British Columbia provincial highway 97C
Encyclopedia
Highway 97C, the Okanagan Connector or Coquihalla Connector, forms part of an important link between the Lower Mainland
and the Okanagan Valley around Kelowna
. It bisects the Coquihalla Highway at Merritt
. Highway 97C is a relatively new route, commissioned in 1990.
(1728 m, 5760 ft, above sea level). Highway 97C travels on this freeway 82 km (51 mi) northwest to Aspen Grove
, where it converges with Highway 5A. This stretch is a four-lane rural arterial highway. Highways 97C and 5A share the 28 km (17 mi) long route between Aspen Grove and Lower Nicola
, where Highway 5A diverges immediately east and Highway 8 begins. 97C was originally intended to have a freeway connection with the Coquihalla Highway 5, but this was protested by local residents in Merritt on the grounds that it would take tourists away from the area, and so the freeway remains incomplete to this day. In July 2007, the shared roadway of Highway 5A and 97C was upgraded to a 2 lane road in each direction, the last segment required to enable 2 lanes in each direction when traveling between Vancouver and Kelowna.
North of the Highway 8 junction, Highway 97C goes north for 42 km (26 mi) to Logan Lake
, then northwest for 57 km (35 mi) to Ashcroft on the Canadian National Railway
. Highway 97C then travels 6 km (4 mi) west from Ashcroft to where it converges with Highway 1, which takes Highway 97C north for its final 5 km (3 mi) to its end at Highway 97 in Cache Creek
.
For a graph detailing the distance and altitude of the highway between Highway 5A and Highway 97 (via Pennask Summit), follow this link.
{| class=wikitable
!scope="col"|Location
!scope="col"|km
!scope="col"|Desinations
!scope="col"|Notes
|-
|align=center colspan=4|Continues as Highway 5A to Merritt
|-
|Aspen Grove
|
|Highway 5A south to Princeton
|At-grade
|-
|
|
|Loon Lake Road
|
|-
|
|
|Elkhart Road
|
|-
|
|
|Sunset Main Road
|
|-
|
|
|Brenda Mine Road
|
|-
|
|
|Trepanier Creek Road
|Partial access (westbound exit, eastbound entrance)
|-
|District of Peachland
|
|Highway 97 (Okanagan Highway) to Kelowna
, Westbank
, Summerland
|Eastern terminus
Lower Mainland
The Lower Mainland is a name commonly applied to the region surrounding and including Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. As of 2007, 2,524,113 people live in the region; sixteen of the province's thirty most populous municipalities are located there.While the term Lower Mainland has been...
and the Okanagan Valley around Kelowna
Kelowna, British Columbia
Kelowna is a city on Okanagan Lake in the Okanagan Valley, in the southern interior of British Columbia, Canada. Its name derives from a Okanagan language term for "grizzly bear"...
. It bisects the Coquihalla Highway at Merritt
Merritt, British Columbia
Merritt is a city in the Nicola Valley of the south-central Interior of British Columbia, Canada. Situated at the confluence of the Nicola and Coldwater rivers, it is the first major community encountered after travelling along Phase One of the Coquihalla Highway and acts as the gateway to all...
. Highway 97C is a relatively new route, commissioned in 1990.
Route description
Highway 97C, which is 220 km (137 mi) in total length, was constructed as the third phase of the Coquihalla Highway Project. Construction was completed in 1990, with the cost totalling to $225 million in 1987 dollars ($373 million inflation adjusted 2009 dollars). The route begins near Trepanier, at a location on Highway 97 known as Drought Hill. The section of Highway 97C east of Merritt is mostly freeway, with a speed limit of 110 km/h (68 mph) and between 4 and 6 lanes, and has very few exits along its route. Its highest altitude is the Pennask SummitPennask Summit
Pennask Summit is a highway summit along the Okanagan Connector in British Columbia, Canada, crossing the forested uplands of the Thompson Plateau. It is the highest point on the highway between the cities of Merritt and Peachland. It is the second highest mountain pass used by a highway in...
(1728 m, 5760 ft, above sea level). Highway 97C travels on this freeway 82 km (51 mi) northwest to Aspen Grove
Aspen Grove, British Columbia
Aspen Grove is a settlement in British Columbia....
, where it converges with Highway 5A. This stretch is a four-lane rural arterial highway. Highways 97C and 5A share the 28 km (17 mi) long route between Aspen Grove and Lower Nicola
Lower Nicola, British Columbia
Lower Nicola is a rural community and First Nations Indian Reserve in the Nicola Country region of the Southern Interior of British Columbia. The First Nations community there is also known as Shackan, the local band government being the Shackan First Nation of the Nicola Tribal Association. ...
, where Highway 5A diverges immediately east and Highway 8 begins. 97C was originally intended to have a freeway connection with the Coquihalla Highway 5, but this was protested by local residents in Merritt on the grounds that it would take tourists away from the area, and so the freeway remains incomplete to this day. In July 2007, the shared roadway of Highway 5A and 97C was upgraded to a 2 lane road in each direction, the last segment required to enable 2 lanes in each direction when traveling between Vancouver and Kelowna.
North of the Highway 8 junction, Highway 97C goes north for 42 km (26 mi) to Logan Lake
Logan Lake, British Columbia
Logan Lake is a district municipality in the Southern Interior of British Columbia, Canada.It was founded in the 1960s and 70s to support copper, molybdenum and other mineral mining operations located south of the town. The Village of Logan Lake was incorporated in November 1970, and was...
, then northwest for 57 km (35 mi) to Ashcroft on the Canadian National Railway
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
. Highway 97C then travels 6 km (4 mi) west from Ashcroft to where it converges with Highway 1, which takes Highway 97C north for its final 5 km (3 mi) to its end at Highway 97 in Cache Creek
Cache Creek, British Columbia
Cache Creek is a junction community northeast of Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. It is on the Trans-Canada Highway in the province of British Columbia at its junction with northbound Highway 97...
.
For a graph detailing the distance and altitude of the highway between Highway 5A and Highway 97 (via Pennask Summit), follow this link.
Exit list
This table lists the exits on Route 97C from west to east. The entirety of this route is in the Regional District of Central Okanagan.{| class=wikitable
!scope="col"|Location
!scope="col"|km
!scope="col"|Desinations
!scope="col"|Notes
|-
|align=center colspan=4|Continues as Highway 5A to Merritt
Merritt, British Columbia
Merritt is a city in the Nicola Valley of the south-central Interior of British Columbia, Canada. Situated at the confluence of the Nicola and Coldwater rivers, it is the first major community encountered after travelling along Phase One of the Coquihalla Highway and acts as the gateway to all...
|-
|Aspen Grove
Aspen Grove, British Columbia
Aspen Grove is a settlement in British Columbia....
|
|Highway 5A south to Princeton
Princeton, British Columbia
Princeton is a small town in the Similkameen region of southern British Columbia, Canada. It lies just east of the Cascade Mountains, which continue south into Washington, Oregon and California. The Tulameen and Similkameen Rivers converge here...
|At-grade
At-grade intersection
An at-grade intersection is a junction at which two or more transport axes cross at the same level .-Traffic management:With areas of high or fast traffic, an at-grade intersection normally requires a traffic control device such as a stop sign, traffic light or railway signal to manage conflicting...
|-
|
|
|Loon Lake Road
|
|-
|
|
|Elkhart Road
|
|-
|
|
|Sunset Main Road
|
|-
|
|
|Brenda Mine Road
|
|-
|
|
|Trepanier Creek Road
|Partial access (westbound exit, eastbound entrance)
|-
|District of Peachland
Peachland, British Columbia
Peachland is a district municipality of approximately 5000 residents in the Okanagan Valley, on the west side of Okanagan Lake in British Columbia, Canada. It was founded in 1899 by John Moore Robinson, although the region had long been home to the Okanagan people...
|
|Highway 97 (Okanagan Highway) to Kelowna
Kelowna, British Columbia
Kelowna is a city on Okanagan Lake in the Okanagan Valley, in the southern interior of British Columbia, Canada. Its name derives from a Okanagan language term for "grizzly bear"...
, Westbank
Westbank, British Columbia
Westbank is one of the communities within the district municipality of West Kelowna in the province of British Columbia. It is 12 km to the west of Kelowna. Other communities in West Kelowna include Casa Loma, West Kelowna Estates, Shannon Lake, Smith Creek, Glenrosa, Rose Valley and Lakeview...
, Summerland
Summerland, British Columbia
Summerland is a community on the west side of Okanagan Lake in the interior of British Columbia, Canada. The district is between Peachland to the north and Penticton to the south...
|Eastern terminus