Highway 93 is a north–south route through the southeastern part of British Columbia, in the Regional District of East Kootenay and takes its number from U.S. Highway 93 that it connects with at the Canada–United States border. It follows the Crowsnest Highway (Highway 3) and Highway 95 through Radium Hot Springs and to where it crosses the Continental Divide into Alberta at Vermilion Pass, where it continues as Alberta Highway 93.[2] The section between the Canada-U.S. border and the Crowsnest Highway is known as the Elko–Roosville Highway, the section between the Crowsnest Highway and Radium Hot Springs is known as the Kootenay–Columbia Highway,[3] while the section east of Radium Hot Springs is known as the Banff–Windermere Parkway.[4]
 Highway 93 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Highway 93 highlighted in red. | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure | ||||
| Length | 321 km[1] (199 mi) | |||
| Existed | 1958–present | |||
| Component highways | (1) Elko–Roosville Highway (2) Kootenay–Columbia Highway (3) Banff–Windermere Parkway | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end |  US 93 at Canada–US border at Roosville | |||
 Highway 3 in Elko Highway 3 / Highway 95 near Fort Steele Highway 95A near Wasa Highway 95 at Radium Hot Springs | ||||
| North end |  Highway 93 at Alberta border at Vermilion Pass | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | Canada | |||
| Province | British Columbia | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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Route description
edit
From the international border crossing at Roosville, the 321 km (199 mi) long Highway 93 parallels the eastern shore of Lake Koocanusa for 36 km (22 mi) to where it meets the Crowsnest Highway (Highway 3) at Elko. Highway 3 carries Highway 93 west for 53 km (33 mi) to where it is handed off to Highway 95 just south of Fort Steele. Highway 95 carries Highway 93 north for another 134 km (83 mi) along the Kootenay River and the Columbia River passing through Wasa, Canal Flats, Fairmont Hot Springs and Invermere to Radium Hot Springs, where Highway 95 diverges north towards Golden.
Highway 93 leaves the concurrence and proceeds east from Radium Hot Springs for about 1.3 km (0.8 mi) to the western gate of Kootenay National Park. Through the park, the highway travels northeast along the Kootenay and Vermilion rivers for 93 km (58 mi) to Vermilion Pass and the Alberta border, where it is continues as Alberta Highway 93.[2] After crossing the border, the highway continues for another 11 km (7 mi) to meet the Trans-Canada Highway (Alberta Highway 1) near Castle Junction.[2]
History
editThe Highway first opened in 1953 from the international border to Elko, on Highway 3, but it did not follow its current route from the border until 1958.[5] Before 1959, the Banff–Windermere Parkway, the segment of Highway 93 east of Radium Hot Springs, had a designation of Highway 1B,[6] reflecting its connection to the Trans-Canada Highway within Alberta at Castle Junction. In 1959, Highway 93 was extended from Elko along Highway 3 and Highway 95 to Radium Hot Springs, while Highway 1B and the Icefields Parkway (known as Highway 1A) were renumbered to their present designation.
Major intersections
editFrom south to north:[7]
| Regional District | Location | km[1] | mi | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Kootenay | Roosville | 0.00 | 0.00 | US 93 south – Eureka, Kalispell | Continues into Montana |
| Canada–United States border at Roosville Border Crossing | |||||
| Elko | 36.95 | 22.96 | Highway 3 east (Crowsnest Highway) – Fernie, Lethbridge | South end of Hwy 3 concurrency | |
| | 66.22 | 41.15 | Wardner Fort Steele Road (Highway 935:1381 north) – Fort Steele | ||
| 66.91 | 41.58 | Wardner Bridge across the Kootenay River | |||
| 92.69 | 57.59 | Highway 3 west (Crowsnest Highway) / Highway 95 south – Cranbrook | Fort Steele Interchange North end of Hwy 3 concurrency; south end of Hwy 95 concurrency | ||
| Fort Steele | 99.69 | 61.94 | Fort Steele Bridge across the Kootenay River | ||
| 100.83 | 62.65 | Wardner Fort Steele Road (Highway 935:1381 south) – Wardner | |||
| | 124.35 | 77.27 | Wasa Bridge across the Kootenay River | ||
| 124.48 | 77.35 | Highway 95A south – Kimberley | |||
| 136.92 | 85.08 | Springbrook Bridge across the Kootenay River | |||
| Canal Flats | 165.44 | 102.80 | Canal Flats Bridge across the Kootenay River | ||
| | 187.57 | 116.55 | Westside Road (Highway 935:2143 north) – Invermere | ||
| 189.43 | 117.71 | Fairmont Bridge across the Columbia River | |||
| Fairmont Hot Springs | 190.85 | 118.59 | Riverview Road, Fairmont Resort Road | ||
| Invermere | 213.93 | 132.93 | Athalmer Road | Access to Panorama Mountain | |
| Radium Hot Springs | 227.09 | 141.11 | Highway 95 north – Golden | North end of Hwy 95 concurrency; south end of Banff–Windermere Highway | |
| Kootenay National Park | 228.36 | 141.90 | West gate of Kootenay National Park | ||
| | 231.50 | 143.85 | Iron Gates Tunnel | ||
| 239.53 | 148.84 | Sinclair Pass – 1,486 m (4,875 ft) | |||
| 270.88 | 168.32 | Kootenay Crossing Bridge across the Kootenay River | |||
| 321.03 | 199.48 | Vermilion Pass (Continental Divide) – 1,680 m (5,510 ft) | |||
| Highway 93 north – Banff, Lake Louise | Continues into Alberta and Banff National Park | ||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Landmark Kilometre Inventory (PDF). British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (Report). Cypher Consulting. July 2016. pp. 112, 404–412. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-03-11. Retrieved 2017-02-19.
- ^ a b c Tourism British Columbia. Super, Natural British Columbia Road Map & Parks Guide (Map) (2010-2011 ed.). Davenport Maps Ltd. §§ J-11, J-12, K-11, K-12, L-12.
- ^ "Official Numbered Routes in British Columbia". Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. Province of British Columbia. June 8, 2015. Archived from the original on 2017-01-05. Retrieved February 19, 2017.
- ^ "History of the Parkway". Kootenay National Park. Parks Canada. January 12, 2016. Retrieved February 19, 2017.
- ^ Staff Writer (24 September 1958). "East Kootenay". The Province. The Province.
A ribbon cutting ceremony, at a date yet to be selected, will mark the official opening of the reconstructed Highway No. 93...
- ^ The H.M. Gousha Company (1956). "British Columbia-Alberta" (Map). Shell Map of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. The Shell Oil Company. §§ E-11, F-11.
- ^ British Columbia Road Atlas (Map) (2007 ed.). Oshawa, ON: MapArt Publishing Corp. p. 50, 62, 74-75. ISBN 1-55368-018-9.
Further reading
edit- Parfit, Michael; Chris Johns (Dec 1992). "The Hard Ride of Route 93". National Geographic. 182 (6). National Geographic Society: 42–69.
External links
editMedia related to British Columbia Highway 93 at Wikimedia Commons
