The present alignment bypasses Stony Plain and serves as the northern boundary of Spruce Grove.

The city closed access to Yellowhead Trail from 89 Street in 2019, marking the first milestone of the Freeway Conversion Program.

The highway travels east and serves as the division between Edmonton and the Urban Service Area of Sherwood Park.

During the early 1800s, Pierre Bostonais, an Iroquois-Métis trapper with streaks of blonde in his hair, worked for the Hudson's Bay Company.

Because of his hair colour, French-speaking voyageurs referred to him as "Tête Jaune", literally "Yellow Head".

By 1819, Bostonais acted as a guide for the company and had explored a route down the Fraser River to the present city of Prince George.

[9] Nearly a century later, the Grand Trunk Pacific (GTP) and Canadian Northern Railway (CNoR) constructed lines that the Yellowhead Highway later paralleled.

The displacement of many Japanese-Canadians from the Pacific coast to internment camps in the interior led to some developments.

The Trans-Canada Highway Act was enacted in 1949, providing a 90% subsidy to upgrade selected routes to modern standards.

[10] During the same time frame, the Trans Mountain Oil Pipe Line Company began looking at the Tote Road as a potential route for a pipeline between Edmonton and Vancouver.

On August 15, 1970, British Columbia Premier W. A. C. Bennett officially opened the Yellowhead Highway.

An interchange at 149 Street was considered but was scrapped in favour of the frontage road system for cost and land reasons.

[16] The following is a list of major intersections along Alberta Highway 16 from west to east, including exit numbers where applied.