All posts by Michael F Ballard

Michael F Ballard is the author and administrator of the Southern California Regional Rocks and Roads website, https://socalregion.com, since 1995. I have been studying the geology and highway history throughout southern California for most of my life. I am also the President of the Ridge Route Preservation Organization. Founder of the Historic Highway 99 Association of California, https://historic99.org .

Highway 99 Presentation – Updated

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. The original link for the meeting was incorrect and has been updated. I apologize for the confusion.

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIkf-2hrzsiH904SqBi5hu0v6BAHfBEuTSC

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.

Featured Image – 8/21/2022

1929 culvert beneath I-5, at the lower left of the photo. Taken 2022.

Hidden below I-5 just north of Valencia Blvd next to a drainage basin, a bit of US 99 history remains in Santa Clarita, California. A culvert, dating to 1929, has survived through an expressway upgrade in 1949, freeway construction in 1967, bridge replacement construction in 2001, and current widening work in 2022. How much longer it will last is unknown but so far it has withstood the test of time.

Featured Image – 5/31/2022

1912 / 1933 Greenspot Road bridge over the Santa Ana River

The Greenspot Road bridge, locally known as the “Erector Set Bridge” has an interesting history. It was originally built in 1912 located near Victorville at the Mojave Narrows. In 1932, the bridge was dismantled and replaced with a wider span for US Highway 66. In 1933, San Bernardino County purchased a portion of the span and rebuilt it over the Santa Ana River between Mentone and Highland. The bridge remained in general use until 2015 when it was bypassed by a new bridge to the west. Today, the bridge is a part of a bicycle trail along the Santa Ana River.

To get to the bridge, use either the 5th St / Greenspot Road exit on State 210 (Exit 83) from the west or via State 38 (Mill Creek Road) and Garnet St from the east.

Further Reading:

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:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=zrQz1QvfC9s%3Fstart%3D2%26feature%3Doembed

Additional prior meetings can be viewed at:

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