155-732: Badger Pass may refer to: Mountain passes [ edit ] Badger Pass (Alberta) , a pass in Banff National Park , Alberta, Canada Badger Pass (California) , a pass in Yosemite National Park , California, US Badger Pass (Flathead Range) , a pass on the Continental Divide of the Americas in Bob Marshall Wilderness, Montana, US Badger Pass (Pioneer Mountains) ,
310-455: A subarctic climate with three ecoregions , including montane , subalpine , and alpine . The forests are dominated by Lodgepole pine at lower elevations and Engelmann spruce in higher ones below the treeline, above which is primarily rocks and ice. Mammal species such as the grizzly bear , cougar , wolverine , elk , bighorn sheep and moose are found, along with hundreds of bird species. Reptiles and amphibians are also found but only
465-543: A 20-year effort to convert its entire 516 km (321 mi) section of the Trans-Canada Highway into a four-lane limited-access divided highway. The highway has a speed limit of 110 km/h (68 mph) on most of its sections in New Brunswick. New Brunswick was the first province where the main route of the Trans-Canada Highway was made entirely into a four-lane limited-access divided highway. From Moncton,
620-455: A 75-kilometre (47 mi) section from Whitbourne to St. John's are divided. Although there does not appear to be any nationally-sanctioned "starting point" for the entire Trans-Canada Highway system, St. John's has adopted this designation for the section of highway running in the city. The foot of East White Hills Road in St. John's, near Logy Bay Road , would be a more precise starting point of
775-731: A centre for cultural activities. Banff is home to several cultural institutions, including the Banff Centre , the Whyte Museum , the Buffalo Nations Luxton Museum , Cave and Basin National Historic Site , and several art galleries . Throughout its history, Banff has hosted many annual events, including Banff Indian Days which began in 1889, and the Banff Winter Carnival. Since 1976, The Banff Centre has organized
930-455: A four-lane divided highway . Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba have widened most of their southern Trans-Canada Highway network to four lanes. In Quebec, most sections of the TCH network overlap with the province's Autoroute freeways. New Brunswick is the only province to have its whole length of the main Trans-Canada Highway route at a four-lane freeway standard. Like the former U.S. Route 66 ,
1085-801: A freeway and proceeds 206 km (128 mi) east to Montreal , as Highway 417 in Ontario (and the Queensway in Ottawa) and Autoroute 40 in Quebec. The Trans-Canada assumes the name Autoroute Métropolitaine (also known as "The Met" or "Metropolitan Boulevard") as it traverses Montreal as an elevated freeway. At the Laurentian interchange, in Montreal, the Abitibi route (Highway 66, Route 117, A-15) rejoins
1240-465: A junction just south of Rivière-du-Loup , 173 km (107 mi) northeast of Lévis . At that junction, the highway turns southeast and changes designation to Autoroute 85 for 43 km (27 mi), and then downgrades from a freeway to Route 185 , a non-Autoroute (not limited-access) standard highway until Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha! , where Autoroute 85 resumes once again. The portion from Autoroute 20 to Edmundston , New Brunswick,
1395-592: A large diurnal range owing to the relative dryness of the air. Banff National Park spans three ecoregions , including montane , subalpine , and alpine . The subalpine ecoregion, which consists mainly of dense forest, comprises 53 percent of Banff's area. 27 percent of the park is located above the tree line , in the alpine ecoregion. The tree line in Banff lies approximately at 2,300 m (7,500 ft), with open meadows at alpine regions and some areas covered by glaciers. A small portion (3 percent) of
1550-462: A limited number of species have been recorded. The mountains are formed from sedimentary rocks which were pushed east over newer rock strata, between 80 and 55 million years ago. Over the past few million years, glaciers have at times covered most of the park, but today are found only on the mountain slopes though they include the Columbia Icefield , the largest uninterrupted glacial mass in
1705-490: A mandate for the Banff-Bow Valley Study to draft management recommendations. As with other national parks, Banff is required to have a Park Management Plan. On a provincial level , the park area and the included communities (other than the town of Banff which is an incorporated municipality) are administered by Alberta Municipal Affairs as Improvement District No. 9 (Banff) . The park was originally considered as
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#17328561167441860-463: A maximum of 90 km/h (56 mph) in rural areas. The Trans-Canada Highway through the three prairie provinces is 1,667 km (1,036 mi) long. It starts at the border with British Columbia at Kicking Horse Pass, and runs all the way to the Ontario border at Whiteshell. The highway continues through Alberta, running east for 206 km (128 mi) as Alberta Highway 1 to Lake Louise , Banff , Canmore , and Calgary . This section of
2015-476: A pass in the Pioneer Mountains, Montana, US Winter sports area [ edit ] Badger Pass Ski Area , a ski area near Badger Pass (California) in Yosemite National Park , California, US [REDACTED] Topics referred to by the same term This disambiguation page lists articles about distinct geographical locations with the same name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change
2170-465: A province (especially in Ontario and Quebec) as the TCH piggybacks along separate provincial highways (which often continue as non-TCH routes outside the designated sections) en route. In addition, Ontario and Quebec use standard provincial highway shields to number the highway within their boundaries, but post numberless Trans-Canada Highway shields alongside them to identify it. As the Trans-Canada route
2325-425: A recreational area for visitors offering multiple leisure activities – the original wildlife policy viewed wildlife in Banff only as game or pests up until the 1960s and 1970s. As ecological awareness increased, management procedures expanded with the inclusion of public participation in many management decisions. Simultaneously, the increase in human construction (such as new highways) on the natural landscape increased
2480-621: A signalized four-lane arterial road for short stretches in Salmon Arm , Revelstoke , and Golden , but has no signal lights on it for most of its length. The highway crosses two high passes along its route: Rogers Pass in Glacier National Park , and Kicking Horse Pass in Yoho National Park . At Kicking Horse Pass, the highest point on the whole Trans-Canada Highway system is reached, at 1,627 m (5,338 ft). Speed limits on
2635-663: A small arterial road , it enters the Departure Bay Terminal and crosses the Strait of Georgia to Horseshoe Bay via BC Ferries . From there, it travels through Metro Vancouver on a four-to-eight-lane freeway before leaving the city and continuing as a four-lane freeway eastward up the Fraser Valley to Hope . There, the Trans-Canada Highway exits the freeway and turns north for 186 km (116 mi) through Fraser Canyon and Thompson Canyon toward Cache Creek , mostly as
2790-410: A tourism and travel centre. The Coquihalla project also realigned Highway 1 (TCH) to a new freeway bypass around Kamloops . Plans for a freeway to bypass or eliminate traffic congestion and road hazards along the heavily-travelled route from Victoria to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island were cancelled during the recession that followed the 1987 stock market crash . In Alberta, between 1964 and 1972,
2945-450: A two-lane route, portions of the route are built as two-lane expressways . Two short bypasses are also considered part of the Trans-Canada Highway system. These include the 42-kilometre-long (26 mi) Perimeter Highway 100 bypass around Winnipeg, which provides an expressway standard alternative to the crowded Highway 1 in the city centre, and the 34-kilometre-long (21 mi) two-lane Kenora Bypass ( Highway 17A ), which
3100-473: A two-lane rural highway with only occasional traffic lights. Approaching Kamloops , Highway 1 re-enters a short freeway alignment (briefly concurrent with Highways 5 and 97 ), before passing through Kamloops itself as a four-lane signalized highway. From Kamloops, the highway continues east as a mostly-two-lane rural highway through the Interior of British Columbia, with occasional passing lanes. It widens to
3255-535: Is 1,045 km (649 mi) long, beginning in Victoria at the intersection of Douglas Street and Dallas Road (where the "Mile 0" plaque stands), and ending on the Alberta border at Kicking Horse Pass . The highway starts by passing northward along the east coast of Vancouver Island for 99 km (62 mi) to Nanaimo along a mostly-four-lane, heavily-signalized highway. After passing through downtown Nanaimo on
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#17328561167443410-467: Is Canada's first national park , established in 1885 as Rocky Mountains Park . Located in Alberta's Rocky Mountains , 110–180 kilometres (68–112 mi) west of Calgary , Banff encompasses 6,641 square kilometres (2,564 sq mi) of mountainous terrain, with many glaciers and ice fields , dense coniferous forest, and alpine landscapes. Provincial forests and Yoho National Park are neighbours to
3565-824: Is a classic dip slope mountain. Just to the north of the Banff townsite, Castle Mountain is composed of numerous Cambrian age rock formations. The uppermost section of the peak consists of relatively harder dolomite from the Eldon Formation. Below that lies the less dense shales of the Stephen Formation and the lowest exposed cliffs are limestones of the Cathedral Formation . Dogtooth mountains, such as Mount Louis , exhibit sharp, jagged slopes. The Sawback Range, which consists of nearly vertical dipping sedimentary layers, has been eroded by cross gullies . The erosion of these almost vertical layers of rock strata in
3720-470: Is a two-lane route that bypasses the entire town to the north. Early on, much of the route of the Trans-Canada Highway was first explored in order to construct the Canadian Pacific Railway in the late 19th century, a route which much of the mainline TCH route later ended up following. The Trans-Canada Highway was not the first road across Canada. In British Columbia, the highway was predated by
3875-593: Is accelerating. In Banff National Park alone, in 1985 there were 365 glaciers but by 2005, 29 glaciers had disappeared. The total glaciated area dropped from 625 to 500 square kilometres (241 to 193 sq mi) in that time period. The largest glaciated areas include the Waputik and Wapta Icefields , which both lie on the Banff-Yoho National Park border. Wapta Icefield covers approximately 80 km (31 sq mi) in area. Outlets of Wapta Icefield on
4030-544: Is also near the village. Lake Louise is one of the most visited lakes in the world and is framed to the southwest by the Mount Victoria Glacier . The Icefields Parkway is a 230-kilometre-long (140 mi) road connecting Lake Louise to Jasper, Alberta. The Parkway originates at Lake Louise, and extends north up the Bow Valley, past Hector Lake , which is the largest natural lake in the park. Other scenic lakes near
4185-421: Is approximately 120 km (75 mi) long. Since the Trans-Canada Highway for the most part follows Quebec's Autoroute System, which is always composed of a minimum four-lane freeway, travel through Quebec is generally, safe, fast, and congestion-free. The exception is the route through Montreal, which can be prone to traffic congestion. However, drivers can bypass the city on the tolled Autoroute 30, which
4340-461: Is approximately 13 km (8 mi) in length and 30 km (12 sq mi) in area, is the major outlet of the Columbia Icefield that flows into Banff National Park. Between the years 1893 and 1953, Saskatchewan Glacier had retreated a distance of 1,364 m (4,475 ft), with the rate of retreat between the years 1948 and 1953 averaging 55 m (180 ft) per year. Overall,
4495-685: Is at a higher altitude. During winter months, temperatures in Banff are moderated, compared to other areas of central and northern Alberta, due to Chinook winds and other influences from British Columbia. The mean low temperature during January is −15 °C (5 °F), and the mean high temperature is −5 °C (23 °F) for the town of Banff. However, temperatures can drop below −20 °C (−4.0 °F) with wind chill values dropping below −30 °C (−22.0 °F). Weather conditions during summer months are warm, with high temperatures during July averaging 22 °C (72 °F), and daily low temperatures averaging 7 °C (45 °F), leading to
4650-626: Is considerably less than in Yoho National Park on the western side of the divide in British Columbia, where 884 mm (34.8 in) is received at Wapta Lake and 616 mm (24.3 in) at Boulder Creek annually. Being influenced by altitude, snowfall is also greater at higher elevations. As such, 234 cm (92 in) of snow falls on average each year in the Banff townsite, while 304 cm (120 in) falls in Lake Louise, which
4805-437: Is designated as Highway 16 in all four provinces that it passes through (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba). It follows a more northerly east–west route across Western Canada than the main TCH and passes through fewer cities, with Edmonton being the largest on the route. Other major municipalities on the route include Prince Rupert , Prince George , Lloydminster , and Saskatoon . The Yellowhead Highway
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4960-587: Is known as David Thompson Country, and onto Edmonton. The David Thompson Highway follows the North Saskatchewan River, past the man-made Abraham Lake , and through David Thompson Country. North of Saskatchewan Crossing, the Icefields Parkway follows the North Saskatchewan River up to the Columbia Icefield . The Parkway crosses into Jasper National Park at Sunwapta Pass at 2,035 metres (6,677 ft) in elevation, and continues on from there to
5115-465: Is largely non-functional as a major long distance corridor due to its roundabout route and the complete avoidance of the Toronto area. It is a 671-kilometre-long (417 mi) alternate route to Highway 17 (the mainline TCH) between Sudbury and Ottawa. It passes through several major communities, including Orillia and Peterborough . Because it passes closer to major population centres, this section of
5270-461: Is limited to 110 km/h (68 mph), but is 100 km/h (62 mph) east of Winnipeg. East of Winnipeg, the highway continues for over 200 km (120 mi) to Kenora , Ontario. At the provincial border, the expressway becomes an arterial highway, and the numeric designation of the highway changes from 1 to 17. It is signed with a provincial shield along with a numberless Trans-Canada Highway sign, and continues as an arterial highway along
5425-465: Is most well-known for passing through Jasper National Park in Alberta, where it crosses the Continental Divide through its namesake Yellowhead Pass . Since it carries significantly less traffic than its more southerly counterpart, the Yellowhead is almost exclusively a two-lane highway in British Columbia and Manitoba, and is only partially a four-lane expressway in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Until 1990,
5580-645: Is not part of the Trans-Canada. The maximum speed limit on the Quebec Autoroute System (including the TCH) is a strictly-enforced 100 km/h (62 mph). However, the speed limit may be lower in select spots, such as through tunnels or major interchanges. Since 2018, Quebec has been working on upgrading the 40-kilometre-long (25 mi) two-lane section of Trans-Canada Highway along Route 185 to an Autoroute, with 21.5 km (13.4 mi) of new freeway commissioned during 2021–22, another 10 km in 2024 and
5735-604: Is notable that the Trans-Canada largely bypasses Canada's most heavily populated region, the Golden Horseshoe area of Southern Ontario, which includes Canada's largest city, Toronto . However, a short section of the Central Ontario branch does pass through the rural northeastern edge of Durham Region at both Sunderland and Beaverton, which is officially part of the Greater Toronto Area. Access to Toronto itself from
5890-477: Is part of the Trans-Canada Highway system, and bypasses the city with a mix of traffic lights and interchanges, while Highway 1 continues through central Winnipeg as a signalized arterial road. With the exception of a 15.3-kilometre-long (9.5 mi) stretch of two-lane highway just west of the Ontario border, the entire length of Highway 1 through the Prairie Provinces is a four-lane highway. While
6045-567: Is part of the Trans-Canada Highway system, but is almost exclusively referred to as the Yellowhead Highway and is often recognized as its own highway under that name. In comparison, Highway 1 in Western Canada is always referred to as the Trans-Canada Highway, and has a significantly higher traffic volume with a route passing through more major cities than the less important Highway 16 (Yellowhead) TCH route. Therefore Highway 1
6200-579: Is usually considered to be part of the main Trans-Canada Highway route, while Highway 16 is not, although it may be considered a second mainline corridor as it serves a more northerly belt of major cities, as well as having its own Pacific terminus. Although the TCH network is strictly a transcontinental system, and does not enter any of Canada's three northern territories or run to the United States border , it does form part of Canada's overall National Highway System (NHS), which provides connections to
6355-533: The Public Works Construction Act was passed, providing continued funding for the public works projects. New projects included construction of a new registration facility at Banff's east gate and construction of an administrative building in Banff. By 1940, the Icefields Parkway reached the Columbia Icefield area of Banff and connected Banff and Jasper. Most of the infrastructure present in the national park dates from public work projects enacted during
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6510-507: The Atlantic Ocean on the east coast. The main route spans 7,476 km (4,645 mi) across the country, one of the longest routes of its type in the world. The highway system is recognizable by its distinctive white-on-green maple leaf route markers , although there are small variations in the markers in some provinces. While by definition the Trans-Canada Highway is a highway system that has several parallel routes throughout most of
6665-530: The Banff Mountain Film Festival . In 1990, Banff incorporated as a town of Alberta , though still subject to the National Parks Act and federal authority in regards to planning and development. In its 2014 census , the town of Banff had a permanent population of 8,421 as well as 965 non-permanent residents for a total population of 9,386. The Bow River flows through the town of Banff, with
6820-586: The Banff Springs snail ( Physella johnsoni ) that is found in the hot springs of Banff, and the Woodland caribou . Mountain pine beetles have caused a number of large-scale infestations in Banff National Park, feeding on the phloem of mature lodgepole pines. Alberta's first known outbreak occurred in 1940, infecting 43 km (17 sq mi) of forest in Banff. A second major outbreak occurred in
6975-702: The Bow Falls on the outskirts of town. Lake Louise, a hamlet 54 km (34 mi) northwest of the town of Banff, is home to the landmark Chateau Lake Louise at the edge of Lake Louise. Located 15 km (9.3 mi) from Lake Louise, Moraine Lake provides a scenic vista of the Valley of the Ten Peaks . This scene is on the back of the Canadian $ 20 bill in the 1969–1979 ("Scenes of Canada") series. The Lake Louise Mountain Resort
7130-495: The Canada jay , American three-toed woodpecker , mountain bluebird , Clark's nutcracker , mountain chickadee and pipit are frequently found in the lower elevations. The white-tailed ptarmigan is a ground bird that is often seen in the alpine zones. Rivers and lakes are frequented by over a hundred different species including loon , heron and mallard which spend their summers in the park. Endangered species in Banff include
7285-471: The Canadian Shield , a rugged, forested area with thousands of lakes. There are many cottage communities along this section of the Trans-Canada Highway, some of which have their driveways directly onto the highway. Highway 11/Highway 17 proceeds southeast for 65 km (40 mi) to Thunder Bay , then northeast for 115 km (71 mi) to Nipigon . An 83-kilometre (52 mi) segment of
7440-671: The Coquihalla Highway in 1986, the Trans-Canada Highway through the Fraser Canyon received less traffic, because the freeway bypass shortened the drive between Hope and Kamloops by 90 minutes. However, the route was retained as part of the Trans-Canada Highway system, and is considered a scenic route and a valuable part of the Fraser Country Circle Tour. The opening of the Coquihalla was also an economic disaster for many of
7595-705: The Crowsnest Highway , the Big Bend Highway , and the Cariboo Highway , all of which were constructed during the Great Depression era. Many of the earlier highways in British Columbia were largely gravel and had many frequent inland ferry crossings at wide rivers and lakes. In Alberta, the section between Calgary and Banff was predated by the Morley Trail (now Highway 1A), which was driveable starting in
7750-539: The Government of Canada enacted the Unemployment and Farm Relief Act which provided public works projects in the national parks during the Great Depression . In Banff, workers constructed a new bathhouse and pool at Upper Hot Springs , to supplement Cave and Basin. Other projects involved road building in the park, tasks around the Banff townsite and construction of a highway connecting Banff and Jasper . In 1934,
7905-659: The Jurassic periods (600–145 m.y.a.). However, rocks as young as the lower Cretaceous (145–66 m.y.a.) can be found near the east entrance and on Cascade Mountain above the Banff townsite. These sedimentary rocks formed at the bottom of shallow seas between 600 and 175 m.y.a. and were pushed east during the Laramide orogeny . Mountain building in Banff National Park ended approximately 55 m.y.a. The Canadian Rockies may have risen up to 8,000 metres (26,000 ft) approximately 70 m.y.a. Once mountain formation ceased, erosion carved
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#17328561167448060-538: The Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) transferred the responsibility of maintenance and upkeep along 14.2 km (8.8 mi) of Highway 17 east of "the split" with Highway 417 to Trim Road (Regional Road 57) to the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton , a process commonly referred to as downloading . The Regional Municipality then designated the road as Regional Road 174 . Despite
8215-560: The Northwest Territories , Yukon , and the border, although the NHS (apart from the TCH sections) is unsigned. Canada's National Highway System is not under federal jurisdiction or coordination, as highway construction and maintenance are entirely under the jurisdiction of the individual provinces , which also handle route numbering on the Trans-Canada Highway. The Western provinces have voluntarily coordinated their highway numbers so that
8370-610: The Waputik , Bow and Blue Ranges . The high peaks west of Lake Louise are part of the Bow Range. The eastern border of the park includes all of the Front Ranges consisting of from north to south, the Palliser , Sawback and Sundance Ranges . The Banff townsite is in the Front Ranges. Just outside the park to the east lie the foothills that extend from Canmore at the eastern entrance of
8525-610: The Waputik Range . Cave and Basin served as an important cultural and spiritual site for the Stoney Nakoda. With the admission of British Columbia to Canada on July 20, 1871, Canada agreed to build a transcontinental railroad . Construction of the railroad began in 1875, with Kicking Horse Pass chosen, over the more northerly Yellowhead Pass , as the route through the Canadian Rockies. Ten years later, on November 7, 1885,
8680-552: The Winter Olympics in Banff, with the first bid for the 1964 Winter Olympics , which were eventually awarded to Innsbruck , Austria . Canada narrowly lost a second bid, for the 1968 Winter Olympics , which were awarded to Grenoble , France. Once again, Banff launched a bid to host the 1972 Winter Olympics , with plans to hold the Olympics at Lake Louise. The 1972 bid was controversial, as environmental lobby groups strongly opposed
8835-416: The 1910s and paved in the 1930s. The first route over the Central Canadian Rockies to connect Calgary to British Columbia was the Banff–Windermere Parkway , which was opened in 1922 and is now numbered as Highway 93. Sections of road across the Prairies have also existed since the 1920s. A gravel road connection across northern Ontario (Highway 17) was constructed starting in 1931. While this section
8990-475: The 1980s, Parks Canada moved to privatize many park services such as golf courses, and added user fees for use of other facilities and services to help deal with budget cuts. In 1990, the town of Banff was incorporated , giving local residents more say regarding any proposed developments. In the 1990s, development plans for the park, including expansion at Sunshine Village, were under fire with lawsuits filed by Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS). In
9145-453: The Banff side of the continental divide include Peyto, Bow , and Vulture Glaciers . Bow Glacier retreated an estimated 1,100 m (3,600 ft) between the years 1850 and 1953, and since that period, there has been further retreat which has left a newly formed lake at the terminal moraine . Peyto Glacier has lost 70 percent of its volume since record keeping began and has retreated approximately 2,000 m (6,600 ft) since 1880;
9300-426: The Brewsters. Mount Norquay ski area was also developed during the 1930s, with the first chair lift installed there in 1948. Since 1968, when the Banff Springs Hotel was winterized, Banff has been a year-round destination. In the 1950s, the Trans-Canada Highway was constructed, providing another transportation corridor through the Bow Valley, making the park more accessible. Canada launched several bids to host
9455-409: The Great Depression. Alternative service camps for conscientious objectors were set up in Banff during World War II , with camps at Lake Louise, Stoney Creek, and Healy Creek. These camps were largely populated by Mennonites from Saskatchewan . Winter tourism in Banff began in February 1917, with the first Banff Winter Carnival. It was marketed to a regional middle class audience, and became
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#17328561167449610-401: The Jasper townsite. The Canadian Rockies consist of several northwest–southeast trending ranges. Two main mountain ranges are within the park, each consisting of numerous subranges. The western border of the park follows the crest of the Main Ranges (also known as the Park Ranges ), which is also the continental divide . The Main Ranges in Banff National Park include from north to south,
9765-438: The Main TCH route between Kenora and Thunder Bay, passing through the town of Fort Frances on the U.S. border. Then, after running concurrently with the main Trans-Canada Highway route, Highway 11 splits off to the north at Nipigon , running through a vast and sparsely-populated area of northern Ontario. This highway sees little long-distance traffic compared to the main route, beside heavy transport trucks looking to avoid
9920-417: The Mainland segment of the Trans-Canada Highway in British Columbia range from 90–100 km/h (56–62 mph), although in towns it can be as low as 50 km/h (31 mph). A combination of difficult terrain and growing urbanization limits posted speeds on the Vancouver Island section to 50 km/h (31 mph) in urban areas, 80 km/h (50 mph) over the Malahat and through suburban areas, and
10075-430: The New Brunswick border, the main Trans-Canada Highway route continues east into Nova Scotia at Amherst , where it settles onto Nova Scotia Highway 104 . Southeast of Amherst, near Thomson Station , the highway traverses the Cobequid Pass , a 45-kilometre (28 mi) tolled section ending at Masstown , before passing by Truro , where it links with Highway 102 to Halifax, 117 km (73 mi) east of
10230-401: The New Brunswick border. Halifax , like Toronto, is a provincial capital that the Trans-Canada Highway does not pass through. Beyond Truro, the highway continues east for 57 km (35 mi) to New Glasgow, where it meets Highway 106 , before continuing to the Canso Causeway , which crosses the Strait of Canso onto Cape Breton Island near Port Hawkesbury . From the Canso Causeway,
10385-409: The Rockies. Erosion from water and ice have carved the mountains into their current shapes. Throughout its history, Banff National Park has been shaped by tension between conservationist and land exploitation interests. The park was established on November 25, 1885, as Banff Hot Springs Reserve, in response to conflicting claims over who discovered hot springs there and who had the right to develop
10540-417: The Saskatchewan Border. In 1970, plans were made for a six-to-eight-lane freeway to carry the Trans-Canada Highway though the heart of North Calgary, but the plan was soon dropped due to citizen outcry . Between Ottawa and the Ontario–Quebec border, the Trans-Canada Highway designation was taken from the two-lane Highway 17 and applied to the existing Highway 417 freeway in 1997–98. On April 1, 1997,
10695-432: The Sawback Range has resulted in formations that appear like the teeth on a saw blade. Erosion and deposition of higher elevation rock layers has resulted in scree deposits at the lowest elevations of many of the mountains. Banff National Park has numerous large glaciers and icefields, 100 of which can be observed from the Icefields Parkway . Small cirque glaciers are fairly common in the Main Ranges, in depressions on
10850-443: The TCH route to Montreal after connecting with Autoroute 15 . The main Highway 11 continues south until it intersects the main Trans-Canada Highway route (Highway 17) in North Bay. Except for the southernmost stretches south of Labelle , these highways are two-lane undivided routes. The southern Ontario Trans-Canada Highway route is even more abstract than the northern ones, as it uses four different provincial highways, and
11005-464: The TCH sees higher traffic volumes. It is made up of various sections of freeways, expressways, and two-lane routes. Another spur route of the Trans-Canada Highway splits off the mainline in eastern New Brunswick. This route connects to Prince Edward Island across the 13-kilometre-long (8.1 mi) Confederation Bridge , crosses the central part of Prince Edward Island, including through the provincial capital of Charlottetown , before crossing back to
11160-530: The Trans-Canada Highway between Thunder Bay and Nipigon is commemorated as the Terry Fox Courage Highway . Fox was forced to abandon his cross-country Marathon of Hope run here, and a bronze statue of him was later erected in his honour. The highway is the only road that connects eastern and western Canada. On January 10, 2016, the Nipigon River Bridge suffered a mechanical failure, closing
11315-526: The Trans-Canada Highway for 17 hours; the only alternative was to go through the United States, around the south side of Lake Superior . Highway 17 proceeds east from Nipigon for 581 km (361 mi) along the northern and eastern coast of Lake Superior. Between Wawa and Sault Ste. Marie , the highway crosses the Montreal River Hill , which sometimes becomes a bottleneck on the system in
11470-575: The Trans-Canada Highway was completely rerouted from its former two-lane alignment along the Bow River to a new, more direct, four-lane freeway between Banff and Calgary, resulting in the bypassing of several towns, such as Canmore . Prior to this change, one of the first traffic circles in Canada existed on Highway 1 at the "gateway" junction for Banff from at least as early as the 1950s. The current interchange on Highway 1 for Banff Avenue now occupies
11625-473: The Yellowhead Highway had its own unique highway number signs, but they have now mostly been replaced with standard maple-leaf Trans-Canada Highway signs, with numberless Yellowhead shields posted adjacent to them. The 1,547-kilometre (961 mi) section of Highway 71 and Highway 11 between Kenora and North Bay, Ontario , is considered part of the Trans-Canada Highway. This highway first runs south of
11780-456: The area that is now Banff National Park was home to many Indigenous Peoples, including the Stoney Nakoda , Ktunaxa , Tsuut'ina , Kainaiwa , Piikani , Siksika , and Plains Cree . Indigenous Peoples utilized the area to hunt, fish, trade, travel, survey and practice culture. Many areas within Banff National Park are still known by their Stoney Nakoda names such as Lake Minnewanka and
11935-574: The bid, which had sponsorship from Imperial Oil . Bowing to pressure, Jean Chrétien , then the Minister of Environment, the government department responsible for Parks Canada, withdrew support for the bid, which was eventually lost to Sapporo , Japan. When nearby Calgary hosted the 1988 Winter Olympics , the cross-country ski events were held at the Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park at Canmore, Alberta , located just outside
12090-476: The centerpiece of local boosters aiming to attract visitors, which were a low priority for the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). The carnival featured a large ice palace, which in 1917 was built by World War I internees. Carnival events included cross-country skiing , ski jumping , curling , snowshoe , and skijoring . In the 1930s, the first downhill ski resort, Sunshine Village , was developed by
12245-531: The city of Regina , and skirts around the city on the Regina Bypass , the most expensive infrastructure project in Saskatchewan to date . Beyond Regina, it continues east for 486 km (302 mi), across the border with Manitoba, to the cities of Brandon and Portage la Prairie , and finally 84 km (52 mi) east to Winnipeg . The southern portion of Winnipeg's Perimeter Highway (Highway 100)
12400-570: The city on Highway 417, which is between six and eight lanes wide at this point. In Southern Ontario , the speed limit is generally 80 km/h (50 mph) on the Trans-Canada, while in Northern Ontario it is 90 km/h (56 mph). Sections routed along Highway 417 outside urban Ottawa feature a higher limit of 110 km/h (68 mph). While Highways 17 and 417 are largely free from traffic congestion except for minor rush hour delays on Ottawa's stretch of Highway 417,
12555-522: The city. Ontario plans to eventually extend the 417 freeway to Sudbury, which will widen the section of the mainline TCH between Ottawa and Sudbury to four-lane freeway standards. However, there is no funding secured for such a project, as Ontario is currently focusing on extending Highway 400 to Sudbury along the Highway ;69 corridor (which is part of the Georgian Bay TCH route). It
12710-473: The construction of a new east gate in 1933, Alberta transferred 0.84 km (0.32 sq mi) to the park. This, along with other minor changes in the park boundaries in 1949, set the area of the park at 6,641 km (2,564 sq mi). In 1877, the First Nations of the area signed Treaty 7 , which gave Canada rights to explore the land for resources. At the beginning of the 20th century, coal
12865-478: The country, the term "Trans-Canada Highway" often refers to the main route that consists of Highway 1 (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba), Highways 17 and 417 (Ontario), Autoroutes 40, 25, 20, and 85 (Quebec), Highway 2 (New Brunswick), Highways 104 and 105 (Nova Scotia), and Highway 1 (Newfoundland). This main route starts in Victoria and ends in St. John's , passes through nine of
13020-567: The designation of Highway 1 and runs northeast for 219 km (136 mi) through Corner Brook , east for another 352 km (219 mi) through Gander , and finally ends at St. John's , another 334 km (208 mi) southeast, for a total of 905 km (562 mi), crossing the island. The majority of the Trans-Canada Highway in Newfoundland is undivided, though sections in Corner Brook, Grand Falls-Windsor , Glovertown , and
13175-475: The eastern gates of Banff National Park on the Trans-Canada Highway . Since the original Rocky Mountains Park Act, subsequent acts and policies placed greater emphasis on conservation. With public sentiment tending towards environmentalism, Parks Canada issued major new policy in 1979, which emphasized conservation. The National Parks Act was amended in 1988, which made preserving ecological integrity
13330-722: The first priority in all park management decisions. The act also required each park to produce a management plan, with greater public participation. In 1984, Banff was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site , Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site , together with the other national and provincial parks that form the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks , for the mountain landscapes containing mountain peaks, glaciers, lakes, waterfalls, canyons and limestone caves as well as fossil beds. With this designation came added obligations for conservation. During
13485-508: The frequency of human–animal conflicts. In 1988 wildlife began to be considered an integral part of the ecosystem. Trans-Canada Highway The Trans-Canada Highway ( French : Route Transcanadienne ; abbreviated as the TCH or T-Can ) is a transcontinental federal–provincial highway system that travels through all ten provinces of Canada , from the Pacific Ocean on the west coast to
13640-474: The glacier is at risk of disappearing entirely within the next 30 to 40 years. The Columbia Icefield , at the northern end of Banff, straddles the Banff and Jasper National Park border and extends into British Columbia. Snow Dome , in the Columbia Icefield is a hydrological apex of North America, with water flowing via outlet glaciers to the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic Oceans. Saskatchewan Glacier , which
13795-419: The glaciers in the park more thoroughly, and have been analyzing the impact that reduced glacier ice may have on water supplies to streams and rivers. Estimates are that 150 glaciers disappeared in the Canadian Rockies (areas both inside and outside Banff National Park) between the years 1920 and 1985. Another 150 glaciers disappeared between 1985 and 2005, indicating that the retreat and disappearance of glaciers
13950-588: The glaciers of the Canadian Rockies lost 25 percent of their mass during the 20th century. Under the Köppen climate classification , the park has a subarctic climate ( Dfc ) with cold, snowy winters, and mild summers. The climate is influenced by altitude with lower temperatures generally found at higher elevations. Located on the eastern side of the Continental Divide, Banff National Park receives 472 millimetres (18.6 in) of precipitation annually. This
14105-705: The highway (again signed exclusively with the TCH shield) follows the Saint John River Valley, running south for 170 km (110 mi) to Woodstock (parallelling the Canada–US border ) and then east for another 102 km (63 mi) to pass through Fredericton . 40 km (25 mi) east of Fredericton, the Saint John River turns south, whereby the highway crosses the river at Jemseg and continues heading east to Moncton another 135 km (84 mi) later. On November 1, 2007, New Brunswick completed
14260-504: The highway continues east, now designated as Highway 105 on Cape Breton Island, until reaching the Marine Atlantic ferry terminal at North Sydney . From North Sydney, a 177-kilometre (110 mi) ferry route, operated by the Crown corporation Marine Atlantic , continues the highway to Newfoundland , arriving at Channel-Port aux Basques , whereby the Trans-Canada Highway assumes
14415-570: The highway continues southeast for 54 km (34 mi) to a junction at Aulac close to the New Brunswick– Nova Scotia border (near Sackville ). Here, Trans-Canada Highway again splits into two routes, with the main route continuing to the nearby border with Nova Scotia as Route 2, and a 70-kilometre (43 mi) route designated as Route 16 , which runs east to the Confederation Bridge at Cape Jourimain . From
14570-472: The highway passes through Banff National Park and has significant tourism. The section of Highway 1 through Banff National Park was also one of the first highways in North America to have wildlife crossing structures and fencing installed on it . After leaving the mountains it enters Calgary, where it becomes known as 16 Avenue N , a busy six-lane street with many signalized intersections. For
14725-409: The highway, where the road meets and transfers into the start of the Trans-Canada Highway. The terminus of the Trans-Canada Highway in Victoria , at the foot of Douglas Street and Dallas Road at Beacon Hill Park , is also marked by a "mile zero" monument. St. John's downtown arena, Mary Brown's Centre , was originally branded under naming rights as "Mile One Centre" in reference to the geography of
14880-417: The hot springs for commercial interests. The conservationists prevailed when Prime Minister John A. Macdonald set aside the hot springs as a small protected reserve, which was later expanded to include Lake Louise and other areas extending north to the Columbia Icefield . Archaeological evidence found at Vermilion Lakes indicates the first human activity in Banff to 10,300 B.P. Prior to European contact,
15035-612: The last spike was driven in Craigellachie, British Columbia . With conflicting claims over the discovery of hot springs in Banff, Prime Minister John A. Macdonald decided to set aside a small reserve of 26 square kilometres (10 sq mi) around the hot springs at Cave and Basin as a public park known as the Banff Hot Springs Reserve in 1885. Under the Rocky Mountains Park Act , enacted on June 23, 1887,
15190-436: The late 1970s and early 1980s in Banff and the surrounding Rocky Mountains region. Banff National Park is the most visited Alberta tourist destination and one of the most visited national parks in North America, with more than three million tourists annually. Tourism in Banff contributes an estimated CA$ 6 billion annually to the economy . A park pass is required for stopping in the park, and permit checks are common during
15345-404: The link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Badger_Pass&oldid=1259423220 " Category : Place name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Banff National Park Banff National Park
15500-494: The longer Trans-Canada Highway route. Another example is that much long-distance traffic between Western and Eastern Canada will drive south into the United States and use the Interstate Highway System, rather than the Trans-Canada Highway through Northern Ontario . The main Trans-Canada Highway is uniformly designated as Highway 1 across the four western provinces. The British Columbia section of Highway 1
15655-417: The main TCH line. The TCH then follows Autoroute 25 southbound, crossing the St. Lawrence River through the 6-lane Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine Bridge–Tunnel , and proceeds northeast on Autoroute 20 for 257 km (160 mi) to Lévis (across from Quebec City ). East of Lévis , the Trans-Canada Highway continues on Autoroute 20 following the south bank of the St. Lawrence River to
15810-439: The main Trans-Canada route is designated Highway 1 and the Yellowhead route is designated Highway 16 throughout. Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador also designate Highway 1 as their section of the TCH, while New Brunswick uses Highway 2 (a separate important highway—albeit non-TCH—is Highway 1 in that province). East of Manitoba, the highway numbers change at each provincial boundary, or within
15965-420: The main route across Northern and Eastern Ontario, until widening out to a freeway at Arnprior, near Ottawa. In Kenora, the Trans-Canada designation includes both the main route through the city's urban core and the 33.6 km (20.9 mi) Highway 17A bypass route to the north. The existing branch from Kenora continues east for 136 km (85 mi) to Dryden . This section of highway passes through
16120-404: The mainland on a ferry. This length of the route is 234 km (145 miles), and consists of New Brunswick Highway 16, Prince Edward Island Highway 1, and Nova Scotia Highway 106. This leg of the Trans-Canada Highway sees moderately high traffic volumes and is an important tourist route. The Confederation Bridge is often viewed as an attraction in itself. Although the highway is mostly
16275-408: The mainline from Northern Ontario is via the non-TCH southern section of Highway 400, while access from Toronto to Quebec and points east is via Highway 401 (North America's busiest highway and a major national highway in itself), a short non-TCH section of Autoroute 20 , and A-30 , where the Trans-Canada is joined at A-40 just west of Montreal. From Ottawa, the Trans-Canada Highway continues as
16430-446: The many non-expressway sections of the Trans-Canada Highway often form the main streets of communities, with homes and businesses directly adjacent to the Trans-Canada Highway. The Trans-Canada Highway is not always the preferred route between two cities, or even across the country. For example, the vast majority of traffic travelling between Hope and Kamloops, British Columbia, takes the Coquihalla Highway via Merritt , rather than
16585-600: The mid-1990s, the Banff-Bow Valley Study was initiated to find ways to better address environmental concerns, and issues relating to development in the park. Banff National Park is in the Rocky Mountains on Alberta's western border with British Columbia in the Alberta Mountain forests ecoregion. By road, the town of Banff is 128 kilometres (80 mi) west of Calgary and 401 km (249 mi) southwest of Edmonton . Jasper National Park borders Banff National Park to
16740-428: The mountain ranges trend northwest to southeast, with sedimentary layering dipping down to the west at 40–60 degrees. This leads to dip slope landforms, with generally steeper east and north faces, and trellis drainage , where rivers and old glacial valleys followed the weaker layers in the rocks as they were relatively easily weathered and eroded. Classic examples are found at the Banff townsite proper: Mount Rundle
16895-631: The mountains into their present rugged shape. The erosion was first due to water, then was greatly accelerated by the Quaternary glaciation 2.5 million years ago. Glacial landforms dominate Banff's geomorphology , with examples of all classic glacial forms, including cirques , arêtes , hanging valleys , moraines , and U-shaped valleys . The pre-existing structure left over from mountain-building strongly guided glacial erosion: mountains in Banff include complex, irregular, anticlinal , synclinal , castellate, dogtooth, and sawback mountains. Many of
17050-426: The next 293 km (182 mi) after Calgary, the Trans-Canada Highway continues as a four-lane expressway, with few stops along its route. Medicine Hat is served by a series of six interchanges, after which the Trans-Canada crosses into Saskatchewan on the way to Moose Jaw . The highway mainly travels straight as a four-lane route for most of these sections. The expressway continues 79 km (49 mi) east to
17205-453: The non-freeway sections are subject to frequent closures due to crashes, especially in winter. It is considered a dangerous route due to its extensive outdated sections of winding two-lane highway. Because this section of the highway passes through a largely undeveloped and forested area, collisions with animals are a common cause of crashes. As recently as 2022 , Sault Ste. Marie's local government has asked for Highway 17 to be expanded north of
17360-401: The north, while Yoho National Park is to the west and Kootenay National Park is to the south. Kananaskis Country , which includes Bow Valley Wildland Provincial Park , Spray Valley Provincial Park , and Peter Lougheed Provincial Park , is located to the south and east of Banff. The Trans-Canada Highway passes through Banff National Park, from the eastern boundary near Canmore , through
17515-532: The north. Since the 1960s, park accommodations have been open all year, with annual tourism visits to Banff increasing to over 5 million in the 1990s. Millions more pass through the park on the Trans-Canada Highway . As Banff has over three million visitors annually, the health of its ecosystem has been threatened. In the mid-1990s, Parks Canada responded by initiating a two-year study which resulted in management recommendations and new policies that aim to preserve ecological integrity. Banff National Park has
17670-408: The older United States Numbered Highway System . As a result, highway construction standards vary considerably among provinces and cities. In much of British Columbia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador, the Trans-Canada Highway system is still in its original two-lane state. British Columbia is actively working on converting its section of Highway 1 east of Kamloops to
17825-576: The only true freeway sections of the route are along the Regina Bypass, in Medicine Hat, and between Calgary and Banff, the whole highway is largely stoplight-free, with "split" at-grade intersections forming the vast majority of the junctions. The speed limit is restricted to 90 km/h (56 mph) through national parks in Canada, including Banff National Park. East of Banff, traffic on most of Highway 1 through Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba
17980-829: The park eastward into the Great Plains. Well west of the park, the Western Ranges of the Rockies pass through Yoho and Kootenay National Parks. Though the tallest peak entirely within the park is Mount Forbes at 3,612 metres (11,850 ft), Mount Assiniboine on the Banff- Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park border is slightly higher at 3,618 m (11,870 ft). The Canadian Rockies are composed of sedimentary rock , including shale , sandstone , dolomite and limestone . The vast majority of geologic formations in Banff range in age from Precambrian to
18135-525: The park was expanded to 674 km (260 sq mi) and named Rocky Mountains Park . This was Canada's first national park , and the third established in North America, after Yellowstone and Mackinac National Parks . The Canadian Pacific Railway built the Banff Springs Hotel and Lake Louise Chalet to attract tourists and increase the number of rail passengers. The Stoney Nakoda First Nation were removed from Banff National Park between
18290-411: The park, at lower elevations, is in the montane ecoregion. Lodgepole pine forests dominate the montane region of Banff, with Engelmann spruce , willow , aspen , occasional Douglas-fir and a few Douglas maple interspersed. Engelmann spruce are more common in the subalpine regions of Banff, with some areas of lodgepole pine, and subalpine fir . The montane areas in the Bow Valley, which tend to be
18445-563: The park. Park boundaries changed several more times up until 1930, when the area of Banff was fixed at 6,697 km (2,586 sq mi), with the passage of the National Parks Act . The act, which took effect May 30, 1930, also renamed the park Banff National Park , named for the Canadian Pacific Railway station, which in turn was named after the Banffshire region in Scotland. With
18600-407: The park. The meme is based on a photograph of a Minnesotan couple visiting the park on the shore of Lake Minnewanka that was " crashed " by a Columbian ground squirrel ; the photograph was published in major news sources around the world and the image of the squirrel was digitally manipulated into humorous photos. Banff National Park is managed by Parks Canada , under the National Parks Act which
18755-546: The parkway include Bow Lake , and Peyto Lakes , both north of Hector Lake. The Parkway then crosses Bow Summit (2,088 m (6,850 ft)), and follows the Mistaya River to Saskatchewan Crossing , where it converges with the Howse and North Saskatchewan River . Bow Summit is the highest elevation crossed by a public road in Canada. The North Saskatchewan River flows east from Saskatchewan Crossing, out of Banff, into what
18910-400: The preferred habitat for wildlife, have been subjected to significant human development over the years. The park has 56 recorded mammal species. Grizzly bears and black bears inhabit the forested regions. Cougar , lynx , wolverine , red fox , weasel , river otter , coyote , and timber wolf are the primary predatory mammals. Elk , mule deer , and white-tailed deer are common in
19065-535: The protests of the region that the route served a provincial purpose, a second round of transfers saw Highway 17 within Ottawa downloaded entirely on January 1, 1998, adding an additional 12.8 km (8.0 mi) to the length of Regional Road 174. The highway was also downloaded within the United Counties of Prescott and Russell , where it was redesignated as County Road 17. The result of these transfers
19220-535: The railroad. Some visitors participated in mountaineering activities, often hiring local guides. Guides Jim and Bill Brewster founded one of the first outfitters in Banff. From 1906, the Alpine Club of Canada organized climbs, hikes and camps in the park. By 1911, Banff was accessible by automobile from Calgary. Beginning in 1916, the Brewsters offered motorcoach tours of Banff. In 1920, access to Lake Louise by road
19375-698: The rarest large mammals in the park, but an avalanche in 2009 may have killed the last five remaining within park boundaries. The American bison was extirpated in Banff, but was brought back to the park in 2017, and one free-roaming herd lives within the protected area. Due to the harsh winters, the park has few reptile and amphibian species with only one species of toad, three species of frog, one salamander species and two species of snakes that have been identified. At least 280 species of birds can be found in Banff including bald and golden eagles , red-tailed hawk , osprey , and merlin , all of which are predatory species. Additionally, commonly seen species such as
19530-417: The region. The usage of miles instead of kilometres at both designations dates back to when the Trans-Canada Highway was completed in 1962, prior to metrication in Canada . The Yellowhead Highway is a 2,859-kilometre (1,777 mi) highway in Western Canada, running from Masset, British Columbia , to where it intersects Highway 1 (Trans-Canada Highway) just west of Portage la Prairie, Manitoba . It
19685-556: The remaining 8.5 km (5.3 mi) of freeway under construction, with final completion targeted for 2026. Once this project is complete, the disconnected sections of Autoroute 85 will be joined, and all of Quebec's Mainline Trans-Canada Highway route will be minimum four-lane freeway standards. This will also result in the TCH becoming a continuous freeway from Arnprior, Ontario, to Lower South River, Nova Scotia . The Trans-Canada Highway crosses into New Brunswick and becomes Route 2 just northwest of Edmundston . From Edmundston,
19840-479: The route a full freeway began in the late 1990s and was completed in 2007. The 13-kilometre-long (8.1 mi) Confederation Bridge connecting PEI to New Brunswick opened in 1997. Replacing the ferry that previously serviced that route, it was hailed as a major accomplishment. In 2000 and 2001, Transport Canada considered funding an infrastructure project to have the full Trans-Canada system converted to limited-access divided highways. Although construction funding
19995-403: The side of many mountains. As with the majority of mountain glaciers around the world, the glaciers in Banff are retreating . While Peyto Glacier is one of the longest continuously studied glaciers in the world, with research extending back to the 1970s, most of the glaciers of the Canadian Rockies have only been scientifically evaluated since the late 1990s. Glaciologists are now researching
20150-483: The significant elevation changes along the Lake Superior route, since it is much flatter and the transit time for heavy hauling is usually the same. The area is also not well-known as a tourist destination outside of fishing tours, which are often fly-in. A much shorter 60-kilometre (37 mi) section of Highway 66 connects another northern Trans-Canada Highway route to Quebec's Highway 117 , which itself continues
20305-538: The site. In the rest of Banff National Park, much of the predecessor Highway 1 parkway was bypassed by a new two-lane route in the 1960s. The original route between Banff and Lake Louise remains as the Bow Valley Parkway and Lake Louise Drive, while a section over Kicking Horse Pass was abandoned and is now part of the Great Divide Trail . Between 1973 and 1990, the highway was twinned from Calgary to
20460-406: The summer months, especially at Lake Louise and the start of the Icefields Parkway. A permit is not required if travelling straight through the park without stopping. Approximately 5 million people pass through Banff annually on the Trans-Canada Highway without stopping. In 2009, Banff Lake Louise Tourism hoped the appearance of the " Crasher Squirrel " internet meme would stimulate interest in
20615-531: The ten provinces, and connects most of the country's major cities, including Vancouver , Calgary , Regina , Winnipeg , Ottawa , Montreal , Quebec City , and Fredericton . One of the main route's eight other parallel routes connects to the tenth province, Prince Edward Island . While the other parallel routes in the system are also technically part of the Trans-Canada Highway, they are usually considered either secondary routes or different highways altogether. For example, Highway 16 throughout Western Canada
20770-469: The time it was considered a major improvement to the gravel roads and ferries it replaced, it was soon believed to be insufficient to handle the growing traffic volumes. In response, several provinces began to construct realignments, freeway widenings, and twin sections of highway in response to traffic flow and safety concerns. In British Columbia's Lower Mainland, the Upper Levels Freeway alignment
20925-464: The towns along the Fraser Canyon section of the Trans-Canada Highway, since most of the travel and tourism business along the route quickly dried up when most of the traffic took the new highway. The towns continue to be largely deprived of wealth, and some are close to being abandoned. On the other hand, Merritt , located midway up the new Coquihalla highway, ended up booming, and continues to grow as
21080-448: The towns of Banff and Lake Louise , and into Yoho National Park in British Columbia. The Banff townsite is the main commercial centre in the national park. The village of Lake Louise is at the junction of the Trans-Canada Highway and the Icefields Parkway, which extends north to the Jasper townsite. Banff, established in 1885, is the main commercial centre in Banff National Park, as well as
21235-448: The valleys of the park, including around (and sometimes in) the Banff townsite, while moose tend to be more elusive, sticking primarily to wetland areas and near streams. In the alpine regions, mountain goat , bighorn sheep , marmot and pika are widespread. Other mammals such as beaver , porcupine , squirrel , chipmunk , snowshoe hare , and Columbian ground squirrel are the more commonly observed smaller mammals. Caribou were
21390-639: The west, while Kootenay National Park is located to the south and Kananaskis Country to the southeast. The main commercial centre of the park is the town of Banff , in the Bow River valley. The Canadian Pacific Railway was instrumental in Banff's early years, building the Banff Springs Hotel and Chateau Lake Louise , and attracting tourists through extensive advertising. In the early 20th century, roads were built in Banff, at times by war internees from World War I , and through Great Depression -era public works projects. The Icefields Parkway extends from Lake Louise , connecting to Jasper National Park in
21545-459: The whole alignment of the Trans-Canada Highway through the Lower Mainland a freeway. All bypassed sections of the highway were absorbed into various urban and rural road networks. The older freeways in the Lower Mainland were largely built as a parkway design, with wide, forested medians and low overpasses (a road configuration that was common across North America at the time). After the opening of
21700-487: The winter when inclement weather can make the steep grade virtually impassable. At Sault Ste. Marie, the main route turns eastward for 291 km (181 mi) to Sudbury . The mainline route then continues east from Sudbury for 151 km (94 mi) to North Bay. The northern route rejoins the mainline here, which continues 339 km (211 mi) to Arnprior , where it widens to a freeway and becomes Highway 417 . The freeway continues to Ottawa passing through
21855-479: The years 1890 and 1920. The park was designed to appeal to sportsmen, and tourists. The exclusionary policy met the goals of sports hunting, tourism, and game conservation, as well as of those attempting to "civilize" the First Nations of the area. Early on, Banff was popular with wealthy European and American tourists, the former of which arrived in Canada via trans-Atlantic luxury liner and continued westward on
22010-463: Was mined near Lake Minnewanka in Banff. For a brief period, a mine operated at Anthracite but was shut down in 1904. The Bankhead mine, at Cascade Mountain , was operated by the Canadian Pacific Railway from 1903 to 1922. In 1926, the town was dismantled, with many buildings moved to the town of Banff and elsewhere. During World War I , immigrants from Austria-Hungary and Germany were sent to Banff to work in internment camps . The main camp
22165-413: Was a major new policy, which emphasized conservation . In 1988, the National Parks Act was amended, making the maintenance of ecological integrity the top priority. The amendment also paved the way for non-governmental organizations to challenge Parks Canada in court, for breaches in adhering to the act. In 1994, Parks Canada established revised "Guiding Principles and Operating Policies", which included
22320-525: Was approved by the Trans-Canada Highway Act of 1949, with construction commencing in 1950. The highway officially opened in 1962, with the completion of the Rogers Pass section of highway between Golden and Revelstoke . This section of highway bypassed the original Big Bend Highway, the last remaining section of gravel highway on the route. Upon its original completion, the Trans-Canada Highway
22475-689: Was at Castle Mountain , and was moved to Cave and Basin during winter. Much early infrastructure and road construction was done by men of various Slavic origins although Ukrainians constituted a majority of those held in Banff. Historical plaques and a statue erected by the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association commemorate those interned at Castle Mountain, and at Cave and Basin National Historic Site where an interpretive pavilion dealing with Canada's first national internment operations opened in September 2013. In 1931,
22630-581: Was available, and the Banff-Windermere Road opened in 1923 to connect Banff with British Columbia . In 1902, the park was expanded to cover 11,400 km (4,400 sq mi), encompassing areas around Lake Louise, and the Bow , Red Deer , Kananaskis , and Spray rivers. Bowing to pressure from grazing and logging interests, the size of the park was reduced in 1911 to 4,663 km (1,800 sq mi), eliminating many eastern foothills areas from
22785-616: Was completed on August 30, 2007, with the new Park Bridge and Ten Mile Hill sections opening up 16 km (9.9 mi) of new four-lane highway. Other smaller four-lane widening projects on the Trans-Canada Highway in the interior of British Columbia were also built around the same time. As part of the Gateway Program , 37 km (23 mi) of congested four-lane Highway 1 freeway in Metro Vancouver were widened to an eight-lane buildout starting in 2012. This project continues into
22940-480: Was composed of sections from pre-existing provincial highways, it is unlikely that the Trans-Canada Highway will ever have a uniform designation across the whole country. Unlike the Interstate Highway System in the United States, the Trans-Canada Highway system has no national construction standard, and it was originally built mostly as a two-lane highway with few multi-lane freeway sections, similar to
23095-399: Was largely open by the late 1930s, it was not fully completed until 1951 (in large part due to World War II interrupting construction). However, despite the gap, vehicles could still cross the county by getting ferried around the relatively short section of incomplete highway by either rail or water, and Highway 11 was completed to Hearst from the east by 1937 and Nipigon by 1943. The system
23250-611: Was made available to some provinces for portions of the system, the federal government ultimately decided to not pursue a comprehensive limited-access highway conversion. Opposition to funding the limited-access widening was due to low traffic levels on parts of the Trans-Canada Highway. Prior to the start of the Great Recession in 2008, the highway underwent some changes through the Rocky Mountains from Banff National Park to Golden , British Columbia. A major piece of this project
23405-468: Was opened in 1960 with the completion of the Second Narrows Crossing , which allowed the Trans-Canada Highway to bypass downtown Vancouver's streets and the narrow Lions Gate Bridge . The four-lane Upper Levels Freeway was relatively-crudely constructed, with narrow lanes, low overpasses, and no proper merge ramps. It remains in this state in the present day . Between 1962 and 1964, Highway 1
23560-413: Was passed in 1930. Over time, park management policies have increasingly emphasized environmental protection over development. In 1964, a policy statement was issued that reiterated ideals of conservation laid out in the 1930 act. With the controversial bid for the 1972 Winter Olympics, environmental groups became more influential, leading Parks Canada to withdraw its support for the bid. The 1979 Beaver Book
23715-546: Was rerouted onto a new four-lane freeway bypass between Vancouver and Chilliwack . This section of highway was originally part of British Columbia's own 400 series of highways , until the designation was replaced by Highway 1. A freeway alignment on the Trans-Canada Highway between Chilliwack and Hope opened in 1986. The opening of the Cassiar Tunnel in 1990 bypassed the last sets of signal lights in Vancouver, rendering
23870-467: Was the longest uninterrupted highway in the world. Construction on other legs continued until 1971, when the last gap on Highway 16 was completed in the Upper Fraser Valley east of Prince George , at which point the highway network was considered complete. When the Trans-Canada Highway first opened, it was almost exclusively a two-lane route for its whole length across the country. While at
24025-479: Was the truncation of Highway 17 at the western end of Highway 417. 1990 saw the opening of the two-lane Kenora Bypass , providing through traffic with a way to avoid the congested town. Starting in the 1960s, Quebec began to build its Autoroute network. Many sections of Trans-Canada Highway were widened to freeway standards during that era of highway construction. Starting in 1987, New Brunswick began to widen its section of TCH to four lanes. Work to make
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