{{short description|Highway in British Columbia}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2022}} {{Infobox road | province = BC | type = Hwy | route = 97C | alternate_name = Okanagan Connector<br />Coquihalla Connector | map = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=290|frame-height=|frame-lat=50.207|frame-long=-120.792|zoom=7|type=line|stroke-width=3|id=Q3484006}} | map_custom = yes | map_notes = Highway 97C highlighted in red. | length_km = 224 | length_round = | length_ref = | established = 1990 | direction_a = East | terminus_a = {{jct|state=BC|Hwy|97}} north of Peachland | junction = {{jct|state=BC|Hwy|5A}} near Aspen Grove<br />{{jct|state=BC|YH|5|Hwy|8}} in Merritt<br />{{jct|state=BC|Hwy|97D}} near Logan Lake<br />{{jct|state=BC|TCH|1}} near Ashcroft | direction_b = North | terminus_b = {{jct|state=BC|TCH|1|Hwy|97}} in Cache Creek | districts = Peachland, Logan Lake | cities = Merritt | villages = Ashcroft, Cache Creek | previous_type = Hwy | next_type = Hwy | previous_route = 97B | next_route = 97D }}
'''Highway 97C''' is an east–west highway, forming part of an important link between the Lower Mainland and the Okanagan Valley south of Kelowna, which is the third largest metropolitan area in the province. It bisects the Coquihalla Highway at Merritt. The expressway and freeway sections of the highway are known as '''Okanagan Connector''' or '''Coquihalla Connector'''. The section of Highway 97C between Highway 5 and Highway 97 is a core route of the National Highway System.
== Route description == Highway 97C begins near Peachland, at a trumpet interchange on Highway 97 known as ''Drought Hill''. The section of Highway 97C east of Merritt is an expressway ranging between 4 and 6 lanes, with a speed limit of {{convert|100|km/h}}. The section east of Aspen Grove is a freeway with a speed limit of {{convert|110|km/h}}. The road was formerly an expressway with a speed limit of {{convert|120|km/h}}. As of more recently, speed limits have been lowered in an effort to combat accidents along the highway.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/driving-and-transportation/reports-and-reference/reports-and-studies/planning-strategy-economy/speed-review/rural_hwy_safety_speed_review_post-implementation_update.pdf |title=Rural Highway Safety and Speed Review: Post Implementation Update |publisher=British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure |date=June 2016 |access-date=February 4, 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/speed-limit-bc-highways-reduced-1.4893914 |title=Speed limits being lowered on 15 sections of B.C. highways |work=CBC News |date=November 6, 2018 |access-date=February 4, 2026}}</ref> Freeway sections along the highway have very few exits along its route. Its highest altitude is the Pennask Summit, {{convert|1728|m|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level. Highway 97C travels on this freeway {{convert|82|km}} 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 {{convert|24|km|mi|abbr=on}} long route between Aspen Grove and the Coquihalla Highway at Meritt, where Highway 5A continues northeast and Highway 8 begins.
Highways 97C and 8 travel along Nicola Avenue through Merritt and share a {{convert|9|km|mi|abbr=on}} concurrency to Lower Nicola, where Highway 8 continues west to Spences Bridge and Highway 97C diverges north. Highway 97C goes north for {{convert|42|km|mi|abbr=on}} to Logan Lake, then northwest for {{convert|57|km|mi|abbr=on}} to Ashcroft on the Canadian National Railway. Highway 97C then travels {{convert|6|km|mi|abbr=on}} west from Ashcroft to where it converges with Highway 1, which takes Highway 97C north for its final {{convert|5|km|mi|abbr=on}} to its end at Highway 97 in Cache Creek.
== History == {{Stack|[[Image:Okanagan Lake.jpg|thumb|Okanagan Lake from Highway 97C near Trepanier]]}}
Highway 97C was opened to traffic on October 1, 1990, and was constructed as the third phase of the Coquihalla Highway Project.<ref>{{cite news |last=Whitfield |first=Dave |date=October 3, 1990 |title=Highway open! |page=1 |work=The Morning Star |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/95405303/highway-open/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=February 18, 2022}}</ref> It cost $225 million to construct (equivalent to ${{Inflation|CA|225|1987}} million in {{Inflation-year|CA}} dollars).{{inflation-fn|CA}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/publications/frontiertofreeway/frontiertofreeway.pdf|title=Frontier to Freeway - A Short Illustrated History of Roads in British Columbia|author=B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure|access-date=August 18, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611190603/http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/publications/frontiertofreeway/frontiertofreeway.pdf|archive-date=June 11, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Minister of Transportation and Highways Report for the Fiscal Year 1990/91 |last=British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Highways |date=1992 |publisher=Government of British Columbia |issn=1180-5315 |location=Victoria |language=EN}} |url=https://portal.issn.org/resource/ISSN/1180-5315# </ref>
Highway 97C was originally intended to have a freeway connection with the Coquihalla Highway approximately {{convert|30|km|mi|abbr=on}} south of Merritt, near exit 256;<ref>{{cite journal|last1=McNeil|first1=Holly|title=Coquihalla Commemorative Magazine|journal=Okanagan Life|date=October 1990|url=http://okanaganlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/1990-Oct-Okanagan-Life-Coquihalla.pdf}}</ref> however due to protest by local residents in Merritt on the grounds that it would take tourists away from the area, the project was postponed and the freeway remains incomplete to this day.
In July 2007, the shared roadway of Highway 5A and 97C was upgraded to a two-lane road in each direction, the last segment required to enable two lanes in each direction when travelling between Vancouver and Kelowna. The upgrade was completed on July 24.<ref>{{cite news |last=Ministry of Transportation|first= |date= July 24, 2007|title=Four-lane project completes Coquihalla Highway system |url=https://archive.news.gov.bc.ca/releases/news_releases_2005-2009/2007TRAN0029-000943.htm |work= |location=Victoria |access-date=February 18, 2022}}</ref>
When it was constructed, initial proposals had it designated as Highway 8; however, communities on the route preferred it designated as an auxiliary route of Highway 97, hence its Highway 97C designation.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Story of the Highway 97 Alphabet |url=https://www.tranbc.ca/2018/06/29/the-story-of-the-highway-97-alphabet/ |website=TranBC {{!}} Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure |publisher=Government of British Columbia |access-date=November 24, 2018 |date=August 2018}}</ref> {{Clear}}
== Major intersections == This table lists the exits on Route 97C from ''east to west''.<ref>''British Columbia Road Atlas'' (2007 ed.). Oshawa, ON: MapArt Publishing Corp. pp. 57, 58, 69, 70.</ref> {{BCinttop|unnum=yes|length_ref=<ref name=length>{{cite report |title=Landmark Kilometre Inventory |url=http://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/driving-and-transportation/transportation-infrastructure/engineering-standards-and-guidelines/traffic-engineering-and-safety/highway-safety/lki/lki_bc_201607.pdf |pages=172–173, 202–203, 504–512 |website=British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure |publisher=Cypher Consulting |date=July 2016 |access-date=March 23, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170311044605/http://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/driving-and-transportation/transportation-infrastructure/engineering-standards-and-guidelines/traffic-engineering-and-safety/highway-safety/lki/lki_bc_201607.pdf |archive-date=March 11, 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>}} {{BCint |division=Central Okanagan |dspan=3 |location_special=Peachland–West Kelowna boundary |km=0.00 |road={{Jct|province=BC|Hwy|97|name1=Okanagan Highway|city1=Vernon|city2=Kelowna|city3=Penticton|city4=Osoyoos}} |notes=Drought Hill interchange; Highway 97C eastern terminus }} {{BCint |type=incomplete |location=none |lspan=2 |km=6.14 |road=Trepanier Road |notes=Interchange; westbound exit and eastbound entrance }} {{BCint |km=22.68 |road=Brenda Mine Road |notes=Interchange }} {{Jctbridge |division_special=Central Okanagan–Thompson-Nicola boundary |location=none |dspan=1 |km=33.02 |place=Pennask Summit – el. {{convert|1728|m|ft|abbr=on}} }} {{BCint |division=Thompson-Nicola |location=none |km=42.92 |road=Sunset Main Road |notes=Interchange }} {{BCint |division=Okanagan-Similkameen |location=none |km=54.76 |road=Elkhart Road |notes=Interchange }} {{BCint |division=Thompson-Nicola |dspan=11 |location=none |lspan=3 |km=67.40 |road=Loon Lake Road |notes=Interchange; rest area (opened 2018)<ref>Province of British Columbia: [https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2018TRAN0017-000161 Loon Lake Rest Area], Press Release, February 7, 2018. Accessed September 12, 2018.</ref> }} {{Jctplace |km=82.33 |mspan=2 |place=''Freeway ends'' }} {{Jctint |type=concur |km=none |road={{Jct|province=BC|Hwy|5A|dir1=south|city1=Princeton}} |notes=At-grade; east end of Highway 5A concurrency }} {{BCint |location=Merritt |lspan=2 |type=concur |km=105.87 |road={{Jct|province=BC|Hwy|5|name1=Coquihalla Highway|city1=Kamloops|city2=Vancouver}}<hr/>{{Jct|province=BC|Hwy|5A|Hwy|8|dir1=ends|dir2=begins}} |notes=Coldwater interchange (Highway 5 exit 286); west end of Highway 5A concurrency; east end of Highway 8 concurrency }} {{BCint |km=110.02 |road={{Jct|province=BC|Hwy|5A|dir1=north|to1=yes|road|Voght Street}} |notes=Former west end of Highway 5A concurrency }} {{BCint |location=Lower Nicola |km=114.88 |type=concur |road={{Jct|province=BC|Hwy|8|name1=Nicola Highway|dir1=west|city1=Spences Bridge}} |notes=West end of Highway 8 concurrency; directional signage changes from east/west to north/south }} {{BCint |location=Logan Lake |km=156.88 |road={{Jct|province=BC|Hwy|97D|dir1=east|city1=Logan Lake|city2=Kamloops}} |notes= }} {{Jctplace |state=BC |location=Ashcroft |lspan=2 |km=214.14 |place=''Ashcroft Bridge'' across Thompson River }} {{BCint |km=214.31 |road={{jctname|province=BC|Hwy|926:0901|dir1=south|name1=Cornwall Road|to2=yes|Hwy|1|noshield=yes|city1=Spences Bridge}} |notes= }} {{BCint |location=none |km=220.30 |type=concur |road={{Jct|province=BC|TCH|1|dir1=west|city1=Hope|city2=Vancouver}} |notes=South end of Highway 1 concurrency }} {{BCint |location=Cache Creek |type=concur |km=224.48 |road={{Jct|province=BC|TCH|1|dir1=east|Hwy|97|dir2=south|city1=Kamloops}}<hr />{{Jct|province=BC|Hwy|97|dir1=north|Hwy|99|to2=yes|name1=Cariboo Highway|city1=Lillooet|city2=Prince George}} |notes=Highway 97C northern terminus }} {{Jctbtm|keys=concur,incomplete}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/popular-topics/documents/Hwy%2097C%20Pennask%20Pass%20grade-profile.pdf Graph detailing the distance and altitude of the highway between Highway 5A and Highway 97 (via Pennask Summit)] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20170105151258/http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/transportation-reports-and-reference/numbered-routes Official Numbered Routes in British Columbia]
{{BCHighways}}
097C Category:Freeways in British Columbia 97C Category:Nicola Country Category:Highways in the Okanagan Category:Transport in Kelowna