic Volumes 1955–1969 And Traffic Collision Data 1967–1969. Ontario Department of Highways. 1969. p. 135.
- ^ Engineering and Contract Record (Report). Vol. 76. Hugh C. MacLean publications. 1963. p. 121. Retrieved September 12, 2010.
The long awaited Lakehead Expressway moved to the brink of reality when Ontario Highways Minister Charles S. MacNaughton announced a new cost-sharing formula for the twin cities portion. This fixes the expressway cost at $15,770,000.
- ^ "Lakehead Expressway". Civic Administration. 20. Maclean–Hunter: 89. 1968. Retrieved September 11, 2010.
- ^ Proceedings of the convention (Report). Canadian Good Roads Association. 1969. p. 66. Retrieved September 12, 2010.
- ^ "Appendix 16 – Schedule of Designations and Redesignations of Sections". Annual Report (Report). Department of Highways and Communications. March 31, 1971. pp. 151, 154.
- ^ Photogrammetry Office (1970). Ontario Road Map (Map). Department of Transportation and Communications. Thunder Bay inset.
- ^ Photogrammetry Office (1971). Ontario Road Map (Map). Department of Transportation and Communications. Thunder Bay inset.
- ^ a b c Geomatics Office (1999). Ontario Official Road Map (Map). Government of Ontario. Thunder Bay inset.
- ISSN 0822-1480.
- ^ Kelly, Jim (August 17, 2007). "New stretch of Highway 11/17 to open today". The Chronicle–Journal. Thunder Bay. Archived from the original on January 19, 2013. Retrieved March 12, 2011.
- ^ Vis, Matt (November 8, 2019). "James Street Swing Bridge reopening to vehicular traffic after 6-year closure". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. CBC News. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
External links
- The King's Highway 61 at The KingsHighway.ca