Ontario Highway 11 Photographs - Page 4 - History of Ontario's Kings Highways

Left - Postcard view of Cumberland Street (Hwy 11 & Hwy 17) in Downtown Port Arthur in 1960, facing north towards the Hwy 11A & Hwy 17A Junction. This wonderful photo shows a busy downtown street scene at Cumberland Street and Arthur Street (today's Red River Road). Prior to the construction of the Lakehead Expressway (today's Thunder Bay Expressway) in the late 1960s, all east-west through traffic had to pass through Port Arthur on either Hwy 11 & Hwy 17 or the signed alternate route via Hwy 11A & Hwy 17A. This 1960 photo was taken shortly after the Hwy 11 designation was extended westerly from the route's former terminus at Nipigon. Note the newly-installed dual Hwy 11 & Hwy 17 route markers on the green pole at left. It is also interesting to note that The Camera Shop, whose staff photographers captured some of the most important highway construction achievements in Northwestern Ontario's history, is located across the street behind the red city bus. From the 1930s up until about 1960, The Camera Shop published hundreds of photographs of Northwestern Ontario's highways as souvenir postcards for tourists, some of which are featured on my website. Today, these souvenir postcards offer historians a unique historical perspective into the development of the area's highway network. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photo courtesy of Alex Wilson Publications Ltd.)

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Right - Circa 1960 postcard view of Dunlop Street (Hwy 11) facing east from the Hwy 26 & Hwy 27 Junction in Downtown Barrie. This interesting photo shows the "five points" intersection in the City Centre, with the traffic signals operating in an "All Red" phase to allow exclusive pedestrian movements. The completion of the Barrie Bypass (Hwy 400) during the Summer of 1952 relieved Downtown Barrie of the burdensome long-distance through traffic which once clogged the city centre. Two of the province's major north-south highways (Hwy 11 and Hwy 27) converged into a single overlapped route through Barrie. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photo courtesy of Norman Sanderson)

Left - Circa 1960 postcard view of Hwy 11 & Hwy 69 at Beaver Creek Hill, located about 4 miles south of Gravenhurst. Compare this circa 1960 historical photo with my 2006 Photo, taken from the same location showing the current four-lane divided highway. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photo courtesy of Sterling Photos, Cornwall, ON)

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Right - Circa 1960 aerial postcard view of Hwy 11 in Hearst, facing southeast. See an Enlarged Photo Here.
(Photo courtesy of Irwin Specialties Ltd. Toronto)

Left - Approaching "Gasoline Alley" on Hwy 11 north of Barrie in 1961, facing north towards Orillia. This photo shows the newly-widened four-lane section of Hwy 11 between Barrie and Orillia, which was completed in 1960. Note the painted median between the northbound and southbound lanes, which was introduced as an additional safety feature on this highway. It is believed that this was the first example of a painted median used on a multi-lane highway in Ontario. The painted median on this section of Hwy 11 was replaced with a box-beam median barrier in 1977. Photo taken in September 1961.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 2011)

Right - Western side of the Willow Creek Bridge on Hwy 11 at "Gasoline Alley" north of Barrie. This single-span concrete rigid frame structure was completed in 1954. Photo taken in September 1961.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 2011)

Left - Eastern side of the Hwy 11B (Laclie Street) Underpass on Hwy 11 in Orillia. Photo taken in September 1961.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 2011)

Right - Facing north along Hwy 11 from the Hwy 11B (Laclie Street) Interchange on the Orillia Bypass. Photo taken in September 1961.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 2011)

Left - Facing south along Hwy 11 towards the Memorial Avenue (Hwy 11B) Interchange in Orillia. Photo taken in September 1961.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 2011)

Right - Facing north along Hwy 11B (Memorial Avenue) at the Hwy 11 Interchange on the Orillia Bypass. Photo taken in September 1961.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 2011)

Left - Hwy 400 at the Willow Creek Bridge near Barrie, facing north towards the Hwy 400 Extension Overpass near Crown Hill. Note the overhead "butterfly" style sign in the background, marking the Hwy 400 and Hwy 11 split at this interchange. See an Enlarged Photo Here. Photo taken on May 30, 1962.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 2013)

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Right - Completed High-Level Bridge on the Rainy Lake Causeway on Hwy 11 east of Fort Frances, Contract #1960-249. See an Enlarged Photo Here. Photo taken in 1962.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 1962)

Left - Wabi River Bridge under construction near New Liskeard on the Tri-Town Bypass (Hwy 11 New), Contracts #1961-254 (structural steel) and #1961-259 (concrete substructure and approaches). See an Enlarged Photo Here. Photo taken in 1962.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 1962)

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Right - Bridge under construction near New Liskeard on the Tri-Town Bypass (Hwy 11 New). See an Enlarged Photo Here. Photo taken in 1962.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 1962)

Left - Rock cut excavation on an extension of Hwy 11 between Atikokan and Fort Frances. See an Enlarged Photo Here. Photo taken in 1963.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 1963)

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Right - Completed resurfacing along Hwy 11 at the Aidie Creek Bridge between Englehart and the Hwy 112 Junction, Contract #1962-30. Interestingly, when this photo was taken in 1963, there were two roadside parks at Aidie Creek. The northbound Hwy 11 park seen across the bridge on the right-hand side of the highway has been closed for many years, but the southbound Hwy 11 park is still in operation today. However, the park's entrance was relocated to a point further south than the location shown in this photo. See an Enlarged Photo Here. Photo taken in 1963.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 1963)

Left - Grading the Tri-Town Bypass (Hwy 11 New) near New Liskeard, Contract #1961-254. See an Enlarged Photo Here. Photo taken in 1963.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 1963)

Right - Hwy 65 Underpass nearing completion on the Hwy 11 Tri-Town Bypass west of New Liskeard, Contracts #1961-180 (concrete beams) & #1961-247 (concrete substructure and approaches). See an Enlarged Photo Here. Photo taken in 1963.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 1963)

Above - Plan from 1963 which illustrates the newly-completed Tri-Town Bypass (Hwy 11 New) around the Towns of Cobalt, Haileybury and New Liskeard. This new 12-mile bypass for Hwy 11 was officially completed and opened to traffic on September 16, 1963. The former route of Hwy 11 through the three towns was subsequently renumbered as Hwy 11B. See an Enlarged Photo Here. Plan dated 1963.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 1963)

Left - Resurfacing a section of Hwy 11 north of the Hwy 67 Junction near Iroquois Falls, Contract #1963-93. See an Enlarged Photo Here. Photo taken in 1963.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 1963)

Right - Reconstruction of Hwy 11 east of Val Albert, Contract #1964-140. See an Enlarged Photo Here. Photo taken in 1964.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 1964)

Left - Removal of broken pavement on Hwy 11 east of Val Albert, Contract #1964-140. See an Enlarged Photo Here. Photo taken in 1964.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 1964)

Right - Heavy grading on a new section of Hwy 11 about 30 miles west of Atikokan, Contract #1963-119. See an Enlarged Photo Here. Photo taken in 1964.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 1964)

Above - Aerial view of the Bear Pass Bridge under construction on Hwy 11, 23 miles east of Fort Frances. This impressive single-span welded steel plate girder structure was built under Contracts #1962-253 (structural steel) & #1962-304 (concrete substructure and approaches). See an Enlarged Photo Here. Photo taken in 1964.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 1964)

Left - Resurfaced section of Hwy 11 about 3 miles north of Temagami. See an Enlarged Photo Here. Photo taken in 1964.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 1964)

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Right - Seine River Bridge nearing completion on Hwy 11 west of Atikokan in 1965. This attractive inclined leg steel rigid frame structure was built under Contracts #1963-18 (structural steel) & #1963-119 (concrete substructure and approaches). This bridge formed a key link in the extension of Hwy 11 between Atikokan and Fort Frances. See an Enlarged Photo Here. Photo taken in 1965.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 1965)

Left - Facing north across the Crown Hill Overpass (Hwy 400 Extension) near Barrie. Note that the right-hand northbound lane was striped off at the time this photo was taken, since the remainder of Hwy 400 heading north from this interchange from Barrie to Coldwater was an undivided highway with a single lane in each direction. A second lane was added across this bridge in the 1970s, when Hwy 400 was widened to four lanes north of the Crown Hill Overpass. Photo taken on May 28, 1965.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 2013)

Right - Hwy 400 Extension (Crown Hill) Overpass near Barrie, facing north towards the Hwy 11 & Hwy 93 Interchange at Crown Hill. Photo taken on May 28, 1965.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 2013)

Above - Facing south along the Orillia Bypass (Hwy 11) at the Hwy 12 & Hwy 12B Cloverleaf in 1965. This early photo shows the original eight-ramp cloverleaf at Hwy 12 & Hwy 12B (Coldwater Road) on the Orillia Bypass. The completion of the cloverleaf in 1956 allowed through traffic on Hwy 11 to access both Hwy 12 West to Midland and Downtown Orillia via Hwy 12B (Coldwater Road). Note the old British-American Oil fuel tanker truck heading southbound towards Barrie in the background. The Hwy 12 & Hwy 12B Cloverleaf was removed during a highway reconstruction project in 2002. It was replaced with a standard six-ramp "Parclo A-4" Interchange. Although it was rehabilitated as part of this reconstruction project, the original 1956 overpass structure still stands today. See an Enlarged Photo Here. Photo taken in October 1965.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 2014)

Left - Completed hot-mix asphalt paving on Hwy 11 west of the Seine River Bridge between Atikokan and Fort Frances, Contract #1966-19. See an Enlarged Photo Here. Photo taken in 1966.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 1966)

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Right - Resurfacing on Hwy 11 north of the Hwy 64 Junction at Marten River, Contract #1967-503. See an Enlarged Photo Here. Photo taken in 1967.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 1967)

Above - Completed and newly-surfaced section of Hwy 11 west of Atikokan. The completion of this final link in Hwy 11 through Northwestern Ontario reduced the highway distance from Fort Frances to Thunder Bay by about 200 miles (320 km). Previously, motorists in the Rainy River District who wished to drive east to Thunder Bay had to first drive north to Kenora via Hwy 71 and then use Hwy 17 to reach Thunder Bay. See an Enlarged Photo Here. Photo taken in 1967.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 1967)

Left - Construction of the new Lakehead Expressway (Hwy 11 & Hwy 17 New) at the Hwy 130 Junction (Oliver Road) west of Port Arthur, Contract #1966-79. This section of the Lakehead Expressway was subsequently bypassed by a new route in the 1970s. Today, this bypassed section of the Lakehead Expressway is known as Golf Links Road. See an Enlarged Photo Here. Photo taken in 1967.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 1967)

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Right - Mackenzie River Culvert nearing completion on Hwy 11 & Hwy 17 northeast of Port Arthur, Contract #1966-162. This massive concrete barrel arch culvert was very cleverly constructed through one of the spans of an old steel deck truss structure, which had been constructed on the Port Arthur-Nipigon Highway back in 1931. See an Enlarged Photo Here. Photo taken in 1967.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 1967)

Left - Construction of a new bridge over the Current River on the Lakehead Expressway (Hwy 11 & Hwy 17 New) in Port Arthur, Contract #1967-56. See an Enlarged Photo Here. Photo taken in 1967.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 1967)

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Right - Completed Mackenzie River Culvert on Hwy 11 & Hwy 17 northeast of Port Arthur, Contract #1966-162. With a span length of 142 feet, this was by far the largest barrel arch culvert ever constructed on the King's Highways. Note that in this photo, the old steel deck truss structure above the culvert has been removed. See an Enlarged Photo Here. Photo taken in 1967.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 1967)

Left - Completed Seine River Bridge on Hwy 11 west of Atikokan. See an Enlarged Photo Here. Photo taken in 1967.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 1967)

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Right - Pier construction for the new dual bridges over Gull Lake Narrows on the Gravenhurst Bypass (Hwy 11 New), Contract #1968-195. See an Enlarged Photo Here. Photo taken in 1968.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 1968)

Above - Crown Hill Overpass on Hwy 400 approaching the Hwy 11 & Hwy 93 Interchange north of Barrie in 1968. At this major fork, the Hwy 400 Extension exits from the freeway and continues north across the overpass towards Coldwater, while the un-posted route of Hwy 400A continues straight ahead to Crown Hill, where it connects with Hwy 11 to Orillia. Note the incredibly retro guide sign at right, marking the upcoming Hwy 93 Exit at Crown Hill. See an Enlarged Photo Here. Photo taken on August 12, 1968.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 2019)

Left - Resurfacing on Hwy 11 east of Mattice, Contract #1968-48. See an Enlarged Photo Here. Photo taken in 1968.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 1968)

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Right - New Gravenhurst Northern Entrance Flyover nearing completion on Hwy 11 New (Gravenhurst Bypass), Contract #1968-195. See an Enlarged Photo Here. Photo taken in 1969.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 1969)

Left - Crane cutting a new ditch line along Hwy 11 west of Smooth Rock Falls between Strickland and Gregoire Mills, Contract #1969-27. See an Enlarged Photo Here. Photo taken in 1969.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 1969)

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Right - Hot-mix paving operations along Hwy 11 west of Hearst, Contract #1969-505. See an Enlarged Photo Here. Photo taken in 1969.
(Photo courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Transportation - © King's Printer for Ontario, 1969)