Ontario Highway 634
Encyclopedia
Secondary Highway 634, also known as Highway 634, is a remote highway that travels through Northern Ontario
from its southern terminus at Highway 11 in Smooth Rock Falls, Ontario
to the Abitibi Canyon Generating Station
at the community of Abitibi Canyon, Ontario
.
It is the second highway in Ontario
to be named Highway 634 (with the original Highway 634 being near Sudbury). Its original designation was Highway 807, but was renumbered in 1977, shortly after a route renumbering. The road was re-aligned around the eastern part of Smooth Rock Falls in the mid-1990s.
Although the 2003 Ontario Official Road Map shows the road as completely paved
for its entire length, the northernmost 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) are gravel
-surfaced. There are no gas stations on this road, aside from in Smooth Rock Falls.
is 80 km/h (50 mph) although there are sections where such cannot be maintained. The first 65 km (40.4 mi) is paved, with the last 15 km (9.3 mi) is gravel. Overall, conditions on the road are good, with several uneven and rough spots.
A forest road travels west from Fraserdale to the community of Smokey Falls
Before becoming the current Highway 634, this road was numbered as Highway 807, which is also a re-used highway number (as the number was used near Atikokan
in the early 1980s.
Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario is a region of the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north of Lake Huron , the French River and Lake Nipissing. The region has a land area of 802,000 km2 and constitutes 87% of the land area of Ontario, although it contains only about 6% of the population...
from its southern terminus at Highway 11 in Smooth Rock Falls, Ontario
Smooth Rock Falls, Ontario
Smooth Rock Falls is an incorporated town in the Cochrane District in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. Part of the James Bay Frontier, it calls itself "The North's Biggest Little Town."-Geography and transportation:...
to the Abitibi Canyon Generating Station
Abitibi Canyon Generating Station
Abitibi Canyon Generating Station is a hydroelectric power plant located 80 km north of Smooth Rock Falls, within Pitt Township in Northern Unorganized Cochrane District, in Ontario, Canada. This facility is the fifth downstream hydroelectric plant of six on the Abitibi River. Designed by...
at the community of Abitibi Canyon, Ontario
Abitibi Canyon, Ontario
Abitibi Canyon is a community on the Abitibi River in northeastern Ontario, Canada. Abitibi Canyon is in Northern Unorganized Cochrane District, in Cochrane District, and lies northeast of Fraserdale, Ontario.-History:...
.
It is the second highway in 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....
to be named Highway 634 (with the original Highway 634 being near Sudbury). Its original designation was Highway 807, but was renumbered in 1977, shortly after a route renumbering. The road was re-aligned around the eastern part of Smooth Rock Falls in the mid-1990s.
Although the 2003 Ontario Official Road Map shows the road as completely paved
Pavement (material)
Road surface or pavement is the durable surface material laid down on an area intended to sustain vehicular or foot traffic, such as a road or walkway. In the past cobblestones and granite setts were extensively used, but these surfaces have mostly been replaced by asphalt or concrete. Such...
for its entire length, the northernmost 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) are gravel
Gravel
Gravel is composed of unconsolidated rock fragments that have a general particle size range and include size classes from granule- to boulder-sized fragments. Gravel can be sub-categorized into granule and cobble...
-surfaced. There are no gas stations on this road, aside from in Smooth Rock Falls.
Route description
Highway 634 is a long and isolated bush highway that connects the Abitibi Canyon hydroelectric dam with the rest of the province, as well as serving the small community of Smooth Rock Falls. The road is 80.3 km (49.9 mi) in length. Like most other two-lane roads in Ontario, the speed limitSpeed limit
Road speed limits are used in most countries to regulate the speed of road vehicles. Speed limits may define maximum , minimum or no speed limit and are normally indicated using a traffic sign...
is 80 km/h (50 mph) although there are sections where such cannot be maintained. The first 65 km (40.4 mi) is paved, with the last 15 km (9.3 mi) is gravel. Overall, conditions on the road are good, with several uneven and rough spots.
Communities
Communities along this road are listed from south to north:- Smooth Rock FallsSmooth Rock Falls, OntarioSmooth Rock Falls is an incorporated town in the Cochrane District in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. Part of the James Bay Frontier, it calls itself "The North's Biggest Little Town."-Geography and transportation:...
- Brownrigg
- FraserdaleFraserdale, OntarioFraserdale is a small community and rail siding in Unorganized Cochrane, North Part in Cochrane District, Northern Ontario, Canada. It is located north of Timmins along the Ontario Northland Railway...
A forest road travels west from Fraserdale to the community of Smokey Falls
Southern terminus
The southern terminus was originally Highway 11 in Smooth Rock Falls, but after the massive highway downloading that took place province-wide in 1998, the portion of the road within the town limits of Smooth Rock Falls was downloaded to the town, and is no longer provincially-maintained, making another of several "detached highways" (one that is not connected to other provincially-maintained roads in the network).Former designations
Highway 634 was originally designated to a highway in the Sudbury area in the 1960s and early 1970s.Before becoming the current Highway 634, this road was numbered as Highway 807, which is also a re-used highway number (as the number was used near Atikokan
Atikokan, Ontario
Atikokan is a township in the District of Rainy River in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. In 2006, the population was 3,293. The town is one of the main entry points into Quetico Provincial Park and promotes itself as the "Canoeing Capital of Canada"...
in the early 1980s.