vintage TCH-401 picture

[Stephane Dumas]

BC had once a TCH-401 in Vancouver until it was decomissionned in the mid-1970s and replaced by TCH-1 while the old alignment was renumbered BC-1A. I spotted some vintage pics from the early 1970s showing a TCH-401 sign.
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=5737743&postcount=3353

[HighwayMaster]

So BC had a 400-series expressway numbering system like Ontario has?

[NE2]

Yes, there was also a 499.

[Bickendan]

And, if BC 91 wasn't ever numbered 491, presumably it would have been had the numbering stayed intact. Arguably, that could have meant the Coquihalla Hwy would have been BC 403 and 405, and the east-west portion of BC 97 around Kamloops could have been 497 (as BC 1 is still technically the dominant route of the BC 1/5/97 'wrong-way' triplex). And 497C for the Okanagan Connector.

Also of note: The exit numbers follow the freeway, not BC 1. The exit numbers match BC 1, kilometer for kilometer, until BC 1 splits off the freeway in Hope and BC 3 begins. BC 3 continues and splits off and BC 5 begins; exit numbers follow BC 5. BC 1 rejoins the freeway west of Kamloops (and BC 97 leaves), having taken a longer route along the Fraser River, but takes over the freeway again as the freeway moreless continues east along BC 1/97, and BC 5 splits north as the Yellowhead South toward Tete Jaune Cache. While this might make for a thread in General, I'm hardpressed to think of other similar situations where exit/mileage numbers don't follow a single named or numbered highway designation, though Oregon's route/highway system *could* be likened.

[dmuzika]

BC's 400-series highways existed from 1964-1973, during that time the former Hwy 1A (Fraser Hwy/Kingsway/Lion's Gate Bridge) was designated as Hwy 1 and the former Hwy 99A (King George Hwy/Kingsway) was designated as Hwy 99.  As BC only had two freeways (401 & 499), the series was dropped.

Provided the 400-series remained, the numbering probably would have been as follows:

Coquihalla Hwy (Hwy 5) — probably an eastern extension of Hwy 401.  Hwy 1 would have remained through the Fraser Canyon while Hwy 5A would have remained as Hwy 5.  The Coquihalla serves more as an northeastern extension of the Trans Canada Hwy from the Fraser Valley to Kamloops than a freeway upgrade of Hwy 5 and should be TCH 1.

Okanagan Connector (Hwy 97C) — probably either Hwy 497 (the freeway extension of Hwy 97) or Hwy 408.  Incidentally there were proposals to designate the Merritt-West Kelowna section of Hwy 97C as Hwy 8, one could argue that still should happen.

Annacis Hwy/Richmond Fwy (Hwy 91) — who knows, pick a number.  Assuming it followed Ontario's 400-series, it might have been numbered as Hwy 402 or 403; disconnected from their "parent"  highway as neither highway will likely ever be upgraded to a full freeway.  It also could be considered a northwestern  freeway extension of Hwy 10, so maybe Hwy 410. 

[AsphaltPlanet]

It's really neat that BC used a 400-series system for a few years.

A lot of people (here especially) will speak of the merits of the Interstate or Autoroute numbering system, but I really like the 400 series of highways because it is a distinctly Ontarian route numbering solution.

[cpzilliacus]

BC had once a TCH-401 in Vancouver until it was decomissionned in the mid-1970s and replaced by TCH-1 while the old alignment was renumbered BC-1A. I spotted some vintage pics from the early 1970s showing a TCH-401 sign.
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=5737743&postcount=3353

The luminaires in the first two images immediately caught my attention.

I have never seen that style on public highways in the U.S. and Canada (and note that I have never been to British Columbia), except for what was formerly installed on Maryland's Baltimore Harbor Tunnel Thruway (example here). 

I've seen them on some European motorways and streets, but not west of the Atlantic Ocean.

[Scott5114]

A lot of people (here especially) will speak of the merits of the Interstate or Autoroute numbering system, but I really like the 400 series of highways because it is a distinctly Ontarian route numbering solution.

The 400 series works well for Ontario, but only having 100 possible designations makes it too limited to use beyond a provincial level. You also can't designate spur highways with it without doing a suffix like "413A" or using banners.

But it is a neat idea.

[jwolfer]

A lot of people (here especially) will speak of the merits of the Interstate or Autoroute numbering system, but I really like the 400 series of highways because it is a distinctly Ontarian route numbering solution.

The 400 series works well for Ontario, but only having 100 possible designations makes it too limited to use beyond a provincial level. You also can't designate spur highways with it without doing a suffix like "413A" or using banners.

But it is a neat idea.

Georgia has 400 series they are mostly the secred SR numbers for interstates.  SR 405 is I-95... SR 403 is I-75... i am not sure of the others but i know thye are 401 etc.

[agentsteel53]

I believe GA-400's number is used colloquially, as opposed to it being called US-19.

[dmuzika]

The 400 series works well for Ontario, but only having 100 possible designations makes it too limited to use beyond a provincial level. You also can't designate spur highways with it without doing a suffix like "413A" or using banners.

But it is a neat idea.

There used to be a "400A" near Barrie prior to the downloading in 1997-98 (a large number of provincial highways were transfered to the counties/regional municipalities).  Prior to the downloading, Hwy 11 took Simcoe 93 and Yonge St to Toronto and Hwy 400A was a short freeway connection between Hwy 400 and the expressway portion of Hwy 11.  Now Hwy 11 follows Hwy 400A and terminate at Hwy 400.

I might be one of the few, but I'm not a fan of the 400-series at all.  It's unique, however it does not allow for any auxilliary routes and there's the asthetics of a major highway always being a 4xx while minor highways are single and double digits - for example, Hwy 2 was the secondary route across southern Ontario while Hwy 401 was the freeway route.  The numbering seems a bit antiquated and I would love to see a more advanced freeway numbering system with a seperate shield like the Autoroutes or Interstates.

[xcellntbuy]

BC had once a TCH-401 in Vancouver until it was decomissionned in the mid-1970s and replaced by TCH-1 while the old alignment was renumbered BC-1A. I spotted some vintage pics from the early 1970s showing a TCH-401 sign.
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=5737743&postcount=3353

The luminaires in the first two images immediately caught my attention.

I have never seen that style on public highways in the U.S. and Canada (and note that I have never been to British Columbia), except for what was formerly installed on Maryland's Baltimore Harbor Tunnel Thruway (example here). 

I've seen them on some European motorways and streets, but not west of the Atlantic Ocean.

The type of luminaires in the old photos are similar to one used on the Gardiner Expressway as late as the 1980s.  I remember them well.  The lamps had an orangey-yellow glow.