northern woods kilometre route northern british_columbia alberta early 1950s community groups came establish northern travel route proposed established encouraged promotion route promise increase tourist travel route designated signed connector highways route starts creek british_columbia spirit river highway ends running northern region western provinces includes connector routes west east including alberta highway highway road highway halfway point approximately traders early settlers utilised rivers cart roads early 20th century railroad bush planes supplemented travel northern transition area roads provided means early land vehicles cross swamp horse drawn filled low areas settlers hauled gravel cleared bush road ways surveyed high elevations following lake river shore lines municipalities grade gravel roads providing transportation trading centres weather road arrived alongside association impetus travel tourism corridor northern area western provinces traffic volume route major factor determine highway classification surface type construction upgrades route description british_columbia british_columbia route starts kilometres alberta border intersection british_columbia spirit west northern section alaska highway southern sections south north known highway british_columbia spirit river highway route designated alberta continues east alberta highway spirit river highway alberta highway contributes northwestern alberta alberta border town spirit river population supported agriculture oil gas industry creating annual average daily traffic aadt near spirit river vehicles day south tributary north village hub peace population travellers tourism booth giant junction highway highway traffic volume increases located junction highway aadt declines village population unincorporated area traffic volume declines bad heart river tributary flows near junction highway highway west traffic volume rises turns south arriving highway connecting highway route follow highway west turns south intersection junction route turns east route following highway holds august route follow designated alternative route turning south staying highway eastern turn branch till connection alberta highway contributes scenic route western provinces high prairie west intersection highway highway traffic jumps hamlet community indian reserve hill located located south shore highway lesser slave river small hamlet wagner jewel north town land hills population marks transition connector routes highway traffic volume ranges according aadt traffic counts areas located south junction highway highway traffic remains sir winston_churchill provincial park north point municipal district traffic volume declines highway asphalt highway yearly maintenance travel corridors northerly begins journey north western crosses northern small hamlet rural municipality located junction north south traffic volume unincorporated area located junction bears traffic volume approximate halfway point located north route meadow lake provincial park rapid view unincorporated area meadow lake town located north western shore aadt approximately located intersection northern tip traffic volume considerably higher west dropping east green lake bears south east western edge follows eastern shoreline southern tip west highway volume point provides civic administration village junction traffic volume north south intersection south junction hamlet village population located town intersection aadt increases concurrency begins ends prince albert hamlet located south north traffic volume rises city connects traffic volume west city east city aadt drops approximately prince albert located village junction traffic volume heaviest west prince albert aadt east located transition features agricultural fields mixed dense sparse population small unincorporated areas populations found junction village junction hamlet north national highway intersection love village marks turn south east village near intersection traffic volume raises intersection turns south concurrency begins town near lake home west intersection traffic volume remain following intersection east traffic falls communities route contributes entire junction aadt travel enters west ending town aadt increases provides economy supported fur trade trapping mining fishing logging agricultural industries incorporated city population located south south travel continues south continues flows travels west turns west near river small community residents river community located north west tip east small areas located west swan lake population largest village swan river valley north swan river aadt increases changes course bears east junction south west north intersection traffic volume east traffic declines small community found intersection located hamlet mountain south resumes route south pine river places populations found east duck mountain provincial park west lake located intersection west small hamlet located intersection west south aadt declines near intersection located north junction area continues east connector route total city located north south near city traffic volume jumps heaviest day week friday highest volume occurring april october daylight hours located junction south provincial park rose town intersection near intersection traffic volume declines rose cattle capital continues west connector highway carry located close turn north easterly direction east small community flow lake rural municipality civic affairs south returns east direction turns south concurrency begins turns east concurrency ends continues southerly direction final leg travel corridor found continues south parallel eastern shores located unincorporated area located intersection west provides access beach hamlet located intersection east intersection hamlet lake francis located west woodlands warren unincorporated areas small populations woodlands aadt increases near communities woodlands intersection warren located hamlet arriving perimeter highway ending terminus history long trail followed miles northern flow traffic increased fur trade industry long trail stopping places developed providing rest food travelers routes west corresponds route south shores trail departed south initial stages heart lake trail traveled northeast form base secondary work motor traffic roads graded stopping places developed set stopping points way arrival rails waterways lesser slave lake near alberta near prince albert traversed long boat canoe steamship rail reach northern areas early twentieth century geological mountains swamp forest river systems traverse huge flood near left ground walk railway track construction work began continuing surveyed line near prince albert contractors started work bridge upper deck served train lower deck built highway traffic opening vehicles travel overland trails rivers places early oil wells rich soils grain growing economy rush settlers area early 20th century time transportation goods connecting river routes early rail lines overland fortune gold rush traveled north took rail far north prince albert westerly route proceeded prince albert green lake long trail following slave rivers bearing north following rivers garage service cars opened early travelers stop filling station automobiles year speed limit town miles hour miles hour approaching horse pedestrian fine saw car arrive active fur trading posts explorers area settlers haul gravel new roadways cleared brush road early roads follow road kept higher ground nature transition swamps needed traversed pioneers filled areas branches brush proceeded trip later roads built areas traffic got mud road consisted logs laid road rail tie rail line logs placed mud filled logs surface log provided inches roadway worst areas constructed fashion horse taxi settlers early providing regular trips prince albert taking children school taxi service provided automobile bush planes arrived 1920s northern bus areas providing communication era travel limited snow fell water high prairie looking forward hard surface construction supplement economic trading base tourism new bridge prince albert erected caused routing highway half miles community groups came early 1950s establish northern travel route early proposed travel corridor established promotion route increase tourist travel organise western canada chairman years association worked placing signs provincial highways maps promoting tourism printed association sponsored wagons traverse route promoting tourism creation travel corridor august stopped regional park toured current engineering concerns determine maintenance current travel corridor construction upgrades route contain variety road surfaces ranging asphalt concrete thin membrane surface gravel highway insight current surface texture traffic volume traffic speed percentage loaded trucks climate variations construction costs time available materials affect upgrade procedures entire route paved class gravel highway segment border traffic volume declines near border major intersections west east
Northern Woods and Water Route