Ontario Highway 6 - History

History

Planning for the original section of what would become Highway 6 began in 1837, when Charles Rankin was hired to survey a line between Guelph and a new town site on the southern shore of Georgian Bay known as Sydenham (renamed to Owen Sound in 1851). A new line was surveyed in 1840 by John McDonald, and construction along this route began. Around the same time, the Van Norman Company constructed a plank road between Port Dover and Hamilton known as both the Hamilton Plank Road and the Dover Road. By 1848, the 119 km (74 mi) Garafraxa Road between Guelph and Sydenham was completed. The remaining section between Hamilton and Guelph, known as the Brock Road, was constructed between 1848 and 1850 over the Guelph and Dundas wagon road. The wagon road, merely a trail through the forest, was cleared by the Canada Company in the 1820s.

From its official opening in 1920 until March 31, 1997, Highway 6's southern terminus was the Highway 24 junction just west of Port Dover. On April 1, 1997, the Ontario government downloaded many highways in the province, among which was the portion of Highway 6 from the Highway 24 junction to St. Patrick Street. This 7.7 km (4.8 mi) section, which was downloaded to the local county government, is now known as Norfolk County Highway 6. After October 15, 1997, Highway 6 was routed via Upper James Street, York Boulevard, Main Street, and James Street South. This section was downloaded back to the Hamilton government when the new Highway 6 By-Pass, a 2-lane freeway for the most part, was completed (see below).

Prior to 1982, Highway 6 on Manitoulin Island and northward towards Espanola was known as Highway 68, but in that year it was redesignated as part of Highway 6 despite the discontinuous route (though some would consider the Tobermorry ferry route part of the highway corridor). During the winter months, the highway is discontinuous. Apart from Highway 407 and the international crossing toll bridges, it is the only provincial highway that requires a toll to travel any part of its length.