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California State Route 144

This past month I drove several short State Highways in the Santa Barbara Area including California State Route 144.


The present route of CA 144 is located within the City of Santa Barbara.  Current CA 144 is approximately 1.1 miles between Salinas Street north via Sycamore Canyon Road to CA 192.


The present route of CA 144 was added to the State Highway System in 1933 as a spur of Legislative Route 80 according to CAhighways.org.  The spur of LRN 80 ran from CA 150 south via; Sycamore Canyon Road and Salinas Street to US 101/LRN 2.  The spur of LRN 80 can be seen on the 1935 California Division of Highways Map of Santa Barbara County.


During the 1964 State Highway Renumbering the spur of LRN 80 was reassigned as CA 144.  The route of CA 144 was so small in scale that it often wasn't displayed on State Highway Maps.  One of the few State Highway Map editions to clearly show CA 144 was in 2005.  The 2005 State Highway Map shows CA 144 running from US 101/CA 1 via; Milpas Street, Mason Street, Salinas Street and Sycamore Canyon Road to CA 192.


According to CAhighways.org the relinquishment of CA 144 in Santa Barbara was legislatively approved in 1999 and became effective in 2000.  At the time it appears that the City of Santa Barbara did not extend north of Salinas Street up Sycamore Canyon Road as CA 144 north from Post Mile SB 0.87 still exists.  The language of the 1999 relinquishment appears to be vague enough that the remainder of CA 144 may be deleted provided the City of Santa Barbara is willing to accept it.

My approach to CA 144 north was from US 101/CA 1 south where I joined the former alignment via Exit 96B onto South Milpas Street.







Former CA 144 north would have continued up Milpas Street under US 101/CA 1 to Mason Street.





Former CA 144 north swung east on Mason Street towards Salinas Street.  The lack of utility for a State Highway is readily apparent as it is a narrow street which passes by a school.





Former CA 144 north made a left turn onto Salinas Street.  At the roundabout located at Salinas Street and Sycamore Canyon Road CA 144 north begins at Post Mile SB 0.87.




CA 144 north follows Sycamore Canyon Road through Sycamore Canyon to CA 192 where it terminates at Post Mile SB 1.952 near the 1921 Sycamore Creek Bridge.










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