British Columbia Highway 99: Difference between revisions
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===Vancouver-Blaine Freeway=== |
===Vancouver-Blaine Freeway=== |
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[[Image:Bc-99-rmd.jpg|thumb|250px|Highway 99, looking north (towards Vancouver) from the Steveston Highway overpass, just north of the George Massey Tunnel.]] |
[[Image:Bc-99-rmd.jpg|thumb|250px|Highway 99, looking north (towards Vancouver) from the Steveston Highway overpass, just north of the George Massey Tunnel.]] |
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In the south, Highway 99 begins at the |
In the south, Highway 99 begins at the American border's Douglas crossing, at the [[Peace Arch]]. In [[Washington State]], the highway becomes the [[Interstate_5]], which runs to [[Seattle]] and beyond. The highway begins with a four-lane freeway configuration. Highway 99 travels through [[Surrey, British Columbia|Surrey]] 12 km (7 mi) due northwest from the border, through four interchanges, and then turns west for 4 km (2½ mi) before reaching the junction with [[British Columbia Highway 91|Highway 91]], marking the highway's entry into the [[Delta, British Columbia|Corporation of Delta]]. 4 km (2½ mi) west, Highway 99 reaches its junction with [[British Columbia Highway 10|Highway 10]]. 8 km (5 mi) later, Highway 99 reaches a junction with [[British Columbia Highway 17|Highway 17]]. Another 2 km (1¼ mi) northwest, Highway 99 crosses into [[Richmond, British Columbia|Richmond]] through the [[George Massey Tunnel]] under the south arm of the [[Fraser River]]. |
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Through Richmond, Highway 99 travels 7 km (4 mi) north, through one interchange, to the junction with the other end of Highway 91. Another 4 km (2½ mi) northwest, the southern freeway section of Highway 99 ends as the highway crosses the north arm of the Fraser River, over the [[Oak Street Bridge]], into Vancouver. |
Through Richmond, Highway 99 travels 7 km (4 mi) north, through one interchange, to the junction with the other end of Highway 91. Another 4 km (2½ mi) northwest, the southern freeway section of Highway 99 ends as the highway crosses the north arm of the Fraser River, over the [[Oak Street Bridge]], into Vancouver. |
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Revision as of 21:59, 19 April 2009
Highway 99 | ||||
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| Duffey Lake Road, Sea to Sky Highway, Squamish Highway, Whistler Highway, Upper Levels Highway, Georgia Street, Granville Street, 70th Avenue, Oak Street, Vancouver-Blaine Freeway | ||||
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| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure | ||||
| Length | 409 km (254 mi) | |||
| Existed | 1942–present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
 Hwy 91 in Delta Hwy 17 in Delta Hwy 91 in Richmond Hwy 7A in Vancouver Hwy 1 in West Vancouver Hwy 12 in Lillooet | ||||
| Location | ||||
| Country | Canada | |||
| Province | British Columbia | |||
| Major cities | Surrey Delta Richmond Vancouver West Vancouver Squamish Whistler Pemberton Lillooet | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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Highway 99, also known as the Sea to Sky Highway, or in its southern reaches the Squamish Highway and/or Whistler Highway, is the major north-south artery running through the Metro Vancouver area of British Columbia from the US border and beyond up Howe Sound through the Sea to Sky Country to Lillooet and connecting to British Columbia provincial highway 97 just north of Cache Creek. The number of this highway is derived from the old U.S. Highway 99, which the highway originally connected with at the Canada-U.S. boundary. The highway currently connects with Interstate 5 at the international border.
This highway received the '99' designation in 1942, and it originally shared an alignment with Highway 1 from Surrey to Vancouver. The current freeway alignment of Highway 99 between 8th Avenue in South Surrey and the north arm of the Fraser River opened in 1962. Between 1964 and 1973, the freeway alignment of Highway 99 was designated Highway 499.
In 1957, the northern end of Highway 99 was moved from downtown Vancouver, across the Lions' Gate Bridge and west to the village of Horseshoe Bay, following Marine Drive through West Vancouver. Highway 99 was re-aligned via Taylor Way, just east of the Park Royal Shopping Centre, to the Upper Levels Highway and extended to Britannia Beach one year later, being extended further to Squamish in 1959, and then to Pemberton in 1966. Finally, in 1992, the just-paved Duffey Lake Road between Pemberton and Lillooet was made part of Highway 99, and the section of Highway 12 between Lillooet and Highway 97 was re-numbered 99.
The total length of Highway 99 from the US border to the Highway 97 junction is 409 km (254 mi).
Route details
Vancouver-Blaine Freeway
In the south, Highway 99 begins at the American border's Douglas crossing, at the Peace Arch. In Washington State, the highway becomes the Interstate_5, which runs to Seattle and beyond. The highway begins with a four-lane freeway configuration. Highway 99 travels through Surrey 12 km (7 mi) due northwest from the border, through four interchanges, and then turns west for 4 km (2½ mi) before reaching the junction with Highway 91, marking the highway's entry into the Corporation of Delta. 4 km (2½ mi) west, Highway 99 reaches its junction with Highway 10. 8 km (5 mi) later, Highway 99 reaches a junction with Highway 17. Another 2 km (1¼ mi) northwest, Highway 99 crosses into Richmond through the George Massey Tunnel under the south arm of the Fraser River.
Through Richmond, Highway 99 travels 7 km (4 mi) north, through one interchange, to the junction with the other end of Highway 91. Another 4 km (2½ mi) northwest, the southern freeway section of Highway 99 ends as the highway crosses the north arm of the Fraser River, over the Oak Street Bridge, into Vancouver.
City of Vancouver
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The 30 km (19 mi) long route through Vancouver's city streets starts off going for 1 km (about ½ mi) north on Oak Street to the intersection with West 70th Avenue. Highway 99 then goes west on West 70th[1] for 1 km (about ½ mi), and then turns right onto Granville Street. Highway 99 takes Granville Street north for 7 km (4 mi), crossing over False Creek (via the Granville Street Bridge) into the downtown core. Highway 99 goes northeast by way of Seymour Street through downtown for 1 km (about ½ mi) (southbound it uses Howe Street), then turns northwest onto Georgia Street for 2 km (1¼ mi) before entering Stanley Park. Highway 99 proceeds north for 4 km (2½ mi) through Stanley Park and over the Lions' Gate Bridge into West Vancouver at Marine Drive.
The Trans-Canada Highway/Upper Levels Highway
In West Vancouver, Highway 99 goes west on Marine Drive for 1 km (about ½ mi), then turns right onto Taylor Way for another 1 km (about ½ mi), finally reaching its junction with Highway 1. Highway 99 shares the Upper Levels Highway with Highway 1 for 12 km (7 mi) west before diverging from Highway 1 just before the B.C. Ferry terminal at Horseshoe Bay.
Sea-to-Sky Highway and beyond
The "Sea-to-Sky Highway" is the name given to the section of Highway 99 starting just north of Horseshoe Bay. From Horseshoe Bay, the highway travels along the coast of Howe Sound for 12 km (7 mi) to Lions Bay, north for another 21 km (13 mi) to Britannia Beach, and north for 11 more km (7 mi) to Squamish, at the head of Howe Sound. From Squamish, it continues north for another 58 km (36 mi) to Whistler, and then to Pemberton 32 km (20 mi) later, where the Sea-to-Sky Highway ends and the Duffey Lake Road begins. 99 km (62 mi) northeast, Highway 99 reaches the junction with Highway 12 at Lillooet, and then goes northeast for another 75 km (47 mi) to its northern terminus at its junction with Highway 97, just north of Cache Creek.
The "Sea to Sky Highway" section of Highway 99 has a checkered history. Built on a steep cliff overlooking Howe Sound, it was a two-lane undivided highway with no outside barrier. Many motorists have lost their lives on it due to inclement weather, poor visibility, speeding, passing slower vehicles, or drunk driving. (Local media have called it variously the "Killer Highway", the "Highway of Death", and the "Drive-to-Die Highway".)
As part of the 2010 Winter Olympics bid, the British Columbia provincial government has authorized upgrading the highway to accommodate greater traffic loads, widening the highway and adding a concrete divider. Starting in 2002 a large section was upgraded between Squamish and Whistler that had already seen major improvements during the 1980s, and as of December 2005, a segment of the southern section upgrade opened with a fully divided four lane section that runs from Ansell Place to Lions Bay. Construction preparations continue for further sections that will likely result in a similar divided four lane route through to Whistler by 2010. On August 29, 2008, a 50m long, 50 ft (15 m) high rockfall closed both the highway and the adjacent railtrack just north of Lions Bay. [2] A new alignment of Highway 99 over the Eagleridge Bluffs is being built; however, on-site protests delayed its construction. Protesters claimed that a tunnel under the bluffs was a safer and more environmentally-friendly alternative. A court injunction and police were used to remove the protestors, one of whom, Harriet Nahanee, a respected Skwxwu7mesh elder, died soon after in the Surrey Pre-Trial Centre from health complications alleged to be related to her arrest and incarceration.
Exit list
Metro Vancouver segment
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Sea-to-Sky Highway segment
| Regional District | Location | # | Destinations | Notes |
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| Highway continues from Upper Levels Highway | ||||
| Metro Vancouver | West Vancouver | Old Highway 99 Pasco Drive |
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| Ansell Place | ||||
| Lawrence Way | ||||
| Strachan Creek | Strachan Point Road | Right-in right out access | ||
| Ocean Point Road | ||||
| Lions Bay | Kelvin Grove Way | |||
| Ocean View Road Lions Bay Avenue |
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| Brunswick Beach | ||||
| Squamish-Lillooet | Porteau | Porteau Road | ||
| Porteau Cove Provincial Park | 2-lane highway section | |||
| Furry Creek | Furry Creek Drive | Northbound exit and entrance | ||
| Sea View Drive | Southbound exit and entrance | |||
| Britannia Beach | Main Street | 2-lane highway section | ||
| Murrin Park | Murrin Provincial Park | 2-lane highway section | ||
| Darrell Bay | Shannon Falls Provincial Park, Darrel Bay Road | |||
| Stawamus Chief Park | Stawamus Chief Provincial Park | |||
| Stawamus Chief (parking, rest area) | ||||
| Squamish | Valley Drive, Stawamus Road | |||
| Guildford Drive | ||||
| Scott Crescent | Right-in right-out access | |||
| Cleveland Avenue | ||||
| Industrial Way | ||||
| Centennial Way | ||||
| Bridge over Mamquam River | ||||
| Mamquam Road | ||||
| Garibaldi Way | ||||
| Depot Road | ||||
| Highway 99 continue as 3/4-lane highway toward Whistler | ||||
Note:
Exits highlighted with yellow are at-grade intersections
Exits highlighted with blue are under construction
Trivia
- Musician Jon Bon Jovi named one of his hit albums Slippery When Wet in 1986. He had travelled on this highway from Whistler, where there are many signs bearing the term "Slippery When Wet", and had taken a liking to the phrase.
- A popular video game by Accolade in 1989 called Test Drive II used visual cues from the "Sea to Sky" section of this highway between Horseshoe Bay and Squamish.
- The same stretch of "Sea to Sky" Highway is used in countless automobile commercials in Canada, the United States, and abroad.
- The George Massey Tunnel connecting Richmond and Delta is the lowest portion of road below sea level in all of Canada.
- Previous to early 2006, when travelling southbound through Richmond, two separate exits are given the designation of "Exit 39A"—one is Sea Island Way, and the other is No. 4 Road. The No. 4 Road exit is now designated as "39B".
- In 2006 the UK's The Guardian newspaper named the Sea to Sky the 5th most beautiful highway in the world. [3]
Footnotes
- ^ However, turning left (west) from Oak onto 70th is not permitted. When travelling in the opposite direction, turning right from 70th onto Oak is permitted.
- ^ http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2008/07/30/bc-highway-rockslide-whistler.html
- ^ The Guardian Newspaper http://travel.guardian.co.uk/fivebest/story/0,,1744039,00.html