92-566: Highway 99 is a provincial highway in British Columbia that runs 377 kilometres (234 mi) from the U.S. border to near Cache Creek , serving Greater Vancouver and the Squamish–Lillooet corridor . It is a major north–south artery within Vancouver and connects the city to several suburbs as well as the U.S. border , where it continues south as Interstate 5 . The central section of
184-454: A 39-kilometre (24 mi) ferry to cross Anderson and Seton lakes. Paving of Duffey Lake Road began in 1990 and was mostly completed by the end of the following year at a cost of $ 22.5 million. During construction, a group from the Lil'wat First Nation blockaded the road at Mount Currie during a conflict with Lillooet residents and authorities; the 9-kilometre (5.6 mi) section through
276-622: A 9, followed by a two-digit number designating a "transportation district", a colon, and then a four-digit number derived from the province's Landmark Kilometre Inventory system. The following routes are within British Columbia but are considered part of the Yukon highway system. Although the Alaska Highway crosses the 60th parallel north , and thus the border with the Yukon, nine times (including six crossings between historic miles 588 and 596),
368-754: A center reversible lane—and crosses the Lions Gate Bridge over the First Narrows as it leaves Vancouver. The Lions Gate Bridge continues into West Vancouver and bisects X̱wemelch'stn , an Indian reserve managed by the Squamish Nation . Highway 99 briefly travels west onto Marine Drive after an interchange and crosses the Capilano River to the Park Royal Shopping Centre , where it turns north onto Taylor Way. The highway then passes through
460-600: A challenging test for many of the world's best cyclists in the Tour de Delta (one-day races, for men since 2001, and for women since 2011). Since its first event in 2001, the Tour de Delta has grown to be Canada's largest cycling event, held annually in July as part of BC Superweek. The Delta Triathlon is also a very popular event, selling out each year in April. The event takes place in Ladner from
552-652: A closure of the bridge to vehicular traffic is listed in the City of Vancouver's 2040 plan. Provincial highways in British Columbia The Canadian province of British Columbia has a system of numbered highways that travel between various cities and regions with onward connections to neighboring provinces and U.S. states . The numbering scheme, announced in March 1940, includes route numbers that reflect United States Numbered Highways that continue south of
644-544: A commercial district near its junction with Broadway , which carries the westernmost section of Highway 7 . The highway travels onto the Granville Bridge , which carries eight lanes of traffic over False Creek and Granville Island into Downtown Vancouver . The bridge includes ramps on its south side to West 4th Avenue and other streets, as well as an interchange on its north side with loop ramps that connect to Pacific Boulevard and Pacific Street. Highway 99 passes over
736-820: A facility near to the hospital. Delta Public Schools operates Anglophone public schools in the city. The Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique operates one Francophone primary school in that city: école du Bois-joli . Delta has many minor sports teams in ice hockey, soccer, football, field hockey, baseball, softball, field lacrosse and box lacrosse. Over 160 young people play ringette in Delta. The Delta Ringette Association has 13 teams in 2005. Notable professional sports players from Delta are Jeff Francis (MLB), James Paxton (MLB), Justin Morneau (MLB), Brent Seabrook (NHL), Troy Brouwer (NHL) and Mitch Berger (NFL). Delta's unique and varying terrain provides
828-598: A junction with Ladner Trunk Road (formerly Highway 10 ) to reach an interchange with Highway 17 , which travels to Tsawwassen and its major ferry terminal and freight hub . The freeway turns northwest and passes through a junction with Highway 17A before it enters the George Massey Tunnel , which travels under the South Arm of the Fraser River from Deas Island to Richmond. The tunnel has four lanes, of which one
920-405: A land area of 179.66 km (69.37 sq mi), it had a population density of 603.7/km (1,563.5/sq mi) in 2021. In 2011, the median age was 42.8 years old, which is slightly higher than the national median age of 40.6 years old. There were 35,781 private dwellings with an occupancy rate of 97.1%. According to the 2011 National Household Survey, the median value of a dwelling in Delta
1012-542: A limited access roadway as it descends into Britannia Beach , home to the Britannia Mine Museum . Highway 99 travels northeast through Murrin Provincial Park as it ascends a hill to bypass Watts Point , an extinct volcanic centre on Howe Sound. The highway then descends along the coast towards Squamish at the head of Howe Sound. It passes a ferry terminal at Darrell Bay and the viewpoint for Shannon Falls ,
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#17328370862061104-718: A loop around Downtown Vancouver that connected to the Lions Gate Bridge. The freeway alignment of Highway 99 between 8th Avenue in South Surrey and the North Arm of the Fraser River opened in 1962 and was originally named the Deas (Island) Throughway. Between 1964 and 1973, the freeway alignment of Highway 99 was designated Highway 499; the old alignment was redesignated as Highway 99A . The four-lane, 35-kilometre (22 mi) freeway between
1196-644: A maximum grade of 4 percent between the U.S. border and the Pattullo Bridge. Highway 99 continued northwest on Kingsway, which it shared with Highway 1 , through New Westminster to Downtown Vancouver and ended at the edge of Stanley Park. Highway 99 was extended to West Vancouver in 1956, crossing the existing Lions Gate Bridge across the First Narrows of the Burrard Inlet , and continued along Marine Drive and Taylor Drive for 1.1 kilometres (0.7 mi) to
1288-421: A potential national park , in early 1956. Two more contracts were awarded by the end of the year and construction on all 32 kilometres (20 mi) of the highway was underway by March 1956. Work on the highway began with clearing and explosive blasting of rock faces above the railway, which was protected by wooden boards laid over the tracks. An estimated 9.5 million tonnes (21,000,000,000 lb) of material
1380-508: A recommendation from a contracted engineering firm. Construction began with a ceremonial cement pouring overseen by premier W. A. C. Bennett in May 1957 and was conducted using a set of six concrete immersed tubes that were constructed on the shore. The Deas Island Tunnel and its 12.1-kilometre (7.5 mi) approaches on Lulu Island and near Ladner were opened for a preview weekend beginning May 23, 1959, where it attracted 133,000 vehicles. The tunnel
1472-542: A residential neighbourhood and reaches an interchange with Highway 1 , part of the Trans-Canada Highway system. Highway 99 joins Highway 1 on the Upper Levels Highway, a four-lane freeway that travels west through residential neighbourhoods on the south side of Cypress Mountain . The freeway makes several gradual turns as it ascends the foothills of Cypress Mountain; Highway 1 splits from the highway to serve
1564-577: A residential neighbourhood to reach an interchange with Sea Island Way, which provides a connection to Vancouver International Airport , Sea Island , and the Bridgeport transit hub . Highway 99 then crosses over the Canada Line and Fraser River on the Oak Street Bridge , which carries four lanes into the city of Vancouver. The freeway section of Highway 99 ends at an interchange with Marine Drive on
1656-613: A rushed opening. Taylor Way was later widened to four lanes in early 1958 to handle increased traffic to the Upper Levels Highway, which was extended east to the Second Narrows Bridge in 1961 and signed as part of the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1). The bridge acquisition and Upper Levels Highway construction were part of the provincial government's plan to complete the Vancouver–Squamish Highway, which would open vehicular access beyond Horseshoe Bay. The new highway
1748-607: A seat on the Delta Council. Jackson was elected to council again in 2018. In Delta is BC Hydro's Arnott Substation, the mainland terminal of the southern AC transmission connections providing power to Vancouver Island, and the former converter station for the HVDC Vancouver Island circuits. Delta is the westernmost community served by Fraser Health Authority which operates Delta Hospital in Ladner and also funds home and community care. The Delta Hospice Society operates
1840-471: A steep segment with 10–15 percent grades. Construction of a 9.7-kilometre (6 mi) section north of Horseshoe Bay began in early 1955 under the same contractor as a parallel section of the Pacific Great Eastern Railway. The provincial government also announced plans to build a highway extension to serve Garibaldi Provincial Park north of Squamish, the site of planned tourist development and
1932-642: A suitable route along Howe Sound to link existing roads that ended at Whytecliff (overlooking Horseshoe Bay) and Britannia Beach. Two competing routes emerged in the early 1950s: one following the Howe Sound coastline at a cost of approximately $ 6 million; and another that would travel north along the Capilano River from West Vancouver for 24 kilometres (15 mi) and cross over a pass at 580 metres (1,900 ft) to follow Furry Creek to Britannia at an initial cost of $ 3.5 million. The Howe Sound route had been criticised for its higher cost and complexity due to
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#17328370862062024-483: A tunnel 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. Plans to build a new highway through West Vancouver to directly connect the Lions Gate Bridge to
2116-638: A valid permit for parking provided by their hotel or issued to residents and workers. Shuttle buses ran between Vancouver and Whistler for spectators and other visitors during the Olympics. In 2006, the provincial government announced the Gateway Program , a major regional transportation plan that would include a replacement for the George Massey Tunnel. Under the plan, the tunnel would be tolled and twinned to add an additional lane in each direction, but it
2208-571: A warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb ) with cooler summers and milder winters than other areas on the Canada–U.S. border, and features some of the mildest winters and lowest diurnal temperature variation in Canada. Delta is governed by the Delta City Council, led by a Mayor and six Councillors, elected for four-year terms, and there is also an elected school board . The current mayor
2300-458: Is $ 562,181 which is significantly higher than the national average of $ 280,552. The median household income (after taxes) in Delta is $ 71,590, quite higher than the national average at $ 54,089. As of 2021, Delta's population is 108,455. About 45% of Delta's population are visible minorities , of which there are approximately 28,000 South Asians , 9,700 Chinese people , and 3,700 Filipinos . There are also about 3,180 Indigenous peoples or 3% of
2392-519: Is George Harvie. Unlike most communities in Canada, but like Vancouver and Richmond , Delta has a system of locally based election slates such as TriDelta, IDEA, One Delta, Delta Residents Association, Delta Connect, DIVA, Independents Working For You, and Achieving For Delta. In the House of Commons of Canada , Delta is part of the Delta electoral district . As of the 2015 Federal general election, Delta's seat
2484-647: Is a continuation of Interstate 5 , a freeway that continues south towards Seattle and major cities on the U.S. West Coast , ultimately ending near Tijuana , Mexico. The highway passes the Peace Arch monument in the international park of the same name and travels north through a 24-hour customs facility operated by the Canada Border Services Agency in Douglas , part of southern Surrey on Boundary Bay . The freeway travels northwest with four lanes around
2576-426: 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. The project cost $ 600 million and included the construction of large retaining walls, wider bridges able to withstand earthquakes, and mesh screens for rockfalls. The section
2668-609: Is able to reverse on a set schedule to provide a third lane in the peak direction of travel. Within Richmond, Highway 99 travels north with six lanes and bus shoulders through an interchange with the Steveston Highway and a rural area. It then reaches a second junction with Highway 91 that bisects the Richmond Nature Park and includes ramps to Alderbridge Way and Knight Street . The freeway turns northwest and passes through
2760-661: Is held by Carla Qualtrough of the Liberal Party . In the 2017 provincial general election , the North Delta seat went to Ravi Kahlon of the British Columbia New Democratic Party while the South Delta seat went to Ian Paton of BC United . Delta, unlike most Lower Mainland municipalities, has its own police department . Former Delta mayor Lois Jackson served from 1999 to 2018 and since 1973 has had
2852-522: The 2021 census , religious groups in Delta included: Delta is located 27 km (17 mi) south of Vancouver and 22 km (14 mi) north of the Canada–US border at Peace Arch, Surrey. It is bordered by water on three sides: The Fraser River to the north, the Georgia Strait to the west and Boundary Bay to the south. At 364 km (141 sq mi), Delta is the largest municipality in
British Columbia Highway 99 - Misplaced Pages Continue
2944-690: The 400-Series Highways in Ontario . Highways 401 and 499 were renumbered 1 and 99 respectively in 1973. The section of Highway 37 between Terrace and Kitimat was known as Highway 25 until 1986. In recent years, many routes have been devolved to regional and/or municipal authorities and have lost their official highway status, notably the Fraser Highway in the Lower Mainland (formerly part of Highway 1A ) and West Saanich Road on Vancouver Island (formerly Highway 17A ). Also King George Highway through Surrey
3036-802: The Alex Fraser Bridge , which connects Delta with Richmond and New Westminster . Delta also includes a peninsula on the east side of the Fraser River at Delta's northern city limits, which is only accessible via Surrey . Delta is known for its relatively dry and sunny climate compared with other locations in Metro Vancouver . For example, it receives nearly 40% (927.5 mm (36.52 in) from 1981 to 2010 ) less precipitation than downtown Vancouver (1,474.9 mm (58.07 in) at Vancouver Harbour CS from 1971 to 2000) and just over half of that of North Vancouver (1,805.6 mm (71.09 in) at North Vancouver 2nd Narrows from 1981 to 2010). It has
3128-622: The CF Pacific Centre , and several SkyTrain stations. Highway 99 turns west onto Georgia Street and returns to bi-directional traffic as it traverses the West End near the city's central waterfront. The street carries four lanes for general purpose traffic and two lanes shared by buses and bicycles during daytime hours; beyond Pender Street, it gains a center reversible lane that is controlled with traffic signals. The highway then travels through Stanley Park with three lanes–one per direction and
3220-677: The Canada–United States border . Highway 1 is numbered in accordance with other routes on the Trans-Canada Highway system. List is current as of May 2017, according to the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation. All routes are signed with the standard " BC Primary Highway Marker " shield, except where stated as " Unsigned ", signed under a street name, signed with the Trans-Canada , Yellowhead , Crowsnest , or Nisga'a route marker, or cosigned with any combination of
3312-738: 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 . 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,
3404-469: The Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal , a major hub for BC Ferries , as it continues onward to Vancouver Island . The "Sea to Sky Highway" is the name given to the 134-kilometre (83 mi) section of Highway 99 from Horseshoe Bay to Pemberton , a province-designated scenic highway and tourist attraction. From Horseshoe Bay , the four-lane divided highway travels along the eastern coast of Howe Sound and
3496-646: The King George Highway in Surrey , portions of Kingsway from New Westminster to Vancouver, and local streets. It was extended across the Lions Gate Bridge and to Horseshoe Bay in the 1950s along a new highway that would later be incorporated into Highway 1 (the Trans-Canada Highway ), which has a concurrency with Highway 99 in West Vancouver . Highway 99 was later moved to freeway sections in southern Surrey, Delta , and Richmond that opened beginning in
3588-532: The New Democratic Party announced the cancellation of the bridge proposal and commissioned an independent review with alternative plans. A plan to build an eight-lane immersed tube tunnel with dedicated transit, bicycle, and pedestrian access was announced in August 2021. It is planned to be completed in 2030 at a cost of $ 4.15 billion. Proposals to build an alternative Burrard Inlet road crossing to replace
3680-478: The Semiahmoo Trail , an overland route used by indigenous Coast Salish peoples that was later adopted by fur traders and early non-indigenous Fraser Valley settlers in the 1860s. The trail was replaced with a wagon road that was completed by the provincial government in 1879. The Pacific Highway was later built in the 1910s to connect Vancouver to Seattle and the rest of the U.S. West Coast and marked by
3772-514: The Squamish River through Cheakamus Canyon towards Whistler and then onward to Pemberton. The corridor is also home to the Sea to Sky Trail , a multi-use trail for hiking and cycling that runs from Squamish to D'Arcy north of Pemberton. Highway 99 continues on Duffey Lake Road from Pemberton to Lillooet. This section of road parallels several rivers and water bodies, including the Squamish River ,
British Columbia Highway 99 - Misplaced Pages Continue
3864-631: The Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal and the Highway 99 being rerouted from the King George Highway in Surrey in 1962 to a new route through Delta, ended Delta's isolation and resulted in a massive 400% population growth over the next 20 years. The 1986 completion of the Alex Fraser Bridge connecting North Delta to New Westminster and Vancouver also helped Delta's growth. On 22 September 2017, at
3956-621: The Tsawwassen First Nation of the Coast Salish . The land was first sighted by Europeans in 1791, when Spanish explorer Lieutenant Francisco de Eliza mistook the area for an island and named it "Isla de Cepeda". The first European settler in Delta was James Kennedy who pre-empted 135 acres in what later became Annieville in February 1860. Thomas and William Ladner , began farming the area named after them in 1868. Farming and fishing helped
4048-627: The University Canada West campus and splits into a pair of one-way streets : Seymour Street for northbound traffic and Howe Street for southbound traffic; the two streets are split by Granville Street, which continues as a transit mall for TransLink buses. Seymour and Howe streets pass through residential and commercial areas in Downtown Vancouver, which include department stores , the Vancouver Art Gallery , Robson Square ,
4140-413: The 1940/1941 fiscal year and led to the installation of route markers along multiple highways. Delta, British Columbia Delta is a city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia , Canada, as part of Greater Vancouver . Located on the Fraser Lowland south of Fraser River 's south arm , it is bordered by the city of Richmond on the Lulu Island to the north, New Westminster to
4232-416: The Deas Island Tunnel and the U.S. border was opened on May 29, 1962, by premier Bennett and Washington Governor Albert D. Rosellini . It cost $ 57 million to construct and was funded by the provincial government. An unpaved logging road from Pemberton Valley to Lillooet, later named Duffey Lake Road, was built in the 1960s and opened to limited recreational use in 1972. The 90-kilometre (56 mi) road
4324-564: The GVRD; the second largest is its neighbour to the east, Surrey , at 317.4 km (122.5 sq mi). Delta's flat, fertile land has made it one of the most important agricultural areas in Greater Vancouver . The Agricultural Land Reserve regulations preserve most of this land for agricultural use, preventing its conversion to suburban housing. North Delta is also home to the Burns Bog , 40 km (15 sq mi) of natural wetlands that are important for wildlife. Delta includes Annacis Island , an industrial island reached via
4416-415: The Lions Gate Bridge have been announced by various business groups and political leaders since the 1930s, with more serious studies undertaken in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The NDP government in the mid-1990s also considered a tunnel, but chose instead to re-deck the Lions Gate Bridge with work completed in 2001. The project also included widening of the Stanley Park Causeway and the removal of trees in
4508-431: The Peace Arch, a monument dedicated in 1921 to commemorate the Treaty of Ghent . The highway was later given number designations: U.S. Route 99 in Washington was created as part of the United States Numbered Highway System in 1926; and "Route R" in British Columbia was created in the 1930s. Construction of a modern highway to link Vancouver with the U.S. border, initially named the Peace Arch Highway, began in 1931 with
4600-502: The Upper Levels Freeway were rejected by the provincial government following a study that determined it would not be cost-effective. As a result of the highway reconstruction, crashes on the section dropped by 66 percent; communities along the corridor also saw significant population growth, in part because the highway made longer commutes more viable. During the Olympic Games, a checkpoint was installed on Highway 99 near Squamish to inspect travellers to Whistler, who were required to present
4692-582: The above, in the "Notes" column. Disestablished and renamed Canada Way after Hwy 401 was completed. Sections of Grandview Highway were dismantled to make way for the First Ave - Hwy 1 connector. The following routes are maintained by the Ministry of Transportation as part of British Columbia's highway system, but they are Currently unnumbered. Provincially maintained roads with informal or unofficial numbers: Provincially maintained routes which are unnumbered. Route numbers are unsigned and internally referred to as "pseudo-numbers". Pseudo-numbers start with
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#17328370862064784-463: 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 . The modern-day highways between the Peace Arch Border Crossing and New Westminster generally follow
4876-406: The aging Marpole Bridge in 1957. Specific routing plans were kept a "closely-guarded secret" by the provincial government to prevent land speculation from increasing costs; Gaglardi also proposed financing the new highway as a limited-access tollway that would eventually continue through Vancouver to the Lions Gate Bridge and Upper Levels Highway. A survey team was dispatched to find a location for
4968-439: The base of the mountain near Alta Lake. An unpaved extension to Pemberton was opened in 1965 and described as being of a "reasonable driving standard" by the Minister of Recreation. In 1969, the rebuilt and paved Britannia–Squamish section of Highway 99 opened at a cost of $ 2.5 million. The highway was occasionally closed during winters due to washouts, floods, and rockslides that required explosives to clear. The paved highway
5060-478: The city of White Rock and through residential neighbourhoods in Surrey on the south side of the Nicomekl River . Beyond the river, Highway 99 gains a northbound bus lane on its shoulder and traverses farmland as it turns west along the shoreline of Boundary Bay. The freeway follows Boundary Bay into the city of Delta and intersects Highway 91 , which connects to New Westminster and provides an alternative route to Richmond . Highway 99 continues west through
5152-407: The community grow quickly over the next few decades. In 1879, the area was incorporated as a municipality, named "the Corporation of Delta", and the village of Ladner was made as its administrative centre. Due to its geography, Delta was a relatively isolated community. The completion of the George Massey Tunnel in 1959 linking Ladner to Richmond and Vancouver along with the opening, in 1960, of
5244-449: The community was left unpaved for several years. The paved section was incorporated into an extension of Highway 99 in 1992. A section of Highway 12 between Lillooet and Highway 97 was also re-numbered 99. The portion of the highway between Lillooet and Pavilion was part of the route of the Old Cariboo Road , which was developed in the 1850s and 1860s during the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush . The Horseshoe Bay–Pemberton section of Highway 99
5336-451: The construction of a new highway to link the Peace Arch to Ladner and Lulu Island (modern-day Richmond). By July 1938, construction on all sections of the 14-mile (23 km) highway between the Peace Arch and the Pattullo Bridge into New Westminster was underway. The first sections of the unpaved highway were opened in June 1939 and the gravel surfacing was completed from the Nicomekl River to New Westminster in October. The new roadway
5428-399: The envisioned freeway to cross the Fraser River's South Arm and four candidate sites were identified in early 1955: Port Mann in Surrey, Annacis Island near New Westminster, Deas Island near Ladner, and Tilbury Island . A tunnel at the Deas Island site, which would replace an existing ferry and cost up to $ 17 million, was announced as the winning option in February 1956 following
5520-441: The establishment of a work camp in Surrey. The new highway would bypass a hilly section of the Pacific Highway south of Kingsway in Cloverdale and be built with future expansion to four lanes. The city of Burnaby later began planning for a new corridor to parallel Kingsway in lieu of widening the existing street, which was followed by a plan by New Westminster to improve its section of the highway; local officials in Delta requested
5612-468: The foothills of the North Shore Mountains . Highway 99 follows the BC Rail mainline, which runs below along the coastline, and narrows to a two-lane undivided highway at Tunnel Point north of Lions Bay ; the point also marks the boundary between Greater Vancouver and the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District . The highway then continues north with occasional passing lanes and divided sections, as well as scenic viewpoints and rest areas , and later reverts to
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#17328370862065704-417: The highway and adding a concrete divider. The bid also considered a new highway to bypass parts of the corridor, including a tunnel under Grouse Mountain or a toll road through Indian Arm, but they were not advanced for further planning. A large section had already been upgraded between Squamish and Whistler in 2002, prior to the Olympics being awarded, to improve upon work done during the 1980s. The Sea to Sky
5796-403: The highway as recreational and commercial traffic increased in the late 20th century. In 2006, The Guardian newspaper from the United Kingdom listed the Sea to Sky as the fifth best road trip worldwide. The southern terminus of Highway 99 is at the Peace Arch Border Crossing on the international border between the Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington . It
5888-454: 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
5980-410: The highway had an annual average of 574 collisions or accidents with eight fatalities per year—far higher than a comparable highway in the province. A major reconstruction of the highway, including widening sections to four lanes between Horseshoe Bay and Squamish, was proposed by political leaders in 1981 following the death of nine people who had driven off a washed out wooden bridge over M Creek . At
6072-416: The highway route number changes just once, between Lower Post, British Columbia , and Watson Lake, Yukon . The Yukon section east of here is maintained by Public Works Canada as part of the B.C. portion of Highway 97, while the B.C. section west of here is maintained by the Yukon Government as part of Yukon Highway 1. The first two freeways built in British Columbia were given 400-series numbers, much like
6164-460: The late 1950s. These sections, which included the George Massey Tunnel under the Fraser River , were numbered as Highway 499 until 1973. The highway's northern section was extended several times between 1959 and 1992 with the opening of routes beyond Whistler and Pemberton. For the 2010 Winter Olympics hosted by Vancouver and Whistler, the Sea to Sky Highway was rebuilt to increase safety and capacity—both of which had been longstanding issues with
6256-502: The new Upper Levels Highway. The Lions Gate Bridge opened in 1938 and was operated by the Guinness family until it was purchased by the provincial government in 1955; it was tolled until 1963. The 16-kilometre (10 mi), two-lane Upper Levels Highway opened on September 14, 1957, between Taylor Way in West Vancouver and Horseshoe Bay. It cost $ 1.3 million to construct and replaced a winding coastal section of Marine Drive, but initially lacked guardrails and other safety features due to
6348-519: The north end of the Oak Street Bridge in Vancouver's Marpole neighbourhood. Within Vancouver, the highway travels for 30 kilometres (19 mi) on various city streets that are maintained by the city government and are also served by TransLink buses. The highway briefly travels north on Oak Street and turns west onto West 70th Avenue through several residential blocks. Highway 99 then turns north onto Granville Street , which it follows for 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) through residential neighbourhoods and
6440-448: The northeast, Surrey to the east, the Boundary Bay and the American pene-exclave Point Roberts to the south, and the Strait of Georgia to the west. Encompassing the nearby Annacis Island , Deas Island and Westham Island , Delta is mostly rural and officially composed of three distinct communities: North Delta , Ladner and Tsawwassen . Prior to European settlement, Delta's flatlands and coastal shores were inhabited by
6532-402: The park, which caused protests from environmental groups. The Vancouver Park Board approved of an agreement with TransLink, the city and provincial governments, and ICBC in 2000 to allow the widening on the condition that private vehicular traffic on the causeway and Lions Gate Bridge would be banned in 2030 if a new crossing were built. The agreement was not included in the final contract, but
6624-584: The protected drinking water source for the city. The water district also cited the need for a filtration plant to prevent highway debris and pollutants from contaminating the basin, which would cost up to $ 12 million. On May 18, 1954, the provincial cabinet announced that the Vancouver–Squamish Highway would be constructed along the Howe Sound route to a width of 10 metres (34 ft) at an unspecified cost. The 13-kilometre (8 mi) section between Britannia and Squamish had already been built by 1950 and improved later that year with $ 15,000 in funding to bypass
6716-553: The request of Delta's council, the Government of British Columbia changed the name and classification of the Corporation of Delta to the City of Delta. Delta comprises three distinct, geographically separate communities: In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , Delta had a population of 108,455 living in 38,058 of its 39,736 total private dwellings, a change of 6.1% from its 2016 population of 102,238. With
6808-410: The route, also known as the Sea to Sky Highway , serves the communities of Squamish , Whistler , and Pemberton . Highway 99 continues through Lillooet and ends at a junction with Highway 97 near Cache Creek . The highway's number, assigned in 1940, was derived from former U.S. Route 99 , the predecessor to Interstate 5 and a major route for the U.S. West Coast . Highway 99 originally comprised
6900-485: The rudimentary gravel road, but it remained closed to the public. The Alta Lake extension was completed in time for the opening of the Whistler Blackcomb ski area on January 15, 1966, which brought more traffic to the highway. A bypass of Squamish opened in March 1966 and the section to Alta Lake was paved by the end of the year. A resort town on the highway, named Whistler, was developed in the late 1970s and 1980s at
6992-562: The rugged terrain and parallel railroad; at the time, an unpaved road along the Capilano–Furry route was passable for some traffic but a full highway would require steeper grades that would not be accessible during parts of the winter. Planning was delayed for several years by the provincial government to negotiate with the Greater Vancouver Water District , who opposed the Capilano–Furry route due to its potential effects on
7084-465: The third-highest waterfall in the province at 335 metres (1,099 ft). Highway 99 passes under Stawamus Chief , a large mountain immediately outside of Squamish, and travels through the city's residential neighbourhoods. It bypasses downtown to serve a commercial and industrial area on the north side of the city and briefly turns northeast to cross the Mamquam River . The highway continues north along
7176-495: The time, the Sea to Sky Highway had five wooden bridges that had yet to be replaced. The provincial government announced a $ 110 million plan to improve the highway, which was outfitted with passing lanes and new bridges by the end of the decade. As part of the Vancouver–Whistler bid for the 2010 Winter Olympics , the provincial government authorized an upgrade of the highway to accommodate greater traffic loads, widening
7268-637: The total population, some from Tsawwassen First Nation , who still hold a fraction of their former traditional territories; the Tsawwassen Lands at the mouth of the Fraser River, which is shared with the Hwlitsum First Nation from the Gulf Islands . Forming over one-quarter (26.1%) of the population, Delta has the fourth largest municipal South Asian population in British Columbia after neighbouring Vancouver, Surrey and Abbotsford . According to
7360-424: The two-lane highway was paved in July through a rush order from the provincial government to complete a preliminary surface, while 24 kilometres (15 mi) between Britannia and Squamish remained a gravel road with steeper grades and narrower turns. The project cost a total of $ 11 million to construct and was expected to attract investment in a planned ski resort at the base of Garibaldi Mountain. The new highway
7452-498: Was 90 kilometres (56 mi) long and mostly unpaved, with some sections that required vehicles with four-wheel drive to negotiate the terrain. Construction of an all-season gravel road to Alta Lake at the base of Whistler Mountain was announced in March 1962 as part of a larger development plan for a ski area that could host the Winter Olympics . By the following June, four-wheel drive vehicles were able to access Alta Lake via
7544-584: Was added to the National Highway System in 2004. Several bilingual signs with place names in the Squamish language (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh) and special highway markers shaped like paddles were also installed on Highway 99 by April 2009 as part of the project. On-site protests delayed part of the construction, especially near wildlife habitats in the Eagleridge Bluffs of West Vancouver. Protesters claimed that
7636-465: Was blasted or excavated for the highway project, which was delayed by a year due to the reassignment of labour to finish the Pacific Great Eastern Railway. The Vancouver–Squamish Highway, officially named the Seaview Highway, was dedicated and opened to traffic on August 7, 1958, with 600 cars queued to drive the completed 48-kilometre (30 mi) route from Horseshoe Bay to Squamish. The majority of
7728-479: Was built alongside the government-owned Pacific Great Eastern Railway (now BC Rail), which completed an extension along Howe Sound to Squamish on August 27, 1956, to connect with an existing route to Prince George . Both corridors were preceded by the Lillooet Cattle Trail , a wagon trail established in 1877 and used for a decade until it was replaced by inland railroads. Surveyors began work in 1949 to find
7820-407: Was extended to Pemberton and Mount Currie by 1975. In 1953, Minister of Public Works Phil Gaglardi proposed a four-lane freeway that would connect the U.S. border to Vancouver via Richmond's Lulu Island with a connection to Vancouver International Airport. The proposal would extend Highway 99 and incorporate the Oak Street Bridge , a new road crossing of the Fraser River's North Arm that replaced
7912-471: Was formally dedicated by Queen Elizabeth II on July 15, 1959, and later renamed the George Massey Tunnel . Tolls were collected at both the four-lane tunnel and the Oak Street Bridge until March 31, 1964. A regional freeway network for Greater Vancouver was proposed by a provincial government report in April 1959 and included a six-lane freeway that followed Arbutus Street from the Oak Street Bridge to
8004-462: Was given a lower priority due to its potential effects of moving traffic bottlenecks to the Oak Street and Knight Street bridges. The twinning proposal was one of several options considered during a public consultation in 2012, which resulted in a new proposal from Liberal premier Christy Clark to build a ten-lane toll bridge that would cost $ 3.5 billion to construct. Following the 2017 election ,
8096-508: Was later furnished with guard rails, curbs, and culverts within a few weeks of opening; the paved and gravelled sections developed large potholes within a month of opening, which required additional construction. The provincial government announced plans pave the Britannia–Squamish section and extend the highway to Pemberton and Lillooet by 1965 following requests from local business leaders. The existing route from Squamish to Lillooet
8188-559: Was renamed by the City in 2010 to King George Boulevard. (formerly British Columbia Highway 99A ). Prior to 1940, British Columbia classified its major roads with letters. Ultimately, in 1939 or early 1940, a decision was made by the Department of Public Works (now the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure ) to replace the lettering system with the familiar number system. This transition took place during
8280-477: Was renamed for King George VI and numbered Highway 99 by the provincial government to match U.S. Route 99 to the south; a special purple-and-gold highway shield with the letters "G.R." was designed for Highway 99. The 17-mile (27 km) King George VI Highway was dedicated by the provincial government at the Peace Arch on October 16, 1940, and cost $ 800,000 to construct. It had two fully paved lanes and featured
8372-495: Was renamed the Sea to Sky Highway in the 1980s and remained a two-lane undivided highway with various safety issues. It had no outside barrier to prevent vehicles from falling off the steep cliff overlooking Howe Sound or to prevent rocks from overhead bluffs from hitting the highway. Fatalities on the section were attributed to inclement weather conditions that changed rapidly, poor visibility, excessive speed, drunk drivers , and difficulty in passing slower vehicles. From 1998 to 2004,
8464-401: Was widened to a width of 7.3 metres (24 ft) and opened to the public on weekends and outside of logging periods to access recreational areas and bypass the congested Fraser Canyon highways. The provincial government provided funding for maintenance for several years before formally taking control on April 1, 1979. Early concepts for an extension of Highway 99 to Lillooet in the 1960s included
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