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41-580: British Columbia Highway 3 , officially named the Crowsnest Highway , is an 841-kilometre (523 mi) highway that traverses southern British Columbia , Canada. It runs from the Trans-Canada Highway ( Highway 1 ) at Hope to Crowsnest Pass at the Alberta border and forms the western portion of the interprovincial Crowsnest Highway that runs from Hope to Medicine Hat, Alberta . The highway

82-582: A core route in Canada's National Highway System , and is designated as Highway 3 for its entire length. The Crowsnest Highway's western terminus is at Hope, where it branches off from the Trans-Canada Highway ( Highway 1 ). The highway goes east for 7 km (4 mi) to its junction with the Coquihalla Highway ( Highway 5 ), where it exits the freeway and continues for 127 km (79 mi) on

123-474: A relatively short period of thirteen days. The highway built immediately after the slide has now been bypassed by a new four lane alignment to the south, which opened in 1982. With the opening of the Trans-Canada Highway through Rogers Pass in 1962, Highway 1 became the preferred route between the Lower Mainland and Alberta. Efforts were made to promote the southern route as a more scenic alternative to

164-602: A segment known as the Hope-Princeton Highway , passing the Hope Slide en route to Allison Pass , Manning Provincial Park , and Sunday Summit; at Princeton, the Crowsnest Highway meets Highway 5A . East of Princeton, the Crowsnest Highway goes southeast for 67 km (42 mi) to Keremeos , where it meets Highway 3A , leading towards Penticton and Highway 97 . Another 46 km (29 mi) southeast, and

205-776: A two-lane undivided road and the Crowsnest Highway ends 113 km (70 mi) later at the Trans-Canada Highway in Medicine Hat. Alberta Transportation has long-term plans to upgrade the entire Highway 3 corridor to a freeway from the British Columbia border to Medicine Hat. The plans include the construction of a Lethbridge bypass to render the CANAMEX Corridor free-flowing through southern Alberta, in combination with proposed bypasses of Fort Macleod, Claresholm and Nanton . The route would split from Highway 3 west of Coalhurst and run east, bypassing Lethbridge and Coaldale to

246-689: Is considered a Core Route of the National Highway System . Highway 3 begins in Hope. From Vancouver, the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1) enters Hope from the west as a four-lane freeway; however at Exit 170, Highway 1 exits the freeway and continues north along the Fraser River . The freeway continues east along the Coquihalla River , designated as Highway 3 and Highway 5 , for 7 km (4 mi) to Exit 177. There,

287-602: Is the descent into Princeton, where it meets Highway 5A . Beyond Princeton, Highway 3 continues for 67 km (42 mi) to the southeast through Hedley to the Village of Keremeos , where it meets Highway 3A , leading towards Penticton and Highway 97 . Prior to the opening of Highway 97C in 1990, this was the primary link between the Lower Mainland and the Okanagan Valley , and still functions as

328-634: The CANAMEX Corridor from Highway 2 near Fort Macleod to Highway 4 in Lethbridge . Many sections of the highway were built by Japanese labour while they were interned during the Second World War, including sections like the Hope-Princeton. This history has been preserved at a heritage marker at Sunshine Valley , which was the largest internment camp in Canada. Crowsnest Highway is designated

369-634: The Continental Divide , and crosses into Alberta. Highway 3 is predated by the Dewdney Trail , a 720 km (445 mi) trail used in the mid-19th century that connected the Lower Mainland to present-day Fort Steele , roughly paralleling the Canada-United States border ; about 80% of the present-day highway follows the historic trail. In the early 20th century, the province began to upgrade its trails to roads, and in 1928, it

410-629: The Regional District of Central Kootenay , to the City of Castlegar where Highway 3 intersects Highway 22 , crosses the Columbia River , and intersects Highway 3A leading towards Nelson . 28 km (17 mi) east of Castlegar, Highway 3 reaches its eastern junction with Highway 3B. Highway 6 converges with the Highway ;3 at Salmo , 11 km (7 mi) east of

451-770: The Rocky Mountain Trench , crosses the Kootenay River, and enters the Rocky Mountains , where at Elko Highway 93 diverges south. From Elko, Highway 3 follows the Elk River for 32 km (20 mi) to Fernie , then it goes north another 29 km (18 mi) to its junction with Highway 43 at Sparwood . East of Sparwood, Highway 3 leaves the Elk River valley and travels for another 19 km (12 mi) east to Crowsnest Pass (1,382 m (4,534 ft)) on

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492-521: The United States border. Highway 3 then crosses the Oldman River east of Fort Macleod near Monarch , prior to a partial interchange with Highway 23 . After Coalhurst , the highway reaches Westview Drive W, which provides access to West Lethbridge . It then becomes a freeway named Crowsnest Trail as it reaches Highway 25 which branches north to Picture Butte while University Drive runs south to

533-645: The University of Lethbridge as the main thoroughfare through West Lethbridge. Highway 3 again crosses the Oldman River in central Lethbridge and the freeway segment ends at Mayor Magrath Drive , marking the northern terminus of Highway 5 . The highway meets the northern end of Highway 4 at the eastern limit of Lethbridge before continuing east to Coaldale and Taber . Within Taber, Highway 36 runs concurrently with Highway 3 for 3 km (2 mi). The highway reduces to

574-632: The Alberta border. In 1932, a more northern route following the mainline of the Canadian Pacific Railway known as the Central Trans-Provincial Highway and designated as Route 'B' was chosen as the future alignment of the Trans-Canada Highway . In 1941, British Columbia transitioned from lettered to numbered highways, with the Lower Mainland section of Route 'A' and all of Route 'B' becoming Highway 1 , while

615-469: The Crowsnest Highway from a shared alignment. Highway 93 and the Crowsnest share a common alignment for the next 53 km (33 mi) southeast to Elko , where Highway 93 diverges south. 31 km (19 mi) northeast of Elko, the Crowsnest Highway reaches Fernie , then it goes north another 30 km (19 mi) to its junction with Highway 43 at Sparwood , and another 19 km (12 mi) east,

656-417: The Crowsnest Highway reaches Creston , just past junctions with Highway 21 and Highway 3A. 40 km (25 mi) later, south of Yahk , Highway 95 merges onto the Crowsnest Highway. The two highways share a common alignment for 72 km (45 mi) northeast to Cranbrook and the junction with Highway 95A . Another 6 km (4 mi) east, Highway 95 diverges north while Highway 93 merges onto

697-426: The Crowsnest Highway reaches Osoyoos and a junction with Highway 97 . Approximately 52 km (32 mi) east of Osoyoos, the Crowsnest Highway reaches its junction with Highway 33 at Rock Creek , then the highway heads east for 70 km (43 mi) to its junction with Highway 41 , just before passing through Grand Forks . Another 26 km (16 mi) east, the Crowsnest Highway meets Highway 395 at

738-634: The Crowsnest Highway reaches its eastern junction with Highway 3B; another 11 km (6.8 mi) to the east it converges with Highway 6 at Salmo and the two highways share a concurrency for 14 km (9 mi) to Burnt Flat. The Crowsnest Highway continues through the Kootenay Pass on the Salmo-Creston Highway, a stretch known colloquially as the Kootenay Skyway , or Salmo-Creston Skyway . 67 km (42 mi) east of Burnt Flat,

779-452: The Crowsnest Highway was upgraded to a freeway, including a bypass of the old segment through Hope, which was renamed to Hope-Princeton Way . As a result of the November 2021 Pacific Northwest floods , the Crowsnest Highway was damaged by landslides, while the Trans-Canada Highway and Coquihalla Highway had bridges that were completely washed out. Officials projected that Highway 3 would be

820-610: The Highway 3B junction, and the two highways proceed south for 14 km (9 mi) to the Burnt Flat Junction, where Highway 6 diverges south. East of Burnt Flat, Highway 3 heads into the Selkirk Mountains and passes through the Kootenay Pass , at 1,774 m (5,820 ft) it is the highest point on the Crowsnest Highway, on a stretch known as the Kootenay Skyway , or Salmo-Creston Skyway . 69 km (43 mi) east of Burnt Flat, Highway 3 reaches

861-562: The Kinnaird Bridge in Castlegar, bypassing the final ferry crossing. In the morning hours of January 9, 1965, one of the largest landslides occurred in Canadian history occurred near Hope, killing four people; known as the Hope Slide . As a result, the highway had to be rerouted around and over the base of the slide's debris field. According to the B.C. MOTI, the replacement road was built

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902-567: The Kootenay Skyway project, the bypassed section of Highway 3 became Highway 3A, while the bypassed section of Highway 3 between Trail and Castlegar became part of Highway 22 . Highway 3A between Trail and Salmo, as well as the new Rossland-Sheep Lake Highway, became Highway 3B . On July 7, 1965, the Richter Pass section between Keremeos and Osoyoos opened (the bypassed section became Highway 3A), along with

943-623: The Rossland-Sheep Lake Highway was completed, linking to the new Christina Lake -Castlegar section through Bonanza Pass (opened in 1962 with the completion of the Paulson Bridge), replacing a gravel mountain road that had connected Cascade City and Rossland. The Kootenay Skyway from Salmo to Creston through Kootenay Pass opened on August 15, 1964, reducing the distance from 160 km (100 mi) to 80 km (50 mi), bypassing Nelson and Kootenay Lake Ferry . As part of

984-592: The Southern Trans-Provincial Highway. The western-most segment between the Trans-Canada Highway and Highway 5A is locally known as the Hope - Princeton Highway, and passes by the site of the Hope Slide . In Alberta, the terrain is initially mountainous, before smoothing to foothills and eventually generally flat prairie in the vicinity of Pincher Creek. The highway forms part of the Red Coat Trail and

1025-521: The Trans-Canada Highway, beginning in the 1970s with a group from southern Alberta spearheading a proposal to rename Highway 3 in both provinces. Their efforts were successful when the route was renamed the Crowsnest Highway in 1977, with new route shields appearing a few years later. As part of the first phase of the Coquihalla Highway which opened in 1986, a 7 km (4 mi) section of

1066-408: The first of several damaged routes to reopen, and thus be the first to reconnect Canada's road network to Metro Vancouver. After this occurred, Highway 3 suffered from a high rate of crashes as it experienced volumes of truck traffic traveling at speeds faster than posted speed limits. Crowsnest Highway In British Columbia , the highway is entirely in mountainous regions and is also known as

1107-544: The freeway turns north and continues as the Coquihalla Highway (Highway 5) towards Merritt while Highway 3 takes the exit and continues east through Manning Provincial Park for 126 km (78 mi) towards the town of Princeton . Known as the Hope–Princeton Highway , it begins several significant ascents through the Cascade Mountains ; first is the steep climb to the Hope Slide , followed later by

1148-530: The highway reaches the boundary with Alberta at Crowsnest Pass. The Alberta portion of the Crowsnest Highway is also designated as Highway 3 , running for approximately 323 km (201 mi) from the British Columbia border to Medicine Hat. It begins in Crowsnest Pass paralleling the Canadian Pacific Railway, first meeting Highway 40 at Coleman , then running 26 km (16 mi) east to

1189-598: The locality of Carson , approximately 5 km (3 mi) west of Grand Forks . 21 km (13 mi) east of Grand Forks, Highway 3 meets Highway 395 at Christina Lake . East from Christina Lake, Highway 3 travels for 47 km (29 mi) through Bonanza Pass to its junction with Highway 3B at Nancy Greene Provincial Park , which is the cutoff to Rossland and Trail , passing Red Mountain Resort en route. East of Nancy Greene Lake, Highway 3 travels for 26 km (16 mi) east, crossing into

1230-510: The main alternative route. 46 km (29 mi) southeast of Keremeos, through Richter Pass , and Highway 3 reaches the Town of Osoyoos and a junction with Highway 97 . On the east end of Osoyoos, Highway 3 crosses Osoyoos Lake before entering the Monashee Mountains , ascending Anarchist Mountain through a stretch of switchbacks. Beyond the summit of Anarchist Mountain, in

1271-444: The north before rejoining the existing highway. During the 2021 British Columbia floods , the Crowsnest Highway was closed by landslides, as were the other routes connecting the Lower Mainland with the rest of Canada. It was the first of these routes to reopen. During the period when it was the only road route between Metro Vancouver and the rest of Canada, it experienced a high rate of crashes among heavy trucks driving faster than

British Columbia Highway 3 - Misplaced Pages Continue

1312-514: The remainder of Route 'A' became Highway 3. Post-World War II, the BC government began to upgrade its highway system and on November 2, 1949, the Hope-Princeton Highway through Allison Pass and Sunday Summit was opened, reducing the highway distance from approximately 300 km (185 mi) to 135 km (85 mi). In 1954, a new highway was constructed from Trail to Salmo and

1353-574: The remainder of the climb up to Allison Pass at an elevation of 1,342 m (4,403 ft). After the summit of Allison Pass, where Highway 3 crosses from the Fraser Valley Regional District into the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen , the road descends for 40 mi (64 km) along the Similkameen River before beginning another long climb up Sunday Summit (1,284 m (4,213 ft)). Soon after Sunday Summit

1394-618: The route's windy curves would allow for. The following is a list of major intersections along the Crowsnest Highway: British Columbia Highway 395 British Columbia Highway 395 is a short provincial highway in the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary of British Columbia . It is a cross-border spur that connects with U.S. Route 395 (from which it derives its number) at the Canada – U.S. border crossing near Laurier, Washington . Its northern terminus

1435-436: The southern end of Christina Lake . The Crowsnest Highway travels for 47 km (29 mi) through Bonanza Pass to its junction with Highway 3B at Nancy Greene Lake , which is the cutoff to Rossland and Trail . It is another 26 km (16 mi) east to Castlegar , where the Crowsnest Highway intersects Highway 22 and Highway 3A, leading towards Nelson . Approximately 26 km (16 mi) east of Castlegar,

1476-438: The southern terminus of Highway 22 . Highway 6 splits south near Pincher Creek . Approximately 50 km (31 mi) east of Pincher Creek, the highway becomes divided and interchanges with Highway 2 with which it is briefly concurrent, assuming the designation of the Red Coat Trail and CANAMEX Corridor. It proceeds for 5 km (3 mi) into the town of Fort Macleod, after which Highway 2 splits south to Cardston and

1517-594: The town of Creston in the Kootenay River valley, just past junctions with Highway 21 and Highway 3A. East of Creston, Highway 3 passes through the Purcell Mountains and 38 km (24 mi) later, intersects Highway 95 near Yahk . The two highways share a common alignment for 72 km (45 mi) northeast along the Moyie River , crossing into the Regional District of East Kootenay along

1558-543: The upland rural community which shares the same name, Highway 3 enters the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary and proceeds to hug the Canada–United States border . Highway 3 reaches its junction with Highway 33 at Rock Creek , 52 km (32 mi) east of Osoyoos. The highway follows the Kettle River to Midway before continuing east through Greenwood and intersecting Highway 41 at

1599-455: The way, to a junction with Highway 95A in the city of Cranbrook . Another 6 km (4 mi) east is the interchange with the Highway ;93 / Highway 95 concurrency, where Highway 95 diverges north and Highway 93 merges onto the Highway 3 from the north. Highway 93 and Highway 3 share a common alignment for the next 55 km (34 mi), passing through

1640-567: Was designated as Highway 3A . Highway 3A and Highway 6 shared a common alignment from Salmo to Nelson, meeting with Highway 3. On November 7, 1957, the $ 4 million West Arm Bridge (also known as the Nelson Bridge) was opened across the West Arm of Kootenay Lake in Nelson, replacing ferry service. The 1960s saw the construction of several major realignments and upgrades along the highway. In 1965,

1681-739: Was the first automobile route that connected to the Alberta border. Designated as the Southern Trans-Provincial Highway , it ran from Vancouver to Crowsnest Pass and later designated as Route 'A'; the route followed Kingsway and Yale Road from Vancouver to Hope , then turning north to Spences Bridge . The route then turned southeast and passed through Merritt and Princeton along present-day Highway 8 and Highway 5A before travelling east through Osoyoos , Grand Forks and Trail . The route included major ferry crossings at Castlegar , Nelson , and Balfour , before continuing through Creston and Cranbrook to

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