Provincial Trunk Highway 10 (PTH 10) is a provincial primary highway located in the Canadian province of Manitoba.
PTH 10 begins at the International Peace Garden along the Canada–United States border near Boissevain. The highway runs north through Brandon, Dauphin, Swan River, and The Pas to the Saskatchewan boundary at Flin Flon. The speed limit is 100 km/h.
PTH 10 is designated as the John Bracken Highway between the International Peace Garden and Riding Mountain National Park, and the Northern Woods and Water Route between Dauphin and The Pas. The highway also serves as the main route through Riding Mountain National Park.
At 804 kilometres (500 mi) in length, PTH 10 is currently the longest highway in the province.[2][3]
An earlier PTH 10 was designated in 1926 from Winnipeg to Whitemouth. In 1930, it extended east to Ontario. This was eliminated in 1932-1933, as it became part of PTH 1. PTH 10, in its current state, first appeared on the 1938-39 Manitoba Highway Map.[4] Prior to this, the road appeared in several broken sections with different numbering. Between Minnedosa and Swan River, the highway was known as Highway 6. The highway was designated as Highway 26 between Minnedosa and Brandon, Highway 25 between Brandon and Highway 2, and Highway 20 from Highway 2 to Boissevain.[5] Highway 20 became part of Highway 25 in 1929.[6]
While PTH 10 has largely maintained the same configuration for most of its history, the highway has had a few fairly significant reconfigurations in its time.
Within Brandon, 18th Street between Victoria Avenue and the current junction with PTH 1 was designated as part of PTH 10 in 1962. PTH 1 was reconfigured to its current route in 1959[7] and included as part of the Trans-Canada Highway system three years later. Prior to this, PTH 10 met PTH 1 (PTH 1A between 1959 and 1962) at the intersection of 18th Street and Victoria Avenue. The two highways would then run in concurrence along Victoria Avenue and 1st Street following the route currently designated as PTH 1A until PTH 10 turned north at an intersection approximately 500 metres (0.31 mi) east of its current junction. The highway would rejoin its current configuration approximately one kilometre (0.62 mi) north of the old intersection.[8] The intersection with PTH 1/1A was moved to its current location in 1959.
The section of PTH 10 between its current junction with PTH 24/PR 262 at Tremaine and eastbound PTH 16 was constructed and opened to traffic in 1962. Prior to this, the highway turned east approximately one kilometre (0.62 mi) south of the current junction. PTH 24 (known as Highway 27 prior to 1956) would travel one kilometre (0.62 mi) past its current eastbound terminus to meet PTH 10. From this point, the highway travelled east for 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) before turning north and travelling for 12 kilometres (7.5 mi), meeting eastbound PTH 16 (known as PTH 4 prior to 1977) two kilometres (1.2 mi) south of Minnedosa. The two highways ran in concurrence from this junction through Minnedosa along what is now PTH 16A to its current northbound/westbound junction.[9] The current highway was shortened by two kilometres (1.2 mi) in 1971 to its current junction with eastbound PTH 16 with the construction of the Minnedosa bypass.[10]
The original section of PTH 10 was redesignated as PR 262 when the provincial government implemented its secondary highway system in 1966.[11]
Prior to 1950, PTH 10's northern terminus was with PTH 83 (then known as Highway 31) at Swan River.[12] The highway was extended to The Pas in 1951,[13] and to its current northern terminus at Flin Flon the following year.[14]
On July 18, 2016, the southernmost section of PTH 10 was designated as the John Bracken Highway in honour of Manitoba's premier between 1922 and 1943.[15]
Provincial Trunk Highway 10A (PTH 10A) is the designation of four different alternate routes of PTH 10, serving the towns of Dauphin, Ethelbert, Flin Flon, and Swan River, primarily running along PTH 10's original alignments through the centre of these communities.
Provincial Road 262 (PR 262) is a 69.4-kilometre-long (43.1 mi) north-south loop off of PTH 10 in the Rural Municipalities of Minto-Odanah, Clanwilliam-Erickson, and Harrison Park, as well as running through the town of Minnedosa.
Provincial Road 268 (PR 268), also known as the Lenswood Highway, is a 45-kilometre-long (28 mi) north-south loop off of PTH 10 within the Swan River Valley in the rural municipalities of Minitonas-Bowsman and Mountain, serving as the main road access to the hamlet of Lenswood, as well as a short cut for travelers on PTH 10 wishing to bypass Swan River. It runs from just east of Minitonas to the town of Birch River.
Provincial Road 273 (PR 273) is a 7.1-kilometre-long (4.4 mi) east-west spur of PTH 10 in the Rural Municipalities of Ethelbert and Mossey River, linking the highway to the small hamlet of Ukraina. Its entire length is a rural, gravel, two-lane road, with no other settlements or major intersections.[16][17]
Provincial Road 279 (PR 279) is a 32.1-kilometre-long (19.9 mi) east-west highway in the Parkland Region of Manitoba, serving as a connection between PTH 10 (Northern Woods and Water Route) near Bowsman and Whitefish Lake Provincial Park, which is located within the Porcupine Provincial Forest. Its is entirely a rural two-lane highway, with a portion being an unpaved gravel road. PR 279 only has one major intersection along its entire length, being a junction with the short PR 588.[16][18]
Provincial Road 285 (PR 285) is a 14.4-kilometre-long (8.9 mi) east-west spur of PTH 10 in the town of The Pas and the Rural Municipality of Kelsey, connecting the town with residences on Ralls Island.
PR 285 begins in downtown The Pas along 3rd Street E at an intersection between PTH 10 (Fischer Ave / Northern Woods and Water Route south) and PR 283 (3rd Street W / NWWR north). It heads northeast through downtown for several blocks to cross a railroad line and have an intersection with PR 289 (Lathlin Avenue), which leads to The Pas/Grace Lake Airport. The highway travels through neighbourhoods for several blocks before traveling through a portion of the Opaskwayak Cree Nation to enter the Rural Municipality of Kelsey. PR 285 travels along the banks of the Saskatchewan River for a few kilometres, passing several riverside homes before turning away from the river and making a sharp left turn onto Lapointe Road and crossing Ralls Creek onto Ralls Island. The highway makes a right onto Kryschuk Road, where it becomes unpaved, which it follows for a couple kilometres to make a left onto Lamb Road and coming to a dead end at the banks of the river.[19][20]
Provincial Road 289 (PR 289), also known as Grace Lake Road for the majority of its length, is a short 3.8 kilometres (2.4 mi) spur of PTH 10 the town of The Pas and the Rural Municipality of Kelsey, connecting the town with its airport, The Pas/Grace Lake Airport.
PR 289 begins along Lathlin Avenue at an intersection with PR 285 (3rd Street E) just across the railroad tracks from downtown and 0.5 kilometres (0.31 mi) from its intersection with PTH 10. It heads south for a couple blocks before making a left onto Grace Lake Road and heading east through neighbourhoods. The highway travels past the Margaret Barbour Collegiate Institute and a middle school to have an intersection with Fafard Avenue, which provides access to the University College of the North, before leaving town (but not the city limits) and heading east through woodlands. While approaching the coastline of Grace Lake, the highway officially leaves The Pas and enters the Rural Municipality of Kelsey, where it becomes unpaved. After having an intersection with the access road to the airport (Clubhouse Road), PR 285 comes to a dead end shortly thereafter at the Grace Lake Boardwalk. The entire length of PR 289 is a two-lane highway.[19][21]
Provincial Road 291 (PR 291) is short 4.5-kilometre-long (2.8 mi) east-west highway located entirely in the city of Flin Flon, connecting PTH 10A near downtown with the Channing neighbourhood and PTH 10 on the western edge of town. Between PTH 10A and Channing, it is known as Channing Drive and is paved while between Channing and PTH 10, it is known as Flin Flon Highway and is an unpaved gravel road. Both sections are two-lanes wide. For around 0.5 kilometres (0.31 mi), PR 291 does briefly cross into neighbouring Saskatchewan along Channing Drive.[19][22]
Provincial Road 365 (PR 365) is a 29.7-kilometre-long (18.5 mi) east-west spur of PTH 10 (Northern Woods and Water Route, running deep into the heart of the Manitoba section of the Porcupine Provincial Forest to provide access to Bell Lake Provincial Park and North Steeprock Lake Provincial Park. It is a two-lane unpaved gravel road for its entire length, winding its way through hilly and remote wooded terrain. At its western end, the road continues as an unnamed gravel road deeper into the Provincial Forest.[16][23]
Provincial Road 483 (PR 483) is a 27.3-kilometre-long (17.0 mi) east-west spur of PTH 10 in the Rural Municipality of Mountain and the Sapotaweyak Cree Nation. It connects the highway with First Nation's main settlement, Shoal River, as well as the hamlet of Pelican Rapids. Throughout the majority of its length, PR 483 runs either along or near the coastline of Lake Winnipegosis. PR 483 is a paved two-lane highway in its entirety.[16][24]
The Sherridon Access Road, also known as Highway 800, is a 78-kilometre-long (48 mi) gravel road connecting PTH 10 to the hamlet of Sherridon, the Pukatawagan Ice road,[25] as well as Twin Lakes Provincial Park at its very southern end. The road originated in the 1980s with the construction of the Puffy Lake Mine.[26][27][28][19][29]
Sturgeon Landing Road is a 33.6-kilometre-long (20.9 mi) east-west spur of PTH 10, connecting it with the hamlet of Sturgeon Landing, Saskatchewan directly on the provincial border, as well as Saskatchewan Highway 967 (Hwy 967). It is an unpaved gravel road for its entire length.[19]
The road begins at the Saskatchewan provincial border, with the road continuing west and immediately entering Sturgeon Landing as Hwy 967. It winds its way southeast along the coastline of Namew Lake for several kilometres to come to a three-way stop, where it makes a sharp left. The road now widens to a two-lane gravel highway and heads due east through remote woodlands for 25 kilometres (16 mi), travelling past several small lakes before crossing the Keewatin Railway at Atik and coming to an end shortly thereafter at an intersection with PTH 10 between Cranberry Portage and Wanless.[30]