Highway 520 (Ontario)
Encyclopedia
Secondary Highway 520, commonly referred to as Highway 520, is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian
province of Ontario
. The highway is 68 kilometres (42.3 mi) in length, connecting several small communities in Parry Sound District with Highway 124 and Highway 11.
The highway links several remote First Nation hamlets to the major highway routes of the region. However, the only places of noteworthy size are the village of Magnetawan
and the town of Burk's Falls. It is concurrent
with Highway 124 for 15.4 kilometres (9.6 mi).
(CN). It loops west, then south through a sparsely populated region of the Canadian Shield
, though providing access to several First Nation villages. Upon reaching Highway 124, the two routes travel east, concurrently, for 15.4 kilometres (9.6 mi). Highway 520 then branches to the south, meets Highway 510 and passes through the village of Magnetawan
.
Southeast of Magnetawan, the highway winds along the northern shore of Cecebe Lake, bisecting several small communities en route. It enters the town of Burk's Falls, where it is known as Ryerson Centre Road. Passing beneath the Burk's Falls Bypass of Highway 11, Highway 520 parallels the Magnetawan River
briefly then turns south onto Ontario Street, the former alignment of Highway 11. It crosses the river and travels through the centre of the town, meeting the bypass south of it. The highway ends at an interchange
with Highway 11, at Exit
257.
Prior to this time, the route was a numbered, but unposted Development Road maintained by the Department of Highways.
{| class=wikitable
!scope=col|Location
!scope=col|km
!scope=col|Destinations
!scope=col|Notes
|-
|Ardbeg
|0.0
|
|Highway begins at CN crossing
|-
|Whitestone
|25.3
|
|
|-
|rowspan="2"|Magnetawan
|40.7
|
|
|-
|43.4
|
|
|-
|Burk's Falls
|68.5
|
|
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 highway is 68 kilometres (42.3 mi) in length, connecting several small communities in Parry Sound District with Highway 124 and Highway 11.
The highway links several remote First Nation hamlets to the major highway routes of the region. However, the only places of noteworthy size are the village of Magnetawan
Magnetawan, Ontario
Magnetawan is a township in the Canadian province of Ontario, as well as the name of a community within the former Township of Chapman.Located in the Parry Sound District, the township had a population of 1,610 in the 2006 Canadian census....
and the town of Burk's Falls. It is concurrent
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
with Highway 124 for 15.4 kilometres (9.6 mi).
Route description
Highway 520 begins in Ardbeg, at a flag stop crossing of the Canadian National RailwayCanadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
(CN). It loops west, then south through a sparsely populated region of 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...
, though providing access to several First Nation villages. Upon reaching Highway 124, the two routes travel east, concurrently, for 15.4 kilometres (9.6 mi). Highway 520 then branches to the south, meets Highway 510 and passes through the village of Magnetawan
Magnetawan, Ontario
Magnetawan is a township in the Canadian province of Ontario, as well as the name of a community within the former Township of Chapman.Located in the Parry Sound District, the township had a population of 1,610 in the 2006 Canadian census....
.
Southeast of Magnetawan, the highway winds along the northern shore of Cecebe Lake, bisecting several small communities en route. It enters the town of Burk's Falls, where it is known as Ryerson Centre Road. Passing beneath the Burk's Falls Bypass of Highway 11, Highway 520 parallels the Magnetawan River
Magnetawan River
The Magnetawan River is a river in Parry Sound District, Ontario, Canada, which flows 175 km from Magnetawan Lake inside Algonquin Provincial Park to empty into Georgian Bay at the community of Britt on Byng Inlet....
briefly then turns south onto Ontario Street, the former alignment of Highway 11. It crosses the river and travels through the centre of the town, meeting the bypass south of it. The highway ends at an interchange
Interchange (road)
In the field of road transport, an interchange is a road junction that typically uses grade separation, and one or more ramps, to permit traffic on at least one highway to pass through the junction without directly crossing any other traffic stream. It differs from a standard intersection, at which...
with Highway 11, at Exit
Exit number
An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore....
257.
History
Highway 520 is one of many Secondary Highways assigned a route number in 1956.Prior to this time, the route was a numbered, but unposted Development Road maintained by the Department of Highways.
Major intersections
The following table lists the major junctions along Highway 520. The entirety of the highway is located within Parry Sound District.{| class=wikitable
!scope=col|Location
!scope=col|km
!scope=col|Destinations
!scope=col|Notes
|-
|Ardbeg
|0.0
|
|Highway begins at CN crossing
|-
|Whitestone
Whitestone, Ontario
Whitestone is a township in the Canadian province of Ontario, as well as the name of a community within the township.The township, located in the Parry Sound District, had a population of 853 in the 2001 Canadian census.-History:...
|25.3
|
|
|-
|rowspan="2"|Magnetawan
|40.7
|
|
|-
|43.4
|
|
|-
|Burk's Falls
|68.5
|
|