Category Archives: I-5

Archives, California, District 7, Highways, History, I-5, Image, Los Angeles County, Roads, Southern California, SR-14, US 6, US 99

Featured Image – 7/22/2021

Image July 22, 2021 Michael F Ballard Leave a comment

US 6 / US 99 Interchange in 1955. Courtesy – Caltrans

In 1955, the first section of the Golden State Freeway opened. It was a short section, running from near Weldon Summit to Foothill Blvd. The freeway was the first major attempt to improve traffic in the Newhall Pass area and it did help for a time. The freeway remained until the early 1970’s when the new I-5 / State 14 interchange was constructed and the old freeway was reconfigured to become the “Truck Lanes”.

Today, the original interchange still remains, though not entirely used. The lower level, formerly the US 6 West to US 99 South connector, is now partially filled in. The second level still carries Sierra Highway with the top level carrying the I-5 Truck Lanes. The Newhall Pass has undergone many changes in its time as a transportation corridor for Los Angeles. This one was but one of those. The photo was taken on November 22, 1955.

Caltrans, District 11, Highways, I-15, I-5, I-805, Image, Roads, San Diego, San Diego County

Featured Image – 6/24/2021

Image June 24, 2021 Michael F Ballard

West Lilac Road OC over I-15 – only a few of these arches exist in California.

San Diego has a somewhat unique distinction compared to other California cities. You cannot travel north from San Diego, by freeway, without going underneath an arch bridge. I-5 has one at Gilman Dr, I-805 at Eastgate Mall. I-15 has the one pictured near Pala with West Lilac Road crossing over. Now I-8 needs one, somewhere to make it complete.

Castaic, District 7, Highways, Historic Highway 99 Association of California, I-5, Los Angeles County, Meeting, Old Alignment, Old Bridge, Roads, US 99, Website News

Ridge Route Alternate Presentation

March 8, 2021 Michael F Ballard Leave a comment

On Tuesday, April 6 at 6pm, I will be giving a presentation via Zoom on the Ridge Route Alternate section of US 99 during the regular monthly meeting of the Historic Highway 99 Association of California. It will cover the history of the roadway from its original construction through to its replacement by I-5 from Castaic to Tejon Pass. The presentation will include some rarer photos of the route and have time at the end for questions. Come join us and learn a bit about the history of US 99 in Southern California!

To register for the presentation, use the link below:

https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwlf-6srDIqHdRkYBHsG8jzi8D68Gtys-dF

District 7, Earthquake, Geology, History, I-5, Image, Los Angeles County, Santa Clarita, SR-14, US 6, US 99

Featured Image – 2/8/2021

Image February 8, 2021 Michael F Ballard

1970 view of the I-5 / SR-14 Interchange construction. This “build” would partially collapse on February 9, 1971 while still incomplete. Courtesy – Caltrans

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the February 9, 1971 M6.6 Sylmar / San Fernando Earthquake, our featured image shows the construction work in progress on the I-5 and State 14 interchange in 1970. This work would be halted abruptly in the early hours of February 9, 1971. After this, it would be reconstructed two more times. The earthquake changed the way freeways such as this were built and did further seismic codes throughout the state.

For further information about the interchange:

Golden State Freeway / Antelope Valley Freeway Interchange

US 6 / US 99 Junction – Tunnel Station

Historical Photos of the US 99 / US 6 Interchange

Caltrans, District 7, East Los Angeles, Highways, History, I-10, I-5, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, Road Signs, Roads, Southern California, SR-26, SR-60, US 101, US 60, US 70

East Los Angeles Interchange Signage

May 17, 2020 Michael F Ballard Leave a comment

In 1958, when the East Los Angeles Interchange started to be built, the routes that were planned to go through it were a little different that what is there today. I-10 was originally to be State 26 and I-5 was a part of US 99. US 101 remained the same. State 60 was to be State 26. The routing of the interstates through cities wasn’t quite settled yet and many of the roads were planned to be State or US routes.

After the signs were installed, some of them were temporarily overlaid until the Pomona Freeway connections were completed. A portion of the original route planned for that freeway, State 26, was visible. While some have speculated it was actually US 60 underneath there, reverting to State 60 after the 1964 route renumbering, these plans show otherwise. How far east the State Route 26 signage would have gone does remain unknown. It is likely it would have gone at least as far as the 57, if not all the way to the 71, as US 60 was effectively terminated at the present junction of I-10 and State 71 about 1960.