Alberta Highway 55

Alberta Provincial Highway No. 55, commonly referred to as Highway 55, is a 263-kilometre (163 mi) long east–west highway in northeast Alberta, Canada.[2] It extends from the Saskatchewan border in the east through the Cold Lake, Lac La Biche, and Athabasca where it ends at Highway 2. In Saskatchewan, it continues as Saskatchewan Highway 55.[3][1]

Highway 55
Northern Woods and Water Route
Route information
Length263 km[1] (163 mi)
Major junctions
West end Hwy 2 in Athabasca
  Hwy 63 near Atmore
Hwy 36 near Lac La Biche
Hwy 41 in La Corey
Hwy 28 in Cold Lake
East end Hwy 55 at Saskatchewan border near Cherry Grove
Location
Specialized
and rural
municipalities		Athabasca County, Lac La Biche County, Bonnyville No. 87 M.D.
Major citiesCold Lake
TownsAthabasca
Highway system
Provincial highways in Alberta
← Hwy 54→ Hwy 56

The entire length of Highway 55 comprises the easternmost segment of Alberta's portion of the Northern Woods and Water Route (NWWR). West of Athabasca, the Northern Woods and Water Route continues westward along Highway 2 and then Highway 49.

History

The original designation Highway 55 was a 15-kilometre (9 mi) long north-south highway that appeared on maps in the mid-1950s and connected Fort Saskatchewan with Highway 16, just east of Edmonton.[4] In 1973, Alberta established its secondary highway system along mostly existing unimproved roads, with Secondary Highway 662 running between Highway 36 and Cold Lake, and Secondary Highway 664 running between Athabasca and Donatville.

The idea of a northern highway corridor between Dawson Creek, British Columbia and Winnipeg, Manitoba was originally lobbied by George Stevenson, a retired CN employee who lived in McLennan, Alberta. The communities along the proposed corridor supported his idea and eventually resulted in the incorporation of the Northern Woods and Water Route Association in the western provinces 1974.[5] As part of establishing the corridor in northeastern Alberta, two secondary highways (662 and 664), along with Highway 28X and a portion of Highway 46 were renumbered to Highway 55 in c. 1977, matching Saskatchewan Highway 55, while the original route east of Edmonton became part of Highway 21.[6][7] Highway 55 was paved throughout the 1980s.[8]

Former Highways
Former
Number		 Length
(km)		 Length
(mi)		 Western terminus Eastern terminus Notes
Hwy 664 32 20 Hwy 2 in Athabasca Former Hwy 46 at Donatville
Hwy 46 63 39 Former Hwy 664 at Donatville Hwy 36 in Lac La Biche Hwy 46 south of Atmore replaced by Hwy 63;
23 km (14 mi) concurrency Hwy 63.
Hwy 36
20
12
 Former Hwy 46 in Lac La Biche Former Hwy 662 south of Lac La Biche Concurrency remains.
Hwy 662 125 78 Hwy 36 south of Lac La Biche Hwy 28 in Cold Lake
Hwy 28
10
6
 Hwy 28 in Cold Lake Former Hwy 28X south of Cold Lake Concurrency remains.
Hwy 28X 13 8 Hwy 28 south of Cold Lake Saskatchewan border
  Concurrency

Major intersections

From west to east:

Rural/specialized municipalityLocationkm[1]miDestinationsNotes
Athabasca CountyAthabasca0.00.0 Hwy 2 west (50 Avenue / NWRR) – Slave Lake, Peace RiverContinues west
Hwy 2 south (50 Street) – Clyde, Edmonton
0.50.31 Hwy 813 north – Calling Lake, Wabasca
​5.23.2 Hwy 827 south – Thorhild
31.519.6 Hwy 63 south – Boyle, EdmontonWest end of Hwy 63 concurrency
Grassland47.029.2Passes through Grassland
Atmore54.333.7 Hwy 63 north – Wandering River, Fort McMurray
Hwy 855 south – Smoky Lake		East end of Hwy 63 concurrency
Lac La Biche County​69.042.9 Hwy 858 north – Plamondon
90.556.2 Hwy 663 south – Hylo, Boyle
Lac La Biche94.058.4101 Avenue (former Hwy 55 alignment)West end of Lac La Biche bypass
95.959.6 Hwy 36 south / 100 Street (former Hwy 55 alignment)
Hwy 881 north – Conklin, Fort McMurray		East end of Lac La Biche bypass; west end of Hwy 36 concurrency
​113.770.6 Hwy 36 south – Ashmont, Two HillsEast end of Hwy 36 concurrency
131.181.5 Hwy 866 south – McRae, Spedden
143.389.0UAR 225 south – Rich Lake
147.791.8 Hwy 867 south
M.D. of Bonnyville No. 87​165.5102.8 Hwy 881 south – Therien, St. Paul
La Corey202.2125.6 Hwy 41 south – Bonnyville
​220.8137.2 Hwy 892 – ArdmoreFormer Hwy 92 north
230.6143.3 Hwy 897 – Cold Lake Provincial Park, CFB Cold Lake
City of Cold Lake239.0148.5 Hwy 28 east (8 Avenue)
16 Avenue – Cold Lake Provincial Park		North end of Hwy 28 wrong-way concurrency
244.0151.650 Avenue / Centre Avenue – CFB Cold LakeFormer Hwy 897 west
M.D. of Bonnyville No. 87​249.1154.8 Hwy 28 west – Bonnyville, EdmontonSouth end of Hwy 28 wrong-way concurrency
249.9155.3 Hwy 897 south – Elizabeth Metis Settlement, Marwayne, Lloydminster
Cherry Grove257.5160.0
​262.7163.2 Hwy 55 east (NWWR) – Pierceland, Meadow Lake, Prince AlbertContinues east into Saskatchewan
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References
  1. Google (December 14, 2017). "Highway 55 in Alberta" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved December 14, 2017.
  2. Provincial Highways Designation Order, Alberta Transportation, p. 8
  3. "2015 Provincial Highway 1-216 Progress Chart" (PDF). Alberta Transportation. March 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 10, 2016. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
  4. The H.M. Gousha Company (1956). "British Columbia–Alberta" (Map). Shell Map of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. The Shell Oil Company. § C-12.
  5. "History". Northern Woods and Water Route. 2016. Retrieved July 5, 2018.
  6. Province of Alberta Canada Official Road Map (Map). Alberta Business Development and Tourism. 1976–77. §§ H-6, H-7, I-6.
  7. Province of Alberta Canada Official Road Map (Map). Alberta Business Development and Tourism. 1978–79. §§ H-6, H-7, I-6.
  8. Province of Alberta Canada Official Road Map (Map). Alberta Business Development and Tourism. 1990. §§ H-6, H-7.

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