Newhall Pass: Beale’s Cut and Newhall Tunnel Sierra Highway 1928-1930 US 99
Beale’s Cut and approach roadway from the south, before the 1998 landslides.
Looking toward the cut in 2017.
Beale’s Cut was completed in 1864 by a crew headed by General Edward F. Beale and was 90 feet deep. This was not the first cut here though. General Beale only deepened the 30-foot-deep cut that was dug by General Phineas Banning in 1854. Sadly, in the Spring of 1998, a large slide occurred filling the cut half way.
In 1910, Beale’s Cut was bypassed by a tunnel to the west, along the current alignment of Sierra Highway. Known as the Newhall Tunnel (53-0059), it was 435 feet long and a mere 17 feet wide, which made for some tight passes.
1920’s postcard of the Newhall Tunnel
In 1910, a tunnel was bored by Los Angeles County through what is now a cut. This tunnel was known as the Newhall Tunnel.
Close up of the tunnel. It was a 17 foot bore and two trucks could not fit in it at the same time.
1920’s view of the north tunnel portal.
Newhall Tunnel dedication plaque. Probably relocated here in 1939 after the tunnel was removed.
Dedication Plaque. It has been saved and is presently held by Caltrans District 7.
Aerial photo taken in 1999 of Newhall Pass. Sierra Highway is to the left, Beale’s Cut in center, and Route 14 to the right. The remains of the old Newhall Refinery can be seen north of the prominent ridgeline in the center of the photo.
Map of the Tunnel and Beale’s Cut from 1939.
Courtesy – Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society
It was turned into a cut in 1939 as a part of a major realignment of US 6 as well as to eliminate the bottleneck created by the tunnel. After the tunnel was eliminated, the highway was upgraded to a four lane divided roadway from the US 99 junction to San Fernando Road.
Looking north from near the Beale’s Cut pulloff toward the summit.
1940 view of the top of Newhall Pass after the tunnel was removed. Courtesy – Caltrans
1964 view of the tunnel area, looking southerly. Courtesy – Caltrans
Postcard view of US 6 in the 1950’s. The 14 Freeway bridges would be directly overhead at this point.
