British Columbia Highway 16

Highway 16 is a highway in British Columbia, Canada. It is an important section of the Yellowhead Highway, a part of the Trans-Canada Highway that runs across Western Canada. The highway closely follows the path of the northern B.C. alignment of the Canadian National Railway. The number "16" was first given to the highway in 1941, and originally, the route that the highway took was more to the north of today's highway, and it was not as long as it is now. Highway 16 originally ran from New Hazelton east to Aleza Lake. In 1947, Highway 16's western end was moved from New Hazelton to the coastal city of Prince Rupert, and in 1953, the highway was re-aligned to end at Prince George. In 1969, further alignment east into Yellowhead Pass was opened to traffic after being constructed up through 1968 and raised to all-weather standards in 1969. Highway 16's alignment on Haida Gwaii was commissioned in 1983[2] and is connected to the mainland segment via BC Ferries route #11.

"BC 16" redirects here. For the year, see 16 BC.

Highway 16 marker Highway 16 marker

Highway 16

Yellowhead Highway
Trans-Canada Highway
Highway 16 highlighted in red.
Route information
Maintained by British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
Length1,173 km (729 mi)
Existed1941–present
Haida Gwaii segment
Length101 km[1] (63 mi)
North endMasset
South end BC Ferries dock in Skidegate
Mainland segment
Length1,072 km[1] (666 mi)
West end BC Ferries dock in Prince Rupert
Major intersections Hwy 113 in Terrace
Hwy 37 south in Terrace
Hwy 37 north in Kitwanga
Hwy 118 in Topley
Hwy 35 in Burns Lake
Hwy 27 near Vanderhoof
Hwy 97 in Prince George
Hwy 5 (YH) near Tête Jaune Cache
East endAlberta border
continues as Hwy 16 (TCH)
Location
CountryCanada
ProvinceBritish Columbia
Highway system
    ← Hwy 15→ Hwy 17

    A series of murders and disappearances has given the stretch between Prince Rupert and Prince George the name Highway of Tears.

    Route description

    Haida Gwaii section

    The 101 km (63 mi) segment of the 1,347-kilometre-long (837 mi) BC highway begins in the west in the village of Masset, on the northern coast of Graham Island. Proceeding south, the highway goes 38 km (24 mi) to the inlet town of Port Clements. Winding its way along the boundary of Naikoon Provincial Park, Highway 16 goes south for 27 km (17 mi) before reaching the community of Tlell. 36 km (22 mi) south of Tlell, Highway 16 reaches Skidegate, where its Haida Gwaii section terminates.

    Mainland section

    BC Ferries then takes Highway 16 across the Hecate Strait for 172 km (107 mi) due northeast to its landing at Prince Rupert.

    Highway 16 heading west towards Prince Rupert from Terrace

    From Prince Rupert, Highway 16 begins its winding route east through the Coast Mountain Ranges. Following the Skeena River, the highway travels for 151 km (94 mi) to the city of Terrace. Highway 37 merges onto Highway 16 from north of Highway 16, at the Kitwanga junction.[3] Another 43 km (27 mi) northeast, Highway 16 reaches New Hazelton, where it then veers southeast along the Bulkley River. 68 km (42 mi) later, the highway reaches the town of Smithers, proceeding southeast another 64 km (40 mi) to the village of Houston.

    Along the Skeena River, near Kitwanga

    At Houston, Highway 16 begins a parallel course along the upper course of the Bulkley River, proceeding 81 km (50 mi) east to its junction with Highway 35, south of Burns Lake. 128 km (80 mi) east, after passing through the hamlet of Fraser Lake, Highway 16 reaches its junction with Highway 27 in the town of Vanderhoof. 97 km (60 mi) east of Vanderhoof, Highway 16 reaches its B.C. midpoint as it enters the city of Prince George at its junction with Highway 97. Highway 16 leaves Prince George after coursing through the city for 9 km (5.6 mi).

    Passing through Mt. Robson Provincial Park.

    120 km (75 mi) east of Prince George, Highway 16 reaches the community of Dome Creek, where it converges with the Fraser River and turns southeast. It follows the Fraser River upstream for 82 km (51 mi) to McBride, then continues upstream for another 64 km (40 mi) to its junction with Highway 5 at Tête Jaune Cache. 14 km (8.7 mi) east of Tête Jaune Cache, Highway 16 enters Mount Robson Provincial Park, coursing through the park for 63 km (39 mi) to the boundary between British Columbia and Alberta within Yellowhead Pass.

    Highway of Tears
    Main article: Highway of Tears

    The Highway of Tears is a stretch of Highway 16 between Prince George and Prince Rupert.[4] Since 1970, numerous women have gone missing or have been murdered along the 720 km (450 mi) section of highway.[5] Aboriginal organizations speculate that number ranges above forty.[6]

    In 2016, the Canadian government launched the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women after communicating with victim families. This was done to find methods of slowing the violence within the Indigenous population.

    In September 2020 a totem pole honouring missing and murdered Indigenous women was raised on the highway just outside Terrace.[7][8][9]

    Major intersections

    From west to east, the following intersections are observed along Highway 16.[10] Distances exclude the 172 km (93 nmi) ferry between Skidegate and Prince Rupert.

    Regional DistrictLocationkm[1]miDestinationsNotes
    North CoastMasset0.000.00Hodges Avenue / Towhill RoadWestern terminus of the Yellowhead Highway
    Skidegate100.9062.70Oceanview Drive (Road 33) (Hwy 951:1502) – Daajing GiidsDaajing Giids was formerly known as Queen Charlotte prior to July 13, 2022.[11]
    101.1962.88 Skidegate Ferry Terminal
    Hecate StraitBC Ferries from Skidegate to Prince Rupert
    North CoastPrince Rupert0.000.00 Prince Rupert Ferry Terminal
    15.189.43Galloway Rapids Bridge from Kaien Island to the mainland
    ​15.369.54Skeena Drive (Port Edward Road) (Hwy 951:1504) – Port EdwardHwy 951:1504 is unsigned
    Kitimat–StikineTerrace145.9190.66 Hwy 113 north (Nisga'a Highway) – Nisga'a Nation
    149.31–
    150.26    		92.78–
    93.37    		Dudley Little West Bridge and Dudley Little Main Bridge crosses the Skeena River
    150.5093.52 Hwy 37 south – KitimatWest end of Hwy 37 concurrency; former Hwy 25
    Kitwanga241.10149.81 Hwy 37 north (Stewart-Cassiar Highway) – Stewart, Watson LakeEast end of Hwy 37 concurrency
    New Hazelton284.17176.58Churchill Street (Hwy 62 west) – HazeltonHwy 62 is unofficial and unsigned
    Bulkley-NechakoSmithers349.34–
    354.39    		217.07–
    220.21    		Passes through Smithers
    Telkwa366.39227.66Passes through Telkwa
    Houston414.19257.37Passes through Houston
    Topley445.08276.56 Hwy 118 north – Granisle
    Burns Lake496.39308.44 Hwy 35 south – Francois Lake
    Fraser Lake565.47351.37Passes through Fraser Lake
    ​616.66383.17 Hwy 27 north – Fort St. James
    Vanderhoof619.87–
    624.72    		385.17–
    388.18    		Passes through Vanderhoof
    Fraser-Fort GeorgePrince George716.66445.31Southridge AvenueInterchange; no westbound entrance
    717.08445.57Tyner Boulevard, Domano BoulevardProvides access to the University of Northern British Columbia
    720.55447.73 Hwy 97 (Cariboo Highway) – Dawson Creek, Quesnel, Kamloops, Vancouver
    722.03448.65Victoria Street / 20th AvenueHwy 16 turns onto Victoria Street
    723.74449.711st AvenueFormer Hwy 97A; Hwy 16 turns onto 1st Avenue
    725.70450.93Yellowhead Bridge over the Fraser River
    729.86453.51 Old Cariboo Highway (Hwy 941:1156 south) to Hwy 97 – Airport, QuesnelFormer Hwy 97A
    ​742.31461.25Upper Fraser Road (Hwy 941:1577) – Willow River, Giscome, Upper Fraser
    McBride933.97580.34McBride Bridge over the Fraser River
    Tête Jaune Cache995.60618.64 Hwy 5 (YH) south – Valemount, KamloopsTête Jaune Interchange
    Mount Robson
    Provincial Park    		1,009.70627.40West end of Mount Robson Provincial Park
    1,072.37666.34Yellowhead Pass (Continental Divide) – 1,131 m (3,711 ft)
    Hwy 16 (TCH/YH) east – Jasper, EdmontonContinuation into Alberta and Jasper National Park
    1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

    References
    1. Landmark Kilometre Inventory (PDF). British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (Report). Cypher Consulting. July 2016. pp. 224–271. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-03-11. Retrieved 2017-01-06.
    2. British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Highways (4 January 1983). General Circular G1/83. Victoria: Ministry of Transportation and Highways. pp. 0, 3.
    3. Infrastructure, Ministry of Transportation and. "Highway 37 Map - Province of British Columbia". www2.gov.bc.ca. Retrieved 2019-02-02.
    4. Gerson, Jen. "Four things to know about Highway of Tears scandal, and the documents B.C. government allegedly deleted". National Post. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
    5. Ferreras, Jesse (25 September 2012). "Highway Of Tears: BC's Missing And Murdered Women". Huffington Post. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
    6. "Those Who Take Us Away" (PDF). Human Rights Watch. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
    7. "Totem pole to be raised on B.C.'s Highway of Tears to honour missing, murdered Indigenous women". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
    8. "Memorial pole raised on Highway of Tears in B.C. for families". Aboriginal People's Television Network. 15 September 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
    9. "Community gathers for monumental totem pole raising along B.C.'s Highway of Tears". Terrace Standard. 4 September 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
    10. British Columbia Road Atlas (2007 ed.). Oshawa, ON: MapArt Publishing Corp. 2010. pp. 16–23, 26–30, 36–37. ISBN 978-1-55368-018-5.
    11. Ministry of Municipal Affairs (July 13, 2022). "Ancestral Haida name restored to Haida Gwaii village". BC Gov News. Government of British Columbia. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
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