Highway 127 (Ontario)
Encyclopedia
King's Highway 127, commonly referred to as Highway 127, is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian
province of Ontario
. The route begins in Maynooth
, connecting Highway 62 north of Bancroft
with Highway 60 in the township of South Algonquin, east of Whitney and Algonquin Provincial Park
. The speed limit on the highway is 80 kilometres per hour (50 mph) for its entirety, with the exception of 3 sharp corners where it is reduced to 70 kilometres per hour (43 mph). It is patrolled by the Ontario Provincial Police
.
Highway 127 was designated in late 1955, generally following the same route as today, with the exception of the northern terminus. During the early 1960s, a new road was constructed east of Whitney, bypassing the old highway for several kilometres. By 1963, the bypass was complete and Highway 127 was rerouted onto it.
The only community Highway 127 passes through is Lake St. Peter. The highway passes through large swaths of undeveloped forest on its 39 km (24.2 mi) journey, and is rather remote; aside from the towns at the northern and southern terminii, the only named community on Highway 127 is Lake St. Peter.
Like most routes which pass through the Canadian Shield
, Highway 127 travels through rock cuts and muskeg
-ridden terrain in the midst of dense coniferous forests. There is little agricultural activity along the route. Within Maynooth, Highway 127 serves nearly three times as many vehicles as the rest of the route; while a daily average of 1800 vehicles use Highway 127 in Maynooth, only 650 travel the length of the route.
The highway was 44.3 km (27.5 mi) long when it was designated. It was paved as far north as Lake St. Peter, after which it was a gravel road
.
Over the next several years, the highway was paved north towards Whitney. In the early 1960s, it was decided to bypass to the east of the northernmost section of the highway. Construction began in 1961 and was completed by 1963, shaving 5 km (3.1 mi) off the length of the route. Aside from minor realignments, the route of Highway 127 has not changed since then.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. The route begins in Maynooth
Maynooth
Maynooth is a town in north County Kildare, Ireland. It is home to a branch of the National University of Ireland, a Papal University and Ireland's main Roman Catholic seminary, St. Patrick's College...
, connecting Highway 62 north of Bancroft
Bancroft, Ontario
Bancroft is a town located on the York River in Hastings County in the Canadian province of Ontario.- History :In 1853 the first pioneer family settled in the area, and over the next 15 years the settlement grew quickly, as another 88 families followed...
with Highway 60 in the township of South Algonquin, east of Whitney and Algonquin Provincial Park
Algonquin Provincial Park
Algonquin Provincial Park is a provincial park located between Georgian Bay and the Ottawa River in Central Ontario, Canada, mostly within the Unorganized South Part of Nipissing District. Established in 1893, it is the oldest provincial park in Canada. Additions since its creation have increased...
. The speed limit on the highway is 80 kilometres per hour (50 mph) for its entirety, with the exception of 3 sharp corners where it is reduced to 70 kilometres per hour (43 mph). It is patrolled by the Ontario Provincial Police
Ontario Provincial Police
The Ontario Provincial Police is the Provincial Police service for the province of Ontario, Canada.-Overview:The OPP is the the largest deployed police force in Ontario, and the second largest in Canada. The service is responsible for providing policing services throughout the province in areas...
.
Highway 127 was designated in late 1955, generally following the same route as today, with the exception of the northern terminus. During the early 1960s, a new road was constructed east of Whitney, bypassing the old highway for several kilometres. By 1963, the bypass was complete and Highway 127 was rerouted onto it.
Route description
Highway 127 is a remote connector highway that lies east of Algonquin Park, the oldest provincial park in Ontario and one of the most frequented camping grounds in the world. It connects the northern end of Highway 62 in Maynooth with Highway 60 east of WhitneyThe only community Highway 127 passes through is Lake St. Peter. The highway passes through large swaths of undeveloped forest on its 39 km (24.2 mi) journey, and is rather remote; aside from the towns at the northern and southern terminii, the only named community on Highway 127 is Lake St. Peter.
Like most routes which pass through the Canadian Shield
Canadian Shield
The Canadian Shield, also called the Laurentian Plateau, or Bouclier Canadien , is a vast geological shield covered by a thin layer of soil that forms the nucleus of the North American or Laurentia craton. It is an area mostly composed of igneous rock which relates to its long volcanic history...
, Highway 127 travels through rock cuts and muskeg
Muskeg
Muskeg is an acidic soil type common in Arctic and boreal areas, although it is found in other northern climates as well. Muskeg is approximately synonymous with bogland but muskeg is the standard term in Western Canada and Alaska, while 'bog' is common elsewhere. The term is of Cree origin, maskek...
-ridden terrain in the midst of dense coniferous forests. There is little agricultural activity along the route. Within Maynooth, Highway 127 serves nearly three times as many vehicles as the rest of the route; while a daily average of 1800 vehicles use Highway 127 in Maynooth, only 650 travel the length of the route.
History
Highway 127 was first designated in 1955 along an existing road between Maynooth and Whitney. The section within the Hastings County was designated on October 19 and the section within Nipissing District on November 16.The highway was 44.3 km (27.5 mi) long when it was designated. It was paved as far north as Lake St. Peter, after which it was a gravel road
Gravel road
A gravel road is a type of unpaved road surfaced with gravel that has been brought to the site from a quarry or stream bed. They are common in less-developed nations, and also in the rural areas of developed nations such as Canada and the United States. In New Zealand, they are known as 'metal roads'...
.
Over the next several years, the highway was paved north towards Whitney. In the early 1960s, it was decided to bypass to the east of the northernmost section of the highway. Construction began in 1961 and was completed by 1963, shaving 5 km (3.1 mi) off the length of the route. Aside from minor realignments, the route of Highway 127 has not changed since then.
Major intersections
The following table lists the major junctions along Highway 127. In addition, it includes some minor junctions that are noted by the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario.| Division | Location | km | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hastings County | Maynooth | 0.0 | Meeting point of the Hastings, Madawaska and Peterson Colonization Roads | |
| Lake St. Peter | 13.4 | Lake St. Peter Road | ||
| Nipissing District | South Algonquin | 38.6 | , Algonquin Provincial Park Algonquin Provincial Park Algonquin Provincial Park is a provincial park located between Georgian Bay and the Ottawa River in Central Ontario, Canada, mostly within the Unorganized South Part of Nipissing District. Established in 1893, it is the oldest provincial park in Canada. Additions since its creation have increased... |