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.
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.
The old Ridge Route is my favorite roadway. Each trip is an adventure and I always seem to find something new. Sometimes those “new” things aren’t as exciting as they could be. In January 2021, a large rockslide was found just south of Swede’s Cut. On August 28, the Ridge Route Preservation Organization will be holding an event to remove that rockslide. They need your help and support. See their website for details on how you can help. Not only will you be able to go beyond the gates and see parts of the Ridge Route that are normally closed, but you will be able to help maintain it as well.
On Tuesday, April 6 at 6pm, I will be giving a presentation via Zoom on the Ridge Route Alternate section of US 99 during the regular monthly meeting of the Historic Highway 99 Association of California. It will cover the history of the roadway from its original construction through to its replacement by I-5 from Castaic to Tejon Pass. The presentation will include some rarer photos of the route and have time at the end for questions. Come join us and learn a bit about the history of US 99 in Southern California!
To register for the presentation, use the link below:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwlf-6srDIqHdRkYBHsG8jzi8D68Gtys-dF