British Columbia Highway 3A

Infobox road
state=BC
type=Hwy
route=3a
previous_type=Hwy
previous_route=3
next_type=Hwy
next_route=3B

Two segments of highway in the southern part of British Columbia are designated as Highway 3A.

Kootenays - Castlegar-Nelson-CrestonKootenays - 0

This was the first segment of highway in British Columbia to receive the '3A' designation. It acquired this designation when the Crowsnest Highway was routed into the Kootenay Pass area in 1964. Originally, a ferry was used to route Highway 3A over the Columbia River near Castlegar, which was replaced by a bridge in 1967.

Route details

The 154 km (96 mi) long Kootenay section of Highway 3A begins at Castlegar, and travels 20 km (12 mi) northeast to South Slocan, where Highway 6 merges onto Highway 3A. The two highways proceed east for 22 km (14 mi) to Nelson, where Highway 6 diverges south. 34 km (21 mi) northeast of Nelson, Highway 3A reaches Balfour, on the western shore of Kootenay Lake. A ferry takes Highway 3A across Kootenay Lake to Kootenay Bay. Highway 3A then follows the eastern shore of Kootenay Lake for 78 km (48 mi) all the way south to Creston, where it terminates.

imilkameen to Okanagan - Keremeos-Kaleden Junction-Osoyoosimilkameen to Okanagan - 0

Infobox road
marker_

state=
highway_name=Highway 3A (western segment)
name_notes=
type=
route=
alternate_name=


length_mi=
length_round=
length_ref=
length_notes=
established=1965
direction_a=west
starting_terminus=Hwy 3 in Keremoes, BC
direction_b=North
ending_terminus=Hwy 3 in Osoyoos, BC
cities=Osoyoos
system=British Columbia provincial highways

A new section of highway through the Richter Pass from Keremeos to Osoyoos was opened in 1965. The 2-lane Crowsnest Highway was re-routed through this area in 1967, and the segment between Keremeos and Osoyoos was given the Highway 3 Southern Trans-Canada designation. This 45 km (28mi.) long segment of Highway 3 runs south from Keremeos, past the turnoff to Nighthawk, USA, then east over the Richter to Osoyoos. It's a main part of the bike course for the Penticton Subaru Ironman Canada Triathlon each August in the Okanagan Similkameen.

Highway 3A runs from Keremeos 35km north thru Olalla and up the long hill to Yellow Lake, then east past Twin Lakes and thru the Marron Valley to Kaleden Junction where it intersects with Highway 97, the North-South Okanagan route. You can turn left (north), 10 km along Skaha Lake to Penticton, or turn right (south), 10 km to Okanagan Falls. The distance south from the Kaleden Junction thru OK Falls and Oliver to Osoyoos on Highway 97 is about 50km (30mi).

It's a nice circle-route to drive. The scenery is beautiful. Some nice long stretches of no or little civilization in the Similkameen. Allow extra time for traffic congestion (tourism), in the Okanagan in summer. There is also some agricultural traffic in both valleys. You can make good time on some parts of these roads. Other sections are twisting and hilly. There is limited 3 and 4 laning.