Construction crews have finished connecting the last sections of the Trans Labrador Highway, which stretches from Labrador City to the south coast of Labrador. (CBC)

The final section of the Trans-Labrador Highway, stretching between an area near Cartwright in the south to Happy Valley-Goose Bay in central Labrador, is now connected.

The overall highway, which has a mostly gravel surface, runs for hundreds of kilometres. Its route goes from the western mining towns of Labrador City and Wabush across the territory and then along the coast to fishing communities in southern Labrador.

Transportation Minister Tom Hedderson made the announcement of the highway connection between Cartwright and Happy Valley-Goose Bay on Tuesday in the legislature.

"We indicated that we'd do everything possible to get it done in this time period of 2009," Hedderson said, "and ... we are very, very close in a sense that the crew has indeed connected up both sides."

The final section is not yet ready for vehicle traffic.

Hedderson said some final work has to be done on that portion of the highway, but he said it would open to the public soon.