Saugus Junction, looking southerly in 1949. Courtesy – Caltrans
Shown here, the Old Road nears Magic Mountain Parkway. Part of the divided highway is visible here as well. Behind, old US 99 followed the alignment of I-5 to Lyons Avenue / Pico Road.
Map of Saugus Junction from 1938. The road leading to the east is currently Magic Mountain Parkway and was the 1926-1930 alignment of US 99. The road leading to the south is the north end of the Newhall Alternate (US 99) completed in 1930. The white road leading to the west is the alignment the Ridge Route took. At the 1059 mark, it went north over the 1916 bridge that has been gone since 1928. I-5 is situated just east of the north-south road.
Saugus Junction was the junction of SR-126 East and US 99. It marks the northern end of the Newhall Alternate, which US 99 followed bypassing Newhall and Saugus. That alignment was completed in 1930. The intersection was reconstructed in April 1949 when US 99 was upgraded to a four-lane expressway. Later, in 1964, the construction of I-5 prompted another change to the intersection, as demonstrated in the photo below. The old intersection is to the right with the new one to the left. I-5 was completed here between Saugus and Castaic Junctions on December 22, 1964.
Saugus Junction in the early 1970’s. Courtesy – Michael Guerin
That section, which is shown below, was widened to a four lane highway, as shown here in April 1949. The next photo was taken near McBean Parkway looking north in 1997.
1949 view, looking north. Courtesy – Caltrans
1997 view, looking north.
This was also where the original Ridge Route alignment joined US 99. Now, SR-126 joins I-5 to Castaic Junction.
1963 view of the construction of I-5 at Saugus Junction, looking southerly. Courtesy – Caltrans
I-5 under construction from Magic Mountain Parkway to just beyond Castaic Junction in 1964. Courtesy – Caltrans
Arrows on northbound I-5 on the pavement date to the period between 1964 and 1967 when the freeway ended just south of here. These are no longer visible as the pavement was ground down .
Go North on US 99 / West SR-126 to Bakersfield / Ventura
