Category Archives: Image

Archives, Caltrans, District 11, Highways, History, I-8, Image, Mission Valley, Roads, San Diego, San Diego County, Southern California, US 80

From the Archives – 1960

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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?

Caltrans, District 12, Highways, History, I-5, Image, Old Alignment, Orange County, Roads, US 101

Featured Image – 12/4/2021

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From the Archives – 1959

Looking southerly at US 101 (Now I-5) at Avery Parkway in 1959. Courtesy – Caltrans.

A lot has changed in southern Orange County since 1959. Gone are most of the orange groves and wide-open spaces. Today, this view is very different but a surprising amount of what is seen does remain. This photo, taken in 1959, shows the US 101 freeway and the original alignment to the right, known as Camino Capistrano. In the intervening years, the roadway has been widened at least four times. Instead of a four-lane freeway, it is now eight lanes plus two HOV lanes. Even today, the roadway is being widened yet again, this time to add an additional HOV lane in each direction. The State 73 freeway interchange is also missing from this view. It would be added in 1996.

Some of the concrete visible in this photo on both the freeway and old alignment still remain to this day. It is truly amazing to see what things looked like before they became one giant suburban mess.

Caltrans, District 7, Highways, History, Image, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, Roads, SR-170, SR-90

Featured Image – 9/4/2021

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1967 aerial photo showing the interchange between La Cienega Blvd (lower roadway) and Slauson Ave. Courtesy – Caltrans

In 1949, La Cienega Blvd was extended through the Baldwin Hills. This roadway was eventually to become a part of the State Route 170 Laurel Canyon Freeway. Interchanges and grade separations were built with this in mind. Access to the roadway was also controlled, making it easier to upgrade the roadway to a full freeway in the future. It became the only section constructed not long after.

Today, the roadway remains as a freeway and expressway-grade roadway through those hills acting as a “cutoff” for travelers coming from the westside of Los Angeles to the airport area. The photo above shows the interchange between La Cienega Blvd (right-left) and Slauson Ave in 1967. The photo was taken as a part of a study for a freeway routing for State Route 90, another stub freeway nearby. That freeway gained the moniker of the “Slauson Cutoff” by Johnny Carson.

Los Angeles may be known as “The Land of Freeways” but many of those freeway dreams didn’t come to pass. This is an example of one of those.

For further information:

La Cienega Boulevard – Baldwin Hills
Castaic, District 7, Highways, History, Image, Los Angeles County, Old Alignment, Ridge Route, Ridge Route Preservation Organization, Roads, US 99

Featured Image – 8/9/2021

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Ridge Route between the Tumble Inn and Kelly’s Halfway Inn

The old Ridge Route is my favorite roadway. Each trip is an adventure and I always seem to find something new. Sometimes those “new” things aren’t as exciting as they could be. In January 2021, a large rockslide was found just south of Swede’s Cut. On August 28, the Ridge Route Preservation Organization will be holding an event to remove that rockslide. They need your help and support. See their website for details on how you can help. Not only will you be able to go beyond the gates and see parts of the Ridge Route that are normally closed, but you will be able to help maintain it as well.

http://ridgeroute.org

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

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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.