British Columbia Highway 95

Highway 95is a north-south highway in the southeastern corner ofBritish Columbia,opened in 1957. The highway connects withU.S. Route 95,from which the highway takes its number, at theCanada–U.S. borderatKingsgate,just north ofEastport,Idaho.The section between the Canada-U.S. border and the Crowsnest Highway is known as theYahk–Kingsgate Highwaywhile the section between the Crowsnest Highway and Golden is known as theKootenay–Columbia Highway.

Highway 95
Highway 95 highlighted in red.
Route information
Maintained by theMinistry of Transportation and Infrastructure
Length	329 km(204 mi)
Existed	1953–present
Component highways	(1) Yahk–Kingsgate Highway (2) Kootenay–Columbia Highway
Major junctions
South end	US 95atCanada–US borderatKingsgate
Major intersections	Highway 3inYahk Highway 95AinCranbrook Highway 3/Highway 93nearFort Steele Highway 95AnearWasa Highway 93inRadium Hot Springs
North end	Highway 1 (TCH)inGolden
Location
Country	Canada
Province	British Columbia
Highway system
British Columbia provincial highways
←Highway 93 →Highway 95A

Highway 95, one of the mostoverlappedhighways in the province, shares most of its route with other numbered highways.

Route description

EnteringParson, British Columbiaon BC-95.

The 329 km (204 mi) long Highway 95 begins at the international border in a small community calledKingsgate.It connects toU.S. Route 95at theEastport-Kingsgate Border Crossing.Heading north from there, it follows theMoyie Rivernortheast for 11 km (7 mi) to the town ofYahk,where it merges onto theCrowsnest Highway(Highway 3). Highway 95 follows the Crowsnest Highway northeast for 72 km (45 mi) to the city ofCranbrook,whereHighway 95A,designated in 1968 and following the original alignment of Highway 95 for 54 km (34 mi) throughKimberleyandTa Ta Creek,begins. From Cranbrook, it is another 7 km (4 mi) east to theFort Steelejunction, where Highway 3 hands Highway 95 off toHighway 93.

From the Fort Steele junction, Highway 95 follows Highway 93 north for 31 km (19 mi) through the community ofWasa,to where Highway 95A's east junction is located. From the Highway 95A junction, Highway 93/95 follows theKootenay Riverupstream for 45 km (28 mi), throughSkookumchuckto the town ofCanal Flats,at the southern end ofColumbia Lake.North of Canal Flats, Highway 93/95 travels for 58 km (36 mi) along theColumbia River,through the communities ofFairmont Hot Springs,WindermereandInvermereto the town ofRadium Hot Springs,where Highway 93 diverges east. Highway 95 continues to follow the Columbia River north for 105 km (65 mi), through the locations ofEdgewater,Brisco,SpillimacheenandParson,to where it terminates at its junction with theTrans-Canada Highway(Highway 1) atGolden.

History

Prior to 1941, British Columbia used lettered routes as opposed to numbers, and the Kootenay–Columbia Highway between Cranbrook and Golden was designated as part ofRoute U,which continued south toU.S. Route 93atRoosvillealong present-day Highway 93.In 1941, British Columbia introduced numbered highways, with Highway 95 begin designated on 11 km (7 mi) Yahk–Kingsgate Highway, the northern extension of U.S. Route 95, while the Kootenay–Columbia Highway between Cranbrook and Golden was designated asHighway 4.In 1953, the Highway 4 was moved to its present location onVancouver Island,with the Kootenay–Columbia Highway being renumbered to Highway 95. In 1968, A shorter alignment opened bypassing the Kimberley route via Ft Steele and Wasa. Immediately after opening the bypass was numbered Highway 93 with the Highway through Kimberley continuing to be numbered 95 for a few years until the completion of the "freeway style" interchange at Eager Hill when the bypass became 93/95 with the Kimberly alignment becoming Highway 95A in order to discourage through traffic from unnecessarily passing through Kimberly.

Major intersections

From south to north:

Regional District	Location	km	mi	Destinations	Notes
Central Kootenay	Kingsgate	0.00	0.00	US 95south –Bonners Ferry,Sandpoint,Coeur d'Alene	Continues intoIdaho
				Canada–United States borderatEastport-Kingsgate Border Crossing
	Yahk	11.30	7.02	Highway 3west (Crowsnest Highway) –Creston,Castlegar	South end of Hwy 3 concurrency
East Kootenay	Cranbrook	77.24– 89.05	47.99– 55.33	Passes through Cranbrook
		83.62	51.96	Highway 95Anorth –Kimberley	Cranbrook Interchange
	​	89.05	55.33	Highway 3east /Highway 93south (Crowsnest Highway) –Fernie,Lethbridge	Fort Steele Interchange North end of Hwy 3 concurrency; south end of Hwy 93 concurrency
	Fort Steele	96.05	59.68	Fort Steele Bridgeacross theKootenay River
		97.19	60.39	Wardner Fort Steele Road (Highway 935:1381south) –Wardner
	​	120.71	75.01	Wasa Bridgeacross theKootenay River
		120.84	75.09	Highway 95Asouth –Kimberley
		133.28	82.82	Springbrook Bridgeacross theKootenay River
	Canal Flats	161.80	100.54	Canal Flats Bridgeacross theKootenay River
	​	183.93	114.29	Westside Road (Highway 935:2143north) –Invermere
		185.79	115.44	Fairmont Bridgeacross theColumbia River
	Fairmont Hot Springs	187.21	116.33	Riverview Road, Fairmont Resort Road
	Invermere	210.29	130.67	Athalmer Road	Access toPanorama Mountain
	Radium Hot Springs	223.45	138.85	Highway 93north (Banff–Windermere Highway) –Kootenay National Park,Banff,Lake Louise	North end of Hwy 93 concurrency
Columbia-Shuswap	Golden	328.88	204.36	Highway 1 (TCH)–Kamloops,Revelstoke,Banff,Calgary
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrencyterminus

See also

• List of British Columbia provincial highways

External links

Media related toBritish Columbia Highway 95at Wikimedia Commons