July 30

On July 30, 1962, Canada officially opened the Trans-Canada Highway, connecting the east and west coasts in a continuous roadway. Spanning nearly 5,000 miles, it became the longest national highway in the world at its completion. The project took over a decade of construction to traverse diverse terrains from Newfoundland to British Columbia. The highway improved trade, tourism, and cross-country travel, fostering national unity. Ceremonies were held in New Brunswick to mark the occasion, attended by government officials and local residents. This milestone in Canadian infrastructure showcased engineering feats and regional cooperation. Today, the Trans-Canada remains a vital transportation artery.

On July 30, 1978, Okinawa Prefecture implemented a historic traffic change by switching from driving on the right side of the road to the left. Known locally as '730', the reform aligned Okinawa’s road rules with the rest of Japan after U.S. administration since World War II. The transition required months of planning, including replacing road signs, retraining drivers, and rerouting buses. Traffic came to a temporary halt as 20,000 workers simultaneously replaced 400,000 road signs and signal heads. Although the switch posed challenges and confusion initially, it proceeded without major incidents. The 730 change symbolized Okinawa’s reintegration into Japan and remains a unique example of large-scale traffic reconfiguration.