The Historic Highway 99 Association of California is starting a new series on the history of US 99, historic sites along the way, and information about the Association. Join them on their YouTube Channel – @highway99 – to learn more. Their first video is on The Grapevine.
Historic Highway 99 Association of California YouTube Channel
From the Ridge Route Preservation Organization:
The Ridge Route Preservation Organization was cleared by the Angeles National Forest to repair potholes along the north section of the Old Ridge Route from the 138 to the Tumble Inn.
The intent is to preserve the road and make it more accessible to the public as well as emergency services. Filling the potholes can reinforce crumbling sections of the road as well as prevent further damage to the original road surface.
The Ridge Route Pothole Project will begin in spring of 2024.
These improvements don’t only serve to protect the history of the Ridge Route, the repairs will also serve everyone who passes through the area. It’s a large stretch of open land that provides recreation for hikers, cyclists and hunters as well as being a heavy fire danger area. It’s important that emergency vehicles have quick and easy access when mere seconds matter.
A donation of $15 buys a 50 pound bag of asphalt cold patch.
For volunteer and donation info visit https://ridgeroute.org/pothole-project.
I-10 (Santa Monica Freeway) is closed for an extended period in both directions through Downtown Los Angeles between I-5 and the 110 due to fire damage. To get around, here are some good resources:
Los Angeles Metro – Detours and Transit Options
City of Los Angeles – Emergency Management
Caltrans Quickmap – Real-Time Traffic Updates
The west end of US 66, at least in popular culture, has always been at the Pacific Ocean, or at least close to it. Santa Monica Pier, at times, touts itself as the western end. The intersection of Ocean Blvd and Santa Monica Blvd also does the same. While both are scenic and somewhat obvious ends, they simply are not correct.
As US 66 was by California standards, a State Highway, it falls under a specific standard. All signed routes, be they a State, US, or even Interstate Highway, ran along specified roadways which were all State Highways and maintained by the State. Signage for such routes would not have been on any other roadway, for a multitude of reasons. This may seem confusing to the layperson, but it does make sense. There is, as the saying goes, method to the madness. Think of it from a legal standpoint. If a highway is signed as a State, US, or Interstate route, the layperson (generally the public) would assume it be maintained by an agency above the city it passes through. Liability for such a roadway goes to the State. If the State has no interest in the roadway, there is no reason to push this perceived liability upon it. Therefore, only roadways maintained by the State get signed. Seems simple enough.
Now, how does this pertain to the western end of US 66 you ask? Both the pier and the intersection of Ocean and Santa Monica are not State Highways nor part of a State Highway The true end of the road was at a place that was far less extravagant and scenic. The end of US 66 was at the intersection of Lincoln Blvd and Olympic Blvd, which was the junction of US 66 (Lincoln Blvd north of Olympic), US 101 Alternate (Lincoln Blvd south of Olympic), and State Highway 26 (Olympic Blvd). Today, this intersection is at Lincoln Blvd, Olympic Blvd, and the Santa Monica Freeway. The western end of Olympic was subsumed by the Santa Monica Freeway (originally to be named the Olympic Freeway) in 1965. This western end existed from 1935 until 1964, when US 66 was cut back to Los Angeles.
Eventually, US 66 was cut back even further. Initially to Downtown Los Angeles, it was further reduced as time passed, and by 1984 the route was entirely gone. Today, the highway is marked by Historic Route signs across most of its journey through the Los Angeles area.
So, when visiting the west end of US 66, do it right. Visit the intersection of Lincoln Blvd and Olympic Blvd. Any other location is incorrect. If you do visit the pier, make sure to check out their exhibit on Bob Waldmire near the west end of Pacific Park, who helped promote old US 66 with his very intricate and detailed artwork.
Castaic Junction, located just north of Six Flags Magic Mountain in the Santa Clarita Valley was an important stop along US 99 and State 126 until the 1980’s. A Standard Oil gas station, one of the largest and busiest at the time, was located here in addition to Tip’s Restaurant. The restaurant was reported to be the last stop for James Dean before he died on September 30, 1955. A Beacon station also existed here at the south side of the junction, though it didn’t last as long as the Standard station. The gas station closed sometime in the 1980’s and the restaurant persisted as the Castaic Junction restaurant a bit longer.
The roadway through the junction has also undergone many changes since it was first paved. In 1917, a 15′ concrete slab was laid down. This was widened in 1922 by adding two 2.5′ slabs on either side of the existing concrete. At the time, Castaic Junction was a “wye” intersection, with US 99 making up the east side and State 126 on the south side. The west side was a connector road from SB US 99 to WB 126. In 1931, the 1917/1922 pavement was removed and replaced with a wider two-lane section along the same route. By 1933, an additional lane was added making it a three-lane “suicide lane” setup.
In 1948, yet more changes were made to the junction. US 99 was realigned a bit to the east and made a four-lane expressway. State 126 was also widened, though just at the junction itself. The former west leg of the junction was removed as the Standard Oil gas station was augmented. This configuration lasted until 1964 when I-5 was constructed and the whole intersection was bypassed.
Today, little remains of any of the structures that existed at the junction. A new shopping center and Caltrans maintenance yard occupy the area east of the junction. The original traffic signals were replaced and additional curbs were added.
Surprisingly, the original 1917 wye junction remains nearly completely intact. The west and east legs of the junction are still visible, despite a major realignment, the construction of the Standard Oil gas station in 1948, and its subsequent demolition. How long any of this will last is unknown as development is likely to erase these traces in the near future.
Further Reading:
