Highway 4 is the longest east–west main vehicle route on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, with a total length of 162 km (101 mi). It is known locally as the Alberni Highway to the east of Port Alberni and the Pacific Rim Highway to the west. The original highway from Parksville to Alberni and Port Alberni was completed in 1942 and was originally designated as Highway 1A. It was re-designated as Highway 4 in 1953, and was extended in 1961 to the district of Tofino, on the west coast of the Island.
Highway 4's eastern terminus is at the interchange with Highway 19 at Qualicum Beach; however, the roadway continues north as Memorial Avenue for 4 km (2 mi) to Highway 19A. From Highway 19, it travels south for 3 km (2 mi) to a junction with an older Alberni Highway segment, now known as Highway 4A, at the small community of Hilliers in Coombs. Highway 4 veers directly west upon meeting this junction.
The majority of Highway 4's length is composed of a two-lane configuration. An inactive subdivision of the E&N Railway parallels Highway 4 all the way from the coast near Parksville to the city of Port Alberni.
West of Coombs Junction, Highway 4 travels for 11 km (7 mi) before meeting Cameron Lake. Highway 4 hugs the shore of Cameron Lake for 5 km (3 mi), then winds its way through MacMillan Provincial Park, which includes a tourist attraction known as Cathedral Grove. After Cameron Lake, Highway 4 climbs for 8 km (5 mi), following the Cameron River, to the Port Alberni Summit—the highest point on the highway (elevation: 411 metres (1,348 ft)), known by locals as "The Hump", at which it crosses from the Regional District of Nanaimo into the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District—and then descends for 6 km (4 mi) to a spur that travels into the city centre of Port Alberni. Highway 4 enters the city limits of Port Alberni 2 km (1.2 mi) west of the main spur into the city, and 5 km (3 mi) later, exits Port Alberni via a bridge over the Somass River.
Tofino was a strong advocate of the Trans-Canada Highway system, and this sign was erected in the hope that Highway 4 would become part of the TCH.
6 km (4 mi) west of the Somass River crossing, Highway 4 reaches the shore of Sproat Lake, following the lake shore west for 24 km (15 mi). Highway 4 then follows the Taylor River for 10 km (6 mi) to the summit of Sutton Pass (elevation: 240 metres (790 ft)), named after William John Sutton, and then turns toward the south-southwest to follow the Kennedy River. This winding bearing of Highway 4, which features very steep grades, continues for 23 km (14 mi) before reaching the southeast shore of Kennedy Lake. Highway 4 then follows the shore of Kennedy Lake southwest for 19 km (12 mi), and reaches a junction with a spur into the district municipality of Ucluelet (known locally as "The Junction") 5 km (3 mi) later, after which the route continues in a northwest direction. 1 km (0.6 mi) later, Highway 4 enters the Long Beach Unit of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Highway 4 goes through the national park for 22 km (14 mi) northwest before terminating 11 km (7 mi) later at Tofino.
Highway 4A is the previous alignment of Highway 4 east of Coombs. The '4A' designation was originally assigned in 1968 to the current section of Highway 4 between Coombs and Qualicum Beach. The 4 and 4A alignments east and north of Coombs, respectively, switched designations when the Parksville to Mud Bay section of the Inland Island Highway was completed in 1996. This older spur of Highway 4 terminates in the east at Parksville, 10 kilometres (6 mi) from Coombs.
^ abcd(PDF). British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (Report). Cypher Consulting. July 2016. pp. 131–139. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-03-11. Retrieved 2017-04-06.
March 06, 2023
british, columbia, highway, prior, 1953, british, columbia, highway, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources,. For British Columbia Highway 4 prior to 1953 see British Columbia Highway 95 This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources British Columbia Highway 4 news newspapers books scholar JSTOR April 2017 Learn how and when to remove this template message Highway 4 is the longest east west main vehicle route on Vancouver Island British Columbia Canada with a total length of 162 km 101 mi It is known locally as the Alberni Highway to the east of Port Alberni and the Pacific Rim Highway to the west The original highway from Parksville to Alberni and Port Alberni was completed in 1942 and was originally designated as Highway 1A It was re designated as Highway 4 in 1953 and was extended in 1961 to the district of Tofino on the west coast of the Island Highway 4Alberni HighwayPacific Rim HighwayHighway 4 highlighted in red Route informationMaintained by British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and InfrastructureLength162 km 1 101 mi Major junctionsEast endHwy 19 in Qualicum BeachMajor intersectionsHwy 4A near CoombsWest endGovernment Wharf in TofinoLocationCountryCanadaProvinceBritish ColumbiaRegional districtsTofinoMajor citiesPort AlberniTownsQualicum BeachHighway systemBritish Columbia provincial highways Hwy 3B Hwy 5 Contents 1 Route details 2 Major intersections 3 Highway 4A 3 1 Major intersections 4 External links 5 ReferencesRoute details Edit Highway 4 and 19 Interchange at Qualicum Beach Highway 4 s eastern terminus is at the interchange with Highway 19 at Qualicum Beach however the roadway continues north as Memorial Avenue for 4 km 2 mi to Highway 19A From Highway 19 it travels south for 3 km 2 mi to a junction with an older Alberni Highway segment now known as Highway 4A at the small community of Hilliers in Coombs Highway 4 veers directly west upon meeting this junction The majority of Highway 4 s length is composed of a two lane configuration An inactive subdivision of the E amp N Railway parallels Highway 4 all the way from the coast near Parksville to the city of Port Alberni West of Coombs Junction Highway 4 travels for 11 km 7 mi before meeting Cameron Lake Highway 4 hugs the shore of Cameron Lake for 5 km 3 mi then winds its way through MacMillan Provincial Park which includes a tourist attraction known as Cathedral Grove After Cameron Lake Highway 4 climbs for 8 km 5 mi following the Cameron River to the Port Alberni Summit the highest point on the highway elevation 411 metres 1 348 ft known by locals as The Hump at which it crosses from the Regional District of Nanaimo into the Alberni Clayoquot Regional District and then descends for 6 km 4 mi to a spur that travels into the city centre of Port Alberni Highway 4 enters the city limits of Port Alberni 2 km 1 2 mi west of the main spur into the city and 5 km 3 mi later exits Port Alberni via a bridge over the Somass River Tofino was a strong advocate of the Trans Canada Highway system and this sign was erected in the hope that Highway 4 would become part of the TCH 6 km 4 mi west of the Somass River crossing Highway 4 reaches the shore of Sproat Lake following the lake shore west for 24 km 15 mi Highway 4 then follows the Taylor River for 10 km 6 mi to the summit of Sutton Pass elevation 240 metres 790 ft named after William John Sutton and then turns toward the south southwest to follow the Kennedy River This winding bearing of Highway 4 which features very steep grades continues for 23 km 14 mi before reaching the southeast shore of Kennedy Lake Highway 4 then follows the shore of Kennedy Lake southwest for 19 km 12 mi and reaches a junction with a spur into the district municipality of Ucluelet known locally as The Junction 5 km 3 mi later after which the route continues in a northwest direction 1 km 0 6 mi later Highway 4 enters the Long Beach Unit of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve Highway 4 goes through the national park for 22 km 14 mi northwest before terminating 11 km 7 mi later at Tofino Major intersections EditFrom east to west Regional DistrictLocationkm 1 miDestinationsNotesNanaimoQualicum Beach 3 70 2 30 Hwy 19A Oceanside Route Courtenay Parksville0 000 00 Hwy 19 Inland Island Highway Campbell River NanaimoHilliers Interchange Hwy 19 exit 60 Hwy 4 eastern terminusCoombs2 621 63 Hwy 4A east Coombs ParksvilleAlberni ClayoquotPort Alberni37 7423 45Gertrude Street City Centre 128 7279 98Ucluelet Road Hwy 963 2386 south Ucluelet131 14 151 4381 49 94 09Passes through Pacific Rim National Park ReserveTofino161 60100 41Government WharfHwy 4 western terminus1 000 mi 1 609 km 1 000 km 0 621 mi Closed formerHighway 4A Edit Highway 4ALocationCoombs ParksvilleLength9 7 km 1 6 0 mi Highway 4A is the previous alignment of Highway 4 east of Coombs The 4A designation was originally assigned in 1968 to the current section of Highway 4 between Coombs and Qualicum Beach The 4 and 4A alignments east and north of Coombs respectively switched designations when the Parksville to Mud Bay section of the Inland Island Highway was completed in 1996 This older spur of Highway 4 terminates in the east at Parksville 10 kilometres 6 mi from Coombs Major intersections Edit The entire route is in Nanaimo Regional District Locationkm 1 miDestinationsNotesParksville 1 90 1 18 Hwy 19A Oceanside Route Qualicum Beach Nanaimo0 000 00 Hwy 19 Inland Island Highway Campbell River NanaimoAllsbrook Interchange Hwy 19 exit 51 Hwy 4A eastern terminusCoombs9 676 01 Hwy 4 Qualicum Beach Port AlberniHwy 4A western terminus1 000 mi 1 609 km 1 000 km 0 621 mi Closed formerExternal links EditRoute map KML file edit help Template Attached KML British Columbia Highway 4KML is not from Wikidata Official Numbered Routes in British Columbia by British Columbia Driving amp TransportationReferences Edit a b c d Landmark Kilometre Inventory PDF British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure Report Cypher Consulting July 2016 pp 131 139 Archived from the original PDF on 2017 03 11 Retrieved 2017 04 06 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title British Columbia Highway 4 amp oldid 1130834812, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
