Canada is a vast country with many roads that span across its provinces and territories. Some of these roads are so long that they have become famous for their length, history, or scenery. Here are 10 of the longest streets in Canada, ranked by their approximate length.
Have you ever wondered what are the longest streets in Canada? How long are they, where do they go, and what can you see along the way? In this article, we will explore 10 of the longest streets in Canada, from the famous Yonge Street in Toronto to the remote Dempster Highway in the Arctic. We will learn about their history, geography, and culture, and discover some of the attractions and challenges that they offer. Whether you are a road trip enthusiast, a curious traveler, or a proud Canadian, you will find something interesting and surprising in this list of the longest streets in Canada.
Top 10 Longest Streets in Canada
10. Kunaev Street – 38 km
Kunaev Street is located in Tekeli, a town in southern Kazakhstan that was once a mining hub during the Soviet era. The street is named after Dinmukhamed Kunaev, the first Secretary of Kazakhstan’s Communist Party. It runs from the town’s industrial zone to its outskirts, passing by a lead factory, a railway track, and a lookout point with views of the Dzungarian Alatau Mountains
9. MKAD – 109 km
MKAD stands for Moscow Automobile Ring Road, a highway that encircles the Russian capital. It was built in 1961 to ease the traffic congestion in Moscow and serve as its municipal border until 1984. The road has 10 lanes and features many interchanges and bridges. It connects to other major highways that lead to different regions of Russia and neighboring countries.
8. Alaska Highway – 2,232 km
The Alaska Highway is a joint project between the United States and Canada that was completed in 1942 during the Second World War. It connects Dawson Creek, British Columbia, to Delta Junction, Alaska, passing through Yukon and the Rocky Mountains. The highway was built to supply and defend the military bases in Alaska after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. It is also a popular tourist route that offers scenic views of wildlife, lakes, glaciers, and forests.
7. Dempster Highway – 740 km
The Dempster Highway is the only road in Canada that crosses the Arctic Circle. It starts at Klondike Corner, Yukon, and ends at Inuvik, Northwest Territories. The highway passes through two territorial parks, Tombstone and Nitainlaii, where visitors can see diverse landscapes such as tundra, mountains, rivers, and wetlands. The highway is also known for its challenges, such as gravel surfaces, steep grades, harsh weather, and limited services.
6. Yellowhead Highway – 2,960 km
The Yellowhead Highway is part of the Trans-Canada Highway system that runs from Winnipeg, Manitoba, to Prince Rupert, British Columbia. It is named after the Yellowhead Pass in the Rocky Mountains, which was named after a Métis-Haudenosaunee trapper named Pierre Bostonais who had blonde hair. The highway crosses four provinces and offers views of prairies, lakes, forests, and mountains. It also connects to Haida Gwaii, an archipelago off the coast of BC that is home to the Haida people and their culture.
5. Trans-Labrador Highway – 1,246 km
The Trans-Labrador Highway is the main road that links Labrador to the rest of Canada. It runs from L’Anse-au-Clair on the Strait of Belle Isle to Happy Valley-Goose Bay on Lake Melville. The highway was built in stages from the 1960s to the 2000s and is still undergoing improvements and extensions. The highway passes through remote areas with little or no services and exposes drivers to harsh weather conditions and wildlife hazards. However, it also offers opportunities to explore Labrador’s natural beauty and cultural heritage.
4. Route 389 – 566 km
Route 389 is a provincial road in Quebec that connects Baie-Comeau on the St. Lawrence River to Fermont on the Labrador border. The road was built in the 1970s to serve the hydroelectric and mining industries in northern Quebec. It is mostly unpaved and has many curves, hills, bridges, and tunnels. It also crosses the Manicouagan Reservoir, one of the largest artificial lakes in the world that was created by a meteor impact and a dam.
3. Route Transcanadienne – 1,543 km
Route Transcanadienne is the name given to the section of the Trans-Canada Highway that runs through Quebec from Rivière-du-Loup to Montreal. It is also known as Autoroute 20 or Autoroute Jean-Lesage . It is one of the busiest highways in Canada and serves as a major corridor for trade and travel between Quebec and Ontario. The highway passes through many cities and towns along the St. Lawrence River, such as Quebec City, Trois-Rivières, and Drummondville. It also features several bridges, tunnels, and interchanges.
2. Highway 16 – 3,581 km
Highway 16 is another section of the Trans-Canada Highway that runs from Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, to Masset, British Columbia. It is also known as the Yellowhead Highway in BC and Alberta and the Northern Woods and Water Route in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The highway crosses five provinces and traverses diverse landscapes such as prairies, forests, mountains, and coastlines. It also passes through many historic and cultural sites, such as Fort Edmonton, Jasper National Park, Prince George, and Prince Rupert.
1. Yonge Street – 86 km
Yonge Street is the longest street in Canada and one of the most famous streets in the world. It runs from Queens Quay on Lake Ontario in Toronto to Holland River in East Gwillimbury. It was built in the 1790s by John Graves Simcoe, the first lieutenant governor of Upper Canada, and named after his friend Sir George Yonge, an expert on ancient Roman roads. Yonge Street is the north-south baseline from which street numbering is reckoned east and west in Toronto and York Region. It is also a commercial and cultural hub that features landmarks such as the Eaton Centre, Yonge-Dundas Square, and the Toronto Reference Library.
Conclusion
Canada has many long streets that reflect its geography, history, and diversity. These streets are not only transportation routes, but also destinations for tourism, business, and entertainment. They showcase the natural beauty, cultural heritage, and economic development of Canada.
Most Asked Questions and Answers
Q: What is the longest street in the world?
A: There is no definitive answer to this question, as different sources may use different criteria to define a street. However, some of the candidates for the longest street in the world are Yonge Street in Canada (86 km), Colombo-Kandy Road in Sri Lanka (115 km), Chang’an Avenue in China (120 km), Broadway in the United States (209 km), Sukhumvit Road in Thailand (488 km), Pan-American Highway in the Americas (30,000 km), and Grand Trunk Road in Asia (2,500 km).
Q: What is the difference between a street and a road?
A: There is no universal rule to distinguish a street from a road, as different jurisdictions may have different naming conventions. However, generally speaking, a street is a public way that has buildings or houses on both sides, while a road is a public way that connects two places or points. A street may also be narrower, shorter, or more urban than a road.
Q: What is the difference between a highway and a freeway?
A: A highway is a general term for any major road that connects two or more places or points. A freeway is a specific type of highway that has limited access, meaning that it has no intersections, traffic lights, or stop signs. A freeway may also have multiple lanes, high-speed limits, and interchanges or ramps. Not all highways are freeways, but all freeways are highways.
Q: What is the Trans-Canada Highway?
A: The Trans-Canada Highway is a system of highways that connects all 10 provinces of Canada. It was initiated by Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent in 1949 and opened in 1962. The main route of the Trans-Canada Highway is 7,821 km long, but there are also other routes that have the designation, totaling about 12,800 km. The Trans-Canada Highway is marked by distinctive green signs with white maple leaves2
Q: What is the Highway of Tears?
A: The Highway of Tears is a stretch of Highway 16 between Prince Rupert and Prince George in British Columbia. It is named so because of the many murders and disappearances of women, mostly Indigenous, that have occurred along or near the highway since 1970. The exact number of victims is unknown, but some estimates range from 18 to 40 or more. The highway is bordered by 23 First Nations communities that have been affected by violence and injustice.
Q: What is the Alaska Highway?
A: The Alaska Highway is a road that connects Dawson Creek in British Columbia to Delta Junction in Alaska. It was built by the United States Army Corps of Engineers during the Second World War to supply and defend the military bases in Alaska after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. The highway was completed in 1942 and transferred to Canada after the war. The highway is 2,232 km long and passes through Yukon and the Rocky Mountains.
Q: What is the Dempster Highway?
A: The Dempster Highway is the only road in Canada that crosses the Arctic Circle. It starts at Klondike Corner in Yukon and ends at Inuvik in Northwest Territories. The highway is 740 km long and passes through two territorial parks, Tombstone and Nitainlaii, where visitors can see diverse landscapes such as tundra, mountains, rivers, and wetlands. The highway is also known for its challenges, such as gravel surfaces, steep grades, harsh weather, and limited services.
Q: What is Yonge Street?
A: Yonge Street is the longest street in Canada and one of the most famous streets in the world. It runs from Queens Quay on Lake Ontario in Toronto to Holland River in East Gwillimbury. It was built in the 1790s by John Graves Simcoe, the first lieutenant governor of Upper Canada, and named after his friend Sir George Yonge, an expert on ancient Roman roads. Yonge Street is the north-south baseline from which street numbering is reckoned east and west in Toronto and York Region. It is also a commercial and cultural hub that features landmarks such as the Eaton Centre, Yonge-Dundas Square, and the Toronto Reference Library.
Q: What is Route Transcanadienne?
A: Route Transcanadienne is the name given to the section of the Trans-Canada Highway that runs through Quebec from Rivière-du-Loup to Montreal. It is also known as Autoroute 20 or Autoroute Jean-Lesage. It is one of the busiest highways in Canada and serves as a major corridor for trade and travel between Quebec and Ontario. The highway passes through many cities and towns along the St. Lawrence River, such as Quebec City, Trois-Rivières, and Drummondville. It also features several bridges, tunnels, and interchanges.
