Category Archives: Highways

Historic Highway 99 Association of California, Presentation, US 99

Historic Highway 99 Presentation

Aside Leave a comment

“Where the Lincoln Highway meets Highway 99.”

A look at where the Lincoln Highway, America’s first Transcontinental Highway, 1913-1927, meets Highway 99 in California Central Valley. We will discuss why the Lincoln Highway chose the central valley route to Altamont Pass instead of a more direct one. Hint, there wasn’t any. When the Lincoln Highway ceased to exist, the number system Highway 99 took over from Sacramento south. We will look at some places where you can still see some of the histories of these two famous roads.

Along with his wife Monica, Trey created “Adventures in California History,” an ongoing exploration of historic California. Trey is currently the Vice-President of the Lincoln Highway Association.

Join the Historic Highway 99 Association of California on November 2, 2021 at 6 pm for a Zoom presentation. To register, please use the link below:

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcqf-2rrDksH9Yjqv4pqIALpt1W3TAQqJ9V

Event, Highways, History, Ridge Route, Ridge Route Preservation Organization, Roads, US 99

Upcoming Ridge Route Event

Next weekend, on October 23, 2021, the Ridge Route Preservation Organization will be holding a Clean Up The Ridge Route event. These events are work parties to help repair and preserve the historic Ridge Route. They are open to all, though donations are always welcome. For more information and specific details, please check out their website:

http://www.ridgeroute.org/october-cutrr-event/

Fundraising, Highways, Historic Highway 99 Association of California, Road Signs, US 99

City of Madera Historic US 99 Signs

Leave a comment

The Historic Highway 99 Association of California just received approval for posting Historic Route 99 signs within the City of Madera. This exciting news! If you’d like to donate, they have set up a fundraiser on their site.

Historic Route Signs – Madera
California, Castaic, Disaster, Event, Highways, I-5, Los Angeles County, Ridge Route, Ridge Route Preservation Organization, Roads, Wildfire

Fire on the Ridge Route

Leave a comment

There is currently a fire, #RouteFire, burning on the Ridge Route near Templin Highway. I-5 is closed both directions and the Old Ridge Route may be in danger. For information, follow the Twitter feed for the Ridge Route Preservation Organization – @ridgeroute99.

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