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Highway 27 (Ontario)
Encyclopedia
Highway 27, formerly known as King's Highway 27, was a provincially maintained highway in southern Ontario that is now cared for by the city of Toronto
, York Region and Simcoe County. It is considered an undivided expressway in Toronto's municipal expressway network
. The Ministry of Transportation of Ontario was once responsible for the length of this route, when it ran through much of Southern Ontario
.
west of Yonge Street
. North of there it is generally parallel to the Penetanguishene Road and Highway 400. North of Kleinburg, the vast majority of the highway was surrounded by rural farmland
. South of there, it travelled through the suburbs of Toronto
.
The highway began at off-ramps from the collectors lanes of Highway 427, which was redesignated from Highway 27 in 1972, as a four-lane divided expressway
. Through Etobicoke, it encountered mostly industrial surroundings. North of the Metro boundary at Steeles Avenue, the highway came under provincial responsibility. Within the Regional Municipality of York, Highway 27 passed along the western edge of suburban sprawl in Vaughan, near the community of Woodbridge
. At Kleinburg, the highway dipped into the Humber River valley
, connecting with Islington Avenue. North of the valley, it continued through King Township, dividing the village of Nobleton
and entering Schomberg
immediately south of Highway 9, after which the highway entered Simcoe County.
North of Highway 9, the route curved 1.5 km (0.93205910497471 mi) to the east, then continued north, parallel to Highway 400. It travelled through the village of Bond Head and thereafter met Highway 89 in Cookstown. As the highway approached Barrie, it curved and followed Essa Road northeast until it met Highway 400. Through Barrie, it was concurrent
with Highway 400 between Exit 94 and Exit 98, after which it was concurrent with Highway 26 along Bayfield Street, travelling north and exiting the city. At Midhurst
, Highway 27 diverged from its concurrency to continue north, parallel to and 4 km (2.5 mi) west of Highway 400. After passing through the village of Elmvale
, the highway abruptly curves to the east, ending at Highway 93
south of Midland
and Penetanguishene.
and Penetanguishine on September 14 1927.
On March 28, 1934 it was extended south to Schomberg
via county roads south of Barrie.
On August 12, 1936, Browns Line and Eaton Road were designated as part of Highway 27, creating an isolated section of the route between Long Branch
and Elder Mills (at the modern intersection of Rutherford Road). On the same date, the road between Schomberg and Kleinburg was designated as part of Highway 27, leaving a gap between Elder Mills and Kleinburg, through the Humber valley
. This gap was closed beginning in late 1936. It was completed and opened to traffic in 1938, bringing Highway 27 to its peak length of 148 km (92 mi). In the mid-1950s, the Toronto Bypass was constructed between Highway 2A and the Queen Elizabeth Way
, widening Highway 27 to a four lane freeway in the process. This section was reconstructed again throughout the 1960s into a twelve-lane collector-express system. In mid-1972, the section of Highway 27 south of Eglinton Avenue was re-designated as Browns Line and Highway 427. The section from Eglinton Avenue north to Penetanguishine was decommissioned on January 1, 1998.
It is still known as Highway 27 within Toronto, but is locally maintained. North of Toronto, it is known as Regional / County Road 27, depending on the jurisdiction
.
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, York Region and Simcoe County. It is considered an undivided expressway in Toronto's municipal expressway network
Municipal expressways in Toronto
The cancelled expressways in Toronto were a planned series of expressways in Toronto, Ontario, Canada that were only partially built or cancelled due to public opposition...
. The Ministry of Transportation of Ontario was once responsible for the length of this route, when it ran through much of Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario is a region of the province of Ontario, Canada that lies south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14 to 15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of...
.
Route description
Highway 27 followed a mostly straight route throughout its length. Between Toronto and the York–Simcoe boundary at Highway 9, it travelled along the 7th concession roadConcession road
In Upper and Lower Canada, concession roads were laid out by the colonial government through undeveloped land to define lots to be developed; the name comes from a Lower Canadian French term for a row of lots. Concession roads are straight, and follow an approximately square grid, usually oriented...
west of Yonge Street
Yonge Street
Yonge Street is a major arterial route connecting the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto to Lake Simcoe, a gateway to the Upper Great Lakes. It was formerly listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest street in the world at , and the construction of Yonge Street is designated an "Event of...
. North of there it is generally parallel to the Penetanguishene Road and Highway 400. North of Kleinburg, the vast majority of the highway was surrounded by rural farmland
Farmland
Farmland generally refers to agricultural land, or land currently used for the purposes of farming. It may also refer to:*Arable land, land capable of cultivating crops*Farmland, Indiana, a town in the United States...
. South of there, it travelled through the suburbs of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
.
The highway began at off-ramps from the collectors lanes of Highway 427, which was redesignated from Highway 27 in 1972, as a four-lane divided expressway
Limited-access road
A limited-access road known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway and expressway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which has many or most characteristics of a controlled-access highway , including limited or no access to adjacent...
. Through Etobicoke, it encountered mostly industrial surroundings. North of the Metro boundary at Steeles Avenue, the highway came under provincial responsibility. Within the Regional Municipality of York, Highway 27 passed along the western edge of suburban sprawl in Vaughan, near the community of Woodbridge
Woodbridge, Ontario
Woodbridge is a large suburban community in the City of Vaughan, just north of Toronto in Southern Ontario. It was once an independent town before being amalgamated with nearby communities to form the city in 1971. Its traditional downtown core is the Woodbridge Ave...
. At Kleinburg, the highway dipped into the Humber River valley
Humber River (Ontario)
The Humber River is one of two major rivers on either side of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the other being the Don River to the east. It was designated a Canadian Heritage River on September 24, 1999....
, connecting with Islington Avenue. North of the valley, it continued through King Township, dividing the village of Nobleton
Nobleton, Ontario
Nobleton is an unincorporated village in southwestern King, Ontario, Canada. It is the third-largest community in the township, after King City and Schomberg. Located south of the Oak Ridges Moraine, Nobleton is surrounded by hills and forests...
and entering Schomberg
Schomberg, Ontario
Schomberg is an unincorporated village in northwestern King, Ontario, Canada. Situated north of the Oak Ridges Moraine and south of the Holland River, the village is surrounded by natural attractions....
immediately south of Highway 9, after which the highway entered Simcoe County.
North of Highway 9, the route curved 1.5 km (0.93205910497471 mi) to the east, then continued north, parallel to Highway 400. It travelled through the village of Bond Head and thereafter met Highway 89 in Cookstown. As the highway approached Barrie, it curved and followed Essa Road northeast until it met Highway 400. Through Barrie, it was 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 400 between Exit 94 and Exit 98, after which it was concurrent with Highway 26 along Bayfield Street, travelling north and exiting the city. At Midhurst
Springwater, Ontario
Springwater is a township in central Ontario, Canada, in Simcoe County near Barrie. It includes the former townships of Flos and Vespra. Springwater is the County seat of Simcoe.-Communities:...
, Highway 27 diverged from its concurrency to continue north, parallel to and 4 km (2.5 mi) west of Highway 400. After passing through the village of Elmvale
Springwater, Ontario
Springwater is a township in central Ontario, Canada, in Simcoe County near Barrie. It includes the former townships of Flos and Vespra. Springwater is the County seat of Simcoe.-Communities:...
, the highway abruptly curves to the east, ending at Highway 93
Ontario Highway 93
King's Highway 93, commonly referred to as Highway 93, is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario. Located entirely within Simcoe County, the highway extends for from an interchange with Highway 400 in Springwater, just south of the community of Hillsdale, to an...
south of Midland
Midland, Ontario
Midland is a town located on Georgian Bay in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada.Situated at the southern end of Georgian Bay's 30,000 Islands, Midland is the economic centre of the region, with a 125-bed hospital and a local airport. It is the main town of the southern Georgian Bay area...
and Penetanguishene.
History
Highway 27 was first designated between BarrieBarrie
Barrie may refer to:* Barrie, city in Ontario, Canada* Barrie , Canadian federal electoral district* Barrie , provincial electoral district* Barrie—Simcoe—Bradford, former Canadian electoral district...
and Penetanguishine on September 14 1927.
On March 28, 1934 it was extended south to Schomberg
Schomberg, Ontario
Schomberg is an unincorporated village in northwestern King, Ontario, Canada. Situated north of the Oak Ridges Moraine and south of the Holland River, the village is surrounded by natural attractions....
via county roads south of Barrie.
On August 12, 1936, Browns Line and Eaton Road were designated as part of Highway 27, creating an isolated section of the route between Long Branch
Long Branch, Toronto
The former Village of Long Branch is a neighbourhood in the south-west of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located in the south-west corner of the former Township of Etobicoke and was a partially-independent municipality from 1930-1967...
and Elder Mills (at the modern intersection of Rutherford Road). On the same date, the road between Schomberg and Kleinburg was designated as part of Highway 27, leaving a gap between Elder Mills and Kleinburg, through the Humber valley
Humber River (Ontario)
The Humber River is one of two major rivers on either side of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the other being the Don River to the east. It was designated a Canadian Heritage River on September 24, 1999....
. This gap was closed beginning in late 1936. It was completed and opened to traffic in 1938, bringing Highway 27 to its peak length of 148 km (92 mi). In the mid-1950s, the Toronto Bypass was constructed between Highway 2A and the Queen Elizabeth Way
Queen Elizabeth Way
The Queen Elizabeth Way, commonly abbreviated as the QEW, is a 400-Series highway in the Canadian province of Ontario. The freeway links Buffalo, New York and the Niagara Peninsula with Toronto. It begins at the Peace Bridge in Fort Erie and travels around the western shore of Lake Ontario, ending...
, widening Highway 27 to a four lane freeway in the process. This section was reconstructed again throughout the 1960s into a twelve-lane collector-express system. In mid-1972, the section of Highway 27 south of Eglinton Avenue was re-designated as Browns Line and Highway 427. The section from Eglinton Avenue north to Penetanguishine was decommissioned on January 1, 1998.
It is still known as Highway 27 within Toronto, but is locally maintained. North of Toronto, it is known as Regional / County Road 27, depending on the jurisdiction
Census divisions of Ontario
In the Canadian province of Ontario, there are three different types of census divisions: single-tier municipalities, upper-tier municipalities and districts...
.
Major intersections
The following table lists the major junctions along Highway 27.| Division | Location | km | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto Toronto Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from... |
0.0 | |||
| 0.6 | Eglinton Avenue Eglinton Avenue Eglinton Avenue, originally known as the Richview Sideroad within Etobicoke, is an east-west arterial thoroughfare in Toronto and Mississauga, in the Canadian province of Ontario. Within Toronto, Eglinton Avenue is the only road which crosses through all six former boroughs... |
Grade-separated interchange | ||
| 2.9 | Dixon Road | Grade-separated interchange | ||
| 6.1 | Rexdale Boulevard | |||
| 9.3 | Albion Road | Formerly Highway 50 Ontario Highway 50 King's Highway 50, commonly referred to as Highway 50, was a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario. The highway was decommissioned in 1998, though locals still frequently refer to it as Highway 50... |
||
| 10.6 | Steeles Avenue Steeles Avenue Steeles Avenue is an east-west street that forms the northern city limit of Toronto and the southern limit of York Region, Ontario, Canada. It stretches across the western Greater Toronto Area from Milborough Townline in Halton Region east to the Scarborough-Pickering limit. It runs for within... |
|||
| York Region | Vaughan Vaughan Vaughan is a city in York Region north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Vaughan is the fastest growing municipality in Canada achieving a population growth rate of 80.2% between 1996–2006, according to Statistics Canada having nearly doubled in population since 1991. Vaughan is located in Southern... |
|||
| 12.7 | Highway 7 was decommissioned through York Region on the same day as Highway 27 | |||
| Kleinburg | 20.7 | Formerly Highway 49 | ||
| 21.2 | Islington Avenue | |||
| Nobleton Nobleton, Ontario Nobleton is an unincorporated village in southwestern King, Ontario, Canada. It is the third-largest community in the township, after King City and Schomberg. Located south of the Oak Ridges Moraine, Nobleton is surrounded by hills and forests... |
27.5 | |||
| King King, Ontario King is a township in York Region north of Toronto, within the Greater Toronto Area in Ontario, Canada.The rolling hills of the Oak Ridges Moraine are the most prominent visible geographical feature of King. The Holland Marsh, considered to be Ontario's "vegetable basket", straddles King Township... |
33.8 | Sideroad 17 | Formerly York Regional Road 15 | |
| 37.8 | ||||
| Schomberg Schomberg, Ontario Schomberg is an unincorporated village in northwestern King, Ontario, Canada. Situated north of the Oak Ridges Moraine and south of the Holland River, the village is surrounded by natural attractions.... |
38.5 | |||
| 39.9 | ||||
| Simcoe County | Bradford West Gwillimbury | |||
| 49.4 | Formerly Highway 88 | |||
| 50.8 | ||||
| Innisfil | 60.9 | |||
| Thornton Thornton, Ontario The Hamlet of Thornton is located in Essa, Ontario, with Essa having a population of 16901 people in 2006. Thornton is located in Ontario and is about 100 km north of Toronto, Ontario.- Places in Thornton :... |
69.7 | |||
| 70.2 | ||||
| Innisfil | 73.1 | Formerly Highway 131 and once the route of Highway 27 | ||
| Barrie Barrie Barrie may refer to:* Barrie, city in Ontario, Canada* Barrie , Canadian federal electoral district* Barrie , provincial electoral district* Barrie—Simcoe—Bradford, former Canadian electoral district... |
80.0 | Exit 94 | ||
| 80.9 | Burton Avenue | Formerly Highway 11 | ||
| 82.9 | Dunlop Street West | Formerly Highway 90 Ontario Highway 90 King's Highway 90, commonly referred to as Highway 90, was a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario. The route connected Barrie with the town of Angus and CFB Borden. The highway was designated in 1937... |
||
| 83.2 | Dunlop Street East | Formerly Highway 11 and Highway 26 | ||
| 84.5 | Exit 98; Current eastern terminus of Highway 26 | |||
| Simcoe County | Midhurst | 89.6 | ||
| 90.4 | ||||
| Springwater Springwater, Ontario Springwater is a township in central Ontario, Canada, in Simcoe County near Barrie. It includes the former townships of Flos and Vespra. Springwater is the County seat of Simcoe.-Communities:... |
98.1 | |||
| Elmvale | 109.2 | Formerly Highway 92 | ||
| Saurin | 111.0 | |||
| Tay Tay, Ontario Tay is a township in Central Ontario, Canada, located in the southern Georgian Bay region. Tay, like many other townships in the surrounding area such as Tiny Township was named after one of the several dogs owned by Sir Peregrine Maitland's wife.... |
119.4 | |||