Category Archives: US 80

From the Archives – 1953

1953 aerial view of the Camino Del Rio (later US 80) / US 395 interchange, looking south. Courtesy – Caltrans

San Diego’s Mission Valley has changed quite a bit over the last century. It has gone from farms to condos. Dairys to grocery stores. Dirt roads to major freeways. In 1947, the first iteration of the current State 163 / I-8 interchange was completed as shown here. Left on and offramps were the order of the day. Challenge Dairy’s San Diego headquarters can be seen in the upper left corner of the interchange. Additional changes to the junction took place in 1959, 1978, and 1991. All of these bridges have been replaced but their legacy remains today with the outer ramps on either side of the 8.

From the Archives – 1960

Taylor St at US 80 (Now I-8) in 1960, looking east. Courtesy – Caltrans

The view is looking east from the Taylor St ramps on I-8, then signed as US 80, in 1960. A lot has changed in San Diego’s Mission Valley in the 62 years since this photo was taken. At the time, Mission Valley was sparsely developed with mostly open lands and dairy farms filling the valley. This would soon change as shopping malls, apartment buildings, gas stations, and hotels replaced those farmlands.

Some things haven’t changed. The house visible on the left side of the image is still there, as are the overpass and freeway ramps. Can you spot anything else that is still there today?

T.M. Schultze Photography

I recently discovered a treasure trove of photography for US 80 and more. T.M. Schultze is based in the San Diego area and has a big interest in old highways, as well as rock art, scenery, and more. He has quite a passion for the art and I strongly recommend checking this site out.

https://tmschultze.com/
T.M. Schultze Photography Website

Highway Tour Coming in April

I am putting together another highway tour, this time in San Diego County. On April 28 (weather permitting), I will be hosting a tour of US 80 from El Cajon to the Desert View Tower. Various stops will be made along the road at important locations, including the Wisteria Candy Cottage and the Desert View Tower. If you’re interested, please RSVP prior to April 25th. There will be no cost for the tour as well. I look forward to seeing you all out there on the highway. More details will follow as the tour gets closer.

Featured Image – 11/11/2017

South view of the Barnett Ave / Pacific Highway interchange in San Diego, CA where US 80 and US 101 may have split in the past.