Alberta Highway 16

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	Hwy 16 (TCH) at British Columbia border at Yellowhead Pass
Major intersections	Hwy 93 in Jasper Hwy 22 near Evansburg Hwy 43 at Manly Corner Hwy 216 in Edmonton Hwy 2 in Edmonton Hwy 28 in Edmonton Hwy 15 in Edmonton Hwy 21 in Sherwood Park Hwy 41 near Vermilion Hwy 17 in Lloydminster
East end	Hwy 16 (TCH) at Saskatchewan border in Lloydminster
Location
Country	Canada
Province	Alberta
Specialized and rural municipalities	Jasper, I.D. No. 12, Yellowhead, Parkland, Strathcona, I.D. No. 13, Lamont, Minburn, Vermilion River
Major cities	Spruce Grove, Edmonton, Sherwood Park, Lloydminster
Towns	Hinton, Edson, Vegreville, Vermilion
Villages	Wabamun, Innisfree, Mannville, Kitscoty
Highway system
Provincial highways in Alberta
← Hwy 15 → Hwy 16A

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

Upon exiting Jasper National Park, Highway 16 travels through the rural municipalities of Yellowhead County and Parkland County and is maintained by Alberta Transportation until it reaches Edmonton. The highway is a two-lane, undivided highway for 19 km (12 mi) where it becomes a four-lane, divided highway.^[1] The highway continues northeast through the Town of Hinton until it reaches the locality of Obed, where it continues east and crosses Obed Summit, the highest point on Yellowhead Highway.^[6] The highway passes through the Town of Edson, where the highway splits into parallel one-streets, with eastbound traffic following 2 Avenue and westbound traffic following 4 Avenue.^[1] It continues east where it passes by the Hamlets of Niton Junction, Wildwood, Evansburg and Entwistle; through the Hamlet of Gainford and north of Wabamun Lake where it passes by the Summer Village of Seba Beach, Hamlet of Fallis, Hamlet of Wabamun, and Hamlet of Kapasiwin before intersecting Highway 43. The highway intersects Highway 16A (Parkland Highway), which prior to 1997 was part of Highway 16,^[7] and passes through the Town of Stony Plain, City of Spruce Grove, and serves as an alternate route into Edmonton. The present alignment bypasses Stony Plain and serves as the northern boundary of Spruce Grove. Highway 16 is part of the CANAMEX Corridor between Highway 43 and its western intersection with Anthony Henday Drive.

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

Highway 16 exits Edmonton and enters Strathcona County just west of its eastern intersection with Anthony Henday Drive (Highway 216). The highway travels east and serves as the division between Edmonton and the Urban Service Area of Sherwood Park. The highway continues east past the Hamlet of Ardrossan, through Elk Island National Park, and past the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village. The highway then passes through the rural municipalities of Lamont County, County of Minburn, and the County of Vermilion River. The highway continues in a general southeast direction by Town of Mundare and the Town of Vegreville, where Highway 16A passes directly through the Vegreville. The highway continues by Hamlet of Lavoy, Hamlet of Ranfurly, Village of Innisfree, Hamlet of Minburn, Village of Mannville, Town of Vermilion, Village of Kitscoty, and Hamlet of Blackfoot. The highway is maintained by Alberta Transportation, with the exception of the segment through Elk Island National Park which is maintained by the Government of Canada.^[5] Highway 16 passes through the City of Lloydminster along Ray Nelson Drive (44 Street) and is maintained by the City of Lloydminster.^[1][8] The highway is an arterial street and crosses into Saskatchewan at its intersection with Highway 17 (50 Avenue) where it becomes Saskatchewan Highway 16.

History

The Yellowhead Highway is named after the Yellowhead Pass in the Rocky Mountains. During the early 1800s, Pierre Bostonais, an Iroquois-Métis trapper with streaks of blonde in his hair, worked for the Hudson's Bay Company. Because of his hair colour, French-speaking voyageurs referred to him as "Tête Jaune", literally "Yellow Head". By 1819, Bostonais acted as a guide for the company and had explored a route down the Fraser River to the present city of Prince George.^[9] Nearly a century later, the Grand Trunk Pacific (GTP) and Canadian Northern Railway (CNoR) constructed lines that the Yellowhead Highway later paralleled.^[10] The two lines between Evansburg, Alberta, and Red Pass Junction were combined into a joint route in 1917, with portions of both lines abandoned. The GTP and CNoR both became part of the new Canadian National Railway (CNR) by 1924.

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]

Rural/specialized municipality	Location	km[1]	mi	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Municipality of Jasper (Jasper National Park)	​	0.0	0.0		Hwy 16 (TCH/YH) west – Prince George, Kamloops	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		Hwy 93 south (Icefields Parkway) / Connaught Drive – Lake Louise, Banff
		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
Yellowhead County	​	96.6	60.0		Hwy 40 north (Big Horn Highway) – Grande Cache, Grande Prairie	West end of Hwy 40 concurrency
	Hinton	98.5	61.2		Hwy 40 south (Big Horn Highway) – 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	Hwy 47 south – Robb	Eastbound grade separated; westbound at-grade; future Hwy 947 north
	Edson	186.4	115.8	West end of one-way pair
		189.7	117.9		51 Street to Hwy 748
		191.2	118.8	East end of one-way pair
	​	196.5	122.1	Crosses McLeod River
		221.7	137.8		Hwy 32 north – Peers, Whitecourt
	Nojack	247.4	153.7		Hwy 751 north – MacKay
	​	258.0	160.3		Hwy 753 south – Cynthia, Lodgepole
	Wildwood	270.7	168.2		Range Road 92A
	​	276.9	172.1		Hwy 16A east – Evansburg, Entwistle
		279.5	173.7		Hwy 22 north (Cowboy Trail) – 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
Parkland County	Entwistle	287.5	178.6	289	Hwy 22 south (Cowboy Trail) – Drayton Valley Hwy 16A west – Entwistle	Interchange; east end of Hwy 22 concurrency
	​	296.0	183.9		Hwy 757 north – Magnolia, Sangudo
	Gainford	301.1	187.1		Range Road 62
	​	304.4	189.1	306	Hwy 31 south to Hwy 759 south – Seba Beach, 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
	Manly Corner	338.4	210.3		Hwy 770 south – Carvel, Warburg
		338.8	210.5	340	Hwy 43 north – Whitecourt, 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	Hwy 16A east (Parkland Highway) – Stony Plain, Spruce Grove, Edmonton City Centre	Eastbound exit, westbound entrance
		353.5	219.7	355	Hwy 779 – Stony Plain, Calahoo	Interchange; Fifth Meridian, 114° Longitude
	Spruce Grove	357.9	222.4	360	Jennifer Heil Way / Range Road 274	Interchange
		359.4	223.3		Former Hwy 788 (Calahoo Road)	Intersection closed
		361.1	224.4	363	Century Road / Range Road 272	Interchange
	​	366.1	227.5	368	Hwy 44 north – Villeneuve, Westlock	Interchange
	Acheson	369.1	229.3	371	Hwy 60 south (Devonian Way) – Devon	Interchange; truck bypass to Hwy 2 south
City of Edmonton		374.0	232.4	376	Winterburn Road (215 Street)	Interchange
		375.9	233.6	378	Anthony Henday Drive (Hwy 216) – Cold Lake, Fort McMurray, 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	St. Albert Trail (Hwy 2 north) – St. Albert, Athabasca	Interchange
		387.3	240.7	389	97 Street (Hwy 28 north) – Cold Lake, 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	50 Street (Hwy 15 north) – Fort Saskatchewan, Fort McMurray	Interchange
		395.0	245.4	397	118 Avenue / Victoria Trail	Interchange
		395.8	245.9	Crosses North Saskatchewan River Beverly Bridge (eastbound) and Clover Bar Bridge (westbound)
		396.4	246.3	400	Hayter Road / 17 Street NW	Interchange; signed as exit 400A
Strathcona County–Edmonton boundary	Sherwood Park	396.4– 399.4	246.3– 248.2		Anthony Henday Drive (Hwy 216) – Cold Lake, Fort McMurray, 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
	Bremner	404.2	251.2	406	Hwy 21 – Camrose, Fort Saskatchewan	Interchange; eastbound signed as exits 406A (south) and 406B (north)
	Ardrossan	410.7	255.2	413	Hwy 824 south	Interchange
	​	415.6	258.2		Hwy 830 – 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
Lamont County	​	443.4	275.5		Hwy 834 – Chipman, Tofield
	Mundare	464.5	288.6		Hwy 15 west – Chipman, Lamont, Fort Saskatchewan Hwy 855 – Andrew, Holden, Ryley
County of Minburn No. 27	​	475.3	295.3		Hwy 631 east
	Vegreville	479.2	297.8	481	Hwy 16A east (50 Avenue) – Vegreville	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		488.1	303.3		Hwy 857 – Bruce, Willingdon
		490.0	304.5	492	Hwy 16A west (50 Avenue) – Vegreville	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
	​	506.2	314.5		Hwy 36 (Veterans Memorial Highway) – Viking, Two Hills	Interchange proposed (no construction timeline)[17]
	Ranfurly	515.2	320.1		UAR 199 north (Range Road 122A)
	​	526.3	327.0		Hwy 870 – Innisfree, Morecambe, Kinsella
		539.6	335.3		UAR 216 north (Range Road 102) – Minburn
	Mannville	553.1	343.7		Hwy 881 – Irma, Myrnam, St. Paul
County of Vermilion River	Vermilion	574.4	356.9	577	Hwy 41 (Buffalo Trail) – Elk Point, Cold Lake, Wainwright	Interchange
	​	595.0	369.7		Hwy 893 – Islay, Dewberry
	Kitscoty	610.7	379.5		Hwy 897 – Marwayne, Paradise Valley
City of Lloydminster		631.6	392.5		62 Avenue	Bypass route to Hwy 17
		633.5	393.6		50 Avenue (Hwy 17) – Onion Lake, Macklin
					Hwy 16 (TCH/YH) east – The Battlefords, Saskatoon	Continuation into Saskatchewan
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Closed/former       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access

Footnotes

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alberta Highway 16.

• Trans-Canada Yellowhead Highway Association
• Yellowhead It—Travel Guide to help you plan your next trip along ...