The majority of the routes serve the Okanagan area of the British Columbia Interior.

[3] Finally, in 1962, Highway 97A was re-routed onto its present alignment, going north from Swan Lake to Grindrod, and then northeast to Sicamous.

A 10 km (6 mi) segment next to the Prince George Airport, which now carries the name Old Cariboo Highway; while a 3 km (2 mi) segment was in downtown Prince George, following 1st Avenue west of Victoria Avenue to the Cameron Street Bridge, connecting with Highway 97 north of the Nechako River.

[5] Highway 97 originally followed Skaha Lake Road, Main Street, and Westminster Avenue through downtown Penticton.

[6] In the early 1980s, a bypass was constructed along the Channel Parkway and initially designated as Highway 97A.

The east–west segment has expressway and freeway sections, forms part of an important link between the Lower Mainland and the Okanagan Valley south of Kelowna, and is known as Okanagan Connector or Coquihalla Connector.

[1] Highway 97D is a new route, receiving its designation in 2005; it allows more direct access between Logan Lake and Kamloops without travelling through Merritt.