Alberta Provincial Highway Network
| Alberta Provincial Highway Network | |
|---|---|
   | |
 Alberta's provincial highway system as of 2016 | |
| System information | |
| Maintained by the Ministry of Transportation and Economic Corridors | |
| Length | 31,400 km (19,500 mi) |
| Highway names | |
| Types | Core: Highway 1–216 X: Highway 1X–43X Local/Rural: Highway 500–986 |
| System links | |
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| |
The Alberta Provincial Highway Network consists of all the roads, bridges and interchanges in Alberta that are maintained by the Alberta Ministry of Transportation and Economic Corridors. This network includes over 64,000 lane kilometres of roads (equivalent to 31,400 kilometres), and over 4,800 bridges and interchanges.[1] The longest highway in the network is Highway 2 with a total length of 1,273 kilometers (791 mi). Over 58,000 lane kilometres (equivalent to 28,400 kilometres) of the roads in the network are paved, with the remaining being unpaved.[2] Outside this network, the total length of the road infrastructure in Alberta totals over 473,000 kilometres of single-lane equivalent roads.[3]
History
In 1926, Alberta discontinued its system of marking highways with different colours in favour of a numbering system.[4] By 1928, the year a gravel road stretched from Edmonton to the United States border, Alberta's provincial highway network comprised 2,310 km (1,440 mi).[4]
Prior to 1973, the expanding highway system comprised one-digit and two-digit highways, with some numbers having letter suffixes (e.g., Highway 1X, Highway 26A).[5] In 1973, a second highway system emerged, using three digits starting in the 500s and referred to as secondary roads, while the existing system continued to be referred to as provincial highways.[6] In 1974, provincial highways became known as primary highways;[7] and in 1990, secondary roads became known as secondary highways.[8]
Secondary highways were abolished in 2000, with most becoming primary highways.[9] The expanded primary highway system was divided into two subsets: former primary highways, which became the 1–216 series;[10] and former secondary highways, which became the 500–986 series.[11] In 2010, all highways became known as provincial highways, while maintaining the two numbered series.[12][13] Despite this, the series are still often referred to as primary and secondary highways, respectively.
References
- ^ "Major construction projects". Ministry of Transportation and Economic Corridors. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
- ^ 2024–27 Transportation and Economic Corridors Business Plan (February 2024) (PDF). Alberta Ministry of Transportation and Economic Corridors. p. 3. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
- ^ "How Alberta built enough roads to reach the moon". CBC News. October 4, 2018. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
- ^ a b Zdeb, Chris (February 22, 2014). "Feb. 22, 1928: Gravel road from Edmonton to U.S. border to be completed in a few months". Edmonton Journal. Archived from the original on March 6, 2014. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
- ^ Surveys Branch (1972). Alberta 1972 Road Map (Map). Department of Highways and Transport.
- ^ Surveys Branch (1973). Alberta 1973 Road Map (Map). Department of Highways and Transport.
- ^ Surveys Branch (1974). Alberta 1974 Road Map (Map). Department of Highways and Transport.
- ^ Alberta Tourism (1990). Alberta Road Map (Map). Alberta Tourism.
- ^ Provincial Highway Service Classification – Final Report (PDF). Alberta Transportation. November 2007. p. 1.5. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
It is noted that secondary highways ceased to exist by late 2000 and most were re-designated as primary highways.
- ^ "Primary Highways 1–216 Progress Chart" (Document). Alberta Transportation. March 2006.
- ^ "Primary Highways 500–986 Progress Chart" (PDF). Alberta Transportation. March 2012. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
- ^ "Provincial Highways 1 –216 Progress Chart" (Document). Alberta Transportation. March 2010.
- ^ "Provincial Highways 500–986 Progress Chart" (Document). Alberta Transportation. March 2010.
