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Highway 97 highlighted in red. | ||||
Route information | ||||
Maintained by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure | ||||
Length | 2,081 km (1,293 mi) | |||
Existed | 1953–present | |||
Component highways | (1) Okanagan Highway between Osoyoos and Vernon (2) Vernon-Monte Creek Highway between Vernon and Monte Creek | |||
Major junctions | ||||
South end | ![]() | |||
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North end | ![]() | |||
Location | ||||
Country | Canada | |||
Province | British Columbia | |||
Regional districts | Summerland, Peachland, Lake Country, 100 Mile House, Chetwynd, Taylor | |||
Highway system | ||||
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Highway 97 is a major highway in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is the longest continuously numbered route in the province, running 2,081 km (1,293 mi) and is the only route that runs the entire north–south length of British Columbia, connecting the Canada–United States border near Osoyoos in the south to the British Columbia–Yukon boundary in the north at Watson Lake, Yukon.
The highway connects several major cities in BC Interior, including Kelowna, Kamloops, Prince George, and Dawson Creek. Within and near these cities, Highway 97 varies from a two-lane highway to a freeway with as many as six lanes. Some remote sections also remain unpaved and gravelled. The route takes its number from U.S. Route 97, with which it connects at the international border. The highway was initially designated '97' in 1953.