Is the Okanagan Connector Open? — Hwy 97C Conditions (Merritt to Kelowna)

CLOSED

CONSTRUCTION

Last checked: 4 minutes ago · Official DriveBC data

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Active incidents

  • CONSTRUCTION

    Both

    Highway 97C (Okanagan Connector), in both directions. Crack sealing is underway between Trepanier Rd and Brenda Mine Rd (4 km west of Peachland). Until Wed Jul 15 at 7:00 PM PDT. From 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM PDT on weekdays and Sunday. Lane Closure. Watch for traffic control. Watch for speed reduction. Loose gravel on highway and sweeping operations. July 11-13th, work will be done eastbound. Sweeping will continue as well in the westbound lanes. Last updated Fri Jul 10 at 5:27 PM PDT. (DBC-93494)

    Direction: BOTH

  • CONSTRUCTION

    Both

    Highway 97C (Okanagan Connector), in both directions. Construction work at Merritt (Merritt). Until Thu Jul 16. From 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM PDT on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Single lane alternating traffic. Watch for traffic control. Construction work taking place around Exit 286 interchange. Last updated Mon Jul 13 at 12:00 PM PDT. (DBC-93573)

    Direction: BOTH

  • CONSTRUCTION

    Both

    Highway 97C, in both directions. Utility work between Government St and Elm St for 0.5 km (Ashcroft). Until Fri Jul 24. From 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM PDT on weekdays. Single lane alternating traffic. Watch for traffic control. Last updated Thu Jul 2 at 1:38 PM PDT. (DBC-93388)

    Direction: BOTH

Driver reports

No driver reports yet. Official DriveBC data is the source of truth above.

FAQ

What is the Okanagan Connector?
The Okanagan Connector is Highway 97C between Merritt and West Kelowna, BC, via Pennask Summit (elevation 1,728 m — one of the highest highway summits in British Columbia). It's the fastest link between the Nicola Valley and the Central Okanagan, and because of its elevation and exposure it sees severe winter conditions: heavy snow, drifting, blowing snow, and freezing fog well into spring.
How current is this information?
The status here is refreshed from DriveBC's official Open511 feed every 5 minutes. Official data can lag fast-moving incidents by a few minutes, which is why we also show driver reports below the official status.
What's the alternate route when the Okanagan Connector is closed?
Two practical detours, both adding hours: (1) Highway 5 (Coquihalla) + Highway 1 + Highway 97 north via Kamloops and Vernon into Kelowna, or (2) Highway 5A south to Princeton then Highway 3 (Crowsnest) east through Keremeos and Penticton. Both are much longer than the Connector, and Highway 3 crosses two more mountain passes that can themselves be affected in winter.
Is this site free?
Yes, completely. Free to check, free email alerts, no accounts, no ads. It's run as a community tool on top of official DriveBC data.
Where does this data come from?
DriveBC's public Open511 API (api.open511.gov.bc.ca). We filter to events on the Highway 97C corridor between Aspen Grove and the Peachland junction and classify them as open, delayed, or closed.
Why might one direction show differently than the other?
The Connector is east-west: eastbound is toward Kelowna, westbound is toward Merritt. Incidents like single-lane closures, construction, crashes, avalanche control, or wildfires often only affect one direction. When eastbound and westbound don't match, we split the banner so you see each direction's status independently.

Recent closures

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