- Source: Manitoba Provincial Road 247
Provincial Road 247 (PR 247) is a 68.2-kilometre-long (42.4 mi) east-west highway in the Central Plains and Eastman regions of Manitoba, Canada. It serves to connect the hamlets of Elm Creek, Sanford, La Salle, and Howden, including two crossings of the La Salle River. The majority of the highway is gravel.
Route description
PR 247 begins along the eastern edge of Elm Creek at an intersection with PTH 2 (Red Coat Trail) in the Rural Municipality of Grey. It heads south as a gravel road along the eastern edge of Elm Creek for a couple kilometres before leaving town and making a sharp left turn. The highway travels through rural farmland for several kilometres, having an intersection with PR 248 just south of Fannystelle before entering the Rural Municipality of Macdonald. PR 247 has an intersection with Allison Road 10W, which leads to nearby Starbuck Airport, before crossing the Morris River, making a sharp left turn, and having a short concurrency (overlap) with PR 332 just south of Starbuck. The highway becomes paved and concurrent with PR 334 as it enters Sanford, crossing a railroad track and passing through downtown along Mandan Drive. They make a sharp right turn at an intersection with Main Street before PR 247 joins PTH 3, with PR 334 continuing south towards Domain.
PR 247 formerly continued along Mandan Drive to cross its own bridge over the La Salle River and meet PTH 3 at its own intersection prior to 2016, when that bridge (built in 1921) was suddenly closed and later demolished without prior announcement.
PTH 3 / PR 247 cross the La Salle River, leaving Sanford with PR 247 splitting off and heading east as a gravel road shortly thereafter. It travels through rural farmland for several kilometres, crossing a small creek before becoming paved as it goes through a switchback to cross the La Salle River a second time. Entering the town of La Salle, the highway travels through neighbourhoods before having a short concurrency with PR 330 (Rue Principale) in downtown. PR 247 leaves town to travel through a switchback before entering the Rural Municipality of Ritchot. The highway comes to an end shortly thereafter at an intersection with PTH 75 (Lord Selkirk Highway) along the western edge of Howden. The entire length of Provincial Road 247 is a two-lane road.