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California State Route 67

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California State Route 67 is a 24.38-mile State Highway located entirely in San Diego County.  California State Route 67 begins at Interstate 8 in El Cajon and terminates at California State Route 78 to the north in Ramona.  California State Route 67 begins as the San Vicente Freeway in El Cajon which becomes a surface highway upon crossing the San Diego River in Lakeside.  From Lakeside California State Route 67 skirts west of the San Vicente Reservoir and consolidates in with the Julian Road approaching Ramona.  Featured as the blog cover photo is existing Legislative Route Number 198 on the Julian Road passing through San Vicente Dam when it's new alignment (which would become California State Route 67) was being constructed during 1942-43 




Part 1; the history of California State Route 67

As noted in the intro what is now California State Route 67 (CA 67) follows the general corridor of what was known as the Julian Road.  The Julian Road was a Franchise Toll Road which was completed between San Diego and the booming gold mines of Julian during 1871 by the Atkinson Brothers.  The Julian Road was purchased by San Diego County during 1874 and a public facility.  The Julian Road can be seen aligned between El Cajon and Julian on the 1882 Bancroft's Map of California and Nevada.  


The Julian Road originally ascended through what is now Foster Canyon north of Lakeside.  San Diego County Supervisor Joe Foster found the Julian Road through Foster Canyon to be difficult to maintain which led to a proposed realignment being put to San Diego County voters during 1890.  The new alignment of the Julian Road was completed north of Lakeside by 1892 via what known as the Mussey Grade.  In time the Julian Road would come to be known as County Route 3A.  

Below a stage wagons can be seen on the Mussey Grade of the Julian Road (courtesy Dusty Rhodes). 





The beginning of the Mussey Grade segment of the Julian Road was home to a stage house/rail siding community known as Foster.  Foster was the terminus of the Cuyamaca & Eastern Railroad where stages would depart towards Julian (courtesy Dusty Rhodes). 


Julian Road can be seen on the 1917 California State Automobile Association Map as a major County Highway.  Julian Road is seen originating at El Cajon, heading easterly through Ramona onward towards Julian.


Julian Road was paved between El Cajon and Santee by San Diego County by 1920 which was followed up by paving between Foster (the site of San Vicente Dam) and Ramona being completed by July 1922.  Julian Road was fully paved to Julian by April 1925.  

Paving of the Julian Road can be seen in the below photos during the 1920s (courtesy Dusty Rhodes).



The modernized Julian Road can be seen on the 1925 California State Automobile Association Map.  


Julian Road first entered the State Highway System as part of Legislative Route Number 198 ("LRN 198") during 1933.  LRN 198 originated at LRN 200 Spring Valley and followed Palm Avenue north towards US Route 80/LRN 12 in La Mesa.  The original definition of LRN 198 defined by 1933 Legislative Chapter 767 was as follows:

"LRN 12 near El Cajon to Descanso-Temecula Road near Santa Ysabel", and "Julian to LRN 26 near Kane Springs"

Although not spelled out in the original 1933 definition LRN 198 can be seen connecting US Route 80/LRN 12 south to LRN 200 on the 1934 Division of Highways Map.  



In the August 1934 California Highways and Public Works Guide the Sign State Routes were announced.  LRN 198 between El Cajon and Ramona was not assigned one of the initial Sign State Routes.  

During 1935 LRN 198 was codified with the following defined route segments:

1.  LRN 200 near Spring Valley to LRN 12 near La Mesa
2.  LRN 12 near El Cajon to LRN 78 near Santa Ysabel
3.  Julian to LRN 26 near Kane Springs

LRN 198 from LRN 200 north to Ramona can be seen on the 1935 Division of Highways Map of San Diego County.  From US Route 80/LRN 12 the alignment of LRN 198 can be seen departing El Cajon via Magnolia Avenue towards Santee.  LRN 198 can be seen following Woodside Avenue from Santee northward towards downtown Lakeside.  From Lakeside LRN 198 can be seen departing northward via Maine Avenue onward towards what is now Lakeside Avenue.  From Lakeside Avenue early LRN 198 transitioned northwards toward what is now Willow Road and Moreno Avenue towards Foster.  From Foster LRN 198 continued towards the site of what is now the San Vicente Reservoir.  From the site of San Vicente Reservoir LRN 198 continued northward via Mussey Grade Road towards Main Street in Julian.  In Julian LRN 198 intersected CA 78/LRN 197 via Main Street.  



LRN 198 on Palm Avenue between CA 94/LRN 200 north to US Route 80/LRN 12 appears in detail on the 1938 Division of Highways Map.  LRN 198 can be seen reaching US Route 80/LRN 12 at La Mesa Boulevard


The February 1940 California Highways & Public Works notes construction of a new alignment of US Route 80/LRN 12 spanning from El Cajon east to La Mesa had been completed during 1939.  


The new divided alignment of US Route 80/LRN 12 bypassing much of La Mesa on El Cajon Boulevard appears on the 1940 Division of Highways Map.  LRN 198 is shown to be rerouted over former US Route 80/LRN 12 on La Mesa Boulevard.  


The January/February 1944 California Highways & Public Works features the realignment of LRN 198 north of Lakeside around the site of San Vicente Dam.  The new alignment of LRN 198 is described as originating at the San Diego River and following an existing county road for two miles.  The new alignment of LRN 198 is cited to follow a new grade northward eight miles to Poway Road.  The new alignment of LRN 198 is described as following existing Poway Road northward where it reconsolidated back in with the existing Julian Road at Mount Woodson State Ranger Station near Ramona.  Construction of the new alignment of LRN 198 is described as having begun on April 27th, 1942.  The new alignment of LRN 198 around the San Vicente Reservoir was complete by December 29th, 1943.  The slow construction of the new alignment of LRN 198 is cited to have been due to it being a low priority project during World War II.  A tunnel through San Vicente Dam temporarily allowed traffic to continue from Lakeside through to Ramona on LRN 198/Julian Road while the new highway was being constructed.  



Below the Mussey Grade segment of LRN 198/Julian Road can be seen when the waters of San Vicente Reservoir began to fill (courtesy Dusty Rhodes).


San Vicente Dam was not completed until 1947.  Below San Vicente Dam can be seen in varying stages of construction (courtesy Dusty Rhodes).







Former LRN 198 approaching San Vicente Dam is still paved in concrete slabs (courtesy Dusty Rhodes).


A derelict segment of former LRN 198 behind San Vicente Dam (courtesy Dusty Rhodes).


The existing segment of former LRN 198 on Mussey Grade Road north of San Vicente Dam (courtesy Dusty Rhodes).  


The new alignment of LRN 198 between Lakeside and Ramona appears on the 1944 Division of Highways Map.  


CA 67 appears for the first time on 1952 Division of Highways Map.  The initial alignment of CA 67 spanned from US Route 80/LRN 12 in El Cajon via LRN 198 north to CA 78 in Ramona.  


The November/December 1955 California Highways & Public Works notes a new freeway corridor alignment of LRN 198 had been assigned as an extension of CA 67.  The new freeway segment of LRN 198 was under construction between CA 94/LRN 200 and US Route 80/LRN 12 in the vicinity of La Mesa.  The article stub notes two contracts already in progress, a third contract advertised, a fourth contract set to be advertised during the 1956-57 Fiscal Year and a fifth contract to be advertised as soon as freeway right of way could be made available.  The CA 67/LRN 198 freeway corridor in La Mesa is stated to be part of a larger major east/west freeway which connected to downtown San Diego via CA 94/LRN 200. 





The November/December 1955 California Highways & Public Works also describes a freeway alignment of CA 67/LRN 198 through Lakeside as having been adopted.  


The May/June 1957 California Highways & Public Works notes the two-mile CA 67/LRN 198 freeway in La Mesa was recently completed between CA 94/LRN 200 north to US Route 80/LRN 12.  


The July/August 1957 California Highways & Public Works features photos of the CA 94/CA 67 junction. 


The 1957 Division of Highways Map shows the new freeway alignment of CA 67/LRN 198 in La Mesa.


The September/October 1957 California Highways & Public Works notes the CA 67/LRN 198 freeway in La Mesa was dedicated on March 12th, 1957. 



The July/August 1960 California Highways & Public Works features a photo of CA 67/LRN 198 approaching US 80/LRN 12 near Grossmont Summit.  


The November/December 1960 California Highways & Public Works announced budget allocations to secure right-of-way for the CA 67/LRN 198 freeway north of El Cajon.  


The September/October 1961 California Highways & Public Works features new interchange between the US Route 80/LRN 12 freeway and CA 67/LRN 198 at Magnolia Avenue in El Cajon.  


The November/December 1962 California Highways & Public Works announced allocations made for construction of structures along the planned CA 67/LRN 198 freeway through Santee.  


The November/December 1963 California Highways & Public Works announced funding had been secured for construction of 1.7 miles of the CA 67/LRN 198 freeway in Santee.  



As part of the 1964 State Highway Renumbering the CA 67 freeway in La Mesa was added to CA 125.  The planned CA 125 can be seen for the first time on the 1964 Division of Highways Map.  Notably the CA 67 freeway in La Mesa can be seen legislatively assigned as part of CA 125.  CA 67's new definition had it truncated to Interstate 8 near El Cajon. 




The November/December 1964 California Highways & Public Works announced 2.5 miles of the CA 67 freeway in Santee was slated to be completed by Summer 1965.  


The November/December 1965 California Highways & Public Works announced a new budget would fund construction of a connecting segment of the CA 67 freeway between Interstate 80 in El Cajon to the existing segment in Santee.  A second project is cited which would extend the CA 67 freeway from Santee 1.7 miles through Lakeside.  


The completed CA 67 freeway in Santee appears on the 1966 Division of Highways Map.  


The November/December 1966 California Highways & Public Works noted the CA 67 "Lakeside Freeway" in El Cajon and Lakeside were in the process of being constructed.  


The CA 67 Lakeside Freeway was completed north from Interstate 8 to Pepper Drive in El Cajon by 1967.  The CA 67/Lakeside Freeway was extended northward to Woodside Avenue by December 1968.  These completed segments of the Lakeside Freeway can be observed on the 1969 Division of Highways Map.  


The 1970 Division of Highways Map was first to not display CA 67 signed on the CA 125 freeway in La Mesa.  


The CA 67/Lakeside Freeway would be completed to the San Diego River during October 1970 near Lakeside which can be seen on the 1975 Caltrans Map.  It is unclear when CA 67 between El Cajon-Lakeside assumed the name of the San Vicente Freeway.   




Part 2; Roadwaywiz on the San Vicente Freeway segment of California State Route 67

During October 2020 Dan Murphy of the Roadwaywiz YouTube Channel and Gribblenation featured real-time drives on the San Vicente Freeway segment of CA 67.  Below CA 67 on the San Vicente Freeway can be viewed northbound.  


Below CA 67 on the San Vicente Freeway can be viewed southbound.  


During April of 2020 Roadwaywiz featured the San Vicente Freeway segment of CA 67 as part of the San Diego Area Webinar.  

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