1970's Newfoundland Highway renumbering

[RoadFan99]

From looking at my old maps, it appears Newfoundland had a major highway renumbering sometime in the early 1970's.  Does anybody have any information about that?  Any photos of the old route shields would also be appreciated.

[ghYHZ]

Found this link to a Newfoundland route makers. It says it's an old style marker but don't know if that was the style in use prior to the renumbering or not.

http://www.routemarkers.com/canada/Newfoundland/Provincial_old.gif

Here's a map from the early "˜50s just after Newfoundland joined Canada. Prior to 1949, it was a separate country. There were gaps in the trans island highway then and cars were carried across the gaps on railway flat cars. The Trans Canada wasn't completed until the mid "˜60s.

[oscar]

A link to photos of many NL route marker styles, as seen in the field in 2003 (including a really old style probably predating the one in ghYHZ's post):

http://www.alaskaroads.com/photos-Newfoundland.htm

[ghYHZ]

Here's a map from the early ‘50s just after Newfoundland joined Canada. Prior to 1949, it was a separate country. There were gaps in the trans island highway then and cars were carried across the gaps on railway flat cars. The Trans Canada wasn't completed until the mid ‘60s.

There were no car ferries between Nova Scotia and Port-aux-Basques, Newfoundland until the late 1950s. Until then, passenger and cargo boats connected with the narrow-gauge railway at Port-aux-Basques for the run across the island to St. John's......the "Newfie Bullet" ...... 550 miles in 24 hours. Prior to 1949.....you would also be required to go through Newfoundland Customs and Immigration on the dock as you were entering from another country......Canada.

And it was into the "˜60s and "˜70s before roads reached into the isolated communities scattered along the coast. Until then, their only access to the outside were Coastal Boats also operated by the railway.

[Alps]

A link to photos of many NL route marker styles, as seen in the field in 2003 (including a really old style probably predating the one in ghYHZ's post):

http://www.alaskaroads.com/photos-Newfoundland.htm

I don't think it's that old. I could believe these date to the renumbering. I highly doubt there are any remaining traces pre-renumbering.

[oscar]

I don't think it's that old. I could believe these date to the renumbering. I highly doubt there are any remaining traces pre-renumbering.

So do I.  But it might've been the first style used post-renumbering, with the one cited by ghYHZ being the second.  Certainly the examples of the latter I've seen (on two trips, in 2003 and 2011) are in much better shape than those of the former. 

[Alps]

I don't think it's that old. I could believe these date to the renumbering. I highly doubt there are any remaining traces pre-renumbering.

So do I.  But it might've been the first style used post-renumbering, with the one cited by ghYHZ being the second.  Certainly the examples of the latter I've seen (on two trips, in 2003 and 2011) are in much better shape than those of the former. 

Agreed. I would imagine the trapezoid has some precedent, but it could have been black on white, for example.

[Road Hog]

Here's a map from the early "˜50s just after Newfoundland joined Canada. Prior to 1949, it was a separate country. There were gaps in the trans island highway then and cars were carried across the gaps on railway flat cars. The Trans Canada wasn't completed until the mid "˜60s.

There were no car ferries between Nova Scotia and Port-aux-Basques, Newfoundland until the late 1950s. Until then, passenger and cargo boats connected with the narrow-gauge railway at Port-aux-Basques for the run across the island to St. John's......the "Newfie Bullet" ...... 550 miles in 24 hours. Prior to 1949.....you would also be required to go through Newfoundland Customs and Immigration on the dock as you were entering from another country......Canada.

Technically, Newfoundland was never independent. It was a dominion of Great Britain from 1907 until it voted to join Canada. Its flag was the Union Jack, and remained so for a period of time as a province. However, Newfoundland did enjoy a certain degree of autonomy.

[ghYHZ]

Newfoundland was a self-governing British Colony beginning in the mid 1800s. By the 1930's it was heavily in debt and along with political scandal, government was relinquish to London and replaced by a Commission along with a Governor. It remained as such until Confederation in 1949.

The Provincial Flag today is reminiscent of the Union Jack.

http://www.gov.nl.ca/aboutnl/flag.html

Newfoundland also includes mainland Labrador and the boundary between Labrador and Canada was in dispute until 1927 when it was decided in Newfoundland's favor against Canada. Quebec which borders Labrador still does not recognize this boundary and even to this day, if you look at an Official Quebec Map.....you will see it indicated that the boundary is disputed and actually shows what Quebec considers the border.

http://www.quebec511.gouv.qc.ca/en/carte_routiere/duplessis.htm

[webfil]

Newfoundland also includes mainland Labrador and the boundary between Labrador and Canada was in dispute until 1927 when it was decided in Newfoundland's favor against Canada. Quebec which borders Labrador still does not recognize this boundary and even to this day, if you look at an Official Quebec Map.....you will see it indicated that the boundary is disputed and actually shows what Quebec considers the border.

http://www.quebec511.gouv.qc.ca/en/carte_routiere/duplessis.htm

The famous "dinner's-ready!--coming,-just-finished-drawing-my-map" border.

[RoadFan99]

I was just in Newfoundland last week.  Still saw no evidence of any highway shields predating the trapezoid.  If I ever come across anything I'll be sure to post it here...

[RoadFan99]

After scouring the web....I can find nothing predating the trapezoid.  Could it be that the highways were simply unnumbered before the trapezoid came into being in the '70's?

[oscar]

After scouring the web....I can find nothing predating the trapezoid.  Could it be that the highways were simply unnumbered before the trapezoid came into being in the '70's?

The early '50s map, posted at the beginning of this thread, suggests the highways were assigned route numbers, all different from the ones currently in use.

[RoadFan99]

True enough...perhaps they were numbered on paper only?  Still be fascinating to know for sure..I've always wanted to knw what was in use in the "Pre-Trapezoid" era...

[The High Plains Traveler]

My 1964 Rand McNally atlas has a small inset for Newfoundland, with the notation "Route Numbers Not Erected".

I guess I should add the numbers on that map were similar to the one shown above, except that Route 1, also shown as the TCH, is the main road across the province instead of Route 2.

[oscar]

My 1964 Rand McNally atlas has a small inset for Newfoundland, with the notation "Route Numbers Not Erected".

The similar inset in the 1965 Texaco atlas (by Rand McNally) shows a numbered route network, but no notation about no posted route numbers.

[NE2]

My 1965 Shell RMcN also says 'route numbers not erected'.

[Alps]

My 1965 Shell RMcN also says 'route numbers not erected'.

I guess the renumbering was with the intent to post route numbers.

[NE2]

ca. 1955 map: http://geogratis.gc.ca/api/en/nrcan-rncan/ess-sst/a70b638c-abed-58ba-8634-a7fc793aa85f.html

[Kniwt]

ca. 1955 map: http://geogratis.gc.ca/api/en/nrcan-rncan/ess-sst/a70b638c-abed-58ba-8634-a7fc793aa85f.html

Interesting that the TCH near Lake Superior veers north to Chapleau and doesn't go to Sault Ste. Marie.

[NE2]

ca. 1955 map: http://geogratis.gc.ca/api/en/nrcan-rncan/ess-sst/a70b638c-abed-58ba-8634-a7fc793aa85f.html

Interesting that the TCH near Lake Superior veers north to Chapleau and doesn't go to Sault Ste. Marie.

Apparently that was correct: http://michaeljmorrisreports.blogspot.com/2011/06/chapleau-definitely-located-on-trans.html
Later it was a branch of the TCH: http://www.thekingshighway.ca/Highway129.htm

[RoadFan99]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/49475390404/permalink/10165334449840405/

A gem I found on a Newfoundland Facebook Site called  Old Gravel Roads and Highways on Newfoundland. Posted with permission from Hearher Rose Russell.