Frontier to Freeway -
A Short Illustrated History of Roads in British Columbia

It started with the original First Nations trail builders who used these routes for a milenia.

Then came the explorers and fur traders from the Hudson’s Bay Company and the NorthWest Fur Trading Company. Then the Gold Rush of the mid-1800s and the mad
dash for riches.

Road building in British Columbia contains a rich history of trail blazers and builders who struggled to overcome hugely difficult natural obstacles.

The trails they built were the forerunners of today’s highways, which span the wide
interior plains of British Columbia, climb the mountains and skirt the inland
waterways. Follow the link below for an exciting trip through the history of British Columbia via its trails, roads and highways.

Frontier to Freeway - A Short History of Roads in British Columbia (PDF - 14.6 MB)

Also see Capsule History of Ministry of Transportation