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The longest highway in North America also happens to be the longest national highway in the world, a Yahoo! search revealed. The Trans-Canada Highway stretches a whopping 4,860 miles (this figure varies slightly depending upon the source) across Canada. Beginning on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, (where Mile Zero is marked by a monument), the road makes its way across the Continental Divide, 5 time zones, and 10 provinces, and includes several car ferries before it terminates in St. John's, Newfoundland. The highway varies in size from a two-lane road to a divided highway and is not a single route. In some places,
there are actually several different routes the adventurous traveler can take. And though the number of the route changes by province, the distinctive maple leaf signs remain the same. Passed on December 10, 1949, the Trans-Canada Highway Act provided federal funding for the road. The highway was due to be completed in 1956, but wasn't formally opened until 1962 due to (what else?) construction delays. The final cost was close to $600 million. If you ever have the chance to drive the Trans-Canada Highway, make sure you don't miss the world's largest hockey stick and puck, just one of the many oversized roadside attractions you'll pass on the route.
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