Southern California Regional Rocks and Roads

Virtual Tour US 6 / US 99
Newhall Pass

US 6 / US 99 Junction
Tunnel Station

Newhall Pass in 1880, before construction of roadways. The pass has changed greatly since then.

tunnel_station_side — Tunnel Station Viaduct.

viaduct2 — Tunnel Station Viaduct, looking toward the original junction.

The Tunnel Station Viaduct (53-409), as it is known, was originally built in 1911 by the City of Los Angeles. The structure was later widened in 1936 to its current form. While somewhat modified in the intervening years through the removal of the light posts and seismic retrofitting, the bridge still retains some of its unique features. The railing and sides have an Art Deco look to them, common for bridges in the Los Angeles area from that era.

Sierra Highway heads north, US 99 heads northwest, US 6 and US 99 leave on the road marked with a 4 to the south. The red line heading south, ending on Sierra Highway, is old Foothill Blvd (extended here in 1934).

Looking southerly at Tunnel Station Junction in January 1949. Courtesy – Caltrans

In 1930, the Newhall Alternate was completed between Tunnel Station (here) and Saugus Junction bypassing Newhall and Saugus. This greatly improved traffic conditions at Tunnel Station Junction, however, it was not to last. In 1934, Foothill Blvd was extended here, functioning as a bypass of Los Angeles, much like I-210 does today diverting traffic bound for Pasadena. After US 6 was extended here in 1937, traffic heading up to the Eastern Sierra increased, again creating traffic jams here.

Northerly along San Fernando Road just south of Tunnel Station in 1953. Note the freeway construction to the right. *Courtesy – Caltrans*

1950 view of Tunnel Station Junction, looking north. *Courtesy – Caltrans*

Looking up Weldon Canyon from the old end of Foothill Blvd at Sierra Highway in 1950. *Courtesy – Caltrans*

Tunnel Station Viaduct and the US 6 / US 99 interchange in 1955. *Courtesy – Caltrans*

Postcard from the 1920's showing the Los Angeles Aqueduct and US 99. This is just west of the present Balboa Blvd OC. — Postcard from the 1920’s showing the Los Angeles Aqueduct and US 99. This is just west of the present Balboa Blvd OC.

In 1954, the first segment of the Golden State Freeway was completed through here, bypassing the old junction. It ran from the San Fernando Road / Sepulveda Blvd junction to near the top of Weldon Summit. A three level interchange was constructed to help alleviate the congestion here. Starting from the top, US 99 is on the top level, US 6 is on the middle level, and a ramp from US 6 West to US 99 South is on the third level. This interchange was in use until the modern interchange between I-5 and SR-14 was built in 1971. That interchange had to be rebuilt due to an earthquake on February 9, 1971. It was finally completed in 1975. In 1994, the I-5/SR-14 interchange was rebuilt yet again after two of the bridges collapsed. The original freeway portion, albeit modified heavily, is still in use today as the I-5 Truck Lanes.