- Route Transtaïga
The Route Transtaïga (Trans-Taiga Road) is an extremely remote wilderness road in northern
Quebec ,Canada . It is 582 kilometers (362 miles) long to Centrale Brisay and another 84 kilometers (52 miles) along theCaniapiscau Reservoir , all of it unpaved.The road's northeastern terminus is almost at the 55th parallel, making it the northernmost continuous road in Eastern North America. Though it's also the furthest point from any town (745 km or 466 miles from Radisson) via road in
North America , it is nonetheless relatively close (190 km) to Schefferville geographically. It does not, however, provide access to it, the intervening terrain is unpassable even in an all-terrain vehicle. The road's end is also close to the southern limit ofNunavik , Quebec's Inuit region.The Trans-Taiga Road branches off from the "
Route de la Baie James " (James Bay Road) at kilometer 544. It was built as an access road to the hydro-electric generating stations ofHydro-Québec along theLa Grande River andCaniapiscau River . Several outfitters are established along this road, providing wilderness hunting and fishing expeditions, and some may also provide fuel, food and lodging. Otherwise, there are no services along this road.As the name of the road indicates, this road winds its way through Quebec's vast boreal forest, characterized by stunted spruce and pine, bogs and rocky outcroppings. "
Taiga " is the Russian term for the same type of forest.It has been suggested by both regional and provincial officials to build a link from the road's northeastern terminus in Caniapiscau to Kuujjuaq, several hundred miles to the north in
Nunavik , also accessing Schefferville along the way. As the road east of Centrale Brisay is extremely rough (large rocks on the road surface), part of the existing road would also require upgrade; an extension via Schefferville would likely require crossing the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.Waypoints
:Source: "Live through enormous: Visit the James Bay", Municipalité de Baie-James, February 2005.
ee also
*
James Bay Project
*List of Quebec provincial highways External links
* [http://jamesbayroad.com/ttr/index.html Unofficial site, part of the James Bay Road site]
* [http://www.mtq.gouv.qc.ca/portal/page/portal/Librairie/Publications/en/regions/abitibi/nord_prediagnostic_en.pdf Plan by Quebec Provincial government] includes study of a possible extension to Kuujjuaq.
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.