Hwy 11 Sign Graphic Hwy 11 Title Graphic Hwy 11 Sign Graphic   

Back to Hwy 11 - Orillia to Gravenhurst      Hwy 11 Photo Index      On to Hwy 11 - Huntsville to Emsdale

This page contains present day photos (Year 2000 to date) of Ontario's King's Highway 11, arranged by location from Gravenhurst northerly to Huntsville. Photos pertaining to King's Highway 11 (Old) through Muskoka via Gravenhurst, Bracebridge and Port Sydney are now located on this page. All photographs displayed on this page were taken by the Webmaster (Cameron Bevers), unless specifically noted otherwise. Click on any thumbnail to see a larger image!

Please note that all photographs displayed on this website are protected by copyright. These photographs must not be reproduced, published, electronically stored or copied, distributed, or posted onto other websites without my written permission. If you want to use photos from this website, please email me first for permission. Thank-you!

Page 10: Present Day King's Highway 11 Photographs (Gravenhurst to Huntsville)


HWY 11 #170 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #169 - © Cameron Bevers

Left - Facing north towards the dual Gull Lake Narrows Bridges on the current (second) Gravenhurst Bypass. These twin Hwy 11 structures were both constructed under Contract #1968-195 and were completed in 1970. The second Gravenhurst Bypass replaced an earlier bypass which was built around the town in the late 1940s. The original bypass route followed today's Bethune Drive. By 1969, nearly 8,000 vehicles per day were entering Gravenhurst from the south on the old two-lane bypass, with that traffic volume roughly doubling during the summer months. The completion of the second bypass immediately relieved traffic pressure on the first Gravenhurst Bypass, by allowing through traffic to avoid passing through town altogether. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 12, 2007  -  © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Western side of the southbound Gravenhurst Bypass (Hwy 11) structure at Gull Lake Narrows. Both of the bridges spanning Gull Lake Narrows are two-span weathering steel girder structures. This girder design allows a thin layer of oxidation to form on the surfaces of the girders, which in turn protects the remainder of the steel underneath from further deterioration. Older steel bridges built in Ontario required constant painting to protect the girders. The Gull Lake Narrows Bridges were among the first weathering steel girder bridges built in Ontario. Dozens of these bridges had been constructed on Ontario's highways by the end of the 1970s. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 12, 2007  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #168 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #190 - © Cameron Bevers

Left - Centreline view of the dual Gull Lake Narrows Bridges on the Gravenhurst Bypass (Hwy 11), facing north towards Bracebridge. The bridge designers took full advantage of the exposed bedrock on the north shore of Gull Lake, which essentially formed a natural bridge abutment. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 12, 2007  -  © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Western side of the northbound Hwy 11 structure over Gull Lake Narrows on the Gravenhurst Bypass. The natural rock shoreline of Gull Lake can be seen in the background. The Gravenhurst area is extraordinarily rocky, even by Muskoka District standards. Sprawling, other-worldly rock barrens can be found in this area, in some cases stretching for many kilometres. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 12, 2007  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #191 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #985 - © Cameron Bevers

Left - Facing north across the northbound Gull Lake Narrows Bridge on the Gravenhurst Bypass (Hwy 11). See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 12, 2007  -  © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Southbound Hwy 11 structure over Gull Lake Narrows in Gravenhurst, facing north. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 12, 2007  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #986 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #987 - © Cameron Bevers

Left - Date stamp (1970) and structure identification number (Site #42-141) on the Gull Lake Narrows Bridge on the Gravenhurst Bypass (Hwy 11). See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 12, 2007  -  © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Gull Lake Narrows Bridges on the Gravenhurst Bypass (Hwy 11), facing south. The Gravenhurst Bypass was completed and opened to traffic in the Fall of 1970, after two full construction seasons. The Gravenhurst Bypass featured two new grade-separated interchanges at the north and south entrance roads which led into to Gravenhurst. The new Gravenhurst Bypass was estimated to cost $3.9 Million to construct (in 1968 Dollars), which is roughly the equivalent of $32.2 Million in 2023 Dollars. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 12, 2007  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #1392 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #1393 - © Cameron Bevers

NEW Left - Facing south along the Gravenhurst Bypass (Hwy 11) from the Bethune Drive Overpass at the north entrance to Gravenhurst. During 2019, an average of 17,700 vehicles per day used the Gravenhurst Bypass. It is almost unthinkable to imagine how congested the first bypass (Bethune Drive) would be today had the Department of Highways of Ontario (DHO) not made such a prudent and forward-thinking investment in relocating Hwy 11 further out of town during the late 1960s. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on May 22, 2020  -  © Cameron Bevers)

NEW Right - Southern side of the Bethune Drive Overpass on the Gravenhurst Bypass (Hwy 11). This two-span concrete girder structure was built under Contract #1998-13 and was completed in 1999. The bridge replaced an old flyover ramp structure to northbound Hwy 11 which was built in 1969 in conjunction with the Gravenhurst Bypass. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on May 22, 2020  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #1394 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #1395 - © Cameron Bevers

NEW Left - Date stamp (1999) and structure identification number (Site #42-142) on the Bethune Drive Overpass at the north entrance to Gravenhurst. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on May 22, 2020  -  © Cameron Bevers)

NEW Right - Facing east across the Bethune Drive Overpass on Hwy 11. East of Hwy 11, Bethune Drive becomes Doe Lake Road. Note that a supplementary guide sign has been placed below the freeway entrance ramp guide sign, directing northbound traffic bound for Bracebridge to follow Hwy 11. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on May 22, 2020  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #1396 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #1397 - © Cameron Bevers

NEW Left - Facing northeast towards the former site of the old northbound Hwy 11 flyover which was demolished in the late 1990s. This single-lane ramp connected northbound Bethune Drive to northbound Hwy 11 only. Until the new interchange was built here in the 1990s, there were no south-oriented ramps at this partial interchange. Traffic had to travel north to the next crossroads and make a U-turn in order to travel southbound on Hwy 11. This awkward 1960s-era interchange was replaced in the late 1990s under Contract #1998-13, with a new "all-moves" partial cloverleaf interchange. Two at-grade intersections were closed along Hwy 11 north of the Bethune Drive Interchange, with improved service road connections also built to guide traffic south to the Bethune Drive Interchange or north to the Hwy 118 Interchange. The old flyover to northbound Hwy 11 crossed the highway immediately north of the current Bethune Drive Overpass. Its eastern abutment rested on top of the rocky ledge seen in this photo just to the right of the motorcycle travelling northbound along Hwy 11. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on May 22, 2020  -  © Cameron Bevers)

NEW Right - View of Hwy 11 facing north towards Bracebridge from the Bethune Drive Overpass in Gravenhurst. Prior to reconstruction, Doe Lake Road intersected with Hwy 11 via an at-grade intersection just a short distance north of this interchange. Under the highway improvements carried out at the North Gravenhurst Interchange in the late 1990s, Bethune Drive and Doe Lake Road were united via a common interchange point with Hwy 11. This greatly improved traffic operations and safety along this section of Hwy 11. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on May 22, 2020  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #1398 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #1399 - © Cameron Bevers

NEW Left - With the current Bethune Drive structure visible in the background, the location of the old 1960s flyover "ghost ramp" is still quite evident today along the eastern side of Hwy 11. The old ramp was fully excavated out along the western side of Hwy 11 during the interchange's reconstruction in the late 1990s and is thus no longer visible today. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on May 22, 2020  -  © Cameron Bevers)

NEW Right - Another view of Gravenhurst's "ghost ramp" near its former merge point with the northbound lanes of Hwy 11. Traffic last used this ramp in the late 1990s. As part of the interchange's reconstruction, the pavement on the old ramp was removed leaving only traces of the ramp's grading behind. There are relatively few abandoned freeway ramps in Ontario, which makes the one in Gravenhurst rather noteworthy. Typically, old interchange ramps are simply replaced by new ramps as a result of an interchange's reconstruction and are rarely abandoned in place as was the case here. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on May 22, 2020  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #1400 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #1404 - © Cameron Bevers

NEW Left - Distance guide sign on northbound Hwy 11 near Bethune Drive departing from Gravenhurst. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on May 22, 2020  -  © Cameron Bevers)

NEW Right - View of Hwy 11 about 2 km north of the Bethune Drive Interchange, facing south towards Gravenhurst. When the second Gravenhurst Bypass was completed in late 1970, the four-lane divided highway narrowed down to an undivided two-lane highway just ahead. Throughout the 1970s, many sections of Hwy 11 between Gravenhurst and Huntsville were widened to four lanes through a process called "twinning". Under this process, the highway widening takes place through the construction of a new two-lane carriageway beside the existing two-lane carriageway, which results in a four-lane divided highway upon completion. In this particular case, the northbound lanes of Hwy 11 were in place first, which originally carried two-way traffic. A new carriageway was built at right to carry the future southbound lanes of the divided highway. Once the new southbound carriageway at right was completed and opened to traffic, the old two-lane Hwy 11 at left was converted to carry northbound traffic only. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on May 22, 2020  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #1405 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #1406 - © Cameron Bevers

NEW Left - Facing south along Hwy 11 about 3 km north of the Bethune Drive Interchange. After World War II, the DHO embarked on some major upgrades to the Hwy 11 corridor through Muskoka. The highway was extensively rebuilt in places, while the section of Hwy 11 from Gravenhurst northerly to the Port Sydney area was relocated onto an entirely new alignment. The (first) Gravenhurst Bypass was completed in 1948, while construction began on the relocated route of Hwy 11 from Gravenhurst to Bracebridge in 1949. The section of highway seen here was originally constructed as a two-lane undivided highway which was later expanded to four lanes in the early 1970s. This section of the relocated route of Hwy 11 originally opened to traffic in the Summer of 1950. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on May 22, 2020  -  © Cameron Bevers)

NEW Right - View of Hwy 11 about 2 km south of the Hwy 118 Interchange between Gravenhurst and Bracebridge. In May 1949, a contract was called by the DHO for the construction of 5 1/2 miles of relocated highway on a new alignment from Gravenhurst to the south entrance to Bracebridge under Contract #1949-31. Compare this 2020 view of Hwy 11 to this Historical 1950 Photo taken from the same location 70 years earlier, which shows the newly-built Hwy 11 relocation between Gravenhurst and Bracebridge shortly after it opened to traffic. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on May 22, 2020  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #1401 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #1402 - © Cameron Bevers

NEW Left - Facing north along Hwy 11 at the entrance to the Skyways Motel and Restaurant. This roadside service station is located along the northbound lanes of Hwy 11 between Gravenhurst and Bracebridge and has been in operation for many, many decades. It was likely built almost as soon as the relocated Hwy 11 opened to traffic in the early 1950s and presumably pre-dates the route's Controlled-Access Highway (CAH) designation. New roadside developments such as this one are no longer permitted to be built along CAH routes with freeway corridor classifications. This photo was taken early in the Covid-19 Pandemic, when a worldwide collapse of energy prices took place. Gas was selling for 91.9 centre/Litre at the time this photo was taken, although I observed prices as low as 67.9 cents/Litre as some service stations in Ontario in April 2020. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on May 22, 2020  -  © Cameron Bevers)

NEW Right - Facing south along Hwy 11 at the Skyways Motel and Restaurant. At the time Hwy 11 was expanded from two to four lanes in the early 1970s, this service station operated under the Shell brand. As part of Hwy 11's reconstruction and widening through this area under Contract #1971-84, on-and-off ramps were constructed to the Skyways Motel and Restaurant, with access provided from the northbound lanes of the highway only. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on May 22, 2020  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #1407 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #1408 - © Cameron Bevers

NEW Left - Blue-and-white municipal boundary sign for the Town of Gravenhurst facing southbound traffic on Hwy 11. The District Municipality of Muskoka is home to three large towns, geographically speaking. Gravenhurst, Bracebridge and Huntsville were all enlarged well beyond their historical urban boundaries as a result of amalgamation with their surrounding townships during municipal restructuring carried out in the early 1970s. Accordingly, Hwy 11 passes through lengthy rural sections between the various urban centres of these towns. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on May 22, 2020  -  © Cameron Bevers)

NEW Right - Distance guide sign on southbound Hwy 11 departing from Bracebridge near the Hwy 118 Interchange. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on May 22, 2020  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #1403 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #1409 - © Cameron Bevers

NEW Left - Advance freeway exit guide sign for the Hwy 118 Interchange on northbound Hwy 11 in Bracebridge. The lengthy route of Hwy 118 begins at Hwy 11 and extends easterly for about 130 km to the Bancroft area, via Haliburton. Up until the late 1990s, Hwy 118 also had a western leg which extended west from Bracebridge to Hwy 169 near Port Carling. However, jurisdiction over the western leg of Hwy 118 was transferred from the province to the District Municipality of Muskoka in 1997-1998. Today, this former western leg of Hwy 118 is known as Muskoka Road 118 and is signed accordingly from the Hwy 11 Interchange. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on May 22, 2020  -  © Cameron Bevers)

NEW Right - Blue-and-white municipal boundary sign for the Town of Bracebridge facing northbound traffic on Hwy 11. Prior to the construction of the expanded four-lane Hwy 11 in the early 1970s, Secondary Highway 532 intersected with Hwy 11 at this location. This badly-skewed highway junction was relocated further north so that it intersected with Hwy 11 closer to a right angle. In addition, the intersection was situated in a place where it formed a crossroads intersection with the adjacent Vankoughnet Road (today's Hwy 118). See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on May 22, 2020  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #1410 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #1411 - © Cameron Bevers

NEW Left - Turn-off freeway exit guide sign for the Hwy 118 Interchange on Hwy 11 in Bracebridge. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on May 22, 2020  -  © Cameron Bevers)

NEW Right - Facing east towards Vankoughnet across the Hwy 118 Overpass on Hwy 11 in Bracebridge. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on May 22, 2020  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #1414 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #1416 - © Cameron Bevers

NEW Left - Facing east along Hwy 118 towards Vankoughnet at the Hwy 11 Interchange in Bracebridge. The route of Hwy 118 heads easterly from the Hwy 11 Interchange in Bracebridge via Carnarvon, Haliburton and Tory Hill. The highway eventually connects with Hwy 28 southwest of Bancroft. The section of Hwy 118 between Bracebridge and Carnarvon is a relative newcomer to the King's Highway system. The province did not assume jurisdiction over the Vankoughnet Road east of Bracebridge until 1981. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on May 22, 2020  -  © Cameron Bevers)

NEW Right - Southern side of the Hwy 118 Overpass on Hwy 11. This two-span post-tensioned concrete structure was built under Contract #1974-160 and was completed in 1975. Prior to the completion of this structure and interchange, Vankoughnet Road (today's Hwy 118) crossed Hwy 11 via an at-grade, fully channelized crossroads intersection. This channelized intersection was constructed as part of the widening of Hwy 11 to four lanes under Contract #1971-84. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on May 22, 2020  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #353 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #354 - © Cameron Bevers

Left - Facing south along Hwy 11 towards Gravenhurst from the Hwy 118 Overpass. While the intersecting highway is known as Hwy 118 today, it was historically known as Hwy 532. This Secondary Highway once began at this point and extended northwesterly from Hwy 11 via Bracebridge and Rosseau to join with Hwy 69 at Hayes Corners south of Parry Sound. Jurisdiction over the southern leg of Hwy 532 from Patterson's Corners to Bracebridge was transferred from the province to the District Municipality of Muskoka in 1972, while the rest of the highway from Patterson's Corners northwesterly to Hayes Corners became part of the present day route of Hwy 141. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on June 17, 2006  -  © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Facing north along Hwy 11 towards Bracebridge from the Hwy 118 Overpass. At the time that Hwy 532 existed here prior to 1972, it would have intersected with Hwy 11 via an at-grade intersection. A grade-separated interchange wasn't constructed along Hwy 11 at this location until 1975. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on June 17, 2006  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #1412 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #1413 - © Cameron Bevers

NEW Left - Date stamp (2016) and structure identification number (Site #42-153) on the Hwy 118 Overpass in Bracebridge. In this instance, the date stamp refers to the last rehabilitation of the bridge, rather than the original construction year of 1975. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on May 22, 2020  -  © Cameron Bevers)

NEW Right - Facing west towards Downtown Bracebridge across the Hwy 118 Overpass on Hwy 11. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on May 22, 2020  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #1415 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #563 - © Cameron Bevers

NEW Left - Northern side of the Hwy 118 Overpass on Hwy 11 in Bracebridge. As a result of the mass "downloading" of provincial highways during the late 1990s, Hwy 118 is the only remaining King's Highway which intersects with Hwy 11 between Orillia and the Huntsville area. All others (Hwy 169 South, Hwy 169 North & Hwy 117) are now municipal highways. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on May 22, 2020  -  © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Muskoka River (South Branch) Bridge on northbound Hwy 11. This steel deck truss structure carries the northbound lanes of the Bracebridge Bypass. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on June 9, 2007  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #564 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #568 - © Cameron Bevers

Left - The Muskoka River (South Branch) Bridge on northbound Hwy 11 is a Warren-type steel deck truss structure with steel beam approach spans. This structure was built under Contract #1951-86 and was completed in 1952. It was one of two steel truss bridges constructed along the new Bracebridge Bypass during the early 1950s. The other structure crosses the Muskoka River (North Branch) and is located about 11 km to the north. However, the Muskoka River (North Branch) Bridge is an overhead through truss structure as opposed to a deck truss structure. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on June 9, 2007  -  © Cameron Bevers)

Right - View of the Muskoka River, facing east towards the dual Hwy 11 structures on the Bracebridge Bypass. The hydro dam located on the far side of the Hwy 11 bridges controls water flow into the channel from adjacent Spence Lake. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on June 9, 2007  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #565 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #566 - © Cameron Bevers

Left - Below-deck view of the steel truss superstructure of the Muskoka River (South Branch) Bridge (Site #42-79) which currently carries the northbound lanes of Hwy 11. This bridge underwent an extensive rehabilitation under Contract #1986-95, which included a full replacement of the bridge's original concrete deck. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on June 9, 2007  -  © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Deck view of the Muskoka River (South Branch) Bridge, facing south. The 1952 structure at left originally carried two-way traffic, but it now carries the northbound lanes only. A new bridge was built in the early 1970s at right to carry the southbound lanes of Hwy 11. The Hwy 118 Interchange can be seen in the far distance. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on June 9, 2007  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #569 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #570 - © Cameron Bevers

Left - Western side of the Muskoka River (South Branch) Bridge on southbound Hwy 11 in Bracebridge. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on June 9, 2007  -  © Cameron Bevers)

Right - The Muskoka River Bridge on southbound Hwy 11 (Site #42-79) is an inclined leg steel rigid frame bridge. This structure was built under Contract #1971-84 and was completed in 1972. Interestingly, this bridge was originally opened to traffic with an exposed concrete deck but it was overlaid with a waterproofing membrane and an asphalt wearing surface in 1973, shortly after it was originally completed. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on June 9, 2007  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #571 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #567 - © Cameron Bevers

Left - Close-up of the steel rigid frame structure over the Muskoka River (South Branch). Inclined leg steel rigid frame bridges are rather rare in Ontario. To my knowledge, the only other examples of this bridge design on an Ontario provincial highway are the Seine River Bridge on Hwy 11 between Atikokan and Fort Frances and on the new four-lane alignment of Hwy 69 at the French and Pickerel Rivers north of Byng Inlet. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on June 9, 2007  -  © Cameron Bevers)

Right - The South Branch of the Muskoka River carved out a narrow but deep chasm in the rocks below the two Hwy 11 structures on the Bracebridge Bypass. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on June 9, 2007  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #1000 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #1001 - © Cameron Bevers

Left - Facing south along Hwy 11 towards the Muskoka River (South Branch) Bridge on the Bracebridge Bypass from the Cedar Lane Overpass. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on July 19, 2013  -  © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Date stamp (1997) and structure identification number (Site #42-191) on the Cedar Lane Overpass on Hwy 11 (Bracebridge Bypass). Until the 1990s, Cedar Lane intersected with Hwy 11 via an at-grade intersection a short distance south of this bridge. A grade-separated interchange was constructed here under Contract #1996-49. Interestingly, Cedar Lane itself was a former alignment of Hwy 11 between 1953 and 1975. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on July 19, 2013  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #1002 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #1003 - © Cameron Bevers

Left - View of the Cedar Lane Interchange on the Bracebridge Bypass (Hwy 11), facing south towards Gravenhurst. The completion of this interchange project in the late 1990s removed the last at-grade intersection located along the Bracebridge Bypass between the Hwy 118 Interchange and the Hwy 117 Interchange. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on July 19, 2013  -  © Cameron Bevers)

Right - The ramps at the Cedar Lane Interchange are in an "A-B Parclo" configuration. The exit ramp depicted here from northbound Hwy 11 to Bracebridge is considered a "B" loop ramp. A "B" loop ramp is a situation where a loop ramp exists on the far (downstream) side of the grade separation. Traffic thus utilizes the loop ramp to exit from the freeway. The loop ramp on the southbound side of the highway is an "A" loop ramp, with the loop ramp preceding the grade separation. It is used by traffic entering the freeway from the crossing road. "A-B" Interchanges such as this are fairly uncommon in Ontario. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on July 19, 2013  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #1004 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #278 - © Cameron Bevers

Left - A summer thunderstorm gathers over Hwy 11 at the Cedar Lane Interchange in Bracebridge. Note the "A" loop ramp at left, which carries traffic to southbound Hwy 11. Due to the skew of this interchange, the "B" loop ramp carrying northbound Hwy 11 traffic to Cedar Lane has already exited from the freeway. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on July 19, 2013  -  © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Facing north along Hwy 11 towards Huntsville from the Fraserburg Road Overpass in Bracebridge. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on June 4, 2005  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #279 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #1417 - © Cameron Bevers

Left - Facing south along the Bracebridge Bypass (Hwy 11) towards Gravenhurst from the Fraserburg Road Overpass. Bracebridge, like its neighbour Gravenhurst to the south, has actually been bypassed twice over the years. The first Hwy 11 Bypass (today's Cedar Lane) was completed and opened to traffic in the early 1950s. In 1973, construction began on a four-lane Hwy 11 corridor through the Bracebridge area. Under Contract #1973-80, about 7 miles of four-lane highway was constructed around the eastern side of Bracebridge, primarily on an new alignment situated further out of town. The second Bracebridge Bypass was completed in 1975 at a cost of $4.1 million (in 1975 Dollars), which is roughly the equivalent of $21.5 Million in 2023 Dollars. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on June 4, 2005  -  © Cameron Bevers)

NEW Right - Advance freeway exit guide sign on northbound Hwy 11 approaching the Hwy 117 Interchange in Bracebridge. Like Hwy 169 and the western portion of Hwy 118, the route of Hwy 117 was a former King's Highway which was transferred to the District Municipality of Muskoka during the provincial highway downloading spree of 1997-1998. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 30, 2023  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #1418 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #1419 - © Cameron Bevers

NEW Left - This interesting set of route markers was installed fairly recently along northbound Hwy 11 approaching the Hwy 117 Interchange. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 30, 2023  -  © Cameron Bevers)

NEW Right - Facing north along Hwy 11 towards the Hwy 117 Interchange in Bracebridge. This was one of two new interchanges built along the Bracebridge Bypass during the 1970s. The other interchange was built at the Vankoughnet Road (Hwy 118) Junction in 1975. Other interchanges built along Hwy 11 between Bracebridge and the southern approach to Huntsville were built between the late 1980s and late 1990s. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 30, 2023  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #1420 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #1421 - © Cameron Bevers

NEW Left - This municipal route marker at the Hwy 117 Interchange on Hwy 11 incorrectly identifies Muskoka as a county. Muskoka has officially been known as a "District Municipality" since 1971. The District Municipality of Muskoka operates as an upper-tier municipality, similarly to the way regional municipalities do throughout Southern Ontario. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 30, 2023  -  © Cameron Bevers)

NEW Right - Western terminus of Hwy 117 at the west ramp terminal at the Hwy 11 Interchange. The road ahead is Cedar Lane, which is a municipal street which winds its way slowly towards Bracebridge along the Muskoka River. Westbound traffic on Hwy 117 wishing to access Bracebridge's Town Centre and amenities are well-advised to use Hwy 11 rather than using Cedar Lane, as the latter road is a much slower route into town. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 30, 2023  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #1422 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #1429 - © Cameron Bevers

NEW Left - Facing east across the Hwy 117 Overpass on Hwy 11. A new interchange was built at the junction of Hwy 11 & Hwy 117 in the 1970s under Contract #1978-82. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 30, 2023  -  © Cameron Bevers)

NEW Right - Southern side of the Hwy 117 Overpass on Hwy 11 near Bracebridge. This two-span post-tensioned concrete structure was completed in 1979. Interestingly, this structure was built on alignment with the at-grade intersection which existed here previously. During construction of the new interchange, Hwy 117 traffic was routed through a temporary intersection which was located immediately to the north of the bridge construction site. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 30, 2023  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #1426 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #1427 - © Cameron Bevers

NEW Left - View of Hwy 11 from the Hwy 117 Interchange, facing south towards Bracebridge. Up until 1974, Hwy 117 was designated as part of Hwy 118. This was in the years before Hwy 118 was rerouted to the east of Bracebridge via Carnarvon and Haliburton. Between 1955 and 1974, the routes of Hwy 11 & Hwy 118 were overlapped between this junction and the old Hwy 118 Junction (Taylor Road) which led west from Hwy 11 into Downtown Bracebridge. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 30, 2023  -  © Cameron Bevers)

NEW Right - Facing west across the Hwy 117 Overpass at Hwy 11. Up until the construction of this grade separation in 1979, Hwy 117 met Hwy 11 at an at-grade intersection. Although motorists can reach Bracebridge's Town Centre by continuing straight ahead via Cedar Lane, it is considerably faster to use Hwy 11. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 30, 2023  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #1428 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #1423 - © Cameron Bevers

NEW Left - Facing east along Hwy 117 from the Hwy 11 Interchange in Bracebridge. The ramps at the Hwy 117 Interchange are in a relatively uncommon four-ramp "Parclo A-B" configuration. Interchanges with this design have all ramps situated on only one side of the crossing road, with one loop ramp entering the freeway (the "A" ramp) and also one loop ramp exiting the freeway (the "B" ramp). These interchanges are often used in locations where a constraint (a river, in this particular instance) makes the construction of ramps on one side of the crossing road impractical from either a design or a construction cost perspective. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 30, 2023  -  © Cameron Bevers)

NEW Right - Date stamp (1979) and structure identification number (Site #42-174) on the Hwy 117 Overpass on Hwy 11 in Bracebridge. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 30, 2023  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #1424 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #1425 - © Cameron Bevers

NEW Left - Facing north along the southbound lanes of Hwy 11 from the Hwy 117 Overpass near Bracebridge. The Muskoka River (North Branch) Bridge can be seen in background. This steel through truss structure originally carried both directions of traffic along Hwy 11 when it was initially opened to traffic in 1953. However, as traffic volumes along Hwy 11 continued to grow, the highway was expanded from two to four lanes. A separate structure was built at right under Contract #1973-80 in order to carry the northbound lanes of Hwy 11. As part of this contract, Hwy 11 was expanded from two to four lanes from just north of the Vankoughnet Road (Hwy 118) Interchange northerly to High Falls Road. For a couple of years in the mid-1970s, the northbound Hwy 11 carriageway at right came to an end at the hill in the background, where all Hwy 11 traffic converged back into a single two-lane roadway. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 30, 2023  -  © Cameron Bevers)

NEW Right - View of Hwy 11 facing north between the Hwy 117 Interchange and the dual bridges over the Muskoka River (North Branch). This photo clearly illustrates the growing importance of the Hwy 11 corridor within the provincial highway system. Traffic volumes more than doubled on this section of Hwy 11 from 2,700 vehicles per day in 1955 to almost 6,600 vehicles per day by 1972. Summer traffic volumes along the corridor exceeded 10,000 vehicles per day by 1972, resulting in periodic congestion especially at busy intersections. Throughout the 1970s, Hwy 11 was expanded from two to four lanes starting from Gravenhurst and continuing northerly to Huntsville. Grade-separated interchanges were gradually constructed at the busier intersections along the divided highway. The Hwy 117 Interchange is the last grade-separated crossing on Hwy 11 until the Hwy 141 Interchange near Port Sydney, which lies about 14 km to the north. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 30, 2023  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #1430 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #297 - © Cameron Bevers

NEW Left - Northern side of the Hwy 117 Overpass on Hwy 11 in Bracebridge. The post-tensioned concrete bridge design was commonly used on many of Ontario's freeways between the 1960s and 1990s. These bridges are constructed using a cast-in-place method, with temporary formwork used to support the concrete until it has cured. Despite their solid appearance, post-tensioned bridges are actually not solid concrete slab bridges. Typically, they will have circular or rectangular-shaped voids contained within the superstructure. A network of cables or "tendons" within the superstructure are then used to provide additional structural support to the bridge both longitudinally (length-wise) as well as transversely (width-wise). These tendons are anchored into the bridge's abutments and then tensioned, which results in a very strong and also aesthetically-pleasing bridge design. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 30, 2023  -  © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Muskoka River Bridge (North Branch) on the southbound lanes of Hwy 11 near the Hwy 117 Interchange. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 19, 2003  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #298 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #302 - © Cameron Bevers

Left - Western side of the Muskoka River (North Branch) Bridge on southbound Hwy 11. This single span steel through truss structure was built under Contract #1951-85 and was completed in 1953. This Historical 1953 Photo shows Hwy 11 at the Muskoka River (North Branch) Bridge when it was operating as an undivided two-lane highway. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on September 19, 2003  -  © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Facing north along Hwy 11 towards Huntsville from the intersection with Stevenson Road 1. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on June 17, 2006  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #301 - © Cameron Bevers             HWY 11 #355 - © Cameron Bevers

Left - Facing south along Hwy 11 towards the intersection with Stevenson Road 1. This is one of several at-grade intersections along Hwy 11 between Gravenhurst and Huntsville. The Ministry of Transportation plans to close all at-grade intersections along Hwy 11 and replace them with grade separations or interchanges in the future, once traffic conditions warrant these improvements. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on June 17, 2006  -  © Cameron Bevers)

Right - Facing north along Hwy 11 towards the intersection with South Mary Lake Road near Port Sydney. This at-grade intersection was removed in 2020 and replaced with ramps. Traffic wishing to cross from the eastern side of Hwy 11 to the western side of Hwy 11 must now use the Hwy 141 Underpass located about 1 km to the north. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on June 17, 2006  -  © Cameron Bevers)





HWY 11 #307 - © Cameron Bevers

Above - Advance freeway exit guide sign on northbound Hwy 11 for the Muskoka Road 3 Interchange in Huntsville. Prior to the construction of the Huntsville Bypass in 1959, this was the route that Hwy 11 followed into Downtown Huntsville. From 1959 until the early 1970s, this bypassed section of Hwy 11 was known as Hwy 11B. Jurisdiction over the old route of Hwy 11 approaching Huntsville was transferred from the province to the newly-formed District Municipality of Muskoka in 1972. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photograph taken on July 11, 2010  -  © Cameron Bevers)





Back to King's Highway 11 Photos: Old Route via Gravenhurst, Bracebridge and Port Sydney


Continue on to King's Highway 11 Photos: Huntsville to Emsdale


Links to Adjacent King's Highway Photograph Pages:


Back to Hwy 11 - Orillia to Gravenhurst      Hwy 11 Photo Index      On to Hwy 11 - Huntsville to Emsdale



Back to King's Highway 10 Photos    /     King's Highway 11 History    /     On to King's Highway 12 Photos

Ontario Highway History - Main Menu    /     Back to List of Highways



Website contents, photos & text © 2002-2025, Cameron Bevers (Webmaster) - All Rights Reserved  /  Contact Me



Valid HTML 4.01!   Valid CSS!