British Columbia Highway 1

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Highway 1
Trans-Canada Highway
Length: 1039 km[citation needed] (646 mi)
Formed: 1961[citation needed]
West end: Victoria
Major
junctions:
Hwy 19 in Nanaimo
Hwy 99 near Vancouver
Hwy 3 in Hope
Hwy 5 in Kamloops
Hwy 95 in Golden
East end: Hwy 1 towards Banff, AB
British Columbia provincial highways
< Hwy 395 Hwy 1A >

Highway 1 is the British Columbia section of the Trans-Canada Highway. Its total accumulated distance through British Columbia is 1,039 km (646 mi), including the distance travelled on ferries.

Contents

[edit] Vancouver Island section

The end of Hwy 1 at the Mile Zero monument in Victoria
The end of Hwy 1 at the Mile Zero monument in Victoria

The Vancouver Island branch of Highway 1, known locally as the Island Highway (a name shared with Highway 19), is the main thoroughfare on the south Island. The highway was first given the "1" designation in 1941, and originally went between Victoria and Kelsey Bay, a small coastal community north of Campbell River. Highway 1 on the Island was shortened to terminate in the downtown core of the city of Nanaimo in 1953, with the section north of Nanaimo being re-numbered 19. When the ferry route between Departure Bay in Nanaimo and Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver was taken over by BC Ferries in 1961, Highway 1 on the Island was extended to the Departure Bay ferry dock.

[edit] Route details

The Island section of Highway 1, which is 117 km (73 mi) in total length, begins at the intersection of Douglas Street and Dallas Road in Victoria, where a large "mile zero" sign is erected. Highway 1 proceeds north through the city of Victoria for 4 km (2½ mi), passing by the southern terminus of Highway 17, before leaving the city at Tolmie Avenue. Once out of Victoria, Highway 1 heads west on a 14 km (9 mi) long four to six lane freeway, with four interchanges along its length, one of which leads to the start of Highway 14. The last light out of the Victoria suburb of Langford (Spencer Road) is to be replaced with an interchange by 2009, effectively extending the freeway section. The highway narrows to two lanes upon its entry into Goldstream Provincial Park. The highway from this point is known locally as the Malahat.

From the southern entrance to Goldstream park, the Malahat section of the highway, which is known for its steep grades, goes north for 20 km (12 mi), becoming three lanes on its exit from Goldstream park and passing through the community of Malahat proper en route, until it reaches the community of Mill Bay. North of Mill Bay, Highway 1 once again widens out into four lanes. The highway travels north for 29 km (18 mi), past a junction to Shawnigan Lake and the communities of Cobble Hill, Cowichan Bay and Duncan before reaching a junction with Highway 18. The highway then proceeds north for 10 km (6 mi) to a junction with Chemainus.

From the Chemainus junction, Highway 1 travels 11 km (7 mi) northwest into the city of Ladysmith, and northwest for another 13 km (8 mi) to a junction with the community of Cassidy. 6 km (4 mi) north of the Cassidy junction, Highway 1 enters the city of Nanaimo, where Highway 19 merges onto the highway from the B.C. Ferry terminal at Duke Point. 2 km north (1¼ mi), Highway 1 and Highway 19 split off at a junction with Cedar Road. Highway 19 proceeds west, while Highway 1 continues north. Highway 1 proceeds through the city of Nanaimo for 8 km (5 mi) north to the B.C. Ferry terminal at Departure Bay, where the Island section of Highway 1 terminates.

The Trans-Canada Highway then enters Departure Bay proper via ferry, turning east-northeast to enter the Strait of Georgia just north of Newcastle Island. The downtown core of Vancouver is visible from the ferry as it approaches the entrance to Howe Sound. Highway 1 turns north-northeast just west of Passage Island to enter Queen Charlotte Channel, then rounds the Whytecliff Peninsula to enter the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal, 57 km (30 nmi) from the Departure Bay dock.

[edit] Lower Mainland section

Ferry traffic on Highway 1 at the Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal.
Ferry traffic on Highway 1 at the Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal.
Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing
Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing
Highway 1 as it enters Vancouver from Burnaby.
Highway 1 as it enters Vancouver from Burnaby.

Like its Island section, the Highway on the Lower Mainland was first given the "1" designation in 1941. Highway 1's original alignment started out within the city limits of Vancouver, and followed Kingsway from Vancouver to Surrey, and then went along the Fraser Highway to Clearbrook. From Chilliwack, the highway originally went to Rosedale, which is a community just east of Chilliwack, along Yale Road, then along Flood-Hope Road to where it picks up its current alignment just across the Fraser River from Hope.

In 1959, Highway 1 was given an extension from within Vancouver to Horseshoe Bay by way of the Lions' Gate Bridge and Taylor Way in West Vancouver. In 1962, the section between Clearbrook and Chilliwack was re-routed to a new expressway.

In 1964, the Clearbrook-Rosedale section of Highway 1 was restored to its original alignment. Also in that year, a new expressway, originally designated as Highway 401, opened up on Highway 1's current alignment between West Vancouver and Rosedale. The expressway became part of Highway 1 in 1973.

In 1986, Highway 1 between Chilliwack and Hope was improved to a freeway. Through the 1990s, all signals and intersections on Highway 1 through Greater Vancouver were removed, making the entire section of Highway 1 between Horseshoe Bay and Hope a freeway.

[edit] Route details

Highway 1's total length in the Lower Mainland is 170 km (106 mi) long. On the mainland, the highway begins at the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal in West Vancouver. From here to the Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing, the highway is known locally as the Upper Levels Highway. There are nine interchanges on the 14 km (9 mi) stretch of the Highway within West Vancouver. The first interchange east of Horseshoe Bay brings Highway 99 onto a common alignment with Highway 1. After Taylor Way, where Highway 99 takes the exit off Highway 1, the highway then crosses over the Capilano River into the District of North Vancouver. Highway 1 travels for 9 km (6 mi) through the District and the City of North Vancouver, passing through seven interchanges, until crossing the 1292 m (4239 ft) long Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing over the Burrard Inlet into Vancouver. (The bridge, previously known as the Second Narrows Bridge, was renamed to honour the 27 workers who lost their lives during its construction.)

Highway 1 leading to the Cassiar Tunnel (middle-left in photo)
Highway 1 leading to the Cassiar Tunnel (middle-left in photo)
Vancouver portion of Highway 1, near Exit 26
Vancouver portion of Highway 1, near Exit 26

The 4 km (2½ mi) long stretch of Highway 1 through the eastern part of Vancouver is the only freeway within Vancouver's city limits. In Vancouver, Highway 1 travels through the Cassiar Tunnel and passes through three interchanges before crossing into Burnaby at the interchange with Boundary Road. The Burnaby stretch of Highway 1 is 11 km long (7 mi), and goes through four interchanges before proceeding into Coquitlam. The Coquitlam stretch of Highway 1 lasts 7 km (4 mi), with two interchanges along its length. The easternmost interchange on Highway 1 in Coquitlam leads to Highway 7. Once out of Coquitlam, Highway 1 crosses the Fraser River over the Port Mann Bridge into Surrey.

In Surrey, Highway 1 has three interchanges, the most easterly interchange of the three leading to Highway 15. 12 km (7 mi) east of the Highway's entry into Surrey, the Highway crosses into the Township of Langley. There are three interchanges on Highway 1 in its 18 km (11 mi) long stretch through Langley. One leads to 200 St., Langley's major thoroughfare, the second leads to Highway 10, and the third leads to Highway 13. Highway 1 then crosses from the Greater Vancouver Regional District into the Fraser Valley Regional District on its entry into Abbotsford. There are six interchanges on Highway 1 in its 33 km (21 mi) long stretch through Abbotsford, one of which leads to Highway 11. Once Highway 1 leaves Abbotsford, it crosses over the Vedder Canal into Chilliwack. The highway goes through Chilliwack for 24 km (15 mi), passing through five interchanges within the city.

2 km (1¼ mi) after leaving Chilliwack, Highway 1 reaches an interchange with Highway 9. East of the Highway 9 interchange, Highway 1 hugs the south bank of the Fraser River for 35 km (22 mi), passing through seven interchanges, until reaching the interchange with Highway 3 at Hope. Highway 1 takes the exit off the freeway at this point. (The freeway alignments of Highways 3 and 5 continue from this exit, Exit 170, and continue unbroken until it meets up again with Highway 1 just west of Kamloops at Exit 362.) Most traffic traveling between Hope and Kamloops follow Highway 5 as it takes over an hour and a half less time to travel compared to following Highway 1.

[edit] Interior section

Highway 1 just east of Kamloops heading westbound.
Highway 1 just east of Kamloops heading westbound.

In the Kootenays, Highway 1 originally went around the Rogers Pass area in its section from Revelstoke to Golden. In 1962, the section of Highway between Revelstoke and Golden was re-routed through Rogers Pass. Over the 1970s and 1980s, Highway 1's alignment between Hope and Cache Creek underwent a massive overhaul, including new tunnels and river spans. In Kamloops, a new bypass was constructed to re-route traffic on Highway 1 around the downtown area of the city.

[edit] Route details

The Interior section of Highway 1 is 695 km (432 mi) long, and closely follows the path of the Canadian Pacific Railway. After leaving the freeway, Highway 1 courses through the town centre of Hope for 2 km (1¼ mi) before heading north across the Fraser River. At this point, Highway 1 becomes two lanes. 1 km (about ½ mi) north of the Fraser crossing, Highway 1 reaches its east junction with Highway 7. Continuing from the Highway 7 junction, Highway 1 goes 106 km (66 mi) north on a route that includes seven mountain tunnels, past the communities of Yale, Spuzzum and Boston Bar, before reaching its junction with Highway 12 at Lytton. Leaving the Fraser River, and following the Thompson River another 37 km (23 mi) northeast, Highway 1 reaches a junction with another numbered route, Highway 8. 38 km (24 mi) north of the Highway 8 junction, Highway 1 passes through a junction with Highway 97C. Continuing 5 km (3 mi) north, the highway reaches the community of Cache Creek, where Highway 97 merges onto the Trans-Canada from the north.

East of Cache Creek, Highways 1 and 97 proceed on their common alignment for 72 km(45 mi), passing through Savona en route to the point where Highway 1 enters the area belonging to the city of Kamloops. Highway 5 merges onto the Trans-Canada from the south at this point, returning the freeway to Highway 1.

The 1/97/5 concurrency proceeds east for 12 km (7 mi) on a freeway through the western part of Kamloops to where Highway 5 diverges north. Highways 1 and 97 leave Kamloops to the east 7 km (4 mi) later. The highway continues east for another 19 km (12 mi) to Monte Creek, where the freeway ends and Highway 97 diverges south from Highway 1. For the next 82 km (51 mi) east, Highway 1 takes a winding two-lane route through the communities of Pritchard, Chase and Sorrento before reaching the city of Salmon Arm on Shuswap Lake. Highway 97B meets Highway 1 in Salmon Arm.

The peak of Rogers Pass.
The peak of Rogers Pass.

After Salmon Arm, Highway 1 goes east for 27 km (17 mi) to a junction with Highway 97A at Sicamous. Over the next 71 km (44 mi) east, Highway 1 winds through the communities of Malakwa, Craigellachie and the Three Valley Gap, before reaching its junction with Highway 23 at Revelstoke, on the Columbia River. The next 148 km (92 mi) of Highway 1 to Golden winds east through Mount Revelstoke National Park and Glacier National Park, where the Rogers Pass area is located. There are seven snow sheds on Highway 1 just west of Rogers Pass.

After Glacier National Park and a time zone boundary crossing, Highway 1 passes over the Columbia River again at Donald, and then reaches its junction with Highway 95 at Golden. 73 km (45 mi) east of Golden, after Highway 1 has passed through Yoho National Park and the community of Field, Highway 1 crosses the Continental Divide (via Kicking Horse Pass) into Alberta.

[edit] Exit list

[edit] Vancouver Island segment

Regional District Location # Destinations Notes
Douglas Street from Victoria
Capital Saanich Carey Road
Tillicum Road
Burnside Road, Interurban Road Southbound exit only
McKenzie Avenue, Admirals Road
View Royal 8 Helmcken Road
10 Burnside Road, Hwy 1A North (Old Island Highway) – Colwood, Langford Northbound exit and southbound entrance
11 Six Mile Road to Hwy 1A (Old Island Highway) – Esquimalt, Victoria, Colwood, Langford Southbound exit and northbound entrance
Langford 14 Millstream Road, Hwy 14 West (Veteran's Memorial Parkway) – Colwood, Sooke, Port Renfrew
Spencer Road To be closed upon completion of Bear Mountain Parkway interchange
Bear Mountain Parkway, Leigh Road Completion scheduled for 2009
Hwy 1A South (Goldstream Avenue) – Colwood, Victoria To be closed upon completion of Bear Mountain Parkway interchange
2/3-lane highway through Goldstream Provincial Park and Malahat
Cowichan Valley Mill Bay Mill Bay Road, Brentwood Bay-Mill Bay Ferry
4-lane highway/expressway through central Vancouver Island
Nanaimo Cassidy Beck Road
Cassidy Station Road Southbound right-in right-out
Bridge over Nanaimo River
South Wellington Nanaimo River Road to Nanaimo Lakes
Morden Road
Minetown Road Southbound right-in right-out
Kipp Road
Nanaimo Hwy 19 East (Duke Point Highway) – Duke Point, BC Ferries South end of Hwy 19 overlap
Hwy 19 North (Nanaimo Parkway) – Parksville, Campbell River North end of Hwy 19 overlap; south end of Hwy 19A overlap; northbound exit and southbound entrance
Cedar Road, Nanaimo Parkway
Continue to downtown Nanaimo as arterial road
Ferry across Strait of Georgia to Lower Mainland

Note:
Exits highlighted with yellow are at-grade intersections
Exits highlighted with blue are under construction

[edit] Lower Mainland segment

Regional District Location # Destinations Notes
From Vancouver Island via BC Ferries
Metro Vancouver West Vancouver Bay Street Eastbound entrance only
Keith Road, Horseshoe Bay Village At-grade traffic-light combination intersecting southbound lanes; used to be slip-ramp interchange
0 Marine Drive Southbound exit only
2 Eagleridge Drive Northbound exit and southbound entrance only
Hwy 99 North / Marine Drive – Squamish, Whistler West end of Hwy 99 overlap; westbound exit and eastbound entrance only
4 Caulfield Drive, Headland Drive, Woodgreen Drive
7 Westmount Road, Westridge Avenue
8 Cypress Bowl Road
10 21st Street, Skylift Road, Folkestone Way
11 15th Street, Cross Creek Road
13 Hwy 99 south / Hwy 1A east (Taylor Way) – Vancouver East end of Hwy 99 overlap
Bridge over Capilano River
North Vancouver District 14 Capilano Road
15 Lloyd Avenue Westbound slip-ramp
North Vancouver City 17 Westview Drive
18 Lonsdale Avenue
North Vancouver District 19 Lynn Valley Road
21 Mountain Highway Westbound exit only
22 Mount Seymour Parkway, Lillooet Road To Capilano College, Mount Seymour Park, Deep Cove
23 Main Street, Dollarton Highway Signed as exits 23A Main Street and 23B Dollarton Highway Westbound
Second Narrows/Ironworker Memorial Bridge over Burrard Inlet
Vancouver 25 McGill Street
Entering Cassiar Tunnel
Bridgeway Street Intersection with at-grade portion of the highway
26 Hwy 7A (Hastings Street) Intersection with at-grade portion of the highway
Exiting Cassiar Tunnel
27 Rupert Street, 1st Avenue
28A Boundary Road Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
Burnaby 28B Grandview Highway Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
29 Willingdon Avenue Signed as exits 29A (south) and 29B (north) eastbound
32 Sprott Street Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
33 Kensington Avenue, Canada Way
37 Gaglardi Way
Coquitlam 40 Brunette Avenue - New Westminster Signed as exits 40A (south) and 40B (north)
44 United Boulevard
Hwy 7 (Lougheed Highway) – Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam
Hwy 7B (Mary Hill By-Pass) – Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows
Port Mann Bridge over Fraser River
Surrey 48 152nd Street, 108th Avenue, Surrey City Centre Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
50 104th Avenue, 150th Street, Surrey City Centre
53 Hwy 15 (176th Street) – Cloverdale, U.S. Border
57 192nd Street north Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
Langley Township 58 200th Street, Langley City
66 Hwy 10 (232nd Street) – Langley, Fort Langley, BC Ferries, Boundary Bay Airport
73 Hwy 13 (264th Street) – Aldergrove, U.S. Border
Fraser Valley Abbotsford 83 Hwy 1A (Fraser Highway)
Mount Lehman Road, Abbotsford Airport
Fraser Way Westbound entrance only
87 Clearbrook Road, Clearbrook
90 McCallum Road, Abbotsford City Centre
92 Hwy 11Abbotsford, Mission, Sumas
95 Whatcom Road
99 South Parallel Road Eastbound exit and entrance
104 No. 3 Road, Yarrow, Cultus Lake
Bridge over Vedder Canal
Chilliwack 109 Yale Road West
116 Lickman Road
119 Vedder Road
120 Young Road, Downtown Chilliwack Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
123 Prest Road
129 Annis Road
Popkum, Bridal Falls 135 state=BC|Hwy|9|city1=Rosedale|city2=Agassiz|city3=Harrison Hot Springs|city4=Bridal Falls}}
138 Popkum Road, Bridal Falls
Cheam View 146 Herrling Island
Peters Indian Reserve 151 Peters Road
Laidlaw 153 Jones Lake
160 Hunter Creek Road, St. Elmo Road
Hope 165 Flood-Hope Road, Hope Business Route, Silver Hope Creek
168 Flood-Hope Road, Silver Hope Creek
170 Hwy 3 east (Crowsnest Highway) – Princeton, Penticton, Osoyoos
Hwy 5 north (Coquihalla Highway) – Merritt, Kelowna, Kamloops
Highway 1 exits freeway
No direct ramp from Hwy 1 west to Hwy 3 east (use Old Hope-Princeton Way)
Highway 1 continues northward into Hope, British Columbia as 4 lane highway
The Coquihalla Highway toll road continues the freeway and exit numbers
Haig Hwy 7 west (Lougheed Highway) – Mission, Vancouver
Highway 1 continues northward into Fraser Canyon as 2/4 lane highway

Note:
Exits highlighted with yellow are at-grade intersections
Exits highlighted with blue are under construction

[edit] Interior segment

Regional District Location # Destinations Notes
Highway 1 enters freeway
Thompson- Nicola
Kamloops 362 Hwy 5 south (Coquihalla Highway) – Vancouver, Logan Lake, Kelowna, Merritt Enters freeway, west end of Hwy 5 overlap
Begin concurrency of Highway 1, 5, 97
366 Copperhead Drive, Lac le Jeune Road
367 Pacific Way
368 Hwy 5A south (Hillside Avenue) – Merritt
369 Columbia Street W, Notre Dame Drive, Kamloops City Centre Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
370 Notre Dame Drive, Summit Drive, Kamloops City Centre Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
374 Hwy 5 north – Clearwater, Valemount, Jasper East end of Hwy 5 overlap
Begin concurrency of Highway 1, 97
Valleyview Drive, Kamloops City Centre No eastbound exit
Comazzetto Road
Vicars Road
Oriole Road
Highland Road
River Road
Tanager Drive
Holman Road
Dallas Drive, Nina Place, Barnhartvale Road, Kipp Road
Pat Road
388 Kokanee Way
390 Lafarge Road Signed as exit 391 westbound
Monte Creek 396 Hook Road Signed as exit 397 westbound
399 Hwy 97 south – Vernon East end of Hwy 97 overlap; no westbound exit
Gap in freeway through Thompson River Valley, Shuswap Lake, Eagle Pass
Columbia- Shuswap Revelstoke Hwy 23 north – Mica Creek 2-Lane highway section
Meadows-in-the-Sky Parkway, Mount Revelstoke National Park 2-Lane highway section
Gap in freeway through Glacier National Park, Rogers Pass
Columbia- Shuswap Golden Hwy 95 south – Radium Hot Springs, Cranbrook Interchange planned
Golden Donald Upper Road, Golden View Road
Glenogle Yoho Bridge over Kicking Horse River
Rafter's Pollout, Rest Area
Park Bridge over Kicking Horse River
Glenogle Creek Forest Service Road
Glenogle Creek Forest Service Road, Brake Check Westbound exit only
Leanchoil Wapta Road, Beaverfoot Road
Continues as 2/3-lane highway into Yoho National Park

Note:
Exits highlighted with yellow are at-grade intersections
Exits highlighted with blue are under construction

[edit] Trivia

  • Two separate exits in each direction are given the number "28A". One leads to Grandview Hwy and the other leads to Boundary Rd. The problem is, there is no "Exit 28B", although some maps mark the Grandview Hwy exit "28B". To solve the problem, each exit can be renumbered "28", but that has not been implemented as a certain undertaking. A similar situation is found on Highway 99 in the north part of Richmond, although it has since been renumbered.
  • Since then, a new traffic light configuration that replaced the slip-ramp configuration from Route 1 to Keith Rd. has been installed, with the flyover removed and the Argyle Ave. to Route 1 NB ramp removed (though the Bay St. to Route 1 SB ramp remains). This makes the actual freeway start at the Marine Dr. overpass at Exit 0, instead of at the Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal as most people denote it.

[edit] External links