User:AceYYC/sandbox/Export Highway
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Export Highway is an unofficial designation historically given to a series of major roads that form a north–south trade corridor in the Canadian province of Alberta, connecting major population centres to the United States. The mostly divided highway has been described as the "backbone of the province", extending 1,163 kilometres (723 mi) from Interstate 15 at the Canada–United States border to the British Columbia border in northwest Alberta. It forms a contiguous route between the cities of Lethbridge, Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, and Grande Prairie, linking them to Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, and points beyond.
Export Highway | |
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CANAMEX Corridor | |
Export Highway highlighted in red | |
Route information | |
Length | 1,163 km[1] (723 mi) |
Component highways |
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Location | |
Country | Canada |
Major cities | Lethbridge, Calgary, Airdrie, Red Deer, Lacombe, Leduc, Edmonton, Grande Prairie |
Highway system | |
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National Highway System CANAMEX Corridor |
The Export Highway begins as Highway 4 at the United States border, proceeding northwest to meet Highway 3 in Lethbridge. The corridor turns west along Highway 3 to Fort Macleod, then curves north on Highway 2 to Calgary. It continues into central Alberta through Red Deer as the Queen Elizabeth II Highway before bending around Edmonton along the southwest quadrant of the Anthony Henday Drive ring road. At the city's west end, Highway 16 assumes the designation, travelling west for a short distance until Highway 43 turns north to Grande Prairie. The divided highway ends west of Grande Prairie, and the two-lane road continues into British Columbia where it becomes Highway 2, and ultimately Highway 97 in Dawson Creek marking the southern terminus of the Alaska Highway.
Historically, the Export Highway comprised the northernmost portion of the Sunshine Trail that ran from Los Angeles to Peace River. It has formed Alberta's portion of the officially named CANAMEX Corridor since 1995, a route that stretches from Alaska to Mexico. Since 2006, it has followed either all or portions of Highways 4, 3, 2, 216, 16, and 43; the alignment has shifted over the years as the component highways have been upgraded, reconstructed, and renumbered. Major changes include the 1950s extension of Highway 43 from Whitecourt to Valleyview, and the 1960s reconstruction of the Calgary–Edmonton segment of Highway 2 to a divided highway. The 1989 "Export Highway Program" twinned the route from Calgary to the U.S. border, and the 2000s saw the completion of Anthony Henday Drive and twinning of the Edmonton–Grande Prairie portion of Highway 43. Further bypasses and upgrades are either under construction or have been planned and are awaiting funding.