Category Archives: Old Alignment

Historic US 99 Presentation

On September 13, 2022, I will be giving a Zoom presentation for the Historic Highway 99 Association of California on the Ridge Route Alternate between Castaic and Tejon Pass. Come join the Association for the presentation! See the link below for details and to learn how to sign up.

Ridge Route Presentation Video

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:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAvGZpwJjMnoBplxbkxMmaw

Ridge Route Presentation

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

Historic US 101 in Agoura Hills, CA

Looking east along Vendell Road in 2013.

US 101 has seen many changes over the years in the Los Angeles area. Most of the route is heavily urbanized with housing tracts and businesses lining the roadway. Parts of the original roadway have also been incorporated into the modern freeway. All this leaves little chance for any original paving to remain intact.

There is one exception in the Agoura Hills area west of Los Angeles. A short section of 1930 concrete remains, though its days are limited. Known as Vendell Road, it branches off of Agoura Road just west of Liberty Canyon Road (Exit 34 on US 101). In a different twist, modern Agoura Road follows the original 1913 alignment. This roadway was bypassed in 1949 when this portion of US 101 was upgraded to an expressway and realigned. Later improvements to freeway still ignored this section and left it intact.

1944 aerial view of the area. Liberty Canyon Road is at center. Courtesy – UCSB
1952 aerial view of the area now showing expressway construction. The modern freeway follows the expressway alignment. Liberty Canyon is at center. Courtesy – UCSB
Looking west toward Agoura Road in 2013.
Date stamp on Vendell Road from July 28, 1930. This one of a few remaining on the roadway.
Toward the east end of the roadway in 2013

Today, construction is underway on a wildlife crossing that will obliterate the old paving and dramatically change this section of highway. The new bridge will be of great benefit to local and regional wildlife, allowing a safe crossing of a major transportation corridor. Despite the loss of the old road, I do look forward to seeing how it all looks in the end. The construction is just yet another lesson in making sure to take photos of things when you can while you can. You never know if it will be there when you return.

For more information about the project:

Featured Image – 12/4/2021

From the Archives – 1959

Looking southerly at US 101 (Now I-5) at Avery Parkway in 1959. Courtesy – Caltrans.

A lot has changed in southern Orange County since 1959. Gone are most of the orange groves and wide-open spaces. Today, this view is very different but a surprising amount of what is seen does remain. This photo, taken in 1959, shows the US 101 freeway and the original alignment to the right, known as Camino Capistrano. In the intervening years, the roadway has been widened at least four times. Instead of a four-lane freeway, it is now eight lanes plus two HOV lanes. Even today, the roadway is being widened yet again, this time to add an additional HOV lane in each direction. The State 73 freeway interchange is also missing from this view. It would be added in 1996.

Some of the concrete visible in this photo on both the freeway and old alignment still remain to this day. It is truly amazing to see what things looked like before they became one giant suburban mess.