The fourth route I took this past Monday was Signed County Route J18.
County Route J18 is a 26.5 mile route spanning San Joaquin Valley from I-5 east to CA 99. From I-5 CR J18 starts at exit 423 along Stuhr Road.
Sturh Road looking east towards Newman across San Joaquin Valley.
J18 crosses CA 33 just north of the city limits of Newman.
East of Newman Sturh Road ends and J18 east takes a left turn on Hills Ferry Road. Hills Ferry Road quickly crosses the San Joaquin River into Merced County becoming Kelley Road.
CR J18 turns right on River Road over the Merced River. The 1910 Merced River Bridge is located next to the modern bridge on River Road. The 1910 bridge is heavily vandalized and obviously not very well cared for with holes in the asphalt surface. (Post Note; Hard to believe this bridge was on CA 140 after doing map research)
River Road east of the Merced River is in terrible shape and can't really practically be drive at speeds higher than 45 MPH comfortably. River Road has several 90 degree turns and generally follows the path of the Merced River.
Oddly CR J18 jumps onto CA 165/Lander Avenue briefly before continuing east on Westside Boulevard.
Westside Boulevard is flat and straight with very few indications you are still on CR J18 aside from this weird looking shield.
After 11 miles on Westside Boulevard CR J18 terminates at CA 99 near Atwater.
According to CAhighways.org CR J18 has been signed since 1960.
CAhighways.org on CR J18
Interestingly it seems that most of CR J18 was once likely part of CA 140. The 1935 Division of Highways maps for Stanislaus and Merced Counties show Legislative Route 122 running from CA 33 in Newman east to US 99 in Livingston. The route of this highway is exactly the same as CR J18 aside from using Main Street north from Westside Boulevard to reach US 99 in Livingston and utilizing Hills Ferry Road to CA 33 in Newman. I'm uncertain if this stretch was signed as CA 140 but the new section definitely was by 1938.
1935 Merced County Highway Map
1935 Stanislaus County Highway Map
CA 140 appears on the J18 alignment on the 1936-37 edition of the state highway map but is no longer state maintained on the 1938 map.
1936 State Highway Map
1938 State Highway Map
CAhighways.org states that CA 140 was moved off the J18 alignment southward in 1937.
CAhighways.org on CA 140
County Route J18 is a 26.5 mile route spanning San Joaquin Valley from I-5 east to CA 99. From I-5 CR J18 starts at exit 423 along Stuhr Road.
Sturh Road looking east towards Newman across San Joaquin Valley.
J18 crosses CA 33 just north of the city limits of Newman.
East of Newman Sturh Road ends and J18 east takes a left turn on Hills Ferry Road. Hills Ferry Road quickly crosses the San Joaquin River into Merced County becoming Kelley Road.
CR J18 turns right on River Road over the Merced River. The 1910 Merced River Bridge is located next to the modern bridge on River Road. The 1910 bridge is heavily vandalized and obviously not very well cared for with holes in the asphalt surface. (Post Note; Hard to believe this bridge was on CA 140 after doing map research)
River Road east of the Merced River is in terrible shape and can't really practically be drive at speeds higher than 45 MPH comfortably. River Road has several 90 degree turns and generally follows the path of the Merced River.
Oddly CR J18 jumps onto CA 165/Lander Avenue briefly before continuing east on Westside Boulevard.
Westside Boulevard is flat and straight with very few indications you are still on CR J18 aside from this weird looking shield.
After 11 miles on Westside Boulevard CR J18 terminates at CA 99 near Atwater.
According to CAhighways.org CR J18 has been signed since 1960.
CAhighways.org on CR J18
Interestingly it seems that most of CR J18 was once likely part of CA 140. The 1935 Division of Highways maps for Stanislaus and Merced Counties show Legislative Route 122 running from CA 33 in Newman east to US 99 in Livingston. The route of this highway is exactly the same as CR J18 aside from using Main Street north from Westside Boulevard to reach US 99 in Livingston and utilizing Hills Ferry Road to CA 33 in Newman. I'm uncertain if this stretch was signed as CA 140 but the new section definitely was by 1938.
1935 Merced County Highway Map
1935 Stanislaus County Highway Map
CA 140 appears on the J18 alignment on the 1936-37 edition of the state highway map but is no longer state maintained on the 1938 map.
1936 State Highway Map
1938 State Highway Map
CAhighways.org states that CA 140 was moved off the J18 alignment southward in 1937.
CAhighways.org on CA 140
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