Quebec Route 389

Last updated

Qc389.svg

Route 389

Route 389-QC.png
Route information
Maintained by Transports Québec
Length567 km (352 mi)
Major junctions
North endNL Route 500.svg Route 500 north of Fermont
South endQc138.svg R-138 in Baie-Comeau
Location
Country Canada
Province Quebec
Major cities Baie-Comeau, Fermont
Highway system
Qc388.svg R-388 Qc390.svg R-390

Quebec's Route 389 connects Route 138 adjacent to Baie-Comeau with the Newfoundland and Labrador border, connecting with the Trans-Labrador Highway (Newfoundland and Labrador provincial route 500) to Wabush and Labrador City, and beyond to Goose Bay. On its way it skirts the eastern shore of Manicouagan Reservoir.

Contents

Route description

The Québec North Shore Company and Hydro-Québec completed portions from Route 389 to the Manic 5 hydroelectric project site (km 213), now known as the Daniel-Johnson Dam.

From km 213, the highway follows a path traditionally used by aboriginal people and explorers, with access to the Hart Jaune Hydroelectric Complex at km 390. The town of Gagnon, now torn down, was at km 394.

From km 317 (gas station and restaurant), the highway is now paved all the way to km 495.

Starting at km 495, the "Fire Lake Mine Road" section was built by unemployed workers during a labour dispute, influenced by the presence of the railway owned by the Québec Cartier Mining Company. This section of unpaved road is notoriously known as "the trail."

From km 495 to the provincial border at km 567 (352 miles from Baie-Comeau), the road is an accident-prone section notorious for its poor surface and sharp curves (the joke being one can see their own taillights).[ citation needed ] Local citizens in adjacent Labrador have been urging realignment of this road, a vital work if it were to be the routing of a fixed link to Newfoundland.

On April 9, 2009, the Quebec government announced that $438 million would be spent for work to improve the highway from the south end as far as Fermont, [1] with major upgrading and repair work. This will include a significant reroute in the Fire Lake-Mont-Wright section far to the southeast between approximately km 508 and km 564, rejoining the existing route by way of the Fermont access road and no longer routing through Mont-Wright. Work is expected to take fully 10 years, although planning of improvements to this northernmost section began almost immediately. [2] The Comprehensive Study Report is now complete, and comments were accepted until Oct. 4, 2018. [3] [4]

The bridge over the Pékans River (around km 550) is a popular starting point for canoe trips down the Moisie River. [5]

At km 564 is the town of Fermont, a mining town with a population of 2,918, and last Quebec port-of-call before entering Newfoundland and Labrador. Labrador City is 21 km further along what is now Highway 500, Wabush is 6 km south east of that on Highway 503 (which ends in Wabush). The Happy Valley-Goose Bay ferry terminal is located 526 km east of Wabush, along the shores of Lake Melville, with access to the Atlantic Ocean. The Labrador City/Fermont area border crossing is roughly the half-way point of the approximately 16-hour drive between the junction of Routes 138 and 389 in Baie-Comeau and the end of Route 500 (and adjunct Route 520) in Happy Valley – Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Details

The road alternates between asphalt and gravel, as shown below:

Section 1: Baie-Comeau to Manic-5

Route 389 between Baie-Comeau and Manic 5 Route 389 Baie-Comeau - Manic 5.jpg
Route 389 between Baie-Comeau and Manic 5

Distance: 213 km
Type of surface: asphalt: narrow and twisty
Approx. Driving Time: 2 h 30 min
Speed Limit: 70 to 90 km/h

No services until Manic-5, which has basic automotive services

Section 2: Manic-5 to Relais-Gabriel

Route 389 between Manic 5 and Relais Gabriel Route 389 Manic 5 - Relais Gabriel.jpg
Route 389 between Manic 5 and Relais Gabriel

Distance: 104 km
Type of surface: Gravel: bad condition, narrow and twisty
Approx. Driving Time: 1 h 30 min
Speed Limit: 70 km/h

No services until Relais-Gabriel, which has basic automotive services and restaurant

Section 3: Relais-Gabriel to Gagnon*

Route 389 between Relais Gabriel and Gagnon Route 389 Relais Gabriel - Gagnon.jpg
Route 389 between Relais Gabriel and Gagnon

Distance: 77 km
Type of surface: asphalt
Approx. Driving Time: 1 h 00 min
Speed Limit: 90 km/h

No services until Fermont

Section 4: Gagnon to Fire Lake

Route 389 between Gagnon and Fire Lake Route 389 Gagnon - Fire Lake.jpg
Route 389 between Gagnon and Fire Lake

Distance: 101 km
Type of surface: asphalt, bad condition
Approx. Driving Time: 1 h 15 min
Speed Limit: 90 km/h

Section 5: Fire Lake to Mont-Wright

Route 389 between Fire Lake and Mont Wright Route 389 Fire Lake - Mont Wright.jpg
Route 389 between Fire Lake and Mont Wright

Distance: 67 km
Type of surface: gravel: bad condition, very narrow and twisty
Approx. Driving Time: 1 h 00 min
Speed Limit: 70 km/h

No services until Fermont. Note that the railway crosses the road numerous times. Bids are being solicited for reconstruction over the next four years. [6]

Section 6: Mont-Wright to Fermont

Route 389 between Mont Wright and Fermont Route 389 Mont Wright - Fermont.jpg
Route 389 between Mont Wright and Fermont

Distance: 17 km
Type of surface: asphalt, good condition
Approx. Driving Time: 0 h 10 min
Speed Limit: 90 km/h

No services until Fermont

Section 7: Fermont to Interprovincial Border

Route 389 at the border of Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador Route 389 Frontiere.jpg
Route 389 at the border of Québec and Newfoundland and Labrador

Distance: 3 km
Type of surface: asphalt, good condition
Approx. Driving Time: 0 h 5 min
Speed Limit: 90 km/h

Fermont has full automotive, food and hospitality services; next services in Labrador City, 17 km from border, 20 km from Fermont

Municipalities along Route 389

The road passes through the following municipalities and unorganized territories from south to north:

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baie-Comeau</span> City in Quebec, Canada

Baie-Comeau is a city located approximately 420 km (260 mi) north-east of Quebec City in the Côte-Nord region of the province of Quebec, Canada. It is located on the shores of the Saint Lawrence River near the mouth of the Manicouagan River, and is the seat of Manicouagan Regional County Municipality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trans-Labrador Highway</span> Highway in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

The Trans-Labrador Highway (TLH) is the primary public road in Labrador, the mainland portion of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The highway's total length is 1,149 km (714 mi). The paving of the entire highway was completed in July 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Labrador City</span> City in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Labrador City is a city in western Labrador, near the Quebec border. With a population of 7,412 as of 2021, it is the second-largest population centre in Labrador, behind Happy Valley-Goose Bay. Neighbouring Labrador City is Wabush, a smaller town with a population of approximately 1,964 as of 2021. Together, the "twin towns" are known as Labrador West.

Labrador West refers to a region in western Labrador in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador containing the twin towns of Labrador City and Wabush. The area is located in the southwest corner of Labrador, near the Quebec border and has been described as "a dichotomy of pristine wilderness and industrial development."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Happy Valley-Goose Bay</span> Town in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Happy Valley-Goose Bay is a town in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quebec Route 138</span> Highway in Quebec

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wabush Airport</span> Airport in Wabush, Newfoundland and Labrador

Wabush Airport is 1 nautical mile northeast of Wabush, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It serves Labrador West including Labrador City and Wabush as well as Fermont, Quebec.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trans-Taiga Road</span> Road in Quebec

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blanc-Sablon</span> Municipality in Quebec, Canada

Blanc-Sablon is the easternmost community in Le Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent Regional County Municipality, in the administrative region of Côte-Nord, in the province of Quebec, Canada. With a population of 1,122 inhabitants in 2021, it is the most populous community in the county municipality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fermont</span> City in Quebec, Canada

Fermont is a small mining city in northeastern Quebec, Canada, near the Quebec-Labrador border about 23 kilometres (14 mi) from Labrador City on Route 389, which connects to the Trans-Labrador Highway. It is the seat of the Regional County Municipality of Caniapiscau.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newfoundland and Labrador Route 210</span> Highway in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

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Intair was a Canada-based airline that operated between 1989 and 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rivière-Mouchalagane, Quebec</span> Unorganized territory in Quebec, Canada

Rivière-Mouchalagane is an unorganized territory in the Côte-Nord region of Quebec, Canada, part of Caniapiscau Regional County Municipality.

The Quebec North Shore and Labrador Railway is a private Canadian regional railway that stretches 414 kilometres (257 mi) through the wilderness of northeastern Quebec and western Labrador. It connects Labrador City, Labrador, with the port of Sept-Îles, Quebec, on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River. QNS&L is owned by Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC), and is a common carrier.

Central Labrador is the most populous region of Labrador, Canada, that extends from the shores of Lake Melville into the interior. It is also home to Happy Valley – Goose Bay, the largest community in Labrador.

The Bloom Lake Railway is a privately owned Canadian short line railway operating in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec.

Zec Varin is a controlled harvesting zone in the unorganized territory of Rivière-aux-Outardes, in Manicouagan Regional County Municipality, Côte-Nord, in Quebec, in Canada.

Carheil Lake is a lake in the Côte-Nord region of Quebec, Canada. It is just south of Fermont, and is the source of the Carheil River, which runs south to the Aux Pékans River. The lake has been polluted with phosphorus from wastewater effluent from Fermont, causing algal bloom. This is cause for concern since the lake is among the headwaters for the wild and unspoiled Moisie River.

The lake Amédée is a freshwater body of the watershed of the Amédée River, in the territory of the town of Baie-Comeau, in the Manicouagan Regional County Municipality, on the Côte-Nord, in the province of Quebec, in Canada.

The lac Castelnau is a freshwater body of the watershed of the rivière à la Chasse, in the territory of the town of Baie-Comeau, in the Manicouagan Regional County Municipality on the administrative region of Côte-Nord, in the province of Quebec, to Canada.

References

  1. "Northern Québec: A new site of sustainable development" (Press release). Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada. 26 March 2009. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  2. "Amélioration de la route 389" (in French). Transports Québec . Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  3. Canada, Impact Assessment Agency of (May 24, 2012). "Route 389 Improvement Project between Fire Lake and Fermont". ceaa-acee.gc.ca.
  4. Canada, Infrastructure. "The Governments of Canada and Quebec invest in major work on Highway 389 between Baie-Comeau and Fermont". www.newswire.ca.
  5. Kovac, Lester. "Lower Pékans/Lower Moisie 2006". Archived from the original on 2008-04-21.
  6. "Un appel d'offres en vue de la construction du nouveau tracé de la route 389 entre Fire Lake et Fermont". 4 March 2022.

49°45′34″N68°42′34″W / 49.7594°N 68.7095°W / 49.7594; -68.7095