# British Columbia Highway 97C

Highway 97C is an east–west highway, forming part of an important link between the Lower Mainland and the Okanagan Valley south of Kelowna, which is the third largest metropolitan area in the province. It bisects the Coquihalla Highway at Merritt. The expressway and freeway sections of the highway are known as Okanagan Connector or Coquihalla Connector. The section of Highway 97C between Highway 5 and Highway 97 is a core route of the National Highway System.

## Route description

Highway 97C begins near Peachland, at a trumpet interchange on Highway 97 known as Drought Hill. The section of Highway 97C east of Merritt is an expressway ranging between 4 and 6 lanes, with a speed limit of 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph). The section east of Aspen Grove is a freeway with a speed limit of 110 kilometres per hour (68 mph). The road was formerly an expressway with a speed limit of 120 kilometres per hour (75 mph). As of more recently, speed limits have been lowered in an effort to combat accidents along the highway. Freeway sections along the highway have very few exits along its route. Its highest altitude is the Pennask Summit, 1,728 m (5,669 ft) above sea level. Highway 97C travels on this freeway 82 kilometres (51 mi) northwest to Aspen Grove, where it converges with Highway 5A. This stretch is a four-lane rural arterial highway. Highways 97C and 5A share the 24 km (15 mi) long route between Aspen Grove and the Coquihalla Highway at Meritt, where Highway 5A continues northeast and Highway 8 begins.
Highways 97C and 8 travel along Nicola Avenue through Merritt and share a 9 km (5.6 mi) concurrency to Lower Nicola, where Highway 8 continues west to Spences Bridge and Highway 97C diverges north. Highway 97C goes north for 42 km (26 mi) to Logan Lake, then northwest for 57 km (35 mi) to Ashcroft on the Canadian National Railway. Highway 97C then travels 6 km (3.7 mi) west from Ashcroft to where it converges with Highway 1, which takes Highway 97C north for its final 5 km (3.1 mi) to its end at Highway 97 in Cache Creek.

## History

Highway 97C was opened to traffic on October 1, 1990, and was constructed as the third phase of the Coquihalla Highway Project. It cost $225 million to construct (equivalent to $516 million in 2023 dollars).
Highway 97C was originally intended to have a freeway connection with the Coquihalla Highway approximately 30 km (19 mi) south of Merritt, near exit 256; however due to protest by local residents in Merritt on the grounds that it would take tourists away from the area, the project was postponed and the freeway remains incomplete to this day.
In July 2007, the shared roadway of Highway 5A and 97C was upgraded to a two-lane road in each direction, the last segment required to enable two lanes in each direction when travelling between Vancouver and Kelowna. The upgrade was completed on July 24.
When it was constructed, initial proposals had it designated as Highway 8; however, communities on the route preferred it designated as an auxiliary route of Highway 97, hence its Highway 97C designation.

## Major intersections

This table lists the exits on Route 97C from east to west. All exits are unnumbered.
| Regional District | Location | km | mi | Destinations | Notes |
| Central Okanagan | Peachland | 0.00 | 0.00 | Highway 97 (Okanagan Highway) – Vernon, Kelowna, Penticton, Osoyoos | Drought Hill interchange; eastern terminus |
| Central Okanagan | ​ | 6.14 | 3.82 | Trepanier Road | Interchange; westbound exit, eastbound entrance |
| Central Okanagan | ​ | 22.68 | 14.09 | Brenda Mine Road | Interchange |
| Central Okanagan–Thompson-Nicola boundary | ​ | 33.02 | 20.52 | Pennask Summit – el. 1,728 m (5,669 ft) | Pennask Summit – el. 1,728 m (5,669 ft) |
| Thompson-Nicola | ​ | 42.92 | 26.67 | Sunset Main Road | Interchange |
| Okanagan-Similkameen | ​ | 54.76 | 34.03 | Elkhart Road | Interchange |
| Thompson-Nicola | ​ | 67.40 | 41.88 | Loon Lake Road | Interchange; rest area (opened 2018) |
| Thompson-Nicola | ​ | 82.33 | 51.16 | Freeway ends | Freeway ends |
| Thompson-Nicola | ​ | 82.33 | 51.16 | Highway 5A south – Princeton | At-grade; east end of Hwy 5A concurrency |
| Thompson-Nicola | Merritt | 105.87 | 65.78 | Highway 5 (Coquihalla Highway) – Kamloops, Vancouver | Coldwater interchange (Hwy 5 exit 286) West end of Hwy 5A concurrency; east end of Hwy 8 concurrency |
| Thompson-Nicola | Merritt | 110.02 | 68.36 | To Highway 5A north / Voght Street | Former west end of Hwy 5A concurrency |
| Thompson-Nicola | Lower Nicola | 114.88 | 71.38 | Highway 8 west (Nicola Highway) – Spences Bridge | Hwy 97C branches north; west end of Hwy 8 concurrency |
| Thompson-Nicola | Logan Lake | 156.88 | 97.48 | Highway 97D east – Logan Lake, Kamloops | Hwy 97C branches west |
| Thompson-Nicola | Ashcroft | 214.14 | 133.06 | Ashcroft Bridge across Thompson River | Ashcroft Bridge across Thompson River |
| Thompson-Nicola | Ashcroft | 214.31 | 133.17 | Cornwall Road (Highway 926:0901 south) to Highway 1 – Spences Bridge | Hwy 97C branches north |
| Thompson-Nicola | ​ | 220.30 | 136.89 | Highway 1 (TCH) west – Hope, Vancouver | Hwy 97C branches north; south end of Hwy 1 concurrency |
| Thompson-Nicola | Cache Creek | 224.48 | 139.49 | Highway 1 (TCH) east / Highway 97 south – Kamloops Highway 97 north (Cariboo Highway) to Highway 99 – Lillooet, Prince George | Northern terminus |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus Incomplete access ||||||