Highway 99A | ||||
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King George Boulevard McBride Boulevard 10th Avenue Kingsway Main Street Dunsmuir Street |
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Route information | ||||
Length: | 50 km (30 mi) | |||
Existed: | 1942 – 2006 | |||
Major junctions | ||||
South end: | BC 99 in Surrey | |||
BC 10 in Surrey BC 1A in Surrey BC 7 in Vancouver BC 7A in Vancouver |
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North end: | BC 1A / BC 99 in Vancouver | |||
Location | ||||
Major cities: |
Surrey New Westminster Burnaby Vancouver |
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Highway system | ||||
British Columbia provincial highways
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British Columbia provincial highways
Highway 99A was the designation of Highway 99's original 1942 alignment. It has had the '99A' designation between 1962 and 1964, and from 1973 to 2006 when it was decommissioned.
Highway 99A, with a total length of 50 km (31 mi), was a route within the Greater Vancouver area. The highway started in Surrey at the first exit off Highway 99 north of the Peace Arch. The stretch of Highway 99A through Surrey was known locally as the King George Highway. Originally to be named the Peace Arch Highway, it was dedicated officially on October 16, 1940 as the King George VI Highway after the royal visit of 1939. The highway served as a route for commuters travelling to New Westminster, Coquitlam, Burnaby and Vancouver. The highway goes north for 8 km (5.0 mi) to an interchange with Highway 99, and from there, another 4 km (2.5 mi) to its junction with Highway 10. The highway continued north for another 9 km (5.6 mi), where it merged with Highway 1A. Highways 1A and 99A continued northwest for 6 km (3.7 mi) to the Pattullo Bridge over the Fraser River, crossing from Surrey into New Westminster.
With the completion of the Pattullo Bridge in 1937 and the King George Highway in 1940, motorists were provided with a more efficient route between Vancouver-New Westminster and the U.S. border. Between 1942 and 1962, the King George Highway was designated Highway 99 while the Highway 99A designation was given to the older Pacific Highway after it became the alternate U.S. border route. The four-lane, divided "Deas (Island) Throughway" was completed to the U.S. border in 1962 and designated Highway 499 until 1973 when it was renamed Highway 99. At this time the King George Highway became Hwy. 99A. The old Pacific Highway became Hwy. 15 in 1958.