Trans-Labrador Highway now entirely paved

[Chris]

Trans-Labrador Highway Paving Completed Marking Historic Day in the Big Land

A significant accomplishment in transportation infrastructure in Newfoundland and Labrador will be achieved today (July 5) as paving of the Trans-Labrador Highway is completed. The completion allows residents, tourists, and commercial traffic to travel on more than 1,100 kilometres of paved highway between the Labrador Straits and Labrador West.

A multi-year contract was awarded in May 2020 to JCL Investments Ltd. to complete paving of the highway. Paving on the final section, between Cartwright Junction and Happy Valley-Goose Bay, began in June 2022. Work will continue in the area this month as the contractor completes shouldering work on the highway.

The upgrading of the original highway began in 1997 in three phases, and included upgrades between Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Labrador West, construction of a two-lane all-season gravel road between Red Bay and Cartwright Junction, and a new two-lane, all-season gravel road between Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Cartwright Junction.

Nearly $1 billion has been invested to build and pave the highway since 1997, including more than $230 million since 2016.

Construction work since 2016 focused on numerous areas, including upgrades and paving of the gravel road between Red Bay and Happy Valley-Goose Bay and upgrades and repaving between the Quebec border and Red Bay.

The Provincial Government remains committed to advancing transportation infrastructure improvements in Labrador with a terms of reference on a pre-feasibility study on a road to Northern Labrador, with input from community and Indigenous leaders, being finalized. The request for proposals for the study, which will be cost-shared between the Provincial and Federal Governments, is anticipated to be released this summer.

A more formal celebration will be planned later in the summer to mark completion of the paving of the Trans-Labrador Highway.

Full press release: https://www.gov.nl.ca/releases/2022/ti/0705n01/

[JayhawkCO]

Huh. I somehow had no idea they were even trying to pave the whole thing. Someday I want to drive that and then take a ferry up to Nain and fly into Torngat National Park. It looks pretty stunning up there.

[J N Winkler]

In a few years, it will be possible to reach the Trans-Labrador Highway from the rest of the continuous paved North American highway network, since Québec earlier this year advertised a contract to pave the 60 km of R-389 south of Fermont (near the Labrador border) that is still gravel.

With daytime highs around 100° F and dewpoints around 70° F here, July in Goose Bay (highs barely in the sixties) is sounding really nice.

[Alps]

In a few years, it will be possible to reach the Trans-Labrador Highway from the rest of the continuous paved North American highway network, since Québec earlier this year advertised a contract to pave the 60 km of R-389 south of Fermont (near the Labrador border) that is still gravel.

With daytime highs around 100° F and dewpoints around 70° F here, July in Goose Bay (highs barely in the sixties) is sounding really nice.

Here I was gonna drive the whole thing this year or next... now thinking I shall wait.

[US 41]

This trip is on my bucket list too. Definitely waiting until Quebec paves their section before I do it. Might do it right after I go to Alaska. We shall see.

[Alps]

What are the odds QC 389 to NL 500-510 would be drivable in April? Say... eclipse weekend?

[LilianaUwU]

What are the odds QC 389 to NL 500-510 would be drivable in April? Say... eclipse weekend?

You should come pick me up at that point.

[Alps]

What are the odds QC 389 to NL 500-510 would be drivable in April? Say... eclipse weekend?

You should come pick me up at that point.

but only if the roads aren't ensnowed.

[LilianaUwU]

What are the odds QC 389 to NL 500-510 would be drivable in April? Say... eclipse weekend?

You should come pick me up at that point.

but only if the roads aren't ensnowed.

By late April? There's a high possibility that snow has melted, even further north.

[oscar]

What are the odds QC 389 to NL 500-510 would be drivable in April? Say... eclipse weekend?

You should come pick me up at that point.

but only if the roads aren't ensnowed.

By late April? There's a high possibility that snow has melted, even further north.

I visited further north, in Hopedale NL, in early June 2013. Plenty of snow on the ground, and light snow was still falling.

Hopedale is not on the TLH, but it's about two degrees of latitude north of the northernmost parts of the TLH. Also, Hopedale is on the ocean, which moderates its temperatures. Most of the TLH is well inland.

[Alps]

I don't mind if it's snowed, but I am concerned if the roads are maintained enough for me to drive them in a car. Would I need to rent a 4x4?

[Richard3]

I don't mind if it's snowed, but I am concerned if the roads are maintained enough for me to drive them in a car. Would I need to rent a 4x4?

The big route 389 rebuilding project is going on - some parts of the road are brand new, and looks great, but the section between Fire Lake and Mont Wright is still on gravel, and very swampy on spring. Works on that section are scheduled to begin in 2024. The section between Manic-5 dam and Relais-Gabriel is still on gravel, but is normally in better condition than the Fire Lake-Mont Wright section.

I also want to see the road prior to die.