Route 20 is a provincial highway in
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
, extending from
St. John's to the towns of
Torbay
Torbay is a borough and unitary authority in Devon, south west England. It is governed by Torbay Council and consists of of land, including the resort towns of Torquay, Paignton and Brixham, located on east-facing Tor Bay, part of Lyme ...
,
Flatrock,
Shoe Cove,
Pouch Cove
Pouch Cove is a town in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The population is 2,063 according to the Canada 2021 Census. It is located on the northeast Avalon Peninsula, 27 kilometres north of St. John's, the province's capital ...
, and the point of
Cape St. Francis
Cape St. Francis ( af, Kaap St Francis) is a village in South Africa, situated on a headland in the Eastern Cape Province. It is popular for its clean beaches and as a surfing location.
The village is home to the Seal Point Lighthouse.
The Irm ...
. Route 20 is located entirely on the
Avalon Peninsula
The Avalon Peninsula (french: PĂ©ninsule d'Avalon) is a large peninsula that makes up the southeast portion of the island of Newfoundland. It is in size.
The peninsula is home to 270,348 people, about 52% of Newfoundland's population, according ...
of
Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
.
Route description
The road begins in the east end of St. John's, where Kenna's Hill forks into two branches: Torbay Road (Route 20) and
Logy Bay Road (Route 30).
Within the city of St. John's, Torbay Road is both a major
arterial road
An arterial road or arterial thoroughfare is a high-capacity urban road that sits below freeways/motorways on the road hierarchy in terms of traffic flow and speed. The primary function of an arterial road is to deliver traffic from collector ro ...
and a significant commercial area, with many
strip mall
A strip mall, strip center or strip plaza is a type of shopping center common in North America where the stores are arranged in a row, with a sidewalk in front. Strip malls are typically developed as a unit and have large parking lots in front. ...
s as well as the Torbay Road Mall and, north of the
Trans-Canada Highway
The Trans-Canada Highway ( French: ; abbreviated as the TCH or T-Can) is a transcontinental federal–provincial highway system that travels through all ten provinces of Canada, from the Pacific Ocean on the west coast to the Atlantic Ocean o ...
, the Stavanger Drive big-box retail area. The road is heavily travelled in the mornings and evenings as workers commute into and out of the city. At a point approximately 7 kilometres north of its southern terminus, Torbay Road continues northerly through the community of
Torbay
Torbay is a borough and unitary authority in Devon, south west England. It is governed by Torbay Council and consists of of land, including the resort towns of Torquay, Paignton and Brixham, located on east-facing Tor Bay, part of Lyme ...
, while Route 20 transfers onto the Torbay Bypass. Completed in late 2011,
the two-lane bypass diverts around Torbay, with access to the major intersecting roads of Indian Meal Line and Bauline Line; prior to its construction, the highway number continued through the centre of Torbay along Torbay Road.
About 7 kilometres further north near
Flatrock, Torbay Road and the Torbay Bypass reunite; both road names end at that point, while the highway number continues northerly for 9.6 kilometres under the name Pouch Cove Highway to the community of
Pouch Cove
Pouch Cove is a town in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The population is 2,063 according to the Canada 2021 Census. It is located on the northeast Avalon Peninsula, 27 kilometres north of St. John's, the province's capital ...
, where it becomes Main Road and continues for 5.5 kilometres to the highway's northern terminus at the
Cape St. Francis
Cape St. Francis ( af, Kaap St Francis) is a village in South Africa, situated on a headland in the Eastern Cape Province. It is popular for its clean beaches and as a surfing location.
The village is home to the Seal Point Lighthouse.
The Irm ...
lighthouse in
Biscayan Cove.
[ ]
Major intersections
See also
*
List of Newfoundland and Labrador highways
This is a list of highways in Newfoundland and Labrador. Newfoundland and Labrador is unusual among jurisdictions in Canada in that it exclusively uses highway marker signs that do not use either the province's name, symbols, or other official ins ...
References
{{Newfoundland and Labrador highways
20