In 1924, Atikokan highway (from Fort William) opens for traffic, providing access to mining, lumbering and tourist areas. The original routing of Highway 17 travelled into Port Arthur along the Dawson Road, now Highway 102.
Highway 11 and 17 run concurrently between Nipigon down to Thunder Bay for about 90 kilometres (56 mi) incuding the Thunder Bay Expressway (the “Thunder Bay Bypass”) on the northwestern outskirts of town. Then, at Fort William the shared route swing west on the Shabaqua Highway, encountering Kakabeka Falls several kilometers later. At that point Highway 17 heads northwest toward Kenora and Highway 11 heads west to Fort Frances.
Durring World War II large iron deposits were found at Steep Rock Lake, near Atikokan, which requred a road to be built in 1950. The Atikokan road was upgraded to a highway that was officially opened in 1953. This road was originally designated as Highway 120, but in 1960 became a continuation of Highway 11. At this time, the Fort Frances area was accessible only from across the United States border. Over the next five years work continued on the construction west to Fort Frances, including a 5 kilometre long causeway over Rainy Lake (which was proudly featured in Ontario Tourism brochures and maps for the next decade).
From Fort Frances/International Falls Highway 11 runs west parallel to the Canada-USA border for 51 kilometres (32 mi) to Rainy River, where the roadway crosses a bridge into Baudette, Minnesota.
At Emo, Highway 11 connects to highway 71 which continues north along the eastern edge of Lake of The Woods, passing commmunities like Sioux Narrows, Nestor Falls to reconnect to the main Trans-Canada at Kenora. Much of Highway 71 was completed early in the 1930s, but was finally completed in 1936 when the bridge was built at the Sioux Narrows gap. The bridge was solidly built of old-growth Dougls Fir.
The Longest Street in the World
The route west from Thunder Bay is a continuation of Highway 11, also known as Yonge Street which begins at the waterfront in Toronto, and continues north to North Bay, continues as the northern route of the Trans-Canada Highway to Nipigon. Between Nipigon #11 and #17 share the same road,, but when the road ends in International Falls, it marks the end of the “longest street in the world”, over 1,896 kilometres (1,178 mi) long.
However, because No segment of the highway anywhere north of Barrie ever actually bore the name, the Guinness Book of World Records stopped recognizing this claim after 1999.
More Trans-Canada Highway History
Trans-Canada Highway Itinerary Map
Use mouse to drag/move map. Click on “+” or “–” to zoom in or out. “Satellite” combines map & photo.