Victoria and Surroundings - Fabulous Western Canada: Capture the Excitement of the Great West! - page 59

THE TRANS-CANADA HIGHWAY

Kilometre zero of the Trans-Canada Highway (TCH), the longest na-
tional highway in the world, is indicated by a monument at the corner
of Dallas Road and Douglas Street in Victoria. The TCH ends (or
begins, depending on your point of view) 7,821km to the east, in
St. John's, in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. In fact, in
front of the St. John's city hall, a sign marking the spot declares that
“ Canada begins right here… ”

Construction of the TCH began in the summer of 1950, and by the
time it was completed in 1970 (the opening ceremonies took place in
Rogers Pass, B.C. prior to completion, in 1962), it had cost $1 billion,
more than three times the initial estimated cost.

In truth, the highway is neither a single entity, nor does it link the
entire country. It needs some help from two ferries (from the main-
land to Victoria and St. John's), doesn't quite manage to pass through
every Canadian jurisdiction (the Yukon, Northwest Territories and
Nunavut are left out), and is in fact two different highways for much
of Ontario and Québec. West of Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, it splits
into Highway 16, which heads north and ends up in Prince Rupert,
B.C., and Highway 1, a southern route that ends up in Victoria.

The TCH's distinctive marker shield features a white maple leaf on a
green background.

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Outside the city, delightful views line the highways. © iStockphoto.com / Marek Slusarczyk