British Columbia Highway 97C

Infobox road
province=BC
name_notes=
type=Hwy
route=97C
alternate_name=Okanagan Connector


length_mi=
length_round=
length_ref=
length_notes=
established=1991
direction_a=East
starting_terminus=Highway 97 in Peachland
junction=Hwy 5A near Aspen Grove
Hwy 5 in Merritt
Hwy 8 in Merritt
Hwy 97D near Logan Lake
Hwy 1 in Ashcroft
direction_b=West
ending_terminus=Hwy 97 near Cache Creek, BC
cities=Peachland
Merritt
Cache Creek
previous_type=Hwy
next_type=Hwy
previous_route=97B
next_route=99

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 1991.

Route details

Highway 97C, which is 220 km (137 mi) in total length, begins near Westbank and Peachland, 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 has very few exits along its route. Its highest altitude is the Pennask Summit (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 toll 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), [http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/popular-topics/documents/Hwy%2097C%20Pennask%20Pass%20grade-profile.pdf follow this link.]

List of exits

The following is a list of exits along the freeway portions of Highway 97C.

At this point the freeway ends and becomes Highway 97, Dobbin Rd. in Kelowna. There is however one more exit on Highway 97 at Gellatly Road/Glenrosa Road before crossing on the Okanagan Lake Bridge.

Highway 97D

Highway 97D, previously known as Meadow Creek Road, is a 24 km (15 mi) stretch of road linking Highway 97C in Logan Lake to the Coquihalla Highway. Highway 97D is a new route, receiving its designation in 2005. It allows quicker access between Logan Lake and Kamloops without the need for motorists to go through Merritt when travelling between the two locations.