Route 1 is a highway in the
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
province of
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the populatio ...
, and is the easternmost stretch of the
Trans-Canada Highway
The Trans-Canada Highway (Canadian French, French: ; abbreviated as the TCH or T-Can) is a transcontinental federal–provincial highway system that travels through all ten provinces of Canada, from the Pacific Ocean on the west coast to the A ...
. Route 1 is the primary east–west road on the
island of Newfoundland.
The eastern terminus of Route 1 is
St. John's. From there, the highway crosses the island to
Channel-Port aux Basques
Channel-Port aux Basques is a town at the extreme southwestern tip of Newfoundland fronting on the western end of the Cabot Strait. A Marine Atlantic ferry terminal is located in the town which is the primary entry point onto the island of Newf ...
, its western terminus.
From there, the Trans-Canada Highway is carried across the
Cabot Strait
Cabot Strait
(; , ) is in Atlantic Canada between Cape Ray, Newfoundland, and Cape North, Cape Breton Island.
The strait, approximately 110 kilometres wide, is the widest of the three outlets for the Gulf of Saint Lawrence into the Atlant ...
by ferry to
North Sydney
North Sydney is a suburb and commercial district on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. And is the administrative centre for the local government area of North Sydney Council.
History
The Indigenous people on the s ...
,
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...
.
Route description
The following description details the highway from its eastern terminus to its western terminus.
Route 1's official eastern terminus is at the interchange with Logy Bay Road in the northeastern part of the city. The highway begins as a freeway, proceeding west on the Outer Ring Road. Route 1 maintains the name Outer Ring Road, intersecting with
St. John's roads such as Aberdeen Avenue,Torbay Road, Portugal Cove Road, Allandale Road, Team Gushue Highway, Thorburn Road, Topsail Road and Kenmount Road until the interchange with Pitts Memorial Drive, 20 km to the west.
Route 1 proceeds in a generally southwestern direction for another 25 km as it follows the southern shore of
Conception Bay
Conception Bay (CB) is a bay on the southeast coast of Newfoundland, Canada.
The population (in 2011) of people living in municipalities (or unincorporated census subdivisions) located along the coast of Conception Bay was 90,490 making it ...
(several kilometres inland) until it reaches the interchange with
Route 13 where it turns west and then northwest, continuing for another 29 km on a 4-lane expressway to
Whitbourne where the freeway ends at the interchange with Route 80/81.
Route 1 transitions to a 2-lane controlled access highway and continues northwest from Whitbourne along the isthmus of the
Avalon Peninsula
The Avalon Peninsula () is a large peninsula that makes up the southeast portion of the island of Newfoundland in Canada. It is in size.
The peninsula is home to 270,348 people, about 52% of the province's population, according to the 2016 Ca ...
and 188 km north to
Glovertown, bypassing
Clarenville
Clarenville is a town on the east coast of Newfoundland (island), Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Clarenville was incorporated in 1951. It is located in the Shoal Harbour valley, fronting an arm of the Atlant ...
, small communities like
Arnold's Cove,
Goobies and passing through
Terra Nova National Park; park admission is not required to use Route 1. The
Bonavista Peninsula
The Bonavista Peninsula is a large peninsula on the east coast of the island of Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It consists of 50 incorporated towns/unincorporated communities which have a population of 12,176 ...
and
Burin Peninsula
The Burin Peninsula ( ) is a peninsula located on the south coast of the island of Newfoundland (island), Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Marystown is the largest population centre on the peninsula.Statistics Canada. 201 ...
can be accessed via interchanges near
Clarenville
Clarenville is a town on the east coast of Newfoundland (island), Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Clarenville was incorporated in 1951. It is located in the Shoal Harbour valley, fronting an arm of the Atlant ...
and
Goobies, respectively.
From Glovertown, the highway proceeds northwest 182 km to
Badger
Badgers are medium-sized short-legged omnivores in the superfamily Musteloidea. Badgers are a polyphyletic rather than a natural taxonomic grouping, being united by their squat bodies and adaptions for fossorial activity rather than by the ...
, bypassing
Gander,
Glenwood.
Lewisporte (about 11 km north on
Route 340),
Norris Arm Bishop's Falls and
Grand Falls-Windsor
Grand Falls-Windsor is a town located in the central region of the island of Newfoundland (island), Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, with a population of 13,853 at the Canada 2021 Census, 2021 census. The town i ...
; Route 1 has a 6 km 4-lane section through Grand Falls-Windsor. As of August 2008, there are no gas stations along the highway between the towns of
Gander and
Bishop's Falls.
The Isles of Notre Dame region of the province, which includes
Fogo, the
Twillingate Islands
Twillingate Islands (French language, French "Toulinguet") are a group of islands in Notre Dame Bay of the island of Newfoundland (island), Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. There are two main islands, North Twil ...
,
New World Island
New World Island is an island in Notre Dame Bay, just off the coast of Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
The island is connected to Newfoundland by a causeway. The prominent communities on the island are Summer ...
and surrounding areas, can be accessed via
Route 340 at the interchange near
Lewisporte. The
Bay d'Espoir
Bay d'Espoir ( ) is an arm of Hermitage Bay in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, located on the south coast of Newfoundland (island), Newfoundland. Communities in Bay d'Espoir include: Milltown-Head of Bay d'Espoir, Morrisville, St. Alban's, Newfoundlan ...
region can be accessed via the Bay D'Espoir Highway near
Botwood.
Botwood,
Point Leamington and
Leading Tickles can be accessed via the
Botwood Highway, officially ''Route 350'' at an interchange in the
Bishop's Falls-
Grand Falls-Windsor
Grand Falls-Windsor is a town located in the central region of the island of Newfoundland (island), Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, with a population of 13,853 at the Canada 2021 Census, 2021 census. The town i ...
area.
From Badger, Route 1 heads due north for 64 km to
Springdale where the highway swings southwest for 137 km to
Pasadena
Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commercial d ...
, passing through
Deer Lake.
At Pasadena, the highway transitions to a 4-lane
expressway and continues southwest along the south shore of
Deer Lake before following the
Humber River through the narrow
Humber Valley. The 4-lane section proceeds for 38 km in a southwest direction, where it transitions back to a 2-lane controlled access highway west of the interchange with
Route 450 (Lewin Parkway), southwest of
Corner Brook
Corner Brook ( 2021 population: 19,316 CA 29,762) is a city located on the west coast of the island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Corner Brook is the fifth largest settlement in Newfoundland and Labrado ...
.
From the Confederation Drive interchange, Route 1 proceeds for 213 km in a southwest direction, bypassing
Stephenville (accessible via
Route 460 and
Route 490) and passing through the
Codroy Valley (where it is a 2-lane uncontrolled access highway) to
Port aux Basques. It terminates southeast of the town at the
Marine Atlantic
Marine Atlantic Inc. () is an independent Canadian federal Crown corporation which is mandated to operate ferry services between the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia.
Marine Atlantic's corporate headquarters are in St. John ...
ferry terminal.
Outer Ring Road
New highway construction during the 1990s extended Route 1 on what is called the Outer Ring Road to the interchange with Logy Bay Road in the northeast part of St. John's, including passing by the
Stavanger Drive Shopping Area. The bypass opened in phases moving increasingly eastward from Kenmount Road to Logy Bay Road, between 1998 and 2003.
Prior to this construction, Route 1 and the Trans-Canada Highway designation began at St. John's City Hall on New Gower Street and proceeded west on Pitts Memorial Drive and then on the current alignment of Route 1 to the southwest. It is for this reason that the city named its hockey arena and convention centre
Mile One Centre
Mary Brown's Centre (formerly Mile One Centre) is an indoor arena and entertainment venue located in downtown St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The arena opened in May, 2001, replacing Memorial Stadium. At full capacity the arena c ...
, adjacent to the city hall.
To follow an unofficial alignment of Route 1 from St. John's City Hall, one must head geographically east for 1.5 km into the southeastern part of the city, continuing onto Duckworth Street (
Route 60). Proceed north for 1 km on Cavendish Square and King's Bridge Road before turning east for 1.5 km along the north shore of
Quidi Vidi Lake
Quidi Vidi Lake is a long body of water located at the east end of the city of St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada. Local people commonly pronounce its name as ''kiddy viddy''.
Overview
Water flows into the lake from the Rennies and Virginia Riv ...
on The Boulevard, Or Turn Right Onto Forest Road And Continue To Quidi Vidi Village Road. At The Turnoff To Barrows Road, Keep Left.
Continue north on East White Hills Road, which becomes controlled access several hundred metres north of its intersection with The Boulevard. The East White Hills Road transitions into the Outer Ring Road 4 km to the north at the interchange with the Logy Bay Road.
Exit list
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Newfoundland And Labrador Route 1
001
Newfoundland 001
Conception Bay South
Corner Brook
Grand Falls-Windsor
Streets in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador