Ontario Highway 117
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| Route information | |||||||||||||
| Maintained by the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario | |||||||||||||
| Length: | 43.0 km[1] (26.7 mi) | ||||||||||||
| Existed: |
1961 (in Vaughan) 1974 (in Muskoka) – 1970 (in Vaughan) January 1, 1998 (in Muskoka) | ||||||||||||
| Major junctions | |||||||||||||
| West end: |
 Highway 11 near Bracebridge | ||||||||||||
| East end: |
 Highway 35 in Dorset | ||||||||||||
| Highway system | |||||||||||||
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King's Highway 117, commonly referred to as Highway 117, was a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario. Two routes have been given the designation over the years, both of which have since been decommissioned. The first iteration existed in Vaughan Township between 1961 and 1970, following Bathurst Street between Steeles Avenue and Highway 7. In 1974, a second iteration of Highway 117 was assumed through Muskoka, connecting Highway 11 near Bracebridge with Highway 35 in Dorset. This route existed until 1997, when it was transferred to the District Municipality of Muskoka.
Route description
The most recent iteration of Highway 117 connected Highway 11 north of Bracebridge with Highway 35 in Dorset, and is now known as Muskoka Road 117. More than half of the route travels along the southern shoreline of Lake of Bays. While a majority of the route is surrounded by rock and forest as it winds through the Canadian Shield, it passes through the communities of Baysville, Ninth Grove, Grandview, Browns Brae and Grove Park.[2]
Beginning at Exit 193 along Highway 11, immediately north of Bracebridge, the former Highway 117 travels east through thick forests, with sparse residences lining the route. In Baysville, the route crosses the Muskoka River and curves northeast. It follows the southern shoreline of Lake of Bays for the remainder of its length, providing access to numerous cottages surrounding the lake. Highway 117 ended at Highway 35 just south of Dorset.[2]
History
The original Highway 117 designation existed from 1961 to 1970, along the 2.1-kilometre (1.3 mi) stretch of Bathurst Street extending from Steeles Avenue to Highway 7 in Vaughan Township.
The second Highway 117, which existed from 1974 to 1998, extended 43 kilometres (27 mi) between the communities of Bracebridge and Dorset in the Muskoka region. On January 1, 1998, the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario decommissioned the entire route.[3] Jurisdiction over the road was transferred to the District Municipality of Muskoka and renumbered as Muskoka Road 117.[2]
Major intersections
The following table lists the major junctions along Highway 117, as noted by the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario.[1] The entire route was located in the District Municipality of Muskoka.
| Location | km[1] | mi | Destinations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bracebridge | 0.0 | 0.0 | Highway 11 – Barrie, Gravenhurst, North Bay, Huntsville | ||
| Lake of Bays | 16.5 | 10.3 | District Road 2 (Brunel Road) – Huntsville | ||
| 27.3 | 17.0 | Browns Brae Road | |||
| Dorset | 42.7 | 26.5 | District Road 39 (Main Street) | ||
| 43.0 | 26.7 | Highway 35 – Minden, Dwight | |||
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||
References
- 1 2 3 Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (April 1, 1989). Provincial Highways Distance Table. Government of Ontario. p. 84. ISSN 0825-5350.
- 1 2 3 Mapart (2010). Ontario Back Road Atlas (Map). Peter Heiler Ltd. p. 59. § S33–T36. ISBN 978-1-55198-226-7.
- ↑ Highway Transfers List - “Who Does What” (Report). Ministry of Transportation of Ontario. June 20, 2001. p. 9.
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