Skip to main content

California State Route 149

By
While traveling through Sacramento Valley earlier this month I drove the entirety of California State Route 149.


CA 149 is a short 5 mile expressway completely located within Butte County.  CA 149 starts at CA 99 near Chico and travels southeast towards CA 70 near Oroville.  CA 149 was part of Legislative Route Number 87 which was created by the State Legislature in 1933 according to CAhighways.org.

CAhighways.org on CA 149

A state maintained LRN 87 appears on the 1934 State Highway Map between Chico and Oroville.

1934 State Highway Map

During the 1964 State Highway Renumbering LRN 87 between Chico and Oroville (technically Wicks Corner) was assigned CA 149.  CA 149 does not appear to have been signed in 1964.

1963 State Highway Map

1964 State Highway Map

CA 149 first appears on the 1969 State Highway Map as a signed route.

1969 State Highway Map

CA 149 was part of what was known as the "East Valley Corridor."  The East Valley Corridor consisted of CA 99, CA 70, CA 149 and CA 149 north of Sacramento which was meant to be a full corridor alternate of I-5 consisting of freeways/expressways.  Much of the East Valley Corridor was built but some notable segments like a bypass of Marysville and a segments north of Chico were never constructed to CAhighways.org.

My path on CA 149 southward towards CA 70 from CA 99 near Chico.  CA 149 maintains a flat grade with a left exit at the junction with CA 99 and begins to head southeast towards the Sierra Foothills.  Despite appearances in the photos CA 149 isn't a full freeway and includes several at-grade intersections.





CA 149 is signed as the "Lt. Larry Estes Deputy Bill Hunter Memorial Highway."



Oroville is signed as being 10 miles to the south along CA 149.


CA 149 ends at CA 70.  The ramp for CA 70 east is signed showing the highway connects to CA 191.




The junction of CA 149 and CA 70 is signed as "Wicks Corner Interchange." 


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The case to move Interstate 73 in Southern Ohio onto US 33

By
Every decade or so, Ohio pushes to revisit the proposed Interstate 73 that would connect Michigan to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  It's been happening since Congress legislated the route in 1991.  Within Ohio, Interstate 73 generally follows the US 23 corridor from Portsmouth through Columbus to Toledo, and into Michigan. Since High Priority Corridor Five was created , Ohio has really done nothing to move forward with Interstate 73.  Sure, there have been feasibility studies here and there.  But actual dollars and construction just haven't occurred. The US 33 Nelsonville Bypass appears to have been built to Interstate standards. However, Ohio has been slowly upgrading US 33 to a full freeway through Southeastern Ohio.  Bypasses of Lancaster and Nelsonville opened in 2004 and 2013, respectively.  Other sections of two-lane road are being twinned, some to freeway or, at a minimum, to expressway standards.  Currently, a $274 million widening project in...
Post a Comment
Read more

SCDOT to present I-73 wetland replacement proposal on May 3rd

By
It looks like SCDOT may soon clear an environmental hurdle when they present a plan to replace 27 acres of wetlands on May 3rd. If approved, the plan will replace 27 acres of wetlands in the Little Pee Dee Heritage Preserve that will be impacted by construction of Interstate 73 through the area. Approval of the wetland replacement proposal is necessary for SCDOT to get federal permits that will allow them to build the new highway. The DOT and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) are working together on the plan. Recently, the SC Legislature made two attempts to allow recent wetland gains by the state as compensation for the affected 27 acres. Both attempts failed. The DNR has stated it would not oppose I-73 even though some environmental-oriented groups have been vocal against it. The Southern Environmental Law Center , based in Chapel Hill, is one of the groups hoping that the routing through the preserve can still be changed. They point to federal law that prohibits buildi...
Post a Comment
Read more

Local Sign Find - The last remnant of Business Interstate 95 between Kenly and Rocky Mount , NC

By
As you head north on Interstate 95 at Exit 107 for Kenly and US 301, you'll notice something odd about the overhead sign for the exit.  Peeling off the sign for all that can see is the word 'NORTH' off-center from the US 301.  This old sign (probably close to original from when this section of I-95 opened - more on that in a little bit) gives a hint to a short-lived Business Interstate Route that ran from here to Rocky Mount. The last hint of the Kenly-Wilson-Rocky Mount Business I-95 (Shaun White - August 2020) Interstate 95 in North Carolina has a unique history.  But one of the overlooked and forgotten pieces of Interstate 95 in North Carolina is the 38 mile section between Kenly and Rocky Mount.  When opened to traffic in late 1978, it was the next to last piece of Interstate 95 in North Carolina to open replacing a four lane US 301 from Battleboro through Rocky Mount and Wilson to eventually tying back into the Interstate in Kenly. Though it was not delayed in l...
Post a Comment
Read more