Highway 97A's current alignment is not the same as its original route. Originally, when the '97A' designation was first given to the highway in 1953, replacing the Highway 5 designation, it went from a junction with Highway 97 at Swan Lake, where it starts today, northeast to Grindrod, and then it followed the modern-day Highway 97B to Salmon Arm, then following the Trans-Canada Highway west to Monte Creek, where Highway 97 merges onto the Highway 1. Between 1957 and 1962, Highway 97A had the designation of '97E'.[3] Finally, in 1962, Highway 97A was re-routed onto its present alignment, going north from Swan Lake to Grindrod, and then northeast to Sicamous.
Former alignments
There are former alignments of Highway 97A outside of the north Okanagan.
Prince George
Two former alignments of Highway 97A are within Prince George, connecting the main Highway 97 with the Yellowhead Highway (Highway 16). A 10 km (6 mi) segment next to the Prince George Airport, which now carries the name Old Cariboo Highway; while a 3 km (2 mi) segment was in downtown Prince George, following 1st Avenue west of Victoria Avenue to the Cameron Street Bridge, connecting with Highway 97 north of the Nechako River.[4] Both are part of the original Highway 97 through Prince George and the designations were dropped in c. 2000.[5]
Penticton
Highway 97 originally followed Skaha Lake Road, Main Street, and Westminster Avenue through downtown Penticton.[6] In the early 1980s, a bypass was constructed along the Channel Parkway and initially designated as Highway 97A. Shortly afterwards, Highway 97 was moved to the new bypass while city/business route was removed from the provincial highway system.[7]
Highway 97B was originally part of Highway 5 until 1953 when it was renumbered to Highway 97A. In 1957, the highway became Highway 97E, but was again renumbered in 1962 to its current designation when Highway 97E (now Highway 97A) was re-aligned to southwest of Sicamous.
Highway 97C is 224 km (139 mi) highway divided into east–west and north–south segments. The east–west segment has expressway and freeway sections, forms part of an important link between the Lower Mainland and the Okanagan Valley south of Kelowna, and is known as Okanagan Connector or Coquihalla Connector. It bisects the Highway 5 (Coquihalla Highway) at Merritt. North of Merritt, it becomes a secondary, two-lane highway and terminates at the Highway 1 / Highway 97 junction in Cache Creek.[1]
Highway 97D, previously known as Meadow Creek Road, is a 24 km (15 mi) highway linking Highway 97C in Logan Lake to the Coquihalla Highway near Lac le Jeune.[1] Highway 97D is a new route, receiving its designation in 2005; it allows more direct access between Logan Lake and Kamloops without travelling through Merritt.[10] Officially, Highway 97D continues east for 4 km (2 mi) from the Coquihalla Highway to Lac le Jeune Road;[11] however, the section is unsigned.
Highway 97E was a 132 km (82 mi) former highway between the Vernon and Monte Creek, which along with Highway 97W, made up a split of Highway 97. Highway 97E was designated in 1957 and replaced the original Highway 97A between Vernon and Salmon Arm. It went from the Highway 97/97W junction at Swan Lake, just north of Vernon, 47 km (29 mi) north to Salmon Arm where it continued west for 85 km (53 mi) to Monte Creek, cosigned with Highway 1, where it rejoined Highway 97/97W.[3] In 1962, Highway 97E was renumbered to its current designations of Highway 97A and Highway 97B.
Highway 97W was a 79 km (49 mi) former highway between the Vernon and Monte Creek, which along with Highway 97E, made up a split of Highway 97. Highway 97W was designated in 1957 when Highway 97 was renumbered between Swan Lake and Monte Creek.[3] In 1962, Highway 97W was reverted to its current Highway 97 designation.
^Tourism British Columbia (1997). British Columbia Road Map and Parks Guide (Map). Davenport Maps Ltd. Prince George inset.
^Tourism British Columbia (2002). British Columbia Road Map and Parks Guide (Map). Davenport Maps Ltd. Prince George inset.
^Ministry of Tourism (1983). British Columbia Road Map (Map). Province of British Columbia. Penticton inset.
^Ministry of Tourism (1985). British Columbia Road Map (Map). Province of British Columbia. Penticton inset.
^Landmark Kilometre Inventory(PDF). British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (Report). Cypher Consulting. July 2016. pp. 499–502.
^Landmark Kilometre Inventory(PDF). British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (Report). Cypher Consulting. July 2016. p. 503.
^ abLandmark Kilometre Inventory(PDF). British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (Report). Cypher Consulting. July 2016. pp. 513–514.
