Highway 17, 129 closed (Update: 556 now also closed)

11:55 p.m. update:

511 Ontario Travel Information reports Highway 556 is flooded across all lanes. 

The highway is closed with all lanes blocked from the juncture of Highway 17 at Heyden to the juncture of Highway 129 at Aubrey Falls.

Original story: 8:50 p.m.

511 Ontario Travel Information reports Highway 17 is closed in both directions between Pinewood Drive in Wawa and secondary Highway 563 at Batchawana Bay.

Tipsters tell SooToday that the highway washed out at Old Woman Bay and that the washout is very bad.

Rain is very heavy north of the city and driving is hazardous. 

The highway was closed at 5:37 p.m., says 511 Ontario Travel Information, and the last update at 7:04 p.m. Wednesday says the highway is still closed.

Sara Hannuksela, a dump truck operator in the area north of the Sault, sent us a link to her Facebook videos of the highway not long before it washed out. Her videos were posted late this afternoon.

511 Ontario Travel Information also indicates Highway 129 is closed in both directions south of Chapleau from Highway 667 Sultan Road to Highway 17 in Thessalon due to a sinkhole.

The closure was posted at 6:47 p.m. and and the last update at 7:04 p.m. Wednesday says this highway is also still closed.

No estimated time of reopening has been given for either highway.