Category Archives: Old Alignment

Beaumont, Calimesa, CBR650FA, District 8, Highways, History, I-10, Motorcycle, Old Alignment, Riverside County, Road Signs, Roads, SR-60, US 60, US 99

A bit of US 60 and US 99

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I went for a ride on my motorcycle today. Just needed to just get out for a bit. Part of my journey took me through Idyllwild, via State 74 and 243. No photos of that section though, as I was too busy having fun on the motorcycle. The “slalom” section, as the locals seem to call it, on 74 heading up to Mountain Center is one of my favorites to ride. 243 was a lot better than on previous rides, owing to a lot less sand on the roadway and new paving from near Lake Fulmor down to Banning. Quite a bit of fun can be had up in the mountains on a motorcycle, even at 55 mph.

It had been a while since I’d gone out that way and needed to check on some things to see if they still remained. I was pleasantly surprised to find the US 60 sign still remaining on I-10 at the split in Beaumont. It is the last one as the rest have long since been replaced. When this one will is still a mystery but I doubt it will last much longer.

Signage at the 10 / 60 split with the US 60 shield partially visible behind the State 60 overlay.

Heading west on I-10, I followed a bit of old US 99 just west of Cherry Valley Blvd near Calimesa, where a section of Roberts Road (original US 99) will be realigned and eventually destroyed, lost to another residential development. Here, there is a beautiful section of 1925 concrete that is still relatively pristine. It was bypassed in 1937 by an new alignment, which is now mostly underneath I-10.

Looking easterly from the end of the paving near I-10. Future “Roberts Road” can be seen in the background on the right-hand side.
1925 date stamp. Happened to be right where I stopped the motorcycle for a photo.
My motorcycle and 99, complete with the 99 license plate.

It was a long ride but a lot of fun. A bit warm in my leathers at times, mostly when stopped at lights. I did find one thing that was a bit surprising in Menifee, after I stopped for fuel. While I commend their efforts, they have incorrectly marked a section of Antelope Road south of Newport Road as “Historic US 395”. It is even painted on the roadway like the US 66 shields in the Mojave Desert. US 395 did pass through here, but along the path of the freeway. The two-lane version of 395 followed the northbound lanes I-215 to about Garbani Rd and then the southbound lanes north of there.

Highway Tours, Highways, History, Kern County, Old Alignment, Old Bridge, Roads, Tulare County, US 99, Website News

US 99 Tour Extension

It has taken a while, but I have finally extended my Virtual Tour of US 99, again. This extension adds another 40 miles to the tour, bringing the northern terminus to just south of Tulare, California. A friend of mine helped getting some of the photos as well. In time, I will extend the tour yet further to Fresno, but it will take a while as I am missing photos at this time. If anyone is willing to help, let me know and I can tell you what I will need.

So why not take a tour of one of California’s more historic roadways?

Virtual Tour of US 99
California, Highways, History, Los Angeles County, Old Alignment, Ridge Route, Roads, Southern California, US 99

Views From The Ridge Route

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In December 2019 and January 2020, I had the chance to take a couple of trips over the Ridge Route. Once this current situation is over, I fully intend to get back up there for a multitude of reasons. As I cannot get up there at present and we’re all still on some form of “lockdown”, I thought I’d share some of the photos I took up there. The Ridge Route is a very scenic route, far more than I-5 or even the “new” alignment of US 99. They all have their merits but the Ridge Route gets the best of the views. Just an FYI, some of these pics may be from earlier trips. Maybe you be the judge? Which is your favorite?

Care to help preserve the road? Head on over to the Ridge Route Preservation Organization to see what you can do to help and perhaps have the opportunity to traverse the Scenic and Historic Ridge Route.

  • Deadman’s Curve in Grapevine Canyon
  • Near Tejon Summit
  • Toward Liebre Summit
  • Toward Black Mountain
  • Down Serpentine Grade
  • South of Reservoir Summit
  • North of Reservoir Summit

Highways, History, Image, Los Angeles County, Old Alignment, Ridge Route, Roads, US 99

Featured Image – 1/19/2020

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Old Ridge Route between Reservoir Summit and Kelly’s Halfway Inn. Taken 1/19/2020.
Caltrans, District 6, District 7, Grapevine, Highways, I-5, Image, Kern County, Old Alignment, Ridge Route, Roads, US 99

Featured Image – 12/23/2019

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1932/34 concrete at the divergence of the lanes at Grapevine.

Here at Grapevine, a small section of concrete is visible adjacent to the southbound lanes of I-5. This is a section of former US 99. A small color difference can be noticed between the two lanes that are visible. This difference is due to age. The lanes to the left were constructed in 1932 when Grapevine Grade was realigned, bypassing the original 1914 Ridge Route grade. This was built as two lanes as a temporary measure to expedite the opening of the new route. Right after it was opened, a third lane was added, the lane on the right, creating a three-lane roadway with a common passing lane in the center, or “suicide lane”. This condition persisted until 1943 when the road was widened yet again to four lanes. In 1959 – 1960, these lanes were bypassed by the current southbound lanes of I-5. Today, they remain as one of the last remnants of the 1932-1959 version of Grapevine Grade.