Looking easterly toward Mt San Jacinto. Old alignment is to the left.
A short section of original US 60 can be found east of the intersection of Allesandro Blvd and Gilman Springs Road in the eastern Moreno Valley. This section of US 60 was bypassed by the current alignment, now State Route 60, in 1936. Gilman Springs Road, at that time, became State Route 79, which was rerouted onto Lamb Canyon Road to the east in 1963.
Aerial view showing the alignment and relation to Gilman Springs Road.
Looking south along the old alignment.
It is not known exactly when this section of concrete roadway was built but, judging by the records of other sections in the vicinity, it is likely that it was built around 1917. Gilman Springs road was realigned here, bypassing this short stretch, sometime in the late 1930’s or early 1940’s.
1943 topo map showing the area. State 79 is Gilman Springs Road and the roadway heading easy from Moreno is Allesandro Blvd, former US 60.
C-monument and the old alignment. This monument is actually for the current roadway not the original alignment.
Section of the original concrete roadway with a thin asphalt covering. Note the lack of rebar.
TheHistoric Highway 99 Association of California, in conjunction with the Ridge Route Preservation Organization, has produced a video on the basics of the Ridge Route and some of the features that make the road unique. Learn about the curbs, rails, footprints of all types, tire tracks, and more that can be found on the road. They also talk about the different pavement types on the road as well as how you can get up there and see the road yourself.
The Historic Highway 99 Association of California has also produced other videos talking about other sections of the highway, including the bridges over the Santa Clara River and Castaic Creek in their “History along US 99” series.
Back in July 2017, I took a trip out east, partially following old US 80 east of El Cajon, CA. One of the goals was to take photos of a section I had passed countless times before but never stopped at. The section in question was near Flinn Springs. This old alignment was bypassed in the 1930’s and cut off by I-8 in 1965.
Highlighted section is the old alignment with the section in question above I-8.
Known today as Flinn Springs Road, it mostly serves as a connector to Blossom Valley Road, which itself was cut by I-8 at the same time as this alignment. The original concrete was paved over at some point in the past but was, at the time I stopped, very obvious and partly exposed. I took this opportunity to take many photos of the road. There were plenty of markings on the roadway which could indicate resurfacing was imminent but wasn’t quite sure. It was a good thing I did as, less than two weeks later, the whole thing was resurfaced, burying that old concrete yet more and making it impossible to see.
Looking west along Flinn Springs Road
Cracking in asphalt showing where the original concrete is still in place
At the curve where the road currently bends north, the concrete visibly bends a different direction.
The lesson here is to TAKE PHOTOS and DOCUMENT! You never know when you’ll be back or if it will be there when you do.
The Historic Highway 99 Association of California has posted another episode of their “History along US 99” series. This time they talk about a section of 1930’s concrete in Ontario, California. Come check it out!
