British Columbia Highway 17A
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| Highway 17A |
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Highway 17A, known locally as West Saanich Road, is an alternate route through the Saanich peninsula. While the four-lane Highway 17 takes a path along the eastern half of the peninsula, Highway 17A, which has only two lanes, takes the western side. Highway 17A is used as the primary access to the famous Butchart Gardens, as well as the ferry across the Saanich Inlet, used to bypass the Malahat Drive. The highway was first designated 17A in 1962, but as of 2000, it no longer has that number.
[edit] Route details
Highway 17A's total length is 27 km (17 mi). The highway starts off in the south by branching off from Highway 17 at the Royal Oak Drive interchange. Highway 17A then turns on to the road officially named West Saanich Road at its intersection with Royal Oak Drive, and follows a winding path through Saanich. After 9 km (6 mi) through Saanich, the Highway enters the Central Saanich district.
1 km (about ½ mi) north of the boundary between Saanich and Central Saanich, Highway 17A enters the community of Brentwood Bay, which is where the Saanich inlet ferry and the Butchart Gardens are located. Highway 17A goes through Brentwood Bay for 2 km (1¼ mi), then enters the North Saanich district another 4 km (2½ mi) north as it begins to hug the eastern shore of the Saanich inlet. Highway 17A winds through North Saanich for 9 km (6 mi) before meeting an intersection with Wain Road, at which point the Highway turns east. Highway 17A follows Wain Road for 2 more km (1¼ mi) before terminating at Highway 17's Wain Road interchange, just south of Swartz Bay.
West Saanich Road itself does not follow the 17A route after Wain Rd. West Saanich continues northward, terminating at Land's End Road. Going west ultimately loops back to West Saanich Road, while heading eastward on Land's End leads to the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal.
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