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Looking toward South Mount Hawkins in the West Fork San Gabriel Canyon from State 39. This road was planned to be improved but landslides prevented this work from being completed. In the case of this area, almost all of the low lying areas not covered in snow are landslides in one form or another. Even Crystal Lake, where this roadway is headed, exists because of landslides.
Back in the 1970’s, California was “all about the freeway” it seemed. Build them so that people could go anywhere using one. Anywhere, at times, meant an offshore causeway (Pacific Coast Freeway) or over high mountain ranges where even a two-lane roadway has problems (Angeles Crest Expressway), regardless of the costs or necessity. One of these plans, the Pacific Coast Freeway, never really came to fruition. Portions were indeed built, such as the interchange with I-5 near Dana Point and through the Oxnard Plain. The section that was proposed to go through Newport Beach would be the end of the plan. Local opposition was quite heavy, which cascaded to every city along the path also saying no to the project. The image above is an artists rendering of what would have been the State 1 and State 55 interchange near the present intersection of Newport Blvd (State 55) and Hospital Road.
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.
Completed in 1876, this loop still stands as an engineering marvel and a unique way of keeping the grade steady while climbing over the Tehachapi Mountains between Bakersfield and Mojave.
Southern California Regional Rocks and Roads
Exploring the highways, geology, history and landscapes of Southern California.