Category Archives: Caltrans

Caltrans, District 7, Highways, History, Image, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, Roads, SR-170, SR-90

Featured Image – 9/4/2021

Image 1 Comment
1967 aerial photo showing the interchange between La Cienega Blvd (lower roadway) and Slauson Ave. Courtesy – Caltrans

In 1949, La Cienega Blvd was extended through the Baldwin Hills. This roadway was eventually to become a part of the State Route 170 Laurel Canyon Freeway. Interchanges and grade separations were built with this in mind. Access to the roadway was also controlled, making it easier to upgrade the roadway to a full freeway in the future. It became the only section constructed not long after.

Today, the roadway remains as a freeway and expressway-grade roadway through those hills acting as a “cutoff” for travelers coming from the westside of Los Angeles to the airport area. The photo above shows the interchange between La Cienega Blvd (right-left) and Slauson Ave in 1967. The photo was taken as a part of a study for a freeway routing for State Route 90, another stub freeway nearby. That freeway gained the moniker of the “Slauson Cutoff” by Johnny Carson.

Los Angeles may be known as “The Land of Freeways” but many of those freeway dreams didn’t come to pass. This is an example of one of those.

For further information:

La Cienega Boulevard – Baldwin Hills
Castaic, District 7, Highways, History, Image, Los Angeles County, Old Alignment, Ridge Route, Ridge Route Preservation Organization, Roads, US 99

Featured Image – 8/9/2021

Image Leave a comment
Ridge Route between the Tumble Inn and Kelly’s Halfway Inn

The old Ridge Route is my favorite roadway. Each trip is an adventure and I always seem to find something new. Sometimes those “new” things aren’t as exciting as they could be. In January 2021, a large rockslide was found just south of Swede’s Cut. On August 28, the Ridge Route Preservation Organization will be holding an event to remove that rockslide. They need your help and support. See their website for details on how you can help. Not only will you be able to go beyond the gates and see parts of the Ridge Route that are normally closed, but you will be able to help maintain it as well.

http://ridgeroute.org

Archives, California, District 7, Highways, History, I-5, Image, Los Angeles County, Roads, Southern California, SR-14, US 6, US 99

Featured Image – 7/22/2021

Image Leave a comment
US 6 / US 99 Interchange in 1955. Courtesy – Caltrans

In 1955, the first section of the Golden State Freeway opened. It was a short section, running from near Weldon Summit to Foothill Blvd. The freeway was the first major attempt to improve traffic in the Newhall Pass area and it did help for a time. The freeway remained until the early 1970’s when the new I-5 / State 14 interchange was constructed and the old freeway was reconfigured to become the “Truck Lanes”.

Today, the original interchange still remains, though not entirely used. The lower level, formerly the US 6 West to US 99 South connector, is now partially filled in. The second level still carries Sierra Highway with the top level carrying the I-5 Truck Lanes. The Newhall Pass has undergone many changes in its time as a transportation corridor for Los Angeles. This one was but one of those. The photo was taken on November 22, 1955.

Caltrans, District 11, Highways, I-15, I-5, I-805, Image, Roads, San Diego, San Diego County

Featured Image – 6/24/2021

Image
West Lilac Road OC over I-15 – only a few of these arches exist in California.

San Diego has a somewhat unique distinction compared to other California cities. You cannot travel north from San Diego, by freeway, without going underneath an arch bridge. I-5 has one at Gilman Dr, I-805 at Eastgate Mall. I-15 has the one pictured near Pala with West Lilac Road crossing over. Now I-8 needs one, somewhere to make it complete.

Banning, Beaumont, Calimesa, District 8, Geology, Highways, Historic Highway 99 Association of California, History, Meeting, Old Alignment, Old Bridge, Presentation, Riverside County, Roads, San Andreas Fault, US 60, US 70, US 99

July Presentation

Aside

On July 6, 2021 at 6 pm, I will be giving a presentation for the Historic Highway 99 Association of California on the history of US 99 through the San Gorgonio Pass. The route will be covered from Thousand Palms to Calimesa. Photos of the route, new and old, as well as maps showing the various alignments will be shown. Come join us!

https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEqd-moqj4vHdJw6RL5SEOPiOfdgV2J3M4G