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Crowsnest Highway

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Highway 3
File:Crowsnest Highway Map.png
Route information
Maintained by the Ministry of Transportation and Economic Corridors
Length1,161 km (721 mi)
Existed1932–present
British Columbia
Length838 km (521 mi)
West end Highway 1 (TCH) near Hope
Major intersections Highway 5 near Hope
Highway 5A in Princeton
Highway 97 in Osoyoos
Highway 22 in Castlegar
Highway 6 at Salmo
Highway 95 at Yahk and Cranbrook
Highway 93 at Cranbrook and Elko
Alberta
Length323 km (201 mi)
Major intersections Highway 22 near Lundbreck
Highway 6 near Pincher Creek
Highway 2 in Fort Macleod
Highway 23 near Monarch
Highway 5 in Lethbridge
Lua error in Module:Jct at line 204: attempt to concatenate local 'link' (a nil value). in Lethbridge
Highway 36 in Taber
East end Highway 1 (TCH) / Highway 41A in Medicine Hat
Location
CountryCanada
ProvinceAlberta
Specialized and rural municipalitiesCrowsnest Pass, Pincher Creek No. 9 M.D., Willow Creek No. 26 M.D., Lethbridge County, Taber M.D., Forty Mile No. 8 County, Cypress County
MunicipalitiesHope, Sparwood
Major citiesGreenwood, Grand Forks, Castlegar, Cranbrook, Fernie, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat
TownsPrinceton, Osoyoos, Creston, Fort Macleod, Coalhurst, Coaldale, Taber, Bow Island
VillagesKeremeos, Midway, Salmo, Cowley, Barnwell
Highway system
Trans-Canada Highway
Provincial highways in British Columbia
← Highway 2BC→ Highway 3A
← Highway 2AAB→ Highway 3A

The Crowsnest Highway is an east-west highway in British Columbia and Alberta, Canada. It stretches 1,161 km (721 mi) across the southern portions of both provinces, from Hope, British Columbia to Medicine Hat, Alberta, providing the shortest highway connection between the Lower Mainland and southeast Alberta through the Canadian Rockies. The mostly two-lane highway was officially designated in 1932, mainly following a mid-19th century gold rush trail originally traced out by an engineer named Edgar Dewdney. It takes its name from the Crowsnest Pass, the location at which the highway crosses the Continental Divide between British Columbia and Alberta.

In British Columbia, the highway is entirely in mountainous regions and is also known as the Southern Trans-Provincial Highway. The first segment between the Trans-Canada Highway and Highway 5A is locally known as the Hope-Princeton Highway, and passes by the site of the Hope Slide. In Alberta, terrain is initially mountainous, before smoothing to foothills and eventually generally flat prairie in the vicinity of Pincher Creek. The highway forms part of the Red Coat Trail and the CANAMEX Corridor from Highway 2 near Fort Macleod to Highway 4 in Lethbridge.

Route description

Crowsnest Highway is designated a core route in Canada's National Highway System, and is designated as Highway 3 for its entire length.[1]

The peak of Allison Pass.

British Columbia

The Crowsnest Highway's total length in British Columbia is 838 km (521 mi), and its total length within Alberta is 323 km (201 mi).[2] The Crowsnest Highway's western terminus is at Hope, where it branches off from Highway 1. The highway goes east for 7 km (4.3 mi) to its junction with Highway 5, then through Allison Pass and Manning Provincial Park for 127 km (79 mi) towards the Town of Princeton. There are several significant ascents in this stretch between Hope and Princeton. The first is the steep climb to the Hope Slide, followed later by the remainder of the climb up to Allison Pass at an elevation of 1,342 m (4,403 ft). After the summit of Allison Pass, where the Crowsnest crosses from the Fraser Valley Regional District into the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen, the road descends for 40 km (25 mi) before beginning another long climb up Sunday Summit (1,284 m (4,213 ft)). Soon after Sunday Summit is the descent into Princeton, where Highway 5A begins.[3]

Through the Similkameen Valley westwards into the mountains

After Princeton, the Crowsnest goes southeast for 67 km (42 mi), through Hedley, to the Village of Keremeos, where a junction with a length of highway designated as 3A is located, leading towards Penticton and Highway 97. Another 46 km (29 mi) southeast, and the Crowsnest reaches the Town of Osoyoos and a junction with Highway 97. The highway then proceeds to hug the Canada-U.S. border east through a stretch of switchbacks known as Anarchist Mountain, which is also the name of the upland rural community beyond the summit. A few kilometres east of Anarchist Mountain, the Crowsnest enters the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary.[3]

52 km (32 mi) east of Osoyoos, the Crowsnest reaches its junction with Highway 33 at Rock Creek, then the highway heads east for 70 km (43 mi) to its junction with Highway 41 at a location called Carson, just west of Grand Forks. Another 26 km (16 mi) east, passing through Grand Forks en route, the Crowsnest meets Highway 395 at the southern end of Christina Lake.[3]

Further east from Christina Lake, the Crowsnest travels for 47 km (29 mi) through Bonanza Pass to its junction with Highway 3B at Nancy Greene Lake, which is the cutoff to the town of Rossland and Red Mountain Resort, shortly thereafter crossing into the Regional District of Central Kootenay. It is another 26 km (16 mi) east from Nancy Greene Lake to the junction with Highway 22 at Castlegar, and another 2 km (1.2 mi) east to a junction with another stretch of Highway designated as 3A, also within Castlegar. Leaving Castlegar, the Crowsnest reaches its eastern junction with Highway 3B 26 km (16 mi) east. Highway 6 converges with the Crowsnest at Salmo, 11 km (6.8 mi) east of the 3B junction, and the two highways proceed south for 14 km (8.7 mi) to the Burnt Flat Junction, where Highway 6 diverges south.[3]

East of Burnt Flat, the Crowsnest heads through the Kootenay Pass on a stretch known as the Kootenay Skyway, or Salmo-Creston Skyway. 67 km (42 mi) east of Burnt Flat, the Crowsnest reaches the Town of Creston, just past junctions with Highway 21 and Highway 3A. 40 km (25 mi) later, south of Yahk, Highway 95 merges onto the Crowsnest. The two highways share a common alignment for 72 km (45 mi) northeast along the Moyie River, crossing into the Regional District of East Kootenay along the way, to a junction with Highway 95A at Cranbrook. Another 6 km (3.7 mi) east, Highway 95 diverges north from the Crowsnest and Highway 93 merges onto the Crowsnest from the north. Highway 93 and the Crowsnest share a common alignment for the next 53 km (33 mi) southeast to Elko, where Highway 93 diverges south. 31 km (19 mi) north of Elko, the Crowsnest reaches Fernie, then it goes north another 30 km (19 mi) to its junction with Highway 43 at Sparwood, and another 19 km (12 mi) east, the highway reaches the boundary with Alberta at Crowsnest Pass.[3]

Alberta

Crowsnest Highway in southern Alberta

The Alberta portion of the Crowsnest Highway is designated Alberta Provincial Highway No. 3. In Alberta, the Crowsnest Highway goes east 16 km (9.9 mi) to the Bighorn Highway at Coleman, then 26 km (16 mi) east to its junction with Highway 22, another 20 km (12 mi) to its junction with Highway 6, then another 44 km (27 mi) to its junction with Highway 2 north, then proceeding 5 km (3.1 mi) east into the Town of Fort Macleod and the Crowsnest's junction with Highway 2 south. After Fort Macleod, the Crowsnest goes 27 km (17 mi) east, crossing the Oldman River, to Highway 3A southeast of Monarch, which feeds Highway 23.[4]

The highway reaches the first access (Westview Drive W) to the City of Lethbridge 13 km (8.1 mi) later.[4] At this point, the Crowsnest's only freeway segment begins. 2 km (1.2 mi) later, Highway 25 (University Drive W) branches to the north before crossing the Oldman River for the second time. The freeway segment ends at Mayor Magrath Drive, which branches as Highway 5 to the south. The highway intersects Highway 4 at the eastern limits of Lethbridge.[4]

45 km (28 mi) east of Lethbridge, the highway reaches the Town of Taber.[4] Within Taber, Highway 36 runs concurrently with the highway for 3 km (1.9 mi). Upon dropping the concurrency, the Crowsnest ends 113 km (70 mi) later at the Trans-Canada Highway in the City of Medicine Hat.

Future

Alberta Transportation has proposed the construction of a Lethbridge bypass to render the CANAMEX Corridor free-flowing through southern Alberta, in combination with proposed bypasses of Fort Macleod, Claresholm and Nanton.[2][5] The route would split from Crowsnest Highway just prior to Coalhurst, bypassing it, Lethbridge, and Coaldale before rejoining the existing highway.[5]

Major intersections

British Columbia

The following is a list of major intersections along British Columbia Highway 3 (Crowsnest Highway).[6][7]

Regional DistrictLocationkm[8]miExitDestinationsNotes
Continues as Highway 1 (TCH) west (Trans-Canada Highway) to Vancouver
Fraser ValleyHope0.000.00170 Highway 1 (TCH) east (Water Avenue) – Cache Creek, Kamloops, Prince GeorgeHope interchange
No westbound exit
West end of BC 5 concurrency.
0.990.62171 To Highway 1 (TCH) east (3 Avenue)Westbound exit only
3.081.91173Old Hope-Princeton WayThacker Creek interchange
No westbound entrance
​6.674.14177 Highway 5 north (Coquihalla Highway) – Merritt, Kelowna, KamloopsOthello interchange
East end of BC 5 concurrency.
BC 3 east to exits freeway using Exit 177.
E. C. Manning Provincial Park25.0415.56West end of E. C. Manning Provincial Park (Manning Park).
↑ / ↓58.0236.05Allison Pass – el. 1,342 m (4,403 ft)
Okanagan-Similkameen83.0051.57East end of E. C. Manning Provincial Park (Manning Park).
​99.7761.99Sunday Summit – el. 1,284 m (4,213 ft)
Princeton133.5682.99Vermillion Avenue, Burton Avenue
133.9383.22 Highway 5A north (Bridge Street) – Merritt, Kamloops
Keremeos200.62124.667 Avenue, 7 StreetBC 3 branches north.
201.11124.96 Highway 3A north – Apex Mountain Resort, PentictonBC 3 branches east.
​225.63140.20Nighthawk Road – Nighthawk (WA)
Osoyoos247.11153.55 Highway 97 (Okanagan Highway) to US 97 south – Penticton, Kelowna, U.S. Border, Wenatchee (WA)
248.23154.24Main Street, Spartan Drive, 83 StreetBC 3 branches south, then turns east.
248.80154.60Osoyoos Trestle Bridge across Osoyoos Lake
Kootenay BoundaryRock Creek299.12185.86 Highway 33 north (Beaverdell Highway) – Big White Ski Resort, Kelowna
Midway318.26197.76Florence Street
Greenwood331.44205.95Greenwood Street
​368.53228.99 Highway 41 south to SR 21 south – U.S. Border
Grand Forks372.32231.3519 Street
372.97231.75Boundary Drive
373.97232.375 Street
374.16232.492 Street
​392.10243.64 Highway 395 south to US 395 south – U.S. Border, Spokane (WA)
Christina Lake394.55245.16West Lake Drive, Swanson Road
​406.39252.52Bonanza Pass – el. 1,535 m (5,036 ft)
Nancy Greene Provincial Park441.53274.35 Highway 3B east – Rossland, Trail
Central KootenayCastlegar467.95290.77 Highway 22 south – Rossland, TrailModule:Jct warning: "road" parameter is deprecatedKinnaird interchange
468.15290.8920 Street, 6 Avenue to Highway 22 southWestbound only
468.78291.29Crosses Columbia River
469.21291.55 Highway 3A east – West Kootenay Regional Airport, NelsonOotischenia interchange
​495.67308.00 Highway 3B east – Trail, Rossland
Salmo506.07314.46 Highway 6 north – Nelson, Nakusp, VernonWest end of BC 6 concurrency
​520.23323.26 Highway 6 south to SR 31 – U.S. BorderEast end of BC 6 concurrency.
​543.27337.57Kootenay Pass – el. 1,774 m (5,820 ft)
​582.34361.85Crosses Kootenay River
Creston585.08363.55 Highway 21 south to SH-1 – U.S. Border
586.50364.43 Highway 3A north – Kootenay Bay, Kootenay Lake Ferry, NelsonBC 3 branches south.
589.30366.1710 Avenue N, Cook StreetBC 3 turns east.
589.80366.4816 Avenue
Yahk626.59389.34 Highway 95 south to US 95 – U.S. Border, Coeur d'Alene (ID)West end of BC 95 concurrency
East KootenayCranbrook695.07431.90King Street, 9 Avenue S
695.89432.416 Street N
696.80432.97Victoria Avenue, Theatre Road
697.46433.38Willowbrook Drive
698.05433.7522 Street N
698.91434.28 Highway 95A north – Canadian Rockies Int. Airport, KimberleyCranbrook interchange
​704.34437.66 Highway 93 / Highway 95 north – Fort Steele, Invermere, Radium Hot SpringsFort Steele interchange; east end of BC 95 concurrency; west end of BC 93 concurrency
​730.34453.81Wardner Bridge across Kootenay River
Elko760.08472.29 Highway 93 south to US 93 – U.S. Border, Kalispell (MT)West end of BC 93 concurrency.
​788.75490.11Mount Fernie Park Road – Fernie Alpine Resort
Fernie791.20491.634 Street
791.54491.847 Street
792.20492.2513 Street
792.71492.579 Avenue
Sparwood821.32510.34Red Cedar Drive
821.89510.70 Highway 43 north (Elk Valley Highway) – Elkford
​841.29522.75Alberta – British Columbia border
Crowsnest Pass – el. 1,358 m (4,455 ft)
Continues as Alberta Highway 3 east
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Alberta

The following is a list of major intersections along Alberta Highway 3 (Crowsnest Highway) from west to east.[2][9]

Rural/specialized municipalityLocationkmmiDestinationsNotes
Continues as British Columbia Highway 3 west
Municipality of
Crowsnest Pass		​00.0Alberta – British Columbia border
Crowsnest Pass – el. 1,358 m (4,455 ft)
Coleman169.9 Highway 40 north (Forestry Trunk Road)
Blairmore181120 Avenue east
211320 Avenue west
Frank2415153 StreetPasses Frank Slide
Bellevue26169 Avenue / 213 StreetAccess to Hillcrest
​3019East Hillcrest DriveAccess to Hillcrest
M. D. of Pincher Creek No. 9Burmis3522 Highway 507 south – Beaver Mines
​4025 Highway 3A east
​4226 Highway 22 north – Longview, Black Diamond, Turner Valley
Lundbreck4427Breckenridge Avenue
​4830 Highway 3A west
Cowley5232 Highway 510 north
Pincher Station6239 Highway 6 south – Pincher Creek, Waterton Lakes National Park, U.S. BorderModule:Jct warning: "road" parameter is deprecated
​6540 Highway 785
Piikani I.R. 147Brocket7748 Highway 786 south
M. D. of Willow Creek No. 26​10263Future Highway 3X east[2]Future Fort Macleod bypass (Phase 2)[10]
​10465 Highway 810 south – Glenwood
​10565Divided highway begins
Fort Macleod10666 Highway 2 north (Exit 89) – Claresholm, CalgaryHwy 2 concurrency begins
CANAMEX Corridor concurrency begins
Future Highway 2X south[2]Future Fort Macleod bypass (Phase 1)[10]
10867One-way road pair begins
10968 Highway 811 north (6 Avenue)
11068One-way road pair ends
11169 Highway 2 south – Cardston, U.S. Border Red Coat Trail concurrency begins
Hwy 2 concurrency ends
Future Highway 2X north[2]Future Fort Macleod bypass (Phase 1)[10]
​13282 Highway 3A east to Highway 23 north – Monarch, VulcanEastbound access to Hwy 23.
↑ / ↓​13483Crosses Oldman River
Lethbridge County​13886 Highway 3A west / Highway 23 north – Monarch, VulcanPartial interchange
Westbound exit, eastbound entrance
​14288Future Highway 3X east[2]Future Lethbridge and Coaldale bypass.[11]
Kipp14691 Highway 509 south – Stand OffModule:Jct warning: "road" parameter is deprecated
Coalhurst1489251 AvenueCoalhurst access road
Freeway begins
City of Lethbridge15194Westside Drive W
Highway 3A east (unsigned highway)		Partial interchange
Eastbound exit, westbound entrance.
153.195.1 Highway 25 north – Picture ButteModule:Jct warning: "road" parameter is deprecatedInterchange
155.096.3Bridge Drive W (Former Hwy 3A west)Interchange
155.496.6Crosses Oldman River
155.696.7Access road to Oldman River valley
156.197.05 Avenue N (to Scenic Drive)Eastbound exit, westbound entrance
156.397.11 Avenue S – City Centre
To Highway 4 / Highway 5		Eastbound exit only
156.897.4Scenic DriveWestbound exit, eastbound entrance
157.798.0Stafford Drive
158.598.513 StreetWestbound to northbound exit only
159.298.919 Street (to 3 Avenue S)Eastbound exit/entrance
159.499.0Mayor Magrath Drive
Highway 5 south – Lethbridge Airport, Magrath, Cardston
Freeway ends
161.4100.31 Avenue S
To Highway 4 south / Highway 512 east		Eastbound exit only
161.8100.543 Street
Highway 4 south – Milk River, Coutts, U.S. Border, Great Falls (MT)Module:Jct warning: "road" parameter is deprecated
Highway 843 north		 Red Coat Trail concurrency ends
CANAMEX Corridor concurrency ends
Lethbridge County​168104Future Highway 4X[2]Future Lethbridge bypass.[11]
Coaldale173107 Highway 845 (20 Street) – Lomond, Raymond
​184114 Highway 512 south
Future Highway 3X west[2]		Future Lethbridge and Coaldale bypass.[11]
M. D. of Taber​198123 Highway 3A east – Barnwell
Barnwell200120Heritage Road
​202126 Highway 3A west – Barnwell
Taber207129 Highway 855 north (Park Road)
208129 Highway 36 south – WarnerHwy 36 concurrency begins.
210130 Highway 36 north (64 Street) – Vauxhall, BrooksHwy 36 concurrency ends.
211131Divided highway ends
Grassy Lake242150 Highway 877 south – Skiff
County of Forty Mile No. 8Burdett254158Main StreetPasses through Burdett
​260160 Highway 879 – Foremost
Bow Island266165Centre StreetPasses through Bow Island
​285177 Highway 885 south – Etzikom
Cypress CountySeven Persons301187 Highway 887 – Orion
​312194Future Hwy 1X[2]Future Medicine Hat bypass.[12]
City of Medicine Hat321199 Highway 523 east (Holsom Road SW)
322200 Viscount Avenue SW – Medicine Hat Airport
323201 Highway 1 (TCH) – Brooks, Calgary, Swift Current, ReginaHwy 3 ends.
Continues as Highway 41A east (Gershaw Drive SW) towards downtown Medicine Hat
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References

  1. ^ "National Highway System". Transport Canada. December 13, 2009. Retrieved March 16, 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Provincial Highways 1 - 216 Progress Chart" (PDF). Alberta Transportation. March 2015. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Crownest Highway in British Columbia" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
  4. ^ a b c d "Crownest Highway in Alberta" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
  5. ^ a b "Highways 3 & 4 - Lethbridge and Area NHS & NTSC Functional Planning Study - Final Report" (PDF). Stantec Consulting Ltd. Alberta Transportation. February 2006. Retrieved October 28, 2016.
  6. ^ Super, Natural British Columbia Road Map & Parks Guide (Map) (2010-2011 ed). Davenport Maps Ltd. in co-operation with Tourism British Columbia. § L-9, § L-10, § L-11, and § L-12.
  7. ^ British Columbia Road Atlas (2007 ed.). Oshawa, ON: MapArt Publishing Corp. pp. 69-75.
  8. ^ Nicol, Matthew; Horel, Steve (July 2015). "Landmark Kilometre Inventory" (PDF). British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. Cypher Consulting. pp. 74–113.
  9. ^ Alberta Official Road Map (Map) (2010 ed.). Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation. § N-5, N–6, N-7, N–8. {{cite map}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  10. ^ a b c "HIGHWAYS 2 and 3 Fort Macleod Bypass Functional Planning Study" (PDF). Alberta Transportation. McElhanney. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  11. ^ a b c Stantec (February 2006). "Highways 3 & 4 - Lethbridge and Area NHS & NSTC: Functional Planning Study" (PDF). Alberta Transportation. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  12. ^ Stantec (2008). "Highway 1 & 3 Functional Planning Study" (PDF). Alberta Transportation. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
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