Route 8 branches apart from the Route 2 west of Fredericton at the Fredericton West High Speed Connector crossing Route 640 then Route 101. It follows the former TCH alignment to loop around the southern part of the city as a 4-lane freeway before narrowing to 2 lanes at the intersection of Forest Hill Road and crossing to the north side of the Saint John River on the Princess Margaret Bridge. North of Fredericton, the highway crosses Route 105 and follows the east bank of the Nashwaak River as a 2-lane expressway where it is known as the Barkers Point Bypass as it enters an intersection between the communities of Barkers Point and Richibucto Road.
The highway then follows the Southwest Miramichi River passing through Ludlow, New Bandon, Amostown, Nelson Hollow, before arriving in Doaktown intersecting with Route 123 then crossing the Southwest Miramichi River and following the North side of the river north-east through the communities of Blissfield, Upper Blackville, The Lots, then finally Blackville where it is known as Main Street intersecting with Route 118the road then follows the Bartholomew River North-east towards Renous-Quarryville. The road continues passing through the communities of Underhill, Smiths Crossing and crossing the Renous River before arriving in Renous at the intersection of Route 108, The road continues north-east crossing Route 415 before entering Derby Junction at the intersection of Route 420 and Route 108 the road then becomes a 2-lane expressway as it crosses the Northwest Miramichi River then Route 425. In Newcastle and reverts to a local road after the junction with Route 430 locally known as Beaverbrook Blvd. The Road then unmerges from Route 430 but then merges with Route 117. The Route then crosses the Miramichi Bridge then Route 126 intersection. The road then continues to travel within the City of Miramichi where the route is locally known as the King George Highway. The road loops through Miramichi unmarking with Route 117 and Merges with both Route 134 and Route 11 north-west crossing the Centennial Bridge through passes through Douglastown. At Douglastown the highway unmerges with Route 11 continuing north where Route 8 turns northward as a 2-lane expressway merged with Route 134 continuing towards Bathurst. The Route continues North passing Oak Point-Bartibog Bridge, Intersecting at Route 450 east of community of Lavillette. Shortly after the Route Unmerges from Route 134 as it continues north west. It bypasses the village of Allardville at the Intersection of Route 360 and Route 134 and has its northern terminus at an interchange with Route 11 south of Bathurst.
History
Route 8 was one of the original numbered highways in New Brunswick in the 1920s. The route changed little until bypasses were built on Fredericton's north side in 1982, between Renous and Newcastle in 1988, and between Bathurst and Allardville in 1990. The highway was extended south along the former Trans-Canada bypass of Fredericton in 2001. In November 2006, a two-lane bypass of a section of the former town of Newcastle opened between the Anderson Bridge and a junction with Route 430; providing easier access to the existing Route 117 bypass on the south side of the Miramichi River.
Boys In Red accident
On 12 January 2008, seven high school basketball players and a teacher were killed in an accident when their van collided with a tractor-trailer on Route 8 near the intersection with Route 11 exit into Bathurst. The tragedy drew statements of condolence from Prime Minister Stephen Harper and provincial premier Shawn Graham.
Marysville Bypass Construction
A bypass between the Fredericton suburb of Marysville and South Portage, north of Taymouth, completed construction and was officially opened August 26, 2014 which started in 2007 at an estimated cost of $124-million. Until August 2014, this route stopped at Bridge Street in Marysville before reverting to a 2-lane local road and crossing to the west bank which it changes to Canada Street in Sandyville. This was a temporary solution as this section is under major construction projected to end 2015. The road continues north following the Nashwaak River north to Nashwaak Village then continuing to Taymouth. From Taymouth, the road travels through Ross, Pleasant Valley and Nashwaak Bridge before leaving the Nashwaak Valley and climbed to the northeast passing through the community of South Portage and merged with the older portion of Route 8. This section of this route was remunerated to Route 148 after the Bypass opened.
Fredericton Roundabout Construction
In 2013 the City of Fredericton announced plans to construct a two-lane roundabout at the intersection of Route 8 and Smythe Street, where there had previously been on/off ramps for westbound traffic only without access south towards Bishop Drive. The project caused controversy due to the placement of the circle on what was previously a freeway with a speed limit of 90 km/h, the inclusion of a crosswalk and its status as the city's first two-lane roundabout, causing safety concerns. The new roundabout opened on 22 September 2015 and is maintained by the City despite being located on a provincial highway.
