Ontario Highway 169

File:169 into Gravenhurst cropped.png along Bethune Drive.]]

The former route of Highway{{nbsp}}169 has remained relatively unaltered since it was downloaded in 1998. It begins at an intersection with Highway{{nbsp}}12 approximately {{convert|11|km|abbr=on}} north of the Trent Severn Waterway and {{convert|16|km|abbr=on}} east of the Atherley Narrows. It proceeds north at a point where Highway{{nbsp}}12 begins to curve west towards Orillia, passing through meadows and forests and the occasional ranch. It passes through the community of Udney, curves northeast and intersects the Monck Road while curving back northwards. The Mnjikaning First Nation territory backs onto the highway at this location, but primary access is via Simcoe County Road{{nbsp}}44. The route continues in a straight line through the communities of O'Connell and Fawkham, crossing the Black River immediately south of the latter. Gently curving to the northeast, it enters the village of Washago, after which it interchanges with Highway 11 south of the Severn River.{{cite map

| title = Ontario Back Road Atlas

| author = Mapart

| publisher = Peter Heiler Ltd

| year = 2010

| pages = 43, 58

| section = T29–Z34

| isbn = 978-1-55198-226-7}}{{Google maps

| title = Highway 169 – Length and Route

| url = https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/44.5713643,-79.1887906/45.1299532,-79.7423394/@44.8881921,-79.7035609,9.5z/am=t/data=!4m2!4m1!3e0

| access-date = June 7, 2021}}

While Highway{{nbsp}}169 no longer exists a provincial route, Highway{{nbsp}}11 continues to travel north today as a divided four-lane expressway, crossing the Severn River into the Canadian Shield, where the terrain is rougher, rockier, and dotted with lakes and swamps. Former Highway{{nbsp}}169 splits from Highway{{nbsp}}11 at the southern entrance to Gravenhurst (Exit{{nbsp}}169), with the latter curving to the east. The route resumes independently, exiting the expressway and entering the town through a rock cut. It follows Bethune Drive, Brock Street and Bay Street through the town. Exiting Gravenhurst, the highway follows close to the western shore of Lake Muskoka, serving recreational cottages. The route passes north of the Devils Gap Trail, which follows the old Bala–Gravenhurst Colonization Road, then passes through the community of Torrance where it encounters a junction with District Road 13.

Approximately {{convert|5|km}} northwest of Torrance, former Highway{{nbsp}}169 passes through Bala shortly after curving north at an intersection with District Road 38. The highway presses north, crossing both a Canadian National and Canadian Pacific railway in two separate locations. After intersecting Muskoka District Roads 29 and 26, it enters the community of Glen Orchard. Within that community, the route intersects the former western terminus of Highway 118 (which now ends at Highway{{nbsp}}11), then gradually curves west to hug the southern shore of Lake Joseph. After a winding {{convert|10|km}} drive west, the highway enters Foot's Bay and ends at the former route of Highway{{nbsp}}69. NB and SB Highway 11 exits for Simcoe Road 169 still shows Highway 169 signs at the intersection near the carpool area.

File:169 Rama.png

Highway{{nbsp}}169 was created in the mid-1970s as part of a renumbering plan of existing highways; it originally formed the southerly leg of Highway{{nbsp}}69. Due to the complex nature of that highway, only the history of the Brechin – Foot's Bay road is covered here.

Highway{{nbsp}}69 was first designated on August{{nbsp}}5, 1936. At that time, it connected Atherley and Washago along the Rama Road, now Simcoe County Road 44.{{cite report

| title = Annual Report

| publisher = Department of Highways

| date = February 23, 1938

| section = Appendix No. 4 – Schedule of Assumptions and Reversions of Sections of the King's Highway System for the Fiscal Year

| page = 51

| url = https://archive.org/details/n05ontariosession70ontauoft/page/50/mode/2up

| access-date = June 13, 2021

| via = Interenet Archive}}

On April{{nbsp}}1, 1937, the Department of Northern Development merged into the Department of Highways (DHO) (the predecessor to the modern Ministry of Transportation), opening roads north of the Severn River for improvement. The road between Gravenhurst and Parry Sound, and on to Pointe au Baril, subsequently became an extension of Highway{{nbsp}}69, with the road between Washago and Gravenhurst becoming a concurrency with Highway{{nbsp}}11. The section of road between Washago and Gravenhurst was assumed by the DHO on June{{nbsp}}9, while the section between Gravenhurst and the Muskoka{{nbsp}}– Parry Sound boundary was assumed on August{{nbsp}}25.{{cite report

| title = Annual Report

| publisher = Department of Highways

| date = April 20, 1939

| section = Appendix No. 3 – Schedule of Assumptions and Reversions of Sections of the King's Highway System for the Fiscal Year

| page = 80

| url = https://archive.org/details/n05ontariosession71ontauoft/page/80/mode/2up

| access-date = June 13, 2021

| via = Interenet Archive}}

In 1952, the southern {{convert|17.8|km}} of the route, along the east side of Lake Couchiching via what is now Simcoe County Road{{nbsp}}44, was transferred to local municipalities and a new, longer route was designated to the east, merging with Highway{{nbsp}}12 north of Brechin.{{cite map

| title = Ontario Road Map

| cartography = C. P. Robins

| publisher = Department of Highways

| year = 1952

| section = Q34

| url = http://ao.minisisinc.com/FS_IMAGES/I0050522.jpg

| access-date = June 8, 2021

| via = Archives of Ontario}}{{cite map

| title = Ontario Road Map

| cartography = C. P. Robins

| publisher = Department of Highways

| year = 1953

| section = Q34

| url = http://ao.minisisinc.com/FS_IMAGES/I0050524.jpg

| access-date = June 8, 2021

| via = Archives of Ontario}}

This routing remained in place until May{{nbsp}}15 1976, when the province redirected the southern portion of Highway{{nbsp}}69 along the route of Highway 103, between Waubaushene and Foot's Bay, in order to create a more direct route between Toronto and Sudbury. The route of Highway{{nbsp}}69 between Foot's Bay and Brechin was consequently renumbered as Highway{{nbsp}}169.{{cite press release

| title = Toronto–Sudbury Highways to be Renumbered

| author = Public and Safety Information Branch

| publisher = Ministry of Transportation and Communications

| date = April 14, 1976}}

Highway{{nbsp}}169 remained unmodified throughout its two decades of existence. On January{{nbsp}}1, 1998, both sections of Highway{{nbsp}}169 were transferred to the municipalities in which they were located; the southern section was transferred to Simcoe County, and the northern section to the District Municipality of Muskoka.{{cite report

| title = Highway Transfers List "Who Does What"

| publisher = Ministry of Transportation of Ontario

| date = June 20, 2001

| pages = 10, 14}}

Both sections are still numbered 169, though they are now county roads.

{{ONinttop |override=The following table lists intersections along Ontario Highway 169, as indicated in the 1997 MTO Highway Distance Table.}}

{{ONint

| division_special = Simcoe

| dspan = 8

| location_special = Ramara

| lspan = 3

| km = 0.00

| road = {{jcon|Hwy|12|city=Whitby|city2=Orillia}}

| notes =

}}

{{ONint

| km = 6.90

| road = {{jcon|Simcoe|46|town=Dalrymple}}

| notes =

}}

{{ONint

| km = 11.90

| road = {{jcon|Simcoe|45|Monck Road|town=Sebright}}

| notes =

}}

{{ONint

| location_special = Washago

| lspan = 4

| km = 22.70

| road = {{jcon|Simcoe|49|Fairgrounds Road}}

| notes =

}}

{{ONint

| km = 24.40

| road = {{jcon|Simcoe|44|Rama Road}}

| notes =

}}

{{ONint

| km = 25.00

| road = Quetton Street

| notes =

}}

{{ONint

| km = 25.80

| road = {{jcon|Hwy|11|dir=south|city=Orillia|city2=Toronto}}

| notes = Washago Bypass; beginning of Highway{{nbsp}}11 concurrency

}}

{{ONint

| location = Severn Bridge

| lspan = 3

| km = 27.30

| road = {{jcon|Simcoe|52|Coopers Falls Road|dir=east|town=Coopers Falls}}
Canal Road west

| notes =

}}

{{ONint

| division_special = Simcoe–Muskoka boundary

| km = 28.00

| bridge = Severn River bridge

}}

{{ONint

| division_special = Muskoka

| dspan = 11

| km = 28.50

| km2 = 28.60

| road = {{jcon|Muskoka|13|dir=west|Southwood Drive}}

| notes =

}}

{{ONint

| location_special = Gravenhurst

| lspan = 3

| km = 38.30

| km2 = 39.70

| road = {{jcon|Muskoka|19|dir=west|Sedore Road{{nbsp}}/ Beiers Road}}

| notes = Northbound exit located {{convert|1.40|km|abbr=on}} north of southbound exit

}}

{{ONint

| km = 43.90

| road = {{jcon|Hwy|11|dir=north|city=Huntsville|city2=North Bay|town=Bracebridge}}

| notes = End of Highway{{nbsp}}11 concurrency

}}

{{ONint

| km = 44.20

| road = {{jcon|Muskoka|18|dir=north|Muskoka Road South}}

| notes =

}}

{{ONint

| location_special = Muskoka Lakes

| lspan = 7

| km = 61.70

| road = {{jcon|Muskoka|30|Walker's Point Road}}

| notes =

}}

{{ONint

| km = 67.40

| road = {{jcon|Muskoka|13|Southwood Road}}

| notes =

}}

{{ONint

| km = 71.90

| road = {{jcon|Muskoka|38}}

| notes =

}}

{{ONint

| km = 78.60

| road = {{jcon|Muskoka|29|dir=north|Acton Road}}

| notes =

}}

{{ONint

| km = 79.30

| road = {{jcon|Muskoka|26|dir=north|Mortimer's Point Road}}

| notes =

}}

{{ONint

| km = 81.90

| road = {{jcon|Hwy|118|dir=east|town=Port Carling|town2=Bracebridge}}

| notes = Glen Orchard

}}

{{ONint

| km = 91.40

| road = {{jcon|Hwy|69|town=Parry Sound}}

| notes = Foot's Bay

}}

{{jctbtm}}

{{Attached KML|diplay=title, inline}}

{{reflist}}

{{Ontario King's Highways}}

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