Provincial highways are major roads built, owned, and maintained by provincial governments, typically connecting cities and regions. These include numbered highway systems like Ontario's 400-series highways, Alberta's major routes, and Quebec's autoroutes. Provincial highway departments handle construction, snow clearing, repairs, and safety on these roads. Municipalities benefit from provincial highways without bearing their costs, though local roads connecting to highways remain municipal responsibility. When provincial highways pass through urban areas, jurisdictional questions can arise about intersections, access points, and development along highway corridors. Transfers of provincial highways to municipal ownership (downloading) sometimes occur, shifting costs to local governments.