Over the past couple years I've featured most of the historic alignments of California State Route 41 along with much of it's modern routing. One part I haven't featured yet is the modern path of CA 41 from CA 46 in San Luis Obispo County north to the CA 180/168 freeway interchange in Fresno.
As stated above CA 41 has been one of my frequently traveled highways that I've featured on this blog. My previous CA 41 related blog posts can be found below and include much of the history of the highway.
1941 Lanes Bridge Renovations (Old CA 41)
Old CA 180 and CA 41 surface alignments in Fresno
Old California State Route 41 on Road 425B
California State Route 41; Madera County Line north to Yosemite National Park
Legacy of US Route 466 Part 1; California State Route 46
Old California State Route 41 in Southern Fresno County and the expressway that never was
Legacy of US Route 466 Part 3; California State Route 229 and CA 41 north from CA 1 to CA 46
CA 41 between CA 46 near Shandon north to Fresno is approximately 94 miles to the northeast.
I joined CA 41 from CA 46 near Shandon. Since 2011 CA 41 has been routed on a bypass of Shandon on West Centre Street whereas the original alignment was on East Centre Street.
Traffic on CA 41 northbound is quickly advised the next 8 miles over the Kettleman Hills can be windy.
CA 41 northbound merges in with it's original alignment and ascends in the Kettleman Hills.
In the middle of the Kettleman Hills CA 41 northbound intersects a road accessing a Waste Management site which was part of the original dirt alignment.
Descending out of the Kettleman Hills the dry bed of Tulare Lake can be seen as CA 41 northbound approaches Interstate 5 and Kettleman City.
Immediately north of I-5 the route of CA 41 enters Kettleman City which is lined with popular fast food locales.
At 25th Avenue CA 41 northbound meets the back side of the former Kettleman Hills alignment and enters Kettleman City proper. Kettleman City is a well known speed trap locally in Kings County.
Leaving Kettleman City the route of CA 41 shows Stratford 16 miles to the north and Fresno 52 miles away.
The route of CA 41 between Kettleman City and Stratford runs atop the former shore line of Tulare Lake. Although it doesn't appear like it the route of CA 41 northbound to the Kings River in Stratford essentially is a wide levy road. The only real evidence Tulare Lake was present is the strange names of local farms like "West Lake."
CA 41 northbound bypasses much of Stratford, the original route was on Laurel Avenue and 20th Avenue.
At Jackson Avenue CA 41 would have picked up CA 198 on a multiplex before the latter route was moved to it's current freeway. The multiplex lasted through Lemoore to Hanford-Armona Road.
CA 41 northbound expands to an expressway at CA 198 and bypasses around Lemoore. Originally CA 41 would have used 19th 1/2th Avenue to Hanford-Armona Road.
North of Lemoore CA 41 has a historic placard for Adobe de Los Robles Rancho at Lacey Boulevard.
At Grangeville Boulevard access to NAS Lemoore is provided to CA 41 northbound traffic .
North of Grangeville Road the route of CA 41 continues as a four-lane expressway north to Excelsior Avenue where it drops to a two-lane expressway at the Fresno County Line. CA 41 northbound crosses the South Fork of the Kings River and the main flow of the Kings River before Excelsior Avenue. The northbound lanes of CA 41 were originally part of Elm Avenue to near Excelsior Avenue which is why homes have direct access to the expressway.
The two-lane section of the CA 41 expressway continues about 6 miles north to Elk Horn Avenue where it expands back out to four. There is a stub of the incomplete four-lane expressway which can be viewed north of Elk Horn Avenue. At Elk Horn Avenue the route of CA 41 northbound is signed as the "Donald E. DeMora Memorial Highway."
At Mountain View Avenue the community of Caruthers is signed as 2 miles to the west.
At Adams Avenue the route of CA 41 north has a Business Route which utilizes the former surface alignment on Elm Avenue through Easton.
At Central Avenue the route of CA 41 northbound expands to a freeway grade and enters the City Limits of Fresno. The junction with CA 99 is signed as being 2 miles away.
CA 41 intersects it's last surface alignment before it was built to a freeway/expressway south of CA 99 at Exit 125 for Jensen Avenue.
At Exit 126A CA 41 north intersects CA 99 entering downtown Fresno.
Exit 126B for Van Ness Avenue is signed as direct access for CA 41 northbound traffic into downtown Fresno.
North of Van Ness Avenue the junction for CA 180/168 is signed as 2.5 miles away on CA 41 northbound.
North of Van Ness Avenue CA 41 is signed as the "Dwight David Eisenhower Memorial Freeway."
At Exit 128 A/B CA 41 north intersects the CA 180 and CA 168 freeways. Fresno-Yosemite International Airport traffic is directed to use CA 180 east.
As stated above CA 41 has been one of my frequently traveled highways that I've featured on this blog. My previous CA 41 related blog posts can be found below and include much of the history of the highway.
1941 Lanes Bridge Renovations (Old CA 41)
Old CA 180 and CA 41 surface alignments in Fresno
Old California State Route 41 on Road 425B
California State Route 41; Madera County Line north to Yosemite National Park
Legacy of US Route 466 Part 1; California State Route 46
Old California State Route 41 in Southern Fresno County and the expressway that never was
Legacy of US Route 466 Part 3; California State Route 229 and CA 41 north from CA 1 to CA 46
CA 41 between CA 46 near Shandon north to Fresno is approximately 94 miles to the northeast.
I joined CA 41 from CA 46 near Shandon. Since 2011 CA 41 has been routed on a bypass of Shandon on West Centre Street whereas the original alignment was on East Centre Street.
CA 41/CA 46 multiplex east of Shandon towards the Jesse L. Acebedo Memorial Rest Area. Fresno is signed as being 90 miles to the north on CA 41.
CA 41/CA 46 east of the Acebedo Rest Area drops to a conventional two-lane expressway and passes by the James Dean Memorial. There is a long passing zone area and a somewhat significant junction with Bitterwater Road.
CA 41 splits from CA 46 near Cholame Valley Road at James Dean Memorial Junction. Cholame Valley Road continues northward towards the earthquake prone community of Parkfield. James Dean Memorial Junction is named after the location of the infamous crash site where James Dean was killed in his Porsche.
From James Dean Memorial Junction Fresno is signed as being 84 miles to the north on CA 41.
CA 41 begins a steep northward ascent into the Diablo Range the approximately 2,000 foot high Cottonwood Pass.
CA 41 north begins to descend from Cottonwood Pass and enters Kern County.
CA 41 continues to descend from Cottonwood Pass and enters Kings County in a small valley.
CA 41 ascends another small sub-range before meeting CA 33 near a community known as Reef Station.
From the junction of CA 33 the route of CA 41 north is signed as 64 miles from Fresno.
Traffic on CA 41 northbound is quickly advised the next 8 miles over the Kettleman Hills can be windy.
CA 41 northbound merges in with it's original alignment and ascends in the Kettleman Hills.
In the middle of the Kettleman Hills CA 41 northbound intersects a road accessing a Waste Management site which was part of the original dirt alignment.
Descending out of the Kettleman Hills the dry bed of Tulare Lake can be seen as CA 41 northbound approaches Interstate 5 and Kettleman City.
Immediately north of I-5 the route of CA 41 enters Kettleman City which is lined with popular fast food locales.
At 25th Avenue CA 41 northbound meets the back side of the former Kettleman Hills alignment and enters Kettleman City proper. Kettleman City is a well known speed trap locally in Kings County.
Leaving Kettleman City the route of CA 41 shows Stratford 16 miles to the north and Fresno 52 miles away.
The route of CA 41 between Kettleman City and Stratford runs atop the former shore line of Tulare Lake. Although it doesn't appear like it the route of CA 41 northbound to the Kings River in Stratford essentially is a wide levy road. The only real evidence Tulare Lake was present is the strange names of local farms like "West Lake."
CA 41 northbound bypasses much of Stratford, the original route was on Laurel Avenue and 20th Avenue.
At Jackson Avenue CA 41 would have picked up CA 198 on a multiplex before the latter route was moved to it's current freeway. The multiplex lasted through Lemoore to Hanford-Armona Road.
CA 41 northbound expands to an expressway at CA 198 and bypasses around Lemoore. Originally CA 41 would have used 19th 1/2th Avenue to Hanford-Armona Road.
North of Lemoore CA 41 has a historic placard for Adobe de Los Robles Rancho at Lacey Boulevard.
At Grangeville Boulevard access to NAS Lemoore is provided to CA 41 northbound traffic .
North of Grangeville Road the route of CA 41 continues as a four-lane expressway north to Excelsior Avenue where it drops to a two-lane expressway at the Fresno County Line. CA 41 northbound crosses the South Fork of the Kings River and the main flow of the Kings River before Excelsior Avenue. The northbound lanes of CA 41 were originally part of Elm Avenue to near Excelsior Avenue which is why homes have direct access to the expressway.
The two-lane section of the CA 41 expressway continues about 6 miles north to Elk Horn Avenue where it expands back out to four. There is a stub of the incomplete four-lane expressway which can be viewed north of Elk Horn Avenue. At Elk Horn Avenue the route of CA 41 northbound is signed as the "Donald E. DeMora Memorial Highway."
At Mountain View Avenue the community of Caruthers is signed as 2 miles to the west.
At Adams Avenue the route of CA 41 north has a Business Route which utilizes the former surface alignment on Elm Avenue through Easton.
At Central Avenue the route of CA 41 northbound expands to a freeway grade and enters the City Limits of Fresno. The junction with CA 99 is signed as being 2 miles away.
CA 41 intersects it's last surface alignment before it was built to a freeway/expressway south of CA 99 at Exit 125 for Jensen Avenue.
At Exit 126A CA 41 north intersects CA 99 entering downtown Fresno.
Exit 126B for Van Ness Avenue is signed as direct access for CA 41 northbound traffic into downtown Fresno.
North of Van Ness Avenue the junction for CA 180/168 is signed as 2.5 miles away on CA 41 northbound.
North of Van Ness Avenue CA 41 is signed as the "Dwight David Eisenhower Memorial Freeway."
At Exit 128 A/B CA 41 north intersects the CA 180 and CA 168 freeways. Fresno-Yosemite International Airport traffic is directed to use CA 180 east.
Comments
Also in the article, your reference the "Donald E. DeMora Memorial Highway", north of Elkhorn. This segment of the SR 41 is actually the 'Donald E. DeMers Memorial Highway". He was the former (and first) Executive Director of the Fresno County Transportation Authority (FCTA) which oversees the Fresno County Measure C (half cent sales tax) funding of transportation projects in Fresno County.