Hidden below I-5 just north of Valencia Blvd next to a drainage basin, a bit of US 99 history remains in Santa Clarita, California. A culvert, dating to 1929, has survived through an expressway upgrade in 1949, freeway construction in 1967, bridge replacement construction in 2001, and current widening work in 2022. How much longer it will last is unknown but so far it has withstood the test of time.
If you missed the presentation on May 17, you can view it on the Historic Highway 99 Association of California’s YouTube channel at:
Additional prior meetings can be viewed at:
Join the Historic Highway 99 Association of California on Tuesday, May 10, 2022 at 6 pm for a presentation on the Historic Ridge Route by Michael F Ballard. The road will be covered from Castaic to Gorman. Learn about the current status of the roadway and the Ridge Route Preservation Organization that is working to reopen the roadway.
Please register for the presentation using the link below:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYvcuGsqzstGtJ2q0PNZ7FmvnNqAWeSNTKc
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.
“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