TCH Endpoints

[roadman65]

Why are the endpoints of the TCH Mile Zero instead of Kilometer Zero?

Considering the nation uses metric, having mile zero seems beyond odd.

[kphoger]

Why are the endpoints of the TCH Mile Zero instead of Kilometer Zero?

Considering the nation uses metric, having mile zero seems beyond odd.

It's an overstatement that "the nation uses metric".  Canadians use a mix of metric and customary units.  And my understanding is that people in the prairie provinces have a better grasp of miles than in other parts because townships were surveyed in miles—meaning there's often one road per mile, whether the official measurement is in metric or not.

[Molandfreak]

"Kilometre Zero" doesn't have the same ring that "Mile Zero" does.

The endpoint in Newfoundland looks like signage refers to it interchangeably. It would be a bit silly to remove and replace a longstanding historical monument when there is no conversion necessary.

[vdeane]

I'd be curious how old the monument is.  The TCH had already been around for a couple decades when Canada officially went metric.

"Kilometre Zero" doesn't have the same ring that "Mile Zero" does.

The endpoint in Newfoundland looks like signage refers to it interchangeably. It would be a bit silly to remove and replace a longstanding historical monument when there is no conversion necessary.

There's signage?  I couldn't find anything in street view - it looks like the TCH just disappears at exit 50.

[NE2]

https://maps.app.goo.gl/iLw8Z6JacgTEnEYx9

[oscar]

I'd be curious how old the monument is.  The TCH had already been around for a couple decades when Canada officially went metric.

"Kilometre Zero" doesn't have the same ring that "Mile Zero" does.

The endpoint in Newfoundland looks like signage refers to it interchangeably. It would be a bit silly to remove and replace a longstanding historical monument when there is no conversion necessary.

There's signage?  I couldn't find anything in street view - it looks like the TCH just disappears at exit 50.

The "Mile 0" sign in Newfoundland is in downtown St. John's, perhaps at the original east end of the TCH (the freeway bypass north of downtown came later). See http://www.alaskaroads.com/photos-Newfoundland-page2.htm for photos and more info.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/iLw8Z6JacgTEnEYx9

That wasn't there last time I was in southeastern Newfoundland, more than two decades ago.

Google Maps shows the TCH east end where I thought it was, on the Outer Ring northeast of downtown St. John's.

[dmuzika]

The Trans-Canada Highway predates Canada going from Imperial to Metric.

But as a joke, I've wondered if Canadian football should have converted to meters instead of yards. Centre field would be the 50 meter line instead 55 yard line.

[dmuzika]

I'd be curious how old the monument is.  The TCH had already been around for a couple decades when Canada officially went metric.

"Kilometre Zero" doesn't have the same ring that "Mile Zero" does.

The endpoint in Newfoundland looks like signage refers to it interchangeably. It would be a bit silly to remove and replace a longstanding historical monument when there is no conversion necessary.

There's signage?  I couldn't find anything in street view - it looks like the TCH just disappears at exit 50.

The "Mile 0" sign in Newfoundland is in downtown St. John's, perhaps at the original east end of the TCH (the freeway bypass north of downtown came later). See http://www.alaskaroads.com/photos-Newfoundland-page2.htm for photos and more info.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/iLw8Z6JacgTEnEYx9

That wasn't there last time I was in southeastern Newfoundland, more than two decades ago.

Google Maps shows the TCH east end where I thought it was, on the Outer Ring northeast of downtown St. John's.

That's pretty much what happened. In Mark Richardson's The Drive Across Canada, he talks about how TCH 1 was moved to the Outer Ring Road in the 1990s and the lack of signage indicating the current eastern terminus (pp 15-16); the fact that it's unceremoniously near a garbage dump might have something to do with it. 

Personally I would like to see the designations of TCH 1 and NL 2 switched east of their interchange, where NL follows the Ring Road and TCH 1 goes back to its original alignment into downtown St. John's. The western terminus in Victoria, BC has TCH 1 ending at Beacon Hill Park, with its own 'Mile Zero' monument and overlooking the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

The Yellowhead Highway, also part of the Trans-Canada Highway, has two Mile Zeros, with its eastern terminus being the corner of Portage & Main in downtown Winnipeg, while its western terminus is at Masset, BC on Haida Gwaii.


Winnipeg, MB


Masset, BC

[Max Rockatansky]

The Trans-Canada Highway predates Canada going from Imperial to Metric.

But as a joke, I've wondered if Canadian football should have converted to meters instead of yards. Centre field would be the 50 meter line instead 55 yard line.

It is amusing to read older Canadian papers about highway development in 1950s era British Columbia and seeing Imperial units.  Even a cannery museum in Steveston  I recently visited had almost nothing but Imperial units on machinery.

[Road Hog]

At this point the average Canadian can probably do most conversions in their heads or have learned them. Like a 5/16" spanner is equivalent to an 8 mm.

[GaryV]

spanner

And they convert that in their head to "wrench".