June 2017: Dirt Sections: Manic-5 to Relais Gabrielle about 100kms excellent conditions Fire Lake to Lac Bloom about 65 kms twisty and sandy; reduced truck traffic due to reduced mine activity. 80 kms east of Goose Bay to Port Hope Simpson 312 kms excellent condition 136 kms Port Hope Simpson to Red Bay new construction crushing and spreading soft marbly gravel; paving to follow this season to an unknown degree. Total dirt remaining about 613 kms. Temperatures were at a low of 4.5 C and not much more than 12 C. No flies. Seven bears. Don't feed the bears please. Supreme fuel available at gas bar in Labrador City outside Tim Hortons (at least it was marked Supreme on the pump). Graders working all over the highway but were more courteous than I remember. No issue and doing a good job. Pavement: Baie Comeau to Manic-5 excellent condition and twisty. Lots of fun. Goose Bay towards Port Hope has 80kms of new pavement done last year I think. An additional 80kms of gravel was widened; at least it appeared that way to me when compared to 2014. Pavement from Red Bay down to Quebec border is in terrible condition. Enormous potholes.
Late June 2019 update from Backdraft: Dirt sections Manic to Regis Gabriella ~100kms Fire Lake to Fermont ~90kms Goose to Port Hope Simpson... 240kms dirt First 90kms paved heading south Pavement starts halfway Cartwright turn off to Port Hope Simpson
Tonis... I believe you jave more accurate info...lol Baie Comeau to Manic cinq was excellent. Looks to be new pavement. When we did it a few years back all I remember was a lot of tar snakes.. Oh yeah... we seen only 2 moose and 5 bears.. one porcupine
I guess the biggest change since I was there two years ago is that it is now paved from Cartwright Junction all the way to Red Bay. Did you encounter any active new paving or preparations for paving?
I am reading this thread with interest since I'd like to make this trip in the car when the road is completely paved! I know this isn't what you guys want but it sounds very appealing to me
Our government is making slow progress on the asphalt in Labrador indeed. I wonder if there is any plans though for Quebec to eventually pave their ~165kms.
Johnson's are started paving between Port hope and Cartwright turnoff. No problems doing the entire route in car... roads are in excellent condition