Ontario Highway 17



Highway 17 is the main Trans-Canada Highway route through the province of Ontario. At 1,964km, it is the longest Highway in Ontario. It goes from the Manitoba border in the west to the western terminus of Highway 417 in the east.

Route Details
Most of Highway 17's route through the Canadian Shield is only two lanes, with few four lane sections or passing lanes. It is the only Highway connecting Ontario with Manitoba.

Manitoba to Thunder Bay
Most of Highway 17 from Manitoba to Thunder Bay travels in a general southeast direction (except from Manitoba to Dryden, when it goes northeast).

Highway 17 starts at the Manitoba-Ontario border (where the Trans-Canada Highway continues west as Manitoba Highway 1). It immediately goes east to a junction with Highway 17A in Keewatin. It then proceeds east into Kenora, just east of which it meets Highway 17A's eastern terminus (Highway 17A is a route used to bypass Kenora). Immediately east of here, Highway 17 meets the northern terminus of Highway 71, which is an alternate route of the Trans-Canada Highway, but not the main route. From here, Highway 17 goes northeast to a junction with Highway 105 just east of Vermilion Bay. Highway 17 then travels southeast to the western terminus of Highway 594, which provides access to Eagle Lake. Highway 17 then goes east through Oxdrift to the southern terminus of Highway 665. From here, Highway 17 goes directly south to Dryden. Withing Dryden, Highway 17 meets the eastern terminus of Highway 594, as well as the western terminus of Highway 601 (which goes north, turns east, and then goes south by Dryden Regional Airport before meeting Highway 17 again just east of Dryden).

From Dryden, Highway 17 goes east to a location known as Six Mile Corner, from which it goes southeast to Wabigoon, passing through Aaron Provincial Park on the way. It then goes southeast to Dinorwic, where it meets the southern terminus of Highway 72. From here, Highway 17 goes southeast to the northern terminus of Highway 622 just west of Ignace. Highway 17 then continues southeast to Ignace, where it meets Highway 599. Southeast of Ignace, Highway 17 meets Highway 11, which is an alternate Trans-Canada Highway route, and the two highways start sharing a concurrency.

From the Highway 11 junction, Highway 17/11 goes southeast to a junction with Highway 102. Highways 17/11 then go south to Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park, where they meet the eastern terminus of Highway 590. They then go east out of the park to the town of Kakabeka Falls. Highways 17/11 then meet the eastern terminus of Highway 588 just west of Thunder Bay. They then continue east to the northern terminus of Highway 130 in Thunder Bay

Thunder Bay to Sudbury
From the Highway 130 junction, Highway 17/11 goes northeast to the northern terminus of Ontario Highway 61 (Thunder Bay Expressway). Highway 17/11 then goes left onto the Thunder Bay Expressway. Just north of the junction, the highways get the Terry Fox Courage Highway designation. Northeast of here, the highways reach the southern terminus of Highway 102. This is where the Terry Fox Courage Highway ends. From here, the Trans-Canada Highway goes northeast out of the city to the southern terminus of Highway 527. Highway 17/11 then goes northeast to the town of Nipigon, where Highway 11 diverges north, leaving Highway 17 alone again.

From Nipigon, Highway 17 goes east along the northern shore of Lake Superior through Rossport, Schreiber, and Terrace Bay to Marathon. Between Nipigon and Rossport, Highway 17 passes through Gravel River Provincial Nature Reserve and Rainbow Falls Provincial Park. East of Marathon, Highway 17 reaches the southern terminus of Highway 614. It then goes southeast to White River where it meets Highway 631. Highway 17 then goes southeast through Obatanga Provincial Park to the western terminus of Highway 519. It then continues southeast to Wawa, where it meets Highway 101.

From Wawa, Highway 17 goes south along the eastern shore of Lake Superior. South of Wawa, it enters Lake Superior Provincial Park, and goes south through the park. After exiting said park, Highway 17 goes southeast to the city of Sault Ste. Marie, passing through Pancake Bay Provincial Park on the way. Highway 17 meets Highway 556 just before entering the city. Once in the city, Highway 17 travels south down Great Northern Road to an intersection with Second Line East (Highway 550 eastern terminus), which it goes east down. Once it reaches Black Road, it goes south to an intersection with Trunk Road, which it follows northeast. Once it reaches the junction with Highway 17B, it veers north then goes around to the east, and then south, where it meets Highway 17B again just south of Macdonald. Highway 17 then goes south to the northern terminus of Highway 548. It then goes east to Desbarats, from which it goes southeast to Bruce Mines, where it meets Highway 638. It then continues southeast to the southern terminus of Highway 129 in Thessalon. From here, it goes northeast to Huron Shores, where it reaches the southern terminus of Highway 546.

From Huron Shores, Highway 17 goes southeast to Blind River, where it meets the very short Highway 557. It then goes east to Serpent River, where it meets Highway 102, passing by Spragge on the way. From Serpent River, Highway 17 goes east to Spanish, from which it goes east to Walford, then northeast to Massey. From here, it goes northeast to Webbwood, then northeast to Mckerrow, where it meets Highway 6, which provides access to Espanola. From Webbwood, Highway 17 goes northeast to Haim, then continues northeast to Whitefish, where it meets both Highway 55 and Highway 3. Also in Whitefish, Highway 17 becomes a freeway. Highway 17 then goes northeast as a freeway to a parclo interchange with Highway 144, then continues northeast to a parclo interchange with Highway 55, passing right over Highway 24 on the way, before entering into the city of Sudbury.

Sudbury to Arnprior
Just east of the Highway 55 interchange, Highway 17 loses the freeway status. It also meets the southern terminus of Highway 31 just east of here. Once it passes by Southview Drive, it becomes designated as Southwest Bypass. It goes east with this designation to an interchange with the southern terminus of Highway 46 and the northern terminus of Highway 69 (which is used as an alternate route of the Trans-Canada Highway. It provides access to Ontario's capitol, as well as Canada's largest city, Toronto). From here, Highway 17 goes northeast as Southeast Bypass to the eastern terminus of Highway 55, on the way to which it passes right over Highway 67.

From the Highway 55 junction, Highway 17 goes east to Coniston, where it meets a tiny spur of Highway 93, as well as the southern terminus of Highway 90. Just east of Coniston, Highway 17 meets the northern terminus of Highway 537 in Wahnapitae. It then goes southeast to a junction with Highway 535 in Markstay-Warren. From here, it goes southeast to the southern terminus of Highway 539 in Warren. It then continues southeast to Verner, where it meets the southern terminus of Highway 575. Also in Verner, Highway 64 merges onto Highway 17, and the two highways travel southeast to West Nipissing, where Highway 64 diverges north. Highway 17 then goes east to North Bay, where Highway 17 meets Highway 11 again. Highway 17/11 then travels south to the western terminus of Highway 63. They then continue south to a freeway section, where Highway 17 diverges to the east.

From North Bay, Highway 17 goes east to Mattawa, where it meets the southern terminus of Highway 533. It then goes southeast to Deep River, then continues southeast to Petawawa. Once in Petawawa, Highway 17 reaches a tiny spur of Highway 55, then goes south where it intersects with Highway 37. Continuing south, Highway 17 meets Highway 26 just south of Petawawa. It then goes southeast to Pembroke, where it meets Highways 58 and 41. Just south of Pembroke, Highway 17 meets Highway 24, and then goes southeast to Highway 40.

From the Highway 40 junction just south of Pembroke, Highway 17 goes southeast to Cobden, where it meets both Highway 8 and Highway 7. It then continues southeast to an intersection with Highway 4. South of here, Highway 17 meets Highway 20 before entering Renfrew, where it meets Highway 60 and Highway 6. It then goes southeast to an intersection with Highway 63 before contining southeast to an intersection with the southern terminus of Highway 54, and the northern terminus of Highway 508. From here, Highway 17 goes east to Arnprior, where it becomes a freeway. It then goes east out of Arnprior to an interchange where Highway 417 begins. Highway 17 exits off the freeway, while Highway 417 carries the freeway as well as the Trans-Canada Highway. Highway 17 goes north from here to Madawaska Boulevard, where it turns east. It then goes southeast with the designation of simpley Hwy 17 to its eastern terminus at Grants Side Road.