Alberta Highway 16
Yellowhead Highway Trans-Canada Highway | ||||
Highway 16 highlighted in red, former sections highlighted in brown | ||||
Route information | ||||
Maintained by Alberta Ministry of Transportation | ||||
Length | 633.5 km[1] (393.6 mi) | |||
Major junctions | ||||
West end | ![]() | |||
East end | ![]() | |||
Location | ||||
Country | Kitscoty | |||
Highway system | ||||
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Alberta Provincial Highway No. 16, commonly referred to as Highway 16, is a major east–west highway in central Alberta, Canada, connecting Jasper to Lloydminster via Edmonton. It forms a portion of the Yellowhead Highway, a major interprovincial route of the Trans-Canada Highway system that stretches from Masset, British Columbia, to Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, near Winnipeg. Highway 16 spans approximately 634 km (394 mi) from Alberta's border with British Columbia in the west to its border with Saskatchewan in the east.[2][3] As of 2010, all but less than 96 km (60 mi) of the route was divided, with a minimum of two lanes in each direction.[3] It is designated a core route in Canada's National Highway System.[4]
Route description
Jasper National Park
British Columbia Highway 16 becomes Alberta Highway 16 as it crosses the Continental Divide and Yellowhead Pass into Alberta, entering Jasper National Park. It travels in an easterly direction through the Municipality of Jasper until it reaches the intersection with Highway 93 (Icefields Parkway) and the west access to the Jasper townsite. East of Highway 93, the highway turns to the north, passes the east access to the Jasper townsite, and continues in a northeast direction along the Athabasca River through Improvement District No. 12. The segment of Highway 16 through Jasper National Park is maintained by the Government of Canada.[5]
Jasper National Park to Edmonton
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/62/Hinton_Alberta_looking_west_Trans-Canada_highway.jpg/220px-Hinton_Alberta_looking_west_Trans-Canada_highway.jpg)
Upon exiting Jasper National Park, Highway 16 travels through the rural municipalities of
Edmonton
Highway 16 passes through Edmonton as a major expressway called Yellowhead Trail, maintained by the City of Edmonton. Most sections of Yellowhead Trail are free-flowing, while a few intersections still exist from 127 Street to 66 Street as of 2024. The city closed access to Yellowhead Trail from 89 Street in 2019, marking the first milestone of the Freeway Conversion Program.
Edmonton to Lloydminster
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/29/Exit_400C_Alberta_16_Broadmoor_Blvd_17_St_NE.jpg/220px-Exit_400C_Alberta_16_Broadmoor_Blvd_17_St_NE.jpg)
Highway 16 exits Edmonton and enters
History
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/Exit406ALloydminster16-ort_SK21-21South.jpg/260px-Exit406ALloydminster16-ort_SK21-21South.jpg)
The Yellowhead Highway is named after the Yellowhead Pass in the Rocky Mountains. During the early 1800s, Pierre Bostonais, an
Following World War I, as automobile use increased exponentially, CNR surveyor Fred Driscoll and Edmonton Automobile and Good Roads Association president formed a committee lobbying for the creation of the Yellowhead Highway. Driscoll believed the abandoned railway bed would be an ideal base for a road. The Edmonton Automobile Association offered a gold medal to the first person to travel from Edmonton to Victoria through the gap. Charles Neiymer and Frank Silverthorne left in 4×4 on June 17, 1922. The following week, George Gordon and J. Sims departed Edmonton in a Ford Model T, following the same route. On July 4, both pairs arrived in Victoria and were each awarded gold medals.[10]
However, it would take until World War II for any improvements to be made this overland route. The displacement of many Japanese-Canadians from the Pacific coast to internment camps in the interior led to some developments. 30 km (19 mi) of road was constructed along the railway bed, and an additional 40 km (25 mi) through steep terrain. By 1944, the Tote Road was opened through Jasper and into the Fraser Valley.[10]
In August 1948, a motorcade was organized as a demonstration of the need for the highway. The Trans-Canada Highway Act was enacted in 1949, providing a 90% subsidy to upgrade selected routes to modern standards. However, the Tote Highway was not included under this subsidy.[10] During the same time frame, the Trans Mountain Oil Pipe Line Company began looking at the Tote Road as a potential route for a pipeline between Edmonton and Vancouver. Construction began in 1952, and largely resulted in the destruction of the road along the pipeline's path.[10]
Gradually, work progressed to reconstruct the highway. Elsewhere, the main route of the Trans-Canada Highway was completed in 1957.The Yellowhead Highway became eligible for federal funding soon thereafter.[11] By 1969, the Tote Road was generally rebuilt and paved. On August 15, 1970, British Columbia Premier W. A. C. Bennett officially opened the Yellowhead Highway.[12]
Future
Alberta Transportation has conducted long-term studies to twin Highway 16 between Jasper National Park and Highway 40[13] and freeway upgrades both west and east of Edmonton.[14][15] Highway bypass alignments have also been planned for Hinton, Edson, and Lloydminster, all of which have been designated as Highway 16X.[2][15]
Edmonton has plans to convert Yellowhead Trail to a full freeway by adding interchanges at 127 Street and 121 Street and a partial interchange at 66 Street while a frontage road system will run from 156 Street to at least St. Albert Trail. An interchange at 149 Street was considered, however was scrapped in favor of the frontage road system for cost and land reasons. Edmonton is currently widening the freeway from 50 Street to city limits which are currently 2 lanes in each direction to 3 lanes in each direction, connecting them to the current 3-lane twin bridges over the North Saskatchewan Rivers - the Beverly Bridge and Clover Bar Bridge. Construction is currently underway and is expected to be completed by 2026.[16]
Major intersections
The following is a list of major intersections along Alberta Highway 16 from west to east, including exit numbers where applied.[2][3]
specialized municipality | Location | km[1] | mi | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Continental Divide; continuation into British Columbia | ||||||
Yellowhead Pass – 1,131 m (3,711 ft) | ||||||
3.7 | 2.3 | West gate of Jasper National Park | ||||
Jasper | 24.6 | 15.3 | ![]() | |||
25.8 | 16.0 | ![]() Hwy 93A south / Hazel Avenue | ||||
28.8 | 17.9 | Connaught Drive / Cottonwood Creek Road | ||||
| 30.7 | 19.1 | Maligne Lake Road – Jasper Park Lodge, Maligne Lake | |||
I.D. No. 12 (Jasper National Park) | | 46.6 | 29.0 | Crosses Athabasca River | ||
Pocahontas | 69.4 | 43.1 | Miette Hot Springs Road – Miette Hot Springs | |||
| 76.4 | 47.5 | East gate of Jasper National Park | |||
Grande Prairie | West end of Hwy 40 concurrency | |||||
Cadomin | East end of Hwy 40 concurrency | |||||
103.2 | 64.1 | Switzer Drive – Hinton Valley District | ||||
| 125.2 | 77.8 | Obed Summit – 1,163.9 m (3,819 ft) | |||
179.5 | 111.5 | 180 | ![]() | Eastbound grade separated; westbound at-grade; future Hwy 947 north | ||
Edson | 186.4– 191.2 | 115.8– 118.8 | One-way pair | |||
193.1 | 120.0 | ![]() Hwy 748 north (25 Street) | ||||
| 196.5 | 122.1 | Crosses McLeod River | |||
221.7 | 137.8 | ![]() Whitecourt | ||||
Hwy 751 north – MacKay | ||||||
| 258.0 | 160.3 | ![]() | |||
Wildwood | 270.7 | 168.2 | Range Road 92A | |||
| 276.9 | 172.1 | ![]() | |||
279.5 | 173.7 | ![]() Mayerthorpe | West end of Hwy 22 concurrency | |||
Evansburg | 285.2 | 177.2 | UAR 115 north (Range Road 75) | |||
↑ / ↓ | 286.5 | 178.0 | Crosses Pembina River | |||
Interchange; east end of Hwy 22 concurrency | ||||||
| 296.0 | 183.9 | ![]() Sangudo | |||
Gainford | 301.1 | 187.1 | Range Road 62 | |||
| 304.4 | 189.1 | 306 | ![]() Isle Lake | Interchange | |
314.0 | 195.1 | ![]() Hwy 765 north – Darwell | ||||
Wabamun | 322.7 | 200.5 | 324 | Wabamun | Interchange | |
| 325.7 | 202.4 | 327 | Kapasiwin, Wabamun Lake Provincial Park | Interchange; former Hwy 30 south | |
338.8 | 210.5 | 340 | ![]() Grande Prairie, Peace River | Interchange; access to Alaska Highway and Mackenzie Highway; west end of CANAMEX Corridor (follows Hwy 43 north) | ||
| 343.0 | 213.1 | 344 | ![]() Spruce Grove, Edmonton City Centre | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | |
353.5 | 219.7 | 355 | ![]() Calahoo | Interchange; Fifth Meridian, 114° Longitude | ||
Spruce Grove | 357.9 | 222.4 | 360 | Campsite Road | Interchange; known as Jennifer Heil Way inside Spruce Grove city limits | |
359.4 | 223.3 | Calahoo Road ( Hwy 788 ) | Intersection closed; former alignement | |||
361.1 | 224.4 | 363 | Century Road | Interchange | ||
| 366.1 | 227.5 | 368 | ![]() Westlock | Interchange | |
Acheson | 369.1 | 229.3 | 371 | ![]() | Interchange; truck bypass to Hwy 2 south | |
Edmonton | 374.0 | 232.4 | 376 | Winterburn Road (215 Street) | Interchange | |
375.9 | 233.6 | 378 | ![]() Calgary | Interchange; Hwy 216 exit 25; east end of CANAMEX Corridor (follows Hwy 216 south) | ||
377.4 | 234.5 | 379 | 184 Street – St. Albert | Interchange | ||
379.0 | 235.5 | 381 | 170 Street – St. Albert, West Edmonton Mall | Interchange | ||
380.8 | 236.6 | 383 | 156 Street – St. Albert | Interchange | ||
383.0 | 238.0 | 381 | ![]() | Interchange | ||
384.0 | 238.6 | 127 Street | Interchange under construction | |||
387.3 | 240.7 | 389 | ![]() Fort McMurray | Interchange | ||
388.9 | 241.7 | 391 | 82 Street – Northlands | Interchange | ||
390.0 | 242.3 | 392 | Fort Road / Wayne Gretzky Drive – Northlands | Interchange | ||
390.7 | 242.8 | 66 Street | ||||
392.5 | 243.9 | 394 | ![]() Fort McMurray | Interchange | ||
395.0 | 245.4 | 397 | 118 Avenue / Victoria Trail | Interchange | ||
395.8 | 245.9 | Crosses Beverly Bridge (eastbound) and Clover Bar Bridge (westbound) | ||||
396.4 | 246.3 | 400 | Hayter Road / 17 Street NW | Interchange; signed as exit 400A | ||
Calgary | Interchange; Hwy 216 exit 54; eastbound signed as exit 400A; westbound signed as exit 400B (north) and 400C (south) | |||||
399.4 | 248.2 | Broadmoor Boulevard / 17 Street NE | Interchange; eastbound signed as exit 400B; westbound signed as exit 400C | |||
401.0 | 249.2 | 403 | Sherwood Drive / Range Road 232 | Interchange | ||
Strathcona County | 402.6 | 250.2 | 405 | Clover Bar Road / Range Road 231 | Interchange | |
Fort Saskatchewan | Interchange; eastbound signed as exits 406A (south) and 406B (north) | |||||
Hwy 824 south | Interchange | |||||
| 415.6 | 258.2 | ![]() Josephburg | |||
I.D. No. 13 (Elk Island National Park) | | 423.7 | 263.3 | West end of Elk Island National Park | ||
431.1 | 267.9 | Elk Island Parkway | To Hwy 831 north | |||
433.6 | 269.4 | East end of Elk Island National Park | ||||
Tofield | ||||||
Ryley | ||||||
Hwy 631 east | ||||||
Vegreville | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | |||||
488.1 | 303.3 | ![]() Hwy 857 – Bruce, Willingdon | ||||
490.0 | 304.5 | 492 | ![]() Vegreville | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | ||
| 506.2 | 314.5 | ![]() | Interchange proposed (no construction timeline)[17] | ||
Ranfurly | 515.2 | 320.1 | UAR 199 north (Range Road 122A) | |||
| 526.3 | 327.0 | ![]() | |||
539.6 | 335.3 | UAR 216 north (Range Road 102) – Minburn | ||||
Myrnam, St. Paul | ||||||
County of Vermilion River | Vermilion | 574.4 | 356.9 | 577 | ![]() | Interchange |
| 595.0 | 369.7 | ![]() | |||
Marwayne, Paradise Valley | ||||||
Lloydminster | 631.6 | 392.5 | 62 Avenue | Bypass route to Hwy 17 | ||
633.5 | 393.6 | ![]() ![]() Onion Lake, Macklin | ||||
![]() ![]() | Continuation into Saskatchewan | |||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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Footnotes
References
- ^ a b c d e Google (October 10, 2017). "Highway 16 in Alberta" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved October 10, 2017.
- ^ a b c "2015 Provincial Highway 1-216 Progress Chart" (PDF). Alberta Transportation. March 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 10, 2016. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
- ^ a b c Alberta Official Road Map (Map) (2010 ed.). Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation. § J–2, J–3, I–3, I-4, I–5, I–6, I–7, J–7, I–8, and J–8.
- ^ "National Highway System". Transport Canada. December 13, 2009. Archived from the original on July 6, 2011. Retrieved February 13, 2011.
- ^ a b "The Trans-Canada Highway: Backgrounder". Transport Canada. January 4, 2012. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
- ^ "Obed Summit". Waymarking.com. January 27, 2010. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
- ^ "Highways 16 and 16X Renumbered to Provide Greater Consistency". 2009-09-10. Government of Alberta. June 4, 1997.
- ^ Gibson, Chad; Crawford, Murray (September 24, 2010). "Lloydminster loses prominent figure". Lloydminster Meridian Booster. Archived from the original on April 22, 2016. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
- ^ "History of The Yellowhead Highway" (PDF). Trans Canada Yellowhead Highway Association. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
- ^ a b c d e Waugh, Jeff (April 12, 2009). "Jasper National Park History: The Yellowhead Highway". Jasper National Park. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
- ^ "Saskatchewan's Highway Network". Department of Highways. Saskatchewan Government. Archived from the original on February 14, 2007. Retrieved March 24, 2008.
- ^ Anderson, Frank W. (1998). The Yellowhead Trail in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan: Frank W. Anderson. p. 105.
- ^ "West Provincial Highway Projects". Highway 16. Government of Alberta. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
- ^ "Edmonton & Area Provincial Highway Projects". Highway 16. Government of Alberta. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
- ^ a b "East Provincial Highway Projects". Highway 16. Government of Alberta. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
- ^ Edmonton, City of (November 27, 2018). "Yellowhead Trail Freeway Conversion". www.edmonton.ca. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
- ^ "Highway 16 / Highway 36 Functional Plan Study" (PDF). Alberta Transportation. Al-Terra Engineering. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)