Category Archives: History

Highway Tours, Highways, History, Kern County, Old Alignment, Old Bridge, Roads, Tulare County, US 99, Website News

US 99 Tour Extension

It has taken a while, but I have finally extended my Virtual Tour of US 99, again. This extension adds another 40 miles to the tour, bringing the northern terminus to just south of Tulare, California. A friend of mine helped getting some of the photos as well. In time, I will extend the tour yet further to Fresno, but it will take a while as I am missing photos at this time. If anyone is willing to help, let me know and I can tell you what I will need.

So why not take a tour of one of California’s more historic roadways?

Virtual Tour of US 99
California, Highways, History, Los Angeles County, Old Alignment, Ridge Route, Roads, Southern California, US 99

Views From The Ridge Route

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In December 2019 and January 2020, I had the chance to take a couple of trips over the Ridge Route. Once this current situation is over, I fully intend to get back up there for a multitude of reasons. As I cannot get up there at present and we’re all still on some form of “lockdown”, I thought I’d share some of the photos I took up there. The Ridge Route is a very scenic route, far more than I-5 or even the “new” alignment of US 99. They all have their merits but the Ridge Route gets the best of the views. Just an FYI, some of these pics may be from earlier trips. Maybe you be the judge? Which is your favorite?

Care to help preserve the road? Head on over to the Ridge Route Preservation Organization to see what you can do to help and perhaps have the opportunity to traverse the Scenic and Historic Ridge Route.

  • Deadman’s Curve in Grapevine Canyon
  • Near Tejon Summit
  • Toward Liebre Summit
  • Toward Black Mountain
  • Down Serpentine Grade
  • South of Reservoir Summit
  • North of Reservoir Summit

Caltrans, District 12, Highways, History, Image, Newport Beach, Orange County, SR-1, SR-55

Featured Image – 2/11/2020

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1970’s proposal for the State 1 and State 55 Interchange (Pacific Coast Freeway and Newport Freeway). Courtesy – Caltrans

Back in the 1970’s, California was “all about the freeway” it seemed. Build them so that people could go anywhere using one. Anywhere, at times, meant an offshore causeway (Pacific Coast Freeway) or over high mountain ranges where even a two-lane roadway has problems (Angeles Crest Expressway), regardless of the costs or necessity. One of these plans, the Pacific Coast Freeway, never really came to fruition. Portions were indeed built, such as the interchange with I-5 near Dana Point and through the Oxnard Plain. The section that was proposed to go through Newport Beach would be the end of the plan. Local opposition was quite heavy, which cascaded to every city along the path also saying no to the project. The image above is an artists rendering of what would have been the State 1 and State 55 interchange near the present intersection of Newport Blvd (State 55) and Hospital Road.

Highways, History, Image, Los Angeles County, Old Alignment, Ridge Route, Roads, US 99

Featured Image – 1/19/2020

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Old Ridge Route between Reservoir Summit and Kelly’s Halfway Inn. Taken 1/19/2020.
Highways, History, Roads, San Diego, San Diego County

City of San Diego – 1970

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The City of San Diego Clerk has been placing a large number of videos on YouTube over the past few months which are quite unique and eye-opening. In 1970, the City created videos of many of the roadways in San Diego. These are done in the same manner as Caltrans Photologs, which essentially takes a photo of the road every few feet or so, creating a fast motion video of the road. Roads such as Murphy Canyon Road and Kearny Villa Road no longer exist in the same manner as they did back then. Both have been greatly modified by I-15 and State 163. Some of the street names don’t match current names, however. Black Mountain Road, as shown in the video, is basically Del Mar Heights Road and Landsdale Dr, among others. Miramar Rd, in the video, covers current Eastgate Mall as well, as it was the old alignment of Miramar Rd through to UCSD.

These videos show this and more. Why not see it for yourself and be amazed! Try and count the number of spinning gas station signs too.

San Diego City Clerk YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn1v1JAjFEEvqMi-VHpee5w/videos