Sign County Route J18 and pre-1937 Legislative Route 122

The fourth route I took this past Monday was Sign County Route J18.

Sign County Route J18 ("J18") is a 26.5 mile route spanning San Joaquin Valley from I-5 east to CA 99. From I-5 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.

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.

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.

Interestingly J18 jumps onto CA 165/Lander Avenue briefly before continuing east on Westside Boulevard. This would be a rare example of a State Highway multiplexing a Sign County Route.

Westside Boulevard is flat and straight with very few indications you are still on J18 aside from this weird looking shield.

After 11 miles on Westside Boulevard J18 terminates at CA 99 near Atwater.

According to CAhighways.org J18 has been signed since 1960.

CAhighways.org on Sign County Route J18

Interestingly J18 was the precursor route to California State Route 140 west of Merced. 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. Legislative Route 122 was adopted during 1933 according to CAhighways.org.

1935 Division of Highways Map of Merced County

1935 Division of Highways Map Stanislaus County

Legislative Route 122 was shifted off of River Road south to a new alignment between Merced and Gustine which can be seen on the 1938 Division of Highways State Map. CA 140 can also be seen for the first time west of Merced on the 1938 Division of Highways State Map.

1938 Division of Highways State Map

Comments

Hidden California State Route 710 and the Pasadena Gap in the Long Beach Freeway

Infamous and the subject of much controversy the Pasadena Gap in the Long Beach Freeway has long existed as a contentious topic regarding the completion of Interstate 710 and California State Route 710. While the Pasadena Gap of the Long Beach Freeway effectively has been legislatively blocked the action only came after decades of controversy. While the Pasadena Gap of the Long Beach Freeway is fairly well known what many don't know is that a small segment was actually constructed south Interstate 210 and the Foothill Freeway. This disconnected segment of the Long Beach Freeway exists as the unsigned and largely hidden California State Route 710. On June 29, 2022 the California Transportation Commission relinquished California State Route 710 to the city of Pasadena. The blog cover above depicts a southward view on the completed Pasadena stub segment of the Long Beach Freeway which ends at California Boulevard. Part 1; the history of the Pasadena Gap of the Long Beach Freewa

Deer Isle Bridge in Maine

As graceful a bridge that I ever set my eyes upon, the Deer Isle Bridge (officially known as the Deer Isle-Sedgwick Bridge) surprisingly caught my eye as I was driving around coastal Maine one Saturday afternoon. About 35 miles south of Bangor, Maine , the Deer Isle Bridge connects the Blue Hill Peninsula of Downeast Maine with Little Deer Isle over the Eggemoggin Reach on ME 15 between the towns of Sedgwick and Deer Isle . It should be noted that Little Deer Isle is connected to Deer Isle by way of a boulder lined causeway, and there is a storied regatta that takes place on the Eggemoggin Reach each summer. But the Deer Isle Bridge holds many stories, not just for the vacationers who spend part of their summer on Deer Isle or in nearby Stonington , but for the residents throughout the years and the folks who have had a hand bringing this vital link to life. The Deer Isle Bridge was designed by David Steinman and built by the Phoenix Bridge Company of Phoenixville,

Paper Highways: Proposed US Route 66 Alternate to Las Vegas, Nevada

During February 1956 the State of Nevada in concurrence with the States of California and Arizona submitted a request to the American Association of State Highway Officials to establish US Route 66 Alternate to Las Vegas. The proposed US Route 66 Alternate would have originated from mainline US Route 66 in Kingman Arizona and followed a multiplex of US Routes 93-466 to Las Vegas, Nevada. From Las Vegas, Nevada the proposed US Route 66 Alternate would have multiplexed US Routes 91-466 back to mainline US Route 66 in Barstow, California. The request to establish US Route 66 Alternate was denied during June 1956 due to it being completely multiplexed with other US Routes. This blog will examine the timeline of the US Route 66 Alternate proposal to Las Vegas, Nevada. The history of the proposed US Route 66 Alternate to Las Vegas, Nevada On February 15, 1956, the Nevada State Highway Engineer in a letter to the American Association of State Highways Officials (AASHO) advising that six c