Paving of translabrador highway will remain unfinished. Narrow with soft shoulders, the 1185km highway gets dusty in the sun, sticky in the rain, with amenities few and far between. The federal and newfoundland and labrador governments have announced plans to start paving the southern section of the translabrador highway. There is an older section of highway just outside of goose bay, but. The remoteness of the translabrador highway challenges drivers from around the world. The road from baie comeau to labrador consists of two parts, politically speaking.
To survive this epic roadtrip into unparalleled wilderness, one must be as capable of dealing with mechanical faults as with persistent bloodsucking insects, bonesoaking rain, and moose hellbent on autosuicide. Epic and challenging, the translabrador highway is the only road that crosses canadas vast, eastern mainland. If anyone has done this ride and have any suggestions, please let me know. The road spans 315 miles from labrador city to goose bay and is all gravel. After leaving churchill falls you continue west along the trans lab for 205 kilometres to the small city of labrador city. It is not only in horrible disrepair but is a danger to drive. In 1983, the province of newfoundland and labrador committed to constructing a new highway from labrador city to happy valleygoose bay at. Johns, newfoundland in june via the trans labrador highway.
Driving the trans labrador highway and beyond pt 1 of 3. Route 500 labrador city to goose bay is entirely paved, as of mid2015. Nearly the entire stretch between manic 5 and relais gabriel is unpaved. However, the workers we met along the road said they were there to start paving. The translab is the new section of the highway between goose bay and churchill falls. Driving the translabrador highway rough guides rough. Probably the closest equivalent would be driving to and from inuvik on the dempster. The last section of the trans labrador highway, from goose bay to cartwright, is now open. Labrador citys airport is in the adjacent community of wabush. Paving work on the 500kilometre stretch of highway was supposed to be wrapped up by the end of august, but the final 11 kilometres will have to wait until 2015 before it is complete.
Whether rocketing along the notorious translabrador highway, or cruising among the mountainous candy of the icefield parkway, the ford escape has indeed lived up to its name. Driving the labrador highway labrador message board. The 566km 340mile journey from baiecomeau to the labrador border takes about eight hours, much of it on poorquality gravel. Labrador coastal drive, provincial highway route 510, connects the communities from lanse au clair to happy valleygoose bay. More than 400 kilometres of the road is paved, in two sections, with the remainder being gravel.
Translabrador highway section to be paved cbc news. While some roads are newlypaved and highway speeds are possible, others are washboarded rocky roads that can shake a car apart. In the summer of 2003, they put the finishing touches on a road to service communities that have been inhabited for decades. This article is within the scope of wikiproject canada, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of canada on wikipedia. The translabrador highway wont be paved by the end of the year, as was promised by the provincial government. Sites available near long lake or along walsh river. The highway is paved between labrador city and happy valleygoose bay. Churchill falls and goose bay are accessible by air. The narrow twolane translabrador is now paved all the way except for a 37mile gravel section where contractors claim paving has been delayed by an act of god. Roadbed upgrading is taking place at the southern end in anticipation of paving within the next few years. After picking up satellite phones provided for free by the canadian government to those travelling the translab, we made for happy valleygoose bay.
Baie comeau labrador west 598km 8h 10m partially paved upgrading to this section of highway continues. All of a sudden, labradors highway system has been lengthened by over 60%. The western end of the translabrador highway is signed as highway 500, and is paved. Highway 510 is now open between goose bay and cartwright, on the atlantic seaboard. I have travelled the only highwaymain road for residents of the east coast of labrador.
This ride is all about the highway the recently completed 2009 road traversing 700 miles across labrador from labrador city on the west to lanseauclaire on the east. We had already preplanned how we were riding the tl, taking note of distances and petrol. Travelling the trans labrador highway with a fifth wheel 23. Canada and newfoundland and labrador partner to improve. Its one of a few stretches of canadian road that is still not completely paved. From red bay to happy valleygoose bay the road is mostly paved surface. Translabrador highway update on paving progress 08 december 2018 travelling the trans labrador highway with a fifth wheel 23 october 2018 from goose bay, newfoundland, on the ferry to nain and black 20 october 2018. Taking the road less traveled trans labrador highway. You can visit central labrador via route 389500 starting at baie comeau quebec via 389, traveling north east to route 500 we call it the trans labrador highway to labrador city and then east past churchill falls towards goose bay. But in labrador, they do things a little differently. The highway leads east, and in short order about 17km from from the border, you reach the mining town of labrador city.
Status of project in the late 1960s, a new tote road coined the freedom road was built by cflco between churchill falls and happy valleygoose bay. Route 500 between western labrador and happy valleygoose bay is paved with the exception of 11 kilometres just east of churchill falls, and thats scheduled to be paved this summer. Mid this article has been rated as midimportance on. The road is primarily gravel but is being paved in sections each year. The translabrador highway 500 begins near fermont, quebec, as a continuation of quebec route 389. Across labrador and back my journey on the translab highway. Another translabrador highway view we set off through forests of low firs and deciduous trees which, paul says, put on an incredible show of glowing red, gold, brown, orange and. The scenery all long the highway has been incredible. The translab road, however, is, overall, in much better condition. The last stint of the trans labrador highway was about 580 kilometres and took us mostly through what we call northern quebec, but if you look on a map its really middlin quebec, and was by far the most active part of the highway in terms of traffic and things to see.
Labrador is a remote region of northeastern canada, and the translabrador highway is the primary road. The road starts at newfoundland and labradors provincial border with quebec, winds through the small town of labrador city. To qualify as transcanada highway, the paved road must be at least 6. Another day and 580 km, and i would reach the province of labrador and the start of the tlh. The trans labrador highway tlh is a highway located in the province of newfoundland and labrador, canada. Trans labrador highway worst paved highway in canada. The translabrador highway a highway guide june 2011.
Its remoteness calls out to drivers with modern cars, seeking old world challenges. Ill be entering canada from new york state and will visit toronto, montreal and quebec city on my route. It has stood up to some pretty epic challenges, and that includes taking a 6month baby on a 30day crosscountry book tour. I decided this time around it is going to be a little different than my normal ride reports. Truth be told, i most likely would have had just as much fun as i did with the versys. Hwy 389 through quebec to the labrador border 570 km, and the translabrador highway hwy 500, which runs from the border to goose bay, labrador 560 km, for a total of 1 km. With that in mind, the translabrador highway is something of a misnomer. Canada and newfoundland and labrador partner to improve trans labrador highway. As of the summer 2019, 90 kms of the section south of happy valleygoose bay is paved, 240kms north of red bay to cartwright junction is also paved and construction. Driving trans labrador highway in 2wd car labrador forum.
Phase iii trans labrador highway happy valleygoose bay to cartwright junction 6 recently constructed highway between red bay and cartwright. Translabrador highway update on paving progress 08 december 2018. We also were able to get a free satellite phone rental at the hotel to take on the trans labrador highway. We also got some of the most beautiful and amazing picture of our trip on this portion, but maybe not in a. It serves little purpose other than a corridor that connects newfoundland to labrador. It only dials out to the police, but they offer it in case of emergencies. The labrador coastal trail, translab highway, and quebecs highway 389 combine to make a very long trip, over 1,100 miles one way from the newfoundland ferry landing to baie comeau in quebec. The plan was to drive from denver, co to labrador city, drive the trans labrador highway, ferry to newfound, explore the northern and western coasts, ferry to north sydney, drive the cabot trail, circumnavigate nova scotia and then return to denver got a lot of useful information from this forum as well as about driving the tlh. Translabrador highway 20 i have been wanting to ride the translab for several years, and finally this seems to be the year. I stand by my choice of either a versys or a vstrom as the good cheap choice for the trans labrador highway. Well be travelling the translabrador highway and then highway 389 through the french speaking province. This completes the entire trans labrador highway from labrador city all the way to blanc sablon technically in quebec. Traffic dropped off considerably in the last few hundred kilometers of the translabrador highway, but someone would eventually come along if you needed assistance.
The honourable dwight ball, premier of newfoundland and labrador, and yvonne jones, member of parliament for labrador, on behalf of the honourable amarjeet sohi, minister of infrastructure and communities, yesterday. Start this article has been rated as startclass on the projects quality scale. There are still lengthy unpaved stretches to enjoy, dont worry. Work will continue during 2015 on the remaining 167km. Due to the harsh winters and sparse population in most of labrador, long parts of the road are a wellpacked asphaltgravel surface that is regraded annually usually in mid to late may. Im going to add a little more beef to the bones and get more into the stories emotions and experiences of this portion of the trip. Translabrador highway, one of the worlds most epic and. This is going to be the second last blog entree from my east coast trans labrador highway trip. Heading east out of labrador city, highway 500 is nicely paved. The rain continued throughout sunday as we drove the translabrador section of the highway.
I would like to drive the trans labrador highway all the way from labrador city to blanc sablon and then connect to the ferry and keep going into newfoundland. In total, about 12,800 km of road are classified as transcanada highway. Though wikipedia and a few other sites i have visited says otherwise. Executive council transportation and works june 14, 2017. The trans lab highway is supposed to be in the process of being paved. Paving work on the 500kilometre stretch of highway was supposed to be wrapped up by. Drive the translabrador highway the great canadian. It crosses a vast area with little settlement, largely undeveloped except for small knots of population gathered for the express purpose of hydroelectric. According to a short article in the april 2010 issue of canadian geographic magazine, this highway is now open. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks. Route 510 between happy valleygoose bay and red bay is not paved.
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