Numbered highways in Canada
Numbered highways in Canada are split by province, and a majority are maintained by their province or territory transportation department. With few exceptions, all highways in Canada are numbered. Nonetheless, every province has a number of highways that are better known locally by their name rather than their number. Some highways have additional letters added to their number: A is typically an alternate route, B is typically a business route, and other letters are used for bypass (truck) routes, connector routes, scenic routes, and spur routes. The territory of Nunavut has no highways.
Classifications
[edit]This is a breakdown of the classifications of highways in each province, and an example shield of each classification where available.
Trans-Canada
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The Trans-Canada Highway crosses all provinces of Canada.
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Alberta
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All provincial highways in Alberta are 'Primary Highways'. They are divided into two series, and sub-series.
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British Columbia
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Varying between west-east and south-north routes, route numbers in British Columbia span from 1-118, except for Hwy 395 which is a counterpart of US 395. The 400 series highways were renumbered in 1973.
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Manitoba
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Provincial Trunk Highways (PTH) in Manitoba are divided into two series.
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New Brunswick
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Provincial highways in New Brunswick are divided into three series.
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Newfoundland and Labrador
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Provincial highways in Newfoundland and Labrador are divided into three series.
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Nova Scotia
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Provincial highways in Nova Scotia are divided into five series.
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Ontario
[edit]Provincial highways (the King's Highway) in Ontario are divided into four classes:
- Hwy 2-148, 400-427, QEW — primary highways
- Hwy 2-148 — intercity (ex:Highway 11) usually with at-grade intersections
- 400-427 — 400-series freeways and limited-access highways
- The Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) is a de facto part of the 400-series, and is given a numerical designation of 451 in some documents, although this number is not posted on the road itself
- Hwy 500-699 — secondary highways (ex:Highway 502)
- Hwy 800-813 — tertiary highways (ex:Highway 808)
- 7000-series — resource & industrial roads (unmarked) or short stubs connecting numbered highways
Prince Edward Island
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Provincial highways in Prince Edward Island are divided into three series.
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Quebec
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Provincial highways in Quebec are divided into three classes. Odd numbers refer to routes that are generally perpendicular to the Saint Lawrence River. Even numbers refer to routes that are generally parallel to the Saint Lawrence River.
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Saskatchewan
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Provincial highways in Saskatchewan are divided into three series, and sub-series.
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Northwest Territories
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There are currently ten territorial highways in the Northwest Territories. All are named as well as numbered 1-10.
Other roads include the Mackenzie Valley winter road system that extends Northwest Territories Highway 1, the Tibbitt to Contwoyto Winter Road, and the Dettah Ice Road extending from Yellowknife to the community of Dettah.
The now-closed Tuktoyaktuk Winter Road and Tłı̨chǫ winter road systems were replaced by the Inuvik–Tuktoyaktuk Highway (which extended from the northern terminus of the Dempster Highway) and the Tłı̨chǫ Highway (extending from the Yellowknife Highway), respectively.
Nunavut
[edit]There are a number of roads and highways in Nunavut; none are yet numbered.
Yukon
[edit]There are currently fourteen territorial highways in Yukon. All fourteen are named and numbered 1-11, 14-15, & 37.