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The Pan-American Highway cuts through the barren mountains of Peru's Nazca Desert in South America. Vadim Petrakov/ShutterstockWhen you plan to travel by car, having a road to drive on is essential. Humans have been creating roads for centuries, starting with ancient trails linking settlements — like the 440-mile (708-kilometer) Natchez Trace that connects Mississippi and Tennessee.
Today, however, our roads stretch far longer, crossing vast expanses of land that would be nearly impossible to navigate without them. Here are the nine longest roads ever constructed by humans.
The Pan-American Highway
As it winds through the Nazca Plateau in Peru, the Pan-American Highway fades from view. Image credit: terekhov igor/ShutterstockThe Pan-American Highway holds the title of the longest motorway globally, according to Guinness World Records. Stretching nearly 19,000 miles (30,000 kilometers) from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, at the Arctic Ocean, to the southern tip of South America, it crosses 14 countries, passing through diverse and extreme landscapes—from icy tundra to lush tropical rainforests. Travelers embarking on the journey must conquer the 11,322-foot (3,450-meter) high Cerro de la Muerte in Costa Rica, also known as the Summit of Death, and navigate the treacherous Darién Gap, an unpaved 60-mile (97-kilometer) stretch between Panama and Colombia.
Australia's Highway One
Australia's Highway One runs past Port Pirie, a quaint town on the east coast of the Spencer Gulf in South Australia. Image credit: Michael Coghlan/Flickr (CC BY SA 2.0)In Australia, the 9,000-mile (14,500-kilometer) Highway One is affectionately known as 'The Big Lap' due to its route that hugs the entire coastline. It spans every Australian state and connects seven out of eight of its capitals, even stretching across the Bass Strait to Tasmania.
Highway One construction began in 1955, and today it stands as the world's longest continuous road, with over a million Australians traveling its length each day.
3. Trans-Siberian Highway
This aerial shot captures a mountain valley in Kultuk, Slyudyanka, Russia, with the winding Trans-Siberian Highway cutting through it. Photo credit: Quatrox Production/Shutterstock.The Trans-Siberian Highway stretches for 6,800 miles (11,000 kilometers) across Russia, linking St. Petersburg to Vladivostok. Work began on this road network in 1949, but much of it, a patchwork of federal highways, was only fully paved by 2015. It spans remote regions where, in some areas, fuel is scarce.
4. Trans-Canada Highway
The Trans-Canada Highway meanders close to Banff National Park in Canada, with the towering Mt. Bourgeau serving as a stunning backdrop. Sean Xu/ShutterstockStretching 4,645 miles (7,476 kilometers), the Trans-Canada Highway is the second-longest national highway worldwide. It runs from coast to coast, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It links every major Canadian city and traverses all provinces. Upon completion in 1971, it became the longest continuous highway in the world.
Constructing a highway across Canada was a daunting challenge due to the rugged landscape. In 1912, a group of automobile enthusiasts offered a gold medal to anyone who could drive from Halifax to Vancouver. The first man to complete the journey took two months but did not win the medal, as much of his trip involved having his car transported by rail or ship. Today, the Trans-Canada Highway can be driven in just 57 hours.
5. Golden Quadrilateral Highway Network
The intriguingly named Golden Quadrilateral Highway Network is a 3,633-mile (5,846-kilometer) system of roads that forms a quadrilateral, linking the four major cities of Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Chennai. This highway system, completed in 2012, was designed to reduce travel time between these cities and provide rural areas with easier access to markets for agricultural goods. With between four and six lanes on much of its length, it's a major achievement in India's infrastructure.
6. China National Highway 318
While China boasts an extensive highway network, the China National Highway 318, also known as the Shanghai Tibet Highway, stands out as the longest continuous section. Stretching 3,403 miles (5,476 kilometers), it runs from Shanghai to the border with Nepal, cutting through the heart of the country from east to west.
7. U.S. Route 20
U.S. Route 20 traverses nine states, including New York. Doug Kerr/Flickr (CC BY SA 2.0)U.S. Route 20 holds the title of the longest road in the United States, stretching 3,365 miles (5,415 kilometers) from coast to coast. It connects the Pacific Northwest to New England, mostly running as a two-lane road, except in major cities like Chicago, Boston, and Cleveland, where it expands. This route passes through nine states and is briefly interrupted by Yellowstone National Park.
8. U.S. Route 6
U.S. Route 6, also known as The Grand Army of the Republic Highway, spans 3,199 miles (5,148 kilometers) from Bishop, California, to Provincetown, Massachusetts. This historic route passes through 14 states and was dedicated in 1953 to Civil War veterans, which is where it gets its formal nickname.
9. Interstate 90 (I-90)
Interstate 90 (I-90) is the longest interstate in the U.S., stretching 3,021 miles (4,862 kilometers). It runs parallel to U.S. Route 20 across the northern U.S., from Boston to Seattle, passing through 13 states.
In the United States, highways with odd-numbered routes generally run from north to south, while those with even-numbered routes typically run from east to west.
