View source for Alberta Highway 55

{{short description|Highway in Alberta}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=February 2017}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2017|cs1-dates=y}}
{{Infobox road
| province = AB
| type = Hwy
| route = 55
| alternate_name = [[Northern Woods and Water Route]]
| map = Alberta Highway 055.png
| length_km = 263
| length_ref=<ref name=gmap/>
| direction_a = West
| direction_b = East
| terminus_a = {{Jct|state=AB|Hwy|2}} in [[Athabasca, Alberta|Athabasca]]
| junction = {{Jct|state=AB|Hwy|63}} near [[Atmore, Alberta|Atmore]]<br />{{Jct|state=AB|Hwy|36}} near [[Lac La Biche, Alberta|Lac La Biche]]<br />{{Jct|state=AB|Hwy|41}} in [[La Corey, Alberta|La Corey]]<br>{{Jct|state=AB|Hwy|28}} in [[Cold Lake, Alberta|Cold Lake]]
| terminus_b = {{jct|state=SK|Hwy|55}} at [[Saskatchewan]] border near [[Cherry Grove, Alberta|Cherry Grove]] 
| rural_municipalities = [[Athabasca County]], [[Lac La Biche County]], [[Municipal District of Bonnyville No. 87|Bonnyville No. 87 M.D.]]
| cities = [[Cold Lake, Alberta|Cold Lake]]
| towns = [[Athabasca, Alberta|Athabasca]]
| established =
| previous_type = Hwy
| previous_route = 54
| next_type = Hwy
| next_route = 56
}}

'''Alberta Provincial Highway No. 55''', commonly referred to as '''Highway 55''', is a {{convert|263|km|0|adj=mid}} long east–west highway in northeast [[Alberta]], Canada.<ref name=PHDO>{{Citation | title=Provincial Highways Designation Order | publisher=Alberta Transportation | page=8}}</ref>  It extends from the [[Saskatchewan]] border in the east through the [[Cold Lake, Alberta|Cold Lake]], [[Lac La Biche, Alberta|Lac La Biche]], and [[Athabasca, Alberta|Athabasca]] where it ends at [[Alberta Highway 2|Highway 2]].  In Saskatchewan, it continues as [[Saskatchewan Highway 55]].<ref name=length>{{Cite web|url=http://www.transportation.alberta.ca/Content/docType329/Production/2015_PROVINCIAL_HWY_1-216_CONTROL_SECTION_MAP.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160410182657/http://www.transportation.alberta.ca/Content/docType329/Production/2015_PROVINCIAL_HWY_1-216_CONTROL_SECTION_MAP.pdf |archive-date=April 10, 2016 |access-date=October 31, 2016 |date=March 2015 |title=2015 Provincial Highway 1-216 Progress Chart |publisher=Alberta Transportation |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=gmap>{{Google maps|url=https://www.google.ca/maps/@54.6478122,-112.2841394,8.08z|title=Highway 55 in Alberta|access-date=December 14, 2017}}</ref>

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 [[Alberta Highway 49|Highway 49]].

== History ==
The original designation Highway 55 was a {{convert|15|km|0|adj=mid}} long north-south highway that appeared on maps in the mid-1950s and connected [[Fort Saskatchewan]] with [[Alberta Highway 16|Highway 16]], just east of [[Edmonton]].<ref name=1956_map>{{cite map |author = The H.M. Gousha Company |publisher = The Shell Oil Company |date = 1956 |map = British Columbia–Alberta |title = Shell Map of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba |url = http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/workspace/handleMediaPlayer;JSESSIONID=85eb3a9c-db16-4231-badc-40df4382c572?lunaMediaId=RUMSEY~8~1~212315~5500350 |section = C-12}}</ref> In 1973, Alberta established its secondary highway system along mostly existing unimproved roads, with ''[[Alberta Highway 662|Secondary Highway 662]]'' running between [[Alberta Highway 36|Highway 36]] and Cold Lake, and ''[[Alberta Highway 664|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 [[Canadian National Railway|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.<ref>{{cite web |title=History |url=http://www.nwwr.ca/history/ |website=Northern Woods and Water Route |access-date=July 5, 2018 |language=en-CA |date=2016}}</ref> As part of establishing the corridor in northeastern Alberta, two secondary highways (662 and 664), along with [[Alberta Highway 28X|Highway 28X]] and a portion of [[Alberta Highway 46|Highway 46]] were renumbered to Highway 55 in {{circa|1977}}, matching Saskatchewan Highway 55, while the original route east of Edmonton became part of [[Alberta Highway 21|Highway 21]].<ref name=1976_77_map>{{Cite map | publisher=Alberta Business Development and Tourism | title=Province of Alberta Canada Official Road Map | date = 1976–1977 | sections=H-6, H-7, I-6}}</ref><ref name=1978_79_map>{{Cite map | publisher=Alberta Business Development and Tourism | title=Province of Alberta Canada Official Road Map | date = 1978–1979 | sections=H-6, H-7, I-6}}</ref>  Highway 55 was paved throughout the 1980s.<ref name=1990_map>{{Cite map | publisher=Alberta Business Development and Tourism | title=Province of Alberta Canada Official Road Map | date = 1990 | sections=H-6, H-7}}</ref>

;Former Highways
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Former<br />Number
!Length<br />(km)
!Length<br />(mi)
!class="unsortable"|Western terminus
!class="unsortable"|Eastern terminus
!class="unsortable"|Notes
|-
|style="background: #f2f2f2;" |<span class="nowrap">[[Alberta Highway 664|Highway 664]]</span>
|{{convert|32|km|mi|0|disp=table}}
|Highway 2 in [[Athabasca, Alberta|Athabasca]]
|Former Highway 46 at [[Donatville]]
|
|-
|style="background: #f2f2f2;" |<span class="nowrap">[[Alberta Highway 46|Highway 46]]</span>
|{{convert|63|km|mi|0|disp=table}}
|Former Highway 664 at Donatville
|Highway 36 in [[Lac La Biche, Alberta|Lac La Biche]]
|Highway 46 south of [[Atmore, Alberta|Atmore]] replaced by <span class="nowrap">[[Alberta Highway 63|Highway 63]]</span>;<br />{{cvt|23|km}} concurrency Highway 63.
|-
|style="background: #f2f2f2;" |<span class="nowrap">[[Alberta Highway 36|Highway 36]]</span>
|style="background: #ddffdd" |{{align|right|20}}
|style="background: #ddffdd" |{{align|right|12}}
|style="background: #ddffdd" |Former Highway 46 in Lac La Biche
|style="background: #ddffdd" |Former Highway 662 south of Lac La Biche
|style="background: #ddffdd" |Concurrency remains.
|-
|style="background: #f2f2f2;" |<span class="nowrap">[[Alberta Highway 662|Highway 662]]</span>
|{{convert|125|km|mi|0|disp=table}}
|Highway 36 south of Lac La Biche
|Highway 28 in [[Cold Lake, Alberta|Cold Lake]]
|
|-
|style="background: #f2f2f2;" |<span class="nowrap">[[Alberta Highway 28|Highway 28]]</span>
|style="background: #ddffdd" |{{align|right|10}}
|style="background: #ddffdd" |{{align|right|6}}
|style="background: #ddffdd" |Highway 28 in Cold Lake
|style="background: #ddffdd" |Former Highway 28X south of Cold Lake
|style="background: #ddffdd" |Concurrency remains.
|-
|style="background: #f2f2f2;" |<span class="nowrap">[[Alberta Highway 28X|Highway 28X]]</span>
|{{convert|13|km|mi|0|disp=table}}
|Highway 28 south of Cold Lake
|[[Saskatchewan]] border
|
|-
|colspan="9" style="background: #f2f2f2; text-align: center; font-size: 95%;" | {{color box|#ddffdd}} [[Concurrency (road)|Concurrency]]
|}
{{Clear}}

== Major intersections ==
From west to east:
{{ABinttop|length_ref=<ref name=gmap/>}}
{{ABint
|indep_city_special=[[Athabasca, Alberta|Athabasca]]
|lspan=2
|km=0.0
|road={{Jct|province=AB|Hwy|2|name1=50&nbsp;Avenue&nbsp;/ 50&nbsp;Street|city1=Slave Lake|city2=Peace River|city3=Edmonton}}
|notes=[[Northern Woods and Water Route]] follows Highway&nbsp;2 north
}}
{{ABint
|km=0.5
|road={{Jct|province=AB|Hwy|813|dir1=north|city1=Calling Lake|city2=Wabasca}}
|notes=
}}
{{ABint
|county_special=[[Athabasca County]]
|cspan=4
|location=none
|km=5.2
|road={{Jct|province=AB|Hwy|827|dir1=south|city1=Thorhild}}
|notes=
}}
{{ABint
|location=Donatville
|type=concur
|km=31.5
|road={{Jct|province=AB|Hwy|63|dir1=south|city1=Boyle|city2=Edmonton}}
|notes=West end of Highway&nbsp;63 concurrency
}}
{{ABint
|location=Grassland
|km=47.0
|road=
|notes=Passes through Grassland
}}
{{ABint
|location=Atmore
|type=concur
|km=54.3
|road={{Jct|province=AB|Hwy|63|dir1=north|city1=Wandering River|city2=Fort McMurray}}<br/>{{Jct|province=AB|Hwy|855|dir1=south}}
|notes=East end of Highway&nbsp;63 concurrency
}}
{{ABint
|county_special=[[Lac La Biche County]]
|cspan=8
|location=none
|lspan=2
|km=69.0
|road={{Jct|province=AB|Hwy|858|dir1=north|city1=Plamondon}}
|notes=
}}
{{ABint
|km=90.5
|road={{Jct|province=AB|Hwy|663|dir1=south|city1=Hylo|city2=Boyle}}
|notes=
}}
{{ABint
|location=Lac La Biche
|lspan=2
|km=94.0
|road=101 Avenue
|notes=Former Highway&nbsp;55 alignment; west end of Lac La Biche bypass
}}
{{ABint
|type=concur
|km=95.9
|road={{Jct|province=AB|Hwy|36|dir1=begins|road|100&nbsp;Street}}<hr/>{{Jct|province=AB|Hwy|881|dir1=north|city1=Conklin|city2=Fort McMurray}}
|notes=Former Highway&nbsp;55 alignment; east end of Lac La Biche bypass; west end of Highway&nbsp;36 concurrency
}}
{{ABint
|location=none
|lspan=4
|km=113.7
|type=concur
|road={{Jct|province=AB|Hwy|36|dir1=south|city1=Ashmont|city2=Two Hills}}
|notes=East end of Highway&nbsp;36 concurrency
}}
{{ABint
|km=131.1
|road={{Jct|province=AB|Hwy|866|dir1=south|city1=McRae|city2=Spedden}}
|notes=
}}
{{ABint
|km=143.3
|road={{Jct|province=AB|UAR|225|dir1=south|city1=Rich Lake}}
|notes=
}}
{{ABint
|km=147.7
|road={{Jct|province=AB|Hwy|867|dir1=south}}
|notes=
}}
{{ABint
|county_special=[[Municipal District of Bonnyville No. 87|M.D. of Bonnyville No.&nbsp;87]]
|cspan=4
|location=none
|km=165.5
|road={{Jct|province=AB|Hwy|881|dir1=south|city1=Therien|city2=St. Paul}}
|notes=
}}
{{ABint
|location=La Corey
|km=202.2
|road={{Jct|province=AB|Hwy|41|dir1=south|city1=Bonnyville}}
|notes=
}}
{{ABint
|location=none
|lspan=2
|km=220.8
|road={{Jct|province=AB|Hwy|892|city1=Ardmore}}
|notes=Former [[Alberta Highway 92|Highway&nbsp;92]] north
}}
{{ABint
|km=230.6
|road={{Jct|province=AB|Hwy|897|location1=[[Cold Lake Provincial Park]]|location2=[[CFB Cold Lake]]}}
|notes=
}}
{{ABint
|indep_city=Cold Lake
|lspan=2
|type=concur
|km=239.0
|road={{Jct|province=AB|Hwy|28|dir1=east|name1=8 Avenue}}<hr />16 Avenue&nbsp;– [[Cold Lake Provincial Park]]
|notes=North end of Highway&nbsp;28 [[wrong-way concurrency]]
}}
{{ABint
|km=244.0
|road=50 Avenue / Centre Avenue – [[CFB Cold Lake]]
|notes=Former [[Alberta Highway 897|Highway&nbsp;897]] west
}}
{{ABint
|county_special=[[Municipal District of Bonnyville No. 87|M.D. of Bonnyville No.&nbsp;87]]
|cspan=4
|location=none
|lspan=2
|type=concur
|km=249.1
|road={{Jct|province=AB|Hwy|28|dir1=west|city1=Bonnyville|city2=Edmonton}}
|notes=South end of Highway&nbsp;28 wrong-way concurrency
}}
{{ABint
|km=249.9
|road={{Jct|province=AB|Hwy|897|dir1=south|location1=[[Elizabeth Metis Settlement]]|city2=Marwayne|city3=Lloydminster}}
|notes=
}}
{{ABint
|location=Cherry Grove
|km=257.5
|road=
|notes=
}}
{{ABint
|location=none
|km=262.7
|road={{jct|province=SK|Hwy|55|dir1=east|name1=[[Northern Woods and Water Route]]|city1=Pierceland|city2=Meadow Lake|city3=Prince Albert}}
|notes=Continues into [[Saskatchewan]]
}}
{{jctbtm|keys=concur}}
{{Clear}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}

== External links ==
{{Attached KML|display=inline,title}}
* [http://www.nwwr.ca/ Northern Woods and Water Route]

{{Alberta Provincial Highways|Hwy=yes}}

[[Category:Alberta provincial highways, 1–216 series|055]]
[[Category:Northern Woods and Water Route]]
[[Category:Athabasca, Alberta]]
[[Category:Cold Lake, Alberta]]