page_title: British Columbia Highway 4
section_title: Route details
hierarchical_section_title: British Columbia Highway 4 / Route details
caption_attribution_description: Sign reads, "Pacific Terminus / Trans-Canada-Highway / Tofino B.C." Taken by Denelson83 on July 16, 2005.
context_page_description: Highway 4 is the longest east–west main vehicle route on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, with a total length of 162 km. 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 small community of Tofino, on the west coast of the Island.
context_section_description: 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 abandoned spur of the E&N Railway parallels Highway 4 all the way from the coast 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 actually 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.
  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 settlement 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.
caption: 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.
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