British Columbia Highway 99

Highway 99, also known as the Fraser Delta Thruway south of Vancouver, and the Sea to Sky Highway, the Squamish Highway, or Whistler Highway north of Vancouver, is the major north–south artery running through the Greater Vancouver area of British Columbia from the U.S. border, up Howe Sound through the Sea to Sky Country to Lillooet, and connecting to Highway 97 just north of Cache Creek. The number of this highway is derived from the old U.S. Route 99, with which the highway originally connected. The highway currently connects with Interstate 5 at the international border.

Highway 99
Vancouver-Blaine Freeway Fraser Delta Thruway Sea-to-Sky Highway Duffey Lake Road
A map of southwestern British Columbia with Hwy 99 highlighted in red
Route information
Length	409 km[1] (254 mi)
Existed	1942–present
Major junctions
South end	I-5 at Canada–United States border in Surrey
	Hwy 91 in Delta Hwy 17 in Delta Hwy 17A in Delta Hwy 91 in Richmond Hwy 7 in Vancouver Hwy 1 (TCH) in West Vancouver Hwy 12 in Lillooet
North end	Hwy 97 near Cache Creek
Location
Districts	North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Squamish, Whistler, Lillooet
Major cities	Delta, Surrey, Richmond, Vancouver
Villages	Lions Bay, Pemberton
Highway system
British Columbia provincial highways ← Hwy 97D → Hwy 101

The total length of Highway 99 from the U.S. border to the Highway 97 junction is 409 kilometres (254 mi). In 2006 the UK's The Guardian newspaper listed the Sea to Sky as the fifth best road trip worldwide.[2]

Route description

South Surrey to Richmond

In the south, Highway 99 begins at the British Columbia – Washington State border crossing at Douglas, on the Canadian side of Peace Arch Park, as a continuation of Interstate 5. The highway begins with a four-lane freeway configuration. Highway 99 travels through Surrey 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) due northwest from the border, through four interchanges, and then turns west for 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) before reaching the junction with Highway 91, marking the highway's entry into the City of Delta. Four km (2½ mi) west, Highway 99 reaches its junction with Ladner Trunk Road (formerly Highway 10). Eight km (5 mi) north, Highway 99 reaches a junction with Highway 17A. Another 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) northwest, Highway 99 crosses into Richmond through the George Massey Tunnel, also known as the Deas Tunnel or Deas Island Tunnel. From Surrey to Delta, the speed limit is 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph).

Through Richmond, Highway 99 travels 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) north from the Steveston Highway interchange, at the north mouth of the tunnel, to a junction which connects to the Westminster Highway, Knight Street, and western end of Highway 91. Another 4 kilometres (2.5 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.

Vancouver

Highway 99 at the Marine Drive interchange, just north of the Lions Gate Bridge

The Lions' Gate Bridge carries Highway 99 between Vancouver and North Vancouver.

The 30-kilometre (19 mi) long route through Vancouver's city streets starts off going north on Oak Street to the intersection with West 70th Avenue. Highway 99 then goes west on West 70th Avenue,[lower-roman 1] and then north along Granville Street for 7 kilometres (4.3 mi), 41st Avenue is used as an alternate signed connection between Granville and Oak Streets. It crosses over False Creek (via the Granville Street Bridge) into the downtown core. Highway 99 north goes through the downtown area by way of Seymour Street (southbound it uses Howe Street) and Georgia Street, through Stanley Park, and over the Lions Gate Bridge into West Vancouver at Marine Drive.

Trans-Canada Highway/Upper Levels Highway

In West Vancouver, Highway 99 goes west on Marine Drive and north on Taylor Way, to Highway 1. Highway 99 shares the Upper Levels Highway with Highway 1 for 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) west, diverging from Highway 1 near the BC Ferries terminal at Horseshoe Bay.

Sea to Sky Highway and Duffey Lake Road

Highway 99 north of Squamish

The "Sea to Sky Highway" is the name given to the section of Highway 99 from Horseshoe Bay to Pemberton. From Horseshoe Bay, the highway travels along the coast of Howe Sound. It continues for 12 km (7.5 mi) to Lions Bay, north for another 21 km (13 mi), crossing into the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District en route to Britannia Beach, and north for 11 km (6.8 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 Duffey Lake Road begins. This section of road parallels several rivers and water bodies, including the Squamish River, the Cheakamus River, and Daisy Lake, which flow south toward Howe Sound. In Whistler, near Alta Lake, the road crosses a watershed, and north of this point, the road follows the Green River and Lillooet River which flow north and east toward Lillooet Lake, and ultimately towards the Fraser River.[3] The speed limit of the Sea-to-Sky Highway ranges from 80 to 100 km/h (50 to 62 mph) with 60 km/h (37 mph) sections in Lions Bay, Britannia Beach and parts of Squamish.

After passing Lillooet Lake, the highway climbs a steep grade to Joffre Lakes Provincial Park, and shortly after passes through Cayoosh Pass, the highest point on the highway at 1,275 m (4,183 ft). East of the pass the road follows the course of Cayoosh Creek as it traverses the southern base of Mount Rohr and skirts Duffey Lake Provincial Park. As Duffey Lake Road, after winding almost 99 km (62 mi) northeast in very steep mountains where sometimes the advisory speed limit is 20 km/h (12 mph), and is legally posted as 60 km/h (37 mph) throughout. 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 and just south of Clinton.

History

This highway received the "99" designation, matching U.S. Route 99, in 1942 after completion of the King George VI Highway (1940) to the U.S. border. It originally shared an alignment with Highway 1 from Surrey to Vancouver via the Pattullo Bridge and Kingsway. The current freeway alignment of Highway 99 between 8th Avenue in South Surrey and the North Arm of the Fraser River opened in 1962 as Hwy. 99 and was called the Deas (Island) Throughway. Between 1964 and 1973, the freeway alignment of Highway 99 was designated Highway 499.[4] The Oak Street Bridge was built in 1957 to cross the North Arm Fraser River, and the Deas Island Tunnel was built 1957–59 (renamed the George Massey Tunnel in 1967) to cross the Fraser River.[5] Tolls were collected at the crossings until April 1, 1963.[6] The four-lane, 35-kilometre (22 mi) freeway between the tunnel and the American border was opened on May 29, 1962, by Premier W. A. C. Bennett and Washington Governor Albert D. Rosellini. It cost $57 million to construct and was funded by the provincial government.[7][8]

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, extending to Squamish in 1959, and 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 portion of the highway between Lillooet and Pavilion was part of the route of the Old Cariboo Road.

Olympics upgrades

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.

As part of the 2010 Winter Olympics bid, the British Columbia provincial government authorized an upgrade of 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. The Sea to Sky is a freeway from the interchange with Highway 1 to the at-grade intersection with Lawrence Way. After that, there are sporadic interchanges and at-grade intersections. It is mostly a divided highway all the way to Lions Bay and through Squamish.

On-site protests delayed part of the construction. Protesters claimed that a tunnel under Eagleridge Bluffs was a safer and environmentally friendlier alternative. A court injunction and police were used to remove the protestors, one of whom, Harriet Nahanee, a respected Squamish elder, died soon after in the Surrey Pre-Trial Centre from health complications alleged to be related to her arrest and incarceration.[9][10]

Major intersections

From south to north:

Regional District	Location	km[11][1]	mi	Exit[12]	Destinations	Notes
Metro Vancouver	Surrey	0.00	0.00		I-5 south – Bellingham, Seattle	Continues into Washington
				Canada – United States border at Peace Arch Border Crossing South end of Vancouver-Blaine Freeway and Fraser-Delta Thruway
		0.60	0.37	1	Beach Road	At-grade intersection
		1.60	0.99	2	8th Avenue (Hwy 914:3186 east) to Hwy 1 / Hwy 15 / SR 543 – USA Border, Pacific X-ing, White Rock, Hope	Signed as exits 2A (east) and 2B (west) southbound; former Hwy 99A north; Hwy 914:3186 is unsigned
		3.41	2.12	4	16th Avenue
		7.27	4.52	8A	152nd Street south	Southbound exit only
		7.66	4.76	8B	32nd Avenue, 152nd Street north	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
		9.63	5.98	10	King George Boulevard – Surrey City Centre	No access to Hwy 99 southbound from King George northbound; former Hwy 99A King George BLVD heads into Surrey Newton, city centre, and North Surrey and then crosses Patullo Bridge into New Westminster.
	Delta	15.56	9.67	16	Hwy 91 north – North Delta, New Westminster	Marks official entry into Delta. Hwy 91 into North Delta and New Westminster. Alt route for Richmond, YVR, Burnaby and Vancouver. Access to Hwy 17 east to Hwy 1.
		20.36	12.65	20	Ladner Trunk Road – South Delta	Northbound access to Boundary Bay Airport; former Hwy 10
		23.61	14.67	23	80th Street	Southbound exit only; access to Boundary Bay Airport
		25.37	15.76	26	Hwy 17 (South Fraser Perimeter Road) to Hwy 1 east – Tsawwassen, Victoria, Nanaimo, Hope	Hwy 17 exit 13; no direct access from Hwy 99 north to Hwy 17 east; Victoria and Nanaimo are via BC Ferries
		27.86	17.31	28	Hwy 17A south / River Road – Ladner
		28.60	17.77	29	River Road south	Southbound exit only
	↑ / ↓	29.55– 30.41	18.36– 18.90	George Massey Tunnel under the South Arm Fraser River
	Richmond	31.59	19.63	32	Steveston Highway
		35.68	22.17	36	Westminster Highway	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
		36.71	22.81	37	Hwy 91 east – North Delta, Surrey	No access to Alderbridge Way
		37.33	23.20	38	Shell Road	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
		38.31	23.80	39B	No. 4 Road	Southbound exit only
		38.91	24.18	39A	Sea Island Way (Hwy 911:2923 east) – Airport (YVR)	No northbound exit; Hwy 911:2923 is unsigned
				39	Bridgeport Road – Airport (YVR)	Northbound exit and entrance
	↑ / ↓	38.91– 40.69	24.18– 25.28	Oak Street Bridge over the North Arm Fraser River
	Vancouver	40.69	25.28	41	Marine Drive	Signed as 41A (Marine Drive east) and 41B (Marine Drive west) northbound; no exit number southbound
				North end of freeway • North end of Vancouver-Blaine Freeway and Fraser-Delta Thruway
		40.86	25.39		70th Avenue[lower-roman 1] Oak Street	Hwy 99 branches west onto 70th Avenue (officially); left turns prohibited; Hwy 99 north signed to 41st Avenue
				South end of City of Vancouver jurisdiction
		41.6	25.8		Granville Street Marine Drive	Hwy 99 branches north onto Granville Street
		43.7	27.2		49th Avenue
		44.5	27.7		41st Avenue[lower-roman 2]	Signed Hwy 99 north connection between Oak Street and Granville Street
		46.1	28.6		King Edward Avenue
		47.4	29.5		12th Avenue
		47.7	29.6		Broadway (Hwy 7 east)
		48.2	30.0		4th Avenue, Fir Street south	Hwy 99 turns northeast Interchange; 4th Avenue is southbound exit and northbound entrance; Fir Street is southbound exit only
		48.2– 49.1	30.0– 30.5	Granville Street Bridge over False Creek
		49.1	30.5		Seymour Street, Howe Street Granville Street	One-way transition; northbound Hwy 99 follows Seymour Street, southbound Hwy 99 followes Howe Street; left exit to Granville Street
		49.9	31.0		Nelson Street	One-way, southeast-bound; provides access to the Cambie Bridge
		50.1	31.1		Smithe Street	One-way, northwest-bound; provides access from the Cambie Bridge
		50.3	31.3		Robson Street
		50.4– 50.6	31.3– 31.4		Georgia Street Seymour Street, Howe Street	Former Hwy 1A / Hwy 99A; Hwy 99 branches on Georgia Street; south end of former Hwy 1A concurrency
		50.8	31.6		Burrard Street	Provides access to the Burrard Bridge
		52.40	32.56	North end of City of Vancouver jurisdiction
		52.71	32.75		North Lagoon Drive	Interchange; no southbound exit
		54.38	33.79		Stanley Park Drive	Closed during peak hours; no southbound entrance
	↑ / ↓	54.70– 56.23	33.99– 34.94	Lions Gate Bridge over Burrard Inlet
	North Vancouver (district)	56.52	35.12		Marine Drive, Capilano Road to Hwy 1 (TCH)	Interchange; Hwy 99 branches west onto Marine Drive
	↑ / ↓	56.68	35.22	Capilano Bridge over the Capilano River
	West Vancouver	56.91	35.36		Taylor Way Marine Drive	Hwy 99 branches north onto Taylor Way
		58.09	36.10	13	Hwy 1 (TCH) east – North Vancouver (city), Vancouver Taylor Way	Interchange; Hwy 99 branches west; north end of former Hwy 1A concurrency; south end of BC 1 concurrency
				Hwy 99 exits freeway using Exit 13 • South end of freeway
		59.72	37.11	11	15th Street, Cross Creek Road
		60.63	37.67	10	21st Street, Westhill Drive	No southbound exit
		61.28	38.08	10	22nd Street	Southbound exit only
		62.72	38.97	8	Cypress Bowl Road
		64.29	39.95	7	Wentworth Avenue, Westmount Road
		66.96	41.61	4	Woodgreen Drive, Headland Drive
		68.76	42.73	3	Hwy 1 (TCH) west to Hwy 101 – Horseshoe Bay, Nanaimo, Gibsons	Eagle Ridge Interchange; northbound exit, southbound entrance North end of Hwy 1 concurrency; Hwy 101, Nanaimo and Gibsons are via BC Ferries; Hwy 99 turns north
				South end of Sea to Sky Highway
		69.37	43.10	2	Eagleridge Drive, Marine Drive to Hwy 911:2924 north	Northbound exit and southbound entrance; Hwy 911:2924 is unsigned
		72.57	45.09		Horseshoe Bay Drive (Hwy 911:2924 south) to Marine Drive	Southbound exit and northbound entrance; Hwy 911:2924 is unsigned
		73.99	45.98		Seascape Drive, Ansell Place	U-turn route
				North end of freeway
		74.67	46.40		Lawrence Way	At-grade intersection; no northbound entrance
	​	76.48	47.52		Strachan Point Road	Southbound right-in and right-out
77.63		48.24		Ocean Point Drive to Strachan Point Road	Seagull intersection
Lions Bay	80.50	50.02		Kelvin Grove Way	Interchange
	81.15	50.42		Lions Bay Avenue	Interchange
	83.07	51.62		Brunswick Road	Interchange
Squamish-Lillooet	​	92.22	57.30		Porteau Road	Interchange; U-turn route
		96.42	59.91		Furry Creek Drive	Northbound right-in/right-out
		97.95	60.86		Furry Creek Drive	Southbound right-in/right-out
	Britannia Beach	102.28	63.55		Copper Drive
	Squamish	113.67	70.63		Cleveland Avenue, Loggers Lane	Cleaveland Avenue provides access to Downtown Squamish
		116.55	72.42		Centennial Way	Interchange
		121.00	75.19		Depot Road – Brackendale
		123.48	76.73		Squamish Valley Road, Alice Lake Road – Paradise Valley	Alice Lake Road serves Alice Lake Provincial Park
	​	154.55	96.03		Brandywine Falls Provincial Park
		157.79	98.05		Callaghan Valley Road – Whistler Olympic Park, Callaghan Lake Provincial Park
	Whistler	166.46	103.43		Alta Lake Road
		167.68	104.19		Lake Placid Road	Provides access to Creekside Village
		171.73	106.71		Village Gate Road	Provides access to Whistler Village
		172.36	107.10		Lorimer Road	Provides access to Upper Village
	Pemberton	203.56	126.49		Pemberton Meadows Road, Vine Road
				North end of Sea to Sky Highway • South end of Duffey Lake Road
	Mount Currie	210.50	130.80		Pemberton Portage Road – D'Arcy	Hwy 99 branches northeast
	Lillooet	301.07	187.08		Seton Lake Road (Hwy 40 west) – Gold Bridge	Hwy 99 branches east; unofficial Hwy 40 is unsigned
		301.58	187.39	Bridge of the Twenty-Three Camels over the Fraser River
		302.31	187.85		Hwy 12 south – Lytton, Hope	Hwy 99 branches north
				North end of Duffey Lake Road
	​	377.04	234.28		Hwy 97 – Prince George, 100 Mile House, Cache Creek, Kamloops
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access

See also

• List of British Columbia provincial highways

Notes

1. A left turn from Oak Street onto 70th Avenue is not permitted, but a right turn from 70th Avenue onto Oak Street is permitted.
2. Alternate route of Hwy 99 (unofficial).

References

1. Google (January 3, 2017). "Highway 99 in British Columbia" (Map). Google Maps. Google.
2. "Five Best...Road Trips". The Guardian. London. 1 April 2006. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
3. "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 2019-10-28.
4. "'400' road series to be redesignated". Vancouver Sun. December 22, 1972. p. 25. Retrieved December 19, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "$23,000,000 Fraser River Tunnel to Be Dedicated". The Seattle Times. July 14, 1959. p. 2.
6. "Bridge Traffic Goes Smoothly Because It's Free, Free, Free". The Sun. April 1, 1963. p. 1. Retrieved February 5, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
7. Deverell, Bill (May 30, 1962). "Brass of All Kinds on Hand For Opening of Deas Thruway". The Sun. p. 6. Retrieved February 5, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Frontier to Freeway" (PDF). www2.gov.bc.ca. p. 20.
9. "First Nations elder Harriet Nahanee (1935 - 2007)". Institute for the History of Science. 2008. Retrieved 2009-10-18.
10. Harriet Nahanee Did Not Die in Vain, Rafe Mair, The Tyee, March 5, 2007
11. Landmark Kilometre Inventory (PDF). British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (Report). Cypher Consulting. July 2016. pp. 12–14, 515–537. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-03-11. Retrieved 2017-01-03.
12. "Highway Exits & Landmarks". Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. Province of British Columbia. Archived from the original on July 15, 2016. Retrieved January 3, 2017.

External links

• Official Numbered Routes in British Columbia