Category Archives: Highways

Castaic, Highways, History, I-5, Image, Los Angeles County, Ridge Route, US 99

From the Archives – 1923

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1920’s postcard of the Ridge Route near Castaic, CA

The Ridge Route on US 99 between Castaic and Gorman was a very twisty roadway when it first opened. All told, there was about 39,600 degrees of curvature over the approximately 30-mile route, enough to go in 110 circles. The state gradually worked to alleviate this headache by straightening curves whenever possible. Some curves were merely daylighted where others were completely bypassed. In the case of the Callahan Line Change, as shown in the postcard above, the road was shifted to change eight sharp curves into one gentle curve. The work here was completed in 1926. In 1933, the roadway would by bypassed altogether by the Ridge Route Alternate.

Ridge Route – Callahan Line Change
Beaumont, Caltrans, District 8, Highways, History, Image, Jackrabbit Trail, Moreno Valley, Riverside County, Roads, SR-60, US 60

From the Archives – 1935

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Badlands along US 60 in 1935. Courtesy – Caltrans

In 1936, US 60 was realigned between Moreno Valley and Beaumont. This realignment took the highway off of the Jackrabbit Trail and put it on a new alignment through the Badlands. This is the same alignment State 60 follows today.

This photo from 1935 shows the immense cuts and fills that were necessary for even the two-lane version of the roadway. In 1956, the roadway was widened to a four-lane expressway, further deepening some of these cuts. Work is currently underway to make this section six-lanes, with the outer lanes being truck-climbing lanes.

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Archives, Caltrans, District 11, Highways, History, I-8, Image, Mission Valley, Roads, San Diego, San Diego County, Southern California, US 80

From the Archives – 1960

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Taylor St at US 80 (Now I-8) in 1960, looking east. Courtesy – Caltrans

The view is looking east from the Taylor St ramps on I-8, then signed as US 80, in 1960. A lot has changed in San Diego’s Mission Valley in the 62 years since this photo was taken. At the time, Mission Valley was sparsely developed with mostly open lands and dairy farms filling the valley. This would soon change as shopping malls, apartment buildings, gas stations, and hotels replaced those farmlands.

Some things haven’t changed. The house visible on the left side of the image is still there, as are the overpass and freeway ramps. Can you spot anything else that is still there today?

Highways, Meeting, Presentation, Ridge Route, Ridge Route Preservation Organization, Updates

Ridge Route Meeting

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The Ridge Route Preservation Organization is holding an online meeting on Thursday, January 20 at 6 pm. They are trying out something new this year and are starting to hold more regular meetings, albeit online via Zoom, to help keep everyone updated on the roadway, give presentations on various aspects of the history of the road or special features, and give time to share stories about the roadway.

For the January meeting, Michael Ballard will be sharing photos from the last two trips over the roadway showing the current state of the Ridge Route and giving an update on the status of upcoming events. Come join us on Thursday, January 20 at 6 pm!

To register, please use the link below:

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwtde-pqTwiH9TT3Z5xjxm-nQPIO_qrZhRl

Caltrans, District 12, Highways, History, I-5, Image, Old Alignment, Orange County, Roads, US 101

Featured Image – 12/4/2021

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From the Archives – 1959

Looking southerly at US 101 (Now I-5) at Avery Parkway in 1959. Courtesy – Caltrans.

A lot has changed in southern Orange County since 1959. Gone are most of the orange groves and wide-open spaces. Today, this view is very different but a surprising amount of what is seen does remain. This photo, taken in 1959, shows the US 101 freeway and the original alignment to the right, known as Camino Capistrano. In the intervening years, the roadway has been widened at least four times. Instead of a four-lane freeway, it is now eight lanes plus two HOV lanes. Even today, the roadway is being widened yet again, this time to add an additional HOV lane in each direction. The State 73 freeway interchange is also missing from this view. It would be added in 1996.

Some of the concrete visible in this photo on both the freeway and old alignment still remain to this day. It is truly amazing to see what things looked like before they became one giant suburban mess.