California State Route 202

After crossing my way over the Sierras via California State Route 155 and Caliente-Bodfish Road I made my way up to Tehachapi to drive the original alignment of US Route 466. Before heading out on the former alignment of US 466 I went on a side trip on CA 202.

CA 202 is a 11 mile state highway completely contained within Tehachapi Valley in Kern County. CA 202 begins near Tehachapi Pass at CA 58 exit 148.

Tehachapi is located one mile away on CA 202 from CA 58.

Heading westward CA 202 begins on Tucker Road which is also part of the CA 58 Business Route. Interestingly CA 58 Business co-signed on CA 202 to Techachapi Boulevard and even has an "end" placard at it's mainline route.

CA 202/CA 58BL crosses over the Union Pacific Railroad and Tehachapi Creek into Tehachapi. CA 58BL splits east on Tehechapi Boulevard whereas CA 202 stays on Tucker Road.

CA 202 splits west on Valley Boulevard towards the California Correctional Facility. Valley Boulevard was originally a section of US 466.

At Woodford-Tehachapi Road US 466 would have split north towards Tehachapi Pass. CA 202 continues west on Valley Boulevard but it's original routing began southward on Woodford-Tehachapi Road.

The California Correctional Facility is listed as being 5 miles west of Woodford-Tehachapi Road.

There isn't much to CA 202 west of Tehachapi. The route is clearly meant to funnel traffic as quickly as possible to Cummings Valley Road and the California Correctional Facility.

CA 202 cuts south towards the California Correctional Facility where it ends outside the main gate.

Prior to the 1964 State Highway renumbering the route of CA 202 was unsigned Legislative Route 144. LRN 144 was one of the 1933 adoptions into the State Highway system according to CAhighways.org.

CAhighways.org on LRN 144

Very little of modern CA 202 is on the original alignment but rather on a bypass route to the north. Originally LRN 144/CA 202 would have begun at US 466 headed south on Woodford-Tehachapi Road and used the following to reach the California Correctional Facility:

- West on Schout Road
- South on Backes Lane
- West on Highline Road
- North on Banducci Road
- West on Valley Boulevard
- West on Cummings Valley Road
- South on Bear Valley Road

The original alignment of LRN 144/CA 202 can be observed on the 1935 California Division of Highways Map of Kern County.

1935 Kern County Highway Map

According to topographical maps I've looked on historicaerials it seems that CA 202 was moved east into Tehachapi via Curry Street, Tehachapi Boulevard, and Tucker Road between 1965 and 1967 as the CA 58 expressway was being built. The State Highway Maps for 1966 and 1967 don't show enough detail to be certain but I linked them below anyways.

1966 State Highway Map

1967 State Highway Map

It seems that CA 202 was shifted onto Valley Boulevard west of Woodford-Tehachapi Road some time in the 1990s. The 1990 State Highway Map shows CA 202 on it's original routing but on Valley Boulevard in 1995 on historicaerials.

1990 State Highway Map

Topographical maps show CA 202 on Tehachapi Boulevard and Curry Street as late on 2012. It would seem that the shift in CA 202 completely onto Tucker Road happened in the last couple years.

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