Record Breaking Roads

Roads are all around us and we make use of them everyday, even when we’re not driving. Perhaps we travel on public transport, take a walk or wait at home for a parcel to be delivered by courier. Most of the roads we use might not be particularly spectacular but some roads have made it into the Guinness Book of World Records. Here are some of those record-breaking roads:

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The Low Road

The lowest road in the world is in Israel and it runs alongside the Dead Sea. It is 1290 feet below sea level. It sits along the border of Israel and Syria.

Longest Ice Road

From Tibbitt to Contwoyto Winter Road in Canada lies the world’s longest ice road. It was constructed in 1982 and used for transport between the mines in Nunavut and the Northwestern territories. It is only open between January and March each year and has to be rebuilt each time. It covers 353 miles of mostly frozen lakes and the first vehicle to build the ice road uses sonar to check the thickness of the ice as it goes!

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Deepest Tunnel

Norway is where you’ll find the world’s deepest tunnel. It is called the Eiksund Road Tunnel and it was constructed in 2008 to connect the mainland with the island of Hareidlandet. It is 25,467 feet in length and travels 942 feet beneath the ocean. It is also unique as it has an unusually steep gradient between its deepest part and the exit of 9.6%.

Longest Road Network

The country with the longest amount of road networks is the United States. According to the latest available figures from 2012, the USA has over 4 million miles of roads and highways. This amount of roads must see a lot of emergency response vehicles. For more information on Chapter 8 Chevrons for emergency vehicles, visit https://www.vehiclechevrons.com

Deadliest Place To Travel By Road

According to reports from the World Health Organisation, Libya is the most dangerous place in the world to travel by road with the highest number of traffic related fatalities. 73.4 per 100,000 people are killed in road traffic accidents. The lowest rate is Sweden with only 1.9 per 100,000 people.

Longest Ring Road

The longest ring road in the world can be found in Afghanistan. It is Highway One or A01 which is a 1,300 mile stretch of road circling the country and connecting 16 of its 34 provinces. It was rebuilt in 2008 using $3 billion of foreign aid.

Steepest Road

The steepest road in the world is located in Dunedin, New Zealand. Baldwin Street has a gradient of 34.8% and was recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records in November 2019.

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Most Winding Road

San Francisco is world famous for its steep and winding roads and the world’s most crooked street is Lombard Street in San Francisco. It descends on a 27% incline and features 8 hairpin turns in just a 400m stretch.