# Alberta Highway 55

Alberta Provincial Highway No. 55, commonly referred to as Highway 55, is a 263-kilometre (163 mi) long east–west highway in northeast Alberta, Canada. It extends from the Saskatchewan border in the east through the Cold Lake, Lac La Biche, and Athabasca where it ends at Highway 2. In Saskatchewan, it continues as Saskatchewan Highway 55.
The entire length of Highway 55 comprises the easternmost segment of Alberta's portion of the Northern Woods and Water Route (NWWR). West of Athabasca, the Northern Woods and Water Route continues westward along Highway 2 and then Highway 49.

## History

The original designation Highway 55 was a 15-kilometre (9 mi) long north-south highway that appeared on maps in the mid-1950s and connected Fort Saskatchewan with Highway 16, just east of Edmonton. In 1973, Alberta established its secondary highway system along mostly existing unimproved roads, with Secondary Highway 662 running between Highway 36 and Cold Lake, and Secondary Highway 664 running between Athabasca and Donatville.
The idea of a northern highway corridor between Dawson Creek, British Columbia and Winnipeg, Manitoba was originally lobbied by George Stevenson, a retired CN employee who lived in McLennan, Alberta. The communities along the proposed corridor supported his idea and eventually resulted in the incorporation of the Northern Woods and Water Route Association in the western provinces 1974. As part of establishing the corridor in northeastern Alberta, two secondary highways (662 and 664), along with Highway 28X and a portion of Highway 46 were renumbered to Highway 55 in c. 1977, matching Saskatchewan Highway 55, while the original route east of Edmonton became part of Highway 21. Highway 55 was paved throughout the 1980s.

### Former Highways

| Former Number | Length (km) | Length (mi) | Western terminus | Eastern terminus | Notes |
| Hwy 664 | 32 | 20 | Highway 2 in Athabasca | Former Highway 46 at Donatville | |
| Hwy 46 | 63 | 39 | Former Highway 664 at Donatville | Highway 36 in Lac La Biche | Highway 46 south of Atmore replaced by Hwy 63; 23 km (14 mi) concurrency Highway 63. |
| Hwy 36 | 20 | 12 | Former Highway 46 in Lac La Biche | Former Highway 662 south of Lac La Biche | Concurrency remains. |
| Hwy 662 | 125 | 78 | Highway 36 south of Lac La Biche | Highway 28 in Cold Lake | |
| Hwy 28 | 10 | 6 | Highway 28 in Cold Lake | Former Highway 28X south of Cold Lake | Concurrency remains. |
| Hwy 28X | 13 | 8 | Highway 28 south of Cold Lake | Saskatchewan border | |
| Concurrency ||||||

## Major intersections

From west to east:
| Rural/specialized municipality | Location | km | mi | Destinations | Notes |
| Athabasca County | Athabasca | 0.0 | 0.0 | Highway 2 (50 Avenue / 50 Street) – Slave Lake, Peace River, Edmonton | Northern Woods and Water Route continues on Hwy 2 north |
| Athabasca County | Athabasca | 0.5 | 0.31 | Highway 813 north – Calling Lake, Wabasca | |
| Athabasca County | ​ | 5.2 | 3.2 | Highway 827 south – Thorhild | |
| Athabasca County | ​ | 31.5 | 19.6 | Highway 63 south – Boyle, Edmonton | West end of Hwy 63 concurrency |
| Athabasca County | Grassland | 47.0 | 29.2 | | Passes through Grassland |
| Athabasca County | Atmore | 54.3 | 33.7 | Highway 63 north – Wandering River, Fort McMurray Highway 855 south – Smoky Lake | East end of Hwy 63 concurrency |
| Lac La Biche County | ​ | 69.0 | 42.9 | Highway 858 north – Plamondon | |
| Lac La Biche County | ​ | 90.5 | 56.2 | Highway 663 south – Hylo, Boyle | |
| Lac La Biche County | Lac La Biche | 94.0 | 58.4 | 101 Avenue (former Hwy 55 alignment) | West end of Lac La Biche bypass |
| Lac La Biche County | Lac La Biche | 95.9 | 59.6 | Highway 36 south / 100 Street (former Hwy 55 alignment) Highway 881 north – Conklin, Fort McMurray | East end of Lac La Biche bypass; west end of Hwy 36 concurrency |
| Lac La Biche County | ​ | 113.7 | 70.6 | Highway 36 south – Ashmont, Two Hills | East end of Hwy 36 concurrency |
| Lac La Biche County | ​ | 131.1 | 81.5 | Highway 866 south – McRae, Spedden | |
| Lac La Biche County | ​ | 143.3 | 89.0 | UAR 225 south – Rich Lake | |
| Lac La Biche County | ​ | 147.7 | 91.8 | Highway 867 south | |
| M.D. of Bonnyville No. 87 | ​ | 165.5 | 102.8 | Highway 881 south – Therien, St. Paul | |
| M.D. of Bonnyville No. 87 | La Corey | 202.2 | 125.6 | Highway 41 south – Bonnyville | |
| M.D. of Bonnyville No. 87 | ​ | 220.8 | 137.2 | Highway 892 – Ardmore | Former Hwy 92 north |
| M.D. of Bonnyville No. 87 | ​ | 230.6 | 143.3 | Highway 897 – Cold Lake Provincial Park, CFB Cold Lake | |
| City of Cold Lake | City of Cold Lake | 239.0 | 148.5 | Highway 28 east (8 Avenue)16 Avenue – Cold Lake Provincial Park | North end of Hwy 28 wrong-way concurrency |
| City of Cold Lake | City of Cold Lake | 244.0 | 151.6 | 50 Avenue / Centre Avenue – CFB Cold Lake | Former Hwy 897 west |
| M.D. of Bonnyville No. 87 | ​ | 249.1 | 154.8 | Highway 28 west – Bonnyville, Edmonton | South end of Hwy 28 wrong-way concurrency |
| M.D. of Bonnyville No. 87 | ​ | 249.9 | 155.3 | Highway 897 south – Elizabeth Metis Settlement, Marwayne, Lloydminster | |
| M.D. of Bonnyville No. 87 | Cherry Grove | 257.5 | 160.0 | | |
| M.D. of Bonnyville No. 87 | ​ | 262.7 | 163.2 | Highway 55 east (Northern Woods and Water Route) – Pierceland, Meadow Lake, Prince Albert | Continues east into Saskatchewan |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus ||||||