Highway 638 (Ontario)

Infobox road
province=ON
type=Hwy
route=638
marker_



cities = Sault Ste. Marie, Echo Bay
length_km=67.7
length_ref=
length_round=1
established=
direction_a=Northwest
terminus_a=jct|state=ON|Hwy|17 in Sault Ste. Marie
junction=jct|state=ON|Hwy|17 in Echo Bay
direction_b=Southeast
terminus_b=jct|state=ON|Hwy|17 in Bruce Mines
previous_type=Hwy
previous_route=637
next_type=Hwy
next_route=639

Highway 638 is among northern Ontario's most scenic secondary highways. This highway has many sharp curves and, in one section of the highway, people who drive semi trucks have to downshift. The highway measures 67.7 km in length. [ [http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=d&saddr=HWY-17%2FTrans+Canada+Hwy+%4046.541160,+-84.229850&daddr=HWY-638+%4046.484990,+-84.056997+to:46.458674,-83.768005+to:HWY-17%2FTrans+Canada+Hwy+%4046.301627,+-83.782580&hl=en&geocode=7757676633521590351,46.541160,-84.229850%3B4267515325254982194,46.484990,-84.056997%3B11036392541238408493,46.301627,-83.782580&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=2&sz=11&via=1,2&sll=46.377728,-83.994598&sspn=0.279018,0.727844&ie=UTF8&ll=46.425079,-84.050217&spn=0.278776,0.727844&z=11 Route of Highway 638 on Google Maps, inclusive of former Highway 17 alignment] ]

As of October 31, 2007, the highway's official northwestern terminus is at Highway 17 in Sault Ste. Marie. The highway runs east through Garden River First Nation, Echo Bay, Sylvan Valley, Leeburn and Ophir, where it turns southward. It then runs south through Rydal Bank, Bruce Station, and finally to its southeastern terminus, also at Highway 17, in the town of Bruce Mines.

"Highway 17B"

The route from Sault Ste. Marie to Echo Bay was formerly an alignment of Highway 17, the route of the Trans-Canada Highway through the region, and was redesignated as part of Highway 638 with the completion of a four-lane expressway alignment which opened on October 31, 2007.

However, the Garden River First Nation, citing a 1909 agreement with the province whereby ownership of the highway reverts to the band after realignment, has refused to accept the highway being badged as anything other than Highway 17B. The provincial Ministry of Transportation, has decommissioned all B-suffixed highways in Ontario and no longer applies that designation to any roadway in the province, but the band has posted unofficial "Highway 17B" signs at the eastern and western limits of the reserve.

The municipal councils of Sault Ste. Marie and Macdonald, Meredith and Aberdeen Additional, which border Garden River on either side and are also located on the route of the disputed roadway, both passed municipal resolutions in 2007 supporting Garden River's position and calling on the province to designate the road as Highway 17B.

References

External links

* [http://members.aol.com/Hwys/OntHwys/OntHwys636-673.html Ontario Highways 636-673]
* [http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/traveller/map/images/pdf/northont/sheets/Map12.pdf Northern Ontario Road Maps, Map 12: Wawa, Timmins, Kirkland Lake, New Liskeard, North Bay, Sudbury, Elliot Lake, Sault Ste. Marie]