This highway’s completion between 1949 and 1970 was a great feat of engineering, linking the provinces of this vast country. From St. John’s to Victoria, workers bridged waterways, blasted through rock in the Rocky Mountains and the Canadian Shield, and paved 7,821 kilometres of road. A ribbon of asphalt winding its way through the Canadian landscape and consciousness, it boosted the economy, facilitated tourism and trade, transformed roadside communities, and enhanced the ability of Canadians to travel. The Trans-Canada Highway has inspired countless family road trips and illustrates the importance of the automobile in Canadian society.