Skip to main content

Signed County Route J4 and un-built California State Route 239

This past Fourth of July Weekend I drove most of Signed County Route J4 from California State Route 4 southeast towards Interstate 5.  J4 is a unique County Route which incorporates the corridor of un-built California State Route 239 in addition to small portions of the original alignments of US 48 and Lincoln Highway.


The route of J4 is signed from CA 4 in Contra Costa County southeast through Alameda County and San Joaquin County to Signed County Route J3 east of Banta.  J4 is a somewhat moderate length Signed County Route at 27.99 miles which was designated in 1960 according to CAhighways.org.

CAhighways.org on County Route J4

Between CA 4 southeast to I-205 in Tracy the route of J4 is along the planned corridor of CA 239.  Before the 1964 State Highway Renumbering the planned route of CA 239 was added to the State Highway System as a extension of Legislative Route Number 110 west from LRN 5 (US 50) to LRN 75 (CA 4) in 1959.

CAhighways.org on LRN 110

The extension of the planned route of LRN 110 to LRN 75 can be first seen on the 1960 State Highway Map.

1960 State Highway Map

As noted above the portion of LRN 110 from CA 4 to I-205 was swapped to CA 239 during the 1964 State Highway Renumbering.  This change can be seen on the 1964 State Highway Map.

1964 State Highway Map

According to CAhighways.org the planned route of CA 239 seems to still have traction as far as potential for being built in the future.  The planned route of CA 239 was incorporated into the failed plans for the Mid-State Tollway between Sunol and Vacaville.  In the recent two decades the planned route of CA 239 has had localized political support to be built as a freeway next to Byron Highway.

CAhighways.org on CA 239 

My approach to J4 south was from CA 4 east on Byron Highway in Contra Costa Highway.  CA 4 is briefly signed on the Byron Highway for about a quarter mile south of Marsh Creek Lane.  CA 4 continues east towards Stockton at Post Mile CC 44.369 whereas J4 begins heading southward on Byron Highway.  J4 oddly isn't signed with a reassurance shield from CA 4.








J4 south of CA 4 quickly enters the community of Byron on Byron Highway.





J4 southbound is fairly well signed with reassurance shields.  This shield below I barely captured entering Byron displays "Contra Costa" in the crest.


At Holway Drive J4 south cuts left to stay on Byron Highway and avoid a crossing of the Union Pacific tracks.


On the opposite side of the Union Pacific railroad tracks is a historic marker for the community of Bryon alongside an older Southern Pacific Railroad car.   Byron was founded in 1878 as a siding of the San Pablo and Tulare Railroad by the Central Pacific Railroad.  The San Pablo and Tulare Railroad was a line routed between Martinez to Los Banos which remains in service in modern times.  The Central Pacific Railroad as a whole became an operating subsidiary of the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1885.




J4 in Byron Highway in downtown Byron is routed east of the Union Pacific Railroad tracks.  One of the warehouse buildings has a mural of Byron as it was in 1878.



J4 southbound continues on Byron Highway towards the Alameda County Line.  At Byron Hot Springs Road there is signed access for Byron Airport.





J4 southbound crosses over to the western flank of the Union Pacific tracks and enters Alameda County just beyond the California Aqueduct.









J4 southbound is only in Alameda County for approximately a mile before it enters San Joaquin County on Byron Highway.


J4 southbound on Byron Highway enters the planned community of Mountain House which is presently only partially completed.  J4/Bryon Highway briefly expands to four-lanes but the traffic count alone illustrates the need (at least I thought so) for CA 239 to actually be built.  The bridge in the last photo below is Central Parkway and presently doesn't connect anywhere west of J4.





Mountain House takes it's name from a Gold Rush era stopover that was located roughly in the same area as the modern community.  The original Mountain House was founded in 1849 by Thomas Goodall for travelers heading from San Francisco Bay east over Altamont Pass towards the mines of the Sierra Nevada Range.  Mountain House grew into a small community but it heavily declined by the 20th Century into a ghost town.  The last remaining buildings from the original Mountain House were apparently demolished in the 1940s.  The modern community of Mountain House was named by San Joaquin County in late 1994.  Mountain House Parkway is one of the major roadways in the community and connects J4 southward towards I-205.


J4 southbound on Byron Highway continues south to Grant Line Road.  At West Grant Line Road J4 southbound briefly picks up the original alignment of the Lincoln Highway, US 48 and even early US 50.








J4 southbound splits off Byron Highway at East Grant Line Road.  US 48, US 50 and the Lincoln Highway continued south on Byron Highway into Tracy.



Upon crossing the Union Pacific tracks J4 southbound enters the City of Tracy on East Grant Line Road.



J4 south meets I-205 in Tracy along East Grant Line Road.





My intent on my drive on J4 was to only cover the un-built CA 239 portion between CA 4 and I-205.  That being the case I jumped on I-205 eastbound but immediately found the traffic to be a disaster.  That being the case I rejoined J4 south on East Grant Line Road via Tracy Boulevard which is a block east of the junction with CR J2 on Corral Hollow Road.


J4 south on East Grant Line Road crosses a set of railroad tracks and exits the City of Tracy.




J4 south on East Grant Line Road enters the community of Banta and crosses a set of railroad tracks where it again picks up the early Lincoln Highway alignment at G Street.




The Lincoln Highway eastbound traversed Banta originally by way of F Street, 7th Street and G Street to East Grant Line Road.  Banta was a siding of the First Transcontinental Railroad built by the Central Pacfic.  The community of Banta still has some structures dating back to it's heyday such as the 1879 Banta Inn.






East of G Street in Banta the route of J4 south on East Grant Line Road is co-signed as the Historic Lincoln Highway to I-205 Business.





Back in March of this year I tracked the early alignments of the Lincoln Highway, US 48 and US 50 in San Joaquin County.  Said blog can be found on the link below.

Hunting the early Lincoln Highway, US 48 and US 50 from French Camp west over Altamont Pass


J4 south traverses the roundabout at I-205 Business onto Kasson Road.  Via Kasson Road J4 south reaches I-5 where I turned south.






Comments

Popular posts from this blog

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

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...

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

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...

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

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...