Editing Trans-Labrador Highway (section)

====Route 510====

In 1997, the [[Government of Newfoundland and Labrador]] committed to building an extension of the TLH, connecting [[Happy Valley-Goose Bay]] with an existing isolated road network serving coastal communities on the [[Strait of Belle Isle]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.releases.gov.nl.ca/releases/1997/wst/1202n02.htm | title=Ministerial Statement - Early tenders for projects funded under Labrador Transportation Initiative Fund }}</ref> The impetus for this project was the federal government's desire to cut costs and remove itself from subsidizing coastal [[ferry]] service to Labrador [[Newfoundland outport|outports]] which was being provided by the federal [[Crown corporation]] [[Marine Atlantic]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Access to Trans-Labrador Highway has been 'double-edged sword,' Cartwright mayor |date=2015-06-19 |website=[[CBC News]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230417061111/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/access-to-trans-labrador-highway-has-been-double-edged-sword-cartwright-mayor-1.3118416 |archive-date=2023-04-17 |url-status=live |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/access-to-trans-labrador-highway-has-been-double-edged-sword-cartwright-mayor-1.3118416}}</ref>

These federal cuts were completed in 1997, under the moniker Labrador Transportation Initiative, when an agreement was signed which saw the federal government transfer ownership and operation of two ferry vessels, along with C$340 million for extending Labrador's road network.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.releases.gov.nl.ca/releases/1997/exec/0403n01.htm | title=Government announces construction of Trans Labrador Highway }}</ref> A key component to this plan was $150 million to upgrade coastal Labrador marine services, including a newer high-capacity ferry for the [[St. Barbe, Newfoundland and Labrador|St. Barbe]]-[[Blanc Sablon, Quebec|Blanc Sablon]] service across the [[Strait of Belle Isle]].
[[File:Trans-Labrador Highway Route 500.jpg|thumb|Route 500 heading towards Happy Valley-Goose Bay]]