Skip to main content

Former US Route 99 on Atwater Boulevard in the City of Atwater

By

 
 
The City of Atwater is located Merced County and presently part of one of the fastest growing micropolitian areas in California.  Present day California State Route 99 traverses Atway via a freeway through whereas US Route 99 originally could be found on Atwater Boulevard.

This blog is part of the larger Gribblenation US Route 99 Page.  For more information pertaining to the other various segments of US Route 99 and it's three-digit child routes check out the link the below.





Part 1; the history of US Route 99 in Atwater 
 
Atwater was settled in the early 1870s as a siding of the Southern Pacific Railroad.  Atwater is named after a wheat farmer who's land the railroad siding was built upon.  The Southern Pacific Railroad laid the groundwork for development of  San Joaquin Valley.  Previous to the Southern Pacific Railroad travel via wagon or foot in Central California tended to avoid San Joaquin Valley in favor of the Stockton-Los Angeles Road.  The Stockton Los Angeles Road lied to the east of San Joaquin Valley in the Sierra Nevada Foothills and was less subject flooding.  Before the Southern Pacific Railroad most of San Joaquin Valley was a sparsely inhabited wetland which made travel by road difficult.  Upon the emergence of the Southern Pacific Railroad the community of Atwater would quickly develop.  Atwater incorporated as a City in August of 1922.  
 
Atwater can be seen along the Southern Pacific Railroad on the 1873 Oregon, California, & Nevada Railroad Map.  

 

The emergence of the automobile in the early 20th Century in California led to the 1909 First State Highway Bond Act which was approved by voters during 1910.  The majority of the highways approved as part of the First State Highway Bond Act were largely well established routes of travel.  One such highway was Legislative Route Number 4 ("LRN 4") which was defined as a highway from "Sacramento to Los Angeles."
 
A very early LRN 4 in Atwater can be seen on the 1917 California State Automobile Association Map.  LRN 4 can be seen following Atwater Boulevard through Atwater.
 
 
Atwater can be seen on LRN 4, the Inland Route on the 1920 Clason Highway Map of California.   

 
The 1924 Rand McNally Highway Map of California provides more detail on the alignment LRN 4 and the Inland Route in Atwater.  Just as with the 1917 CSAA Highway Map LRN 4 can be seen following Atwater Boulevard through Atwater on a frontage of the Southern Pacific Railroad. 
 
 
The initial draft of the US Route System was approved by the Secretary of Agriculture during November of 1925.  The US Route System with in California was approved by California Highway Commission with no changes recommended by January 1926.  The initial alignment of US Route 99 ("US 99") was planned to follow LRN 4 from Sacramento to Los Angeles.  US 99 is shown on a map published in the 1926 California Highways & Public Works following LRN 4 south from Sacramento through Atwater. 
 

 
During November of 1926 the US Route System was approved by the AASHO.  US 99 can be seen aligned through Atwater via Atwater Boulevard on the 1927 National Map Company Sectional Map. 
 

US 99/LRN 4 can be seen in detail traversing Atwater on the 1935 California Division of Highways Map.
 
 
 
The September/October 1956 California Highways & Public Works announced the start of construction on the new 4.5 mile Atwater Freeway realignment of US 99/LRN 4.  

The May/June 1957 California Highways & Public Works cites the Atwater Freeway as one of several US 99/LRN 4 realignments nearing completion between Sacramento-Los Angeles.  


The January/February 1958 California Highways & Public Works discusses the opening of the Atwater Bypass (retitled from Atwater Freeway).  The Atwater Bypass is cited as being a 4.5 mile reroute of US 99/LRN 4 through the City of Atwater which opened to traffic on October 14th, 1957.  


The AASHO Renumbering database shows that US 99 was approved to be truncated out of California by the AASHO Executive Committee on June 29th, 1965.  This measure was put Atwater on what is now California State Route 99 ("CA 99"). 






Part 2; a drive on former US Route 99 in Atwater on Atwater Boulevard

From the current CA 99 Freeway northbound Former US 99/Atwater Boulevard can be accessed via Exit 194.  


Former US 99/Atwater Boulevard follows east of the CA 99 Freeway in a generally northwestern direction.  Former US 99/Atwater Boulevard has a significant intersection at Winton Way.  







Former US 99/Atwater Bouelvard intersects and crosses under the CA 99 Freeway where it terminates near Atwater Canal.  








Further Reading

Continuing north on US Route 99 to Livingston? 

Former US Route 99 in Livingston and the last traffic light (gribblenation.org)

Continuing south on US Route 99 to Merced? 

Former US Route 99 on 16th Street in Merced (gribblenation.org)
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Former US Route 50 and the Pioneer Route Lincoln Highway on Johnson's Pass Road

By
Johnson's Pass Road is one of the oldest highway corridors in California.  Johnson's Pass was part of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road as it was completed during 1856 over the Sierra Nevada.  The pass would later be incorporated into the Pioneer Branch of the Lincoln Highway in 1913 and US Route 50 in 1926.  Johnson's Pass Road would be bypassed by a new alignment of US Route 50 over Echo Summit in 1938.  A replacement of the Meyers Grade east of Johnson's Pass would be opened to traffic in 1947.   Johnson's Pass Road remains accessible to traffic and is still signed by the Lincoln Highway Association.  Pictured as the blog cover is the view from the top of Johnson's Pass Road overlooking modern US Route 50 and Lake Tahoe.   Part 1; the history of Johnson's Pass Much of the history of what become the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road is discussed in the  September 1950 California Highways & Public Works  during its Centennial Edition.  The or...
Post a Comment
Read more

Former US Route 50 and the South Lincoln Highway from Folsom east to Placerville

By
The corridor of Folsom of Sacramento County east to Placerville of El Dorado County has been a long established corridor of overland travel dating back to the California Gold Rush.  The Folsom-Placerville corridor was once part of the path of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road which became the first California State Highway and later the South Lincoln Highway.  In time the South Lincoln Highway's surface alignment was inherited by US Route 50.  The Folsom-Placerville corridor also includes the communities of; Clarksville, Shingle Springs and El Dorado. Part 1; the history of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road, South Lincoln Highway and US Route 50 through Folsom-Placerville Folsom is located on the American River/Lake Natoma of eastern Sacramento County.  That lands now occupied by the City of Folsom were part of Rancho Rio de los Americanos prior to the finding of gold at Sutter's Mill during 1848.  During the California Gold Rush the lands of Rancho Rio de los Americanos were p...
Post a Comment
Read more

Old NC 10 - The Central Highway: Old Fort to Black Mountain through the Royal Gorge

By
A unique way of tracing the remnants of the Central Highway is through the mountainous terrain of Eastern Buncombe and Western McDowell Counties.  From the east on US 70, you reach the base of Blue Ridge Mountains at the town of Old Fort.  Old Fort is a tiny rail town that the old Central Highway and now US 70 goes through.  The Central Highway can be followed via a right onto Mill Creek Road from US 70.  Follow the highway as it takes you closer to the mountains.  When Mill Creek Road bears right to head towards Andrews Geyser stay straight until the road ends at a gate.  The nearby Piney Grove Church can be used for parking.  At this point, the old Central Highway began a 3.5 mile climb of the mountain to Swannanoa Gap.  NC 10 and later US 70 travelers followed this road for over 30 years until a new and modern four lane US 70 was built to the south.  This same four lane road would eventually become Interstate 40.    The Centra...
Post a Comment
Read more