History of King's Highway 17B (Sault Ste. Marie):
This complicated Business Route was established in 1969, when a new Hwy 17 Bypass was opened just to the north of Sault Ste. Marie via Black Road and
Second Line Road. The old Hwy 17 alignment through downtown via Trunk Road, Wellington Street, Andrew Street, Cathcart Street, Huron Street, Bay Street,
Church Street, Pim Street and Great Northern Road became Hwy 17B. Until 1989, Ministry of Transportation mileage tables listed the Sault Ste. Marie
Business Route in two different sections. The traditional Hwy 17B "Business Loop" via Trunk Road, Wellington Street, Pim Street, Church Street and Great
Northern Road was 5.7 km in length. A different "Bridge Loop" departed from the Hwy 17B Business Loop at Church Street and Wellington Street, providing
access to both Hwy 550B and the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge on Huron Street via Wellington Street, Andrew Street, Cathcart Street, Huron Street,
Bay Street, Church Street and Pim Street. The "Bridge Loop" of Hwy 17B was 6.1 km in length. The Hwy 17B Bridge Loop was apparently decommissioned in 1997,
although the Hwy 17B Business Loop is still sporadically signed today. It should be noted that the highway was omitted from all Ministry of
Transportation mileage tables after 1989, and has not appeared on the Ontario Official Road Map since 1997.
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