Skip to main content

California State Route 221

By
Back in early 2017 I drove the entirety of California State Route 221 which is located mostly in Napa.


CA 221 is a 2.674 mile State Highway signed on Napa-Vallejo Highway originating from a south terminus at CA 12/CA 29 in unincorporated Napa County.  The north terminus of CA 221 is located in the City of Napa at CA 121.



Part 1; history of California State Route 221

CA 221 was the original alignment of CA 12/29 southward out of the City of Napa.  CA 221 was added to the State Highway System as part of Legislative Route Number 8 during the 1909 First State Highway Bond Act according to CAhighways.org.  As originally defined LRN 8 ran eastward from Ignacio (modern Novato) to Cordelia via Napa.  LRN 8 in it's original configuration can be seen on the 1918 State Highway Map. 


In an August 1934 Department of Public Works Guide the Signed State Highways were announced.  The eventual path of CA 221 was added to the route of CA 29 but was co-signed with CA 12. 


CA 12/29 can be seen first appearing the future path of CA 221 on the 1935 Goshua Highway Map of California.


On the 1963 State Highway Map a new planned realignment of LRN 6 appears north of Napa.  


During the 1964 State Highway Renumbering the planned realignment of LRN 6 was assigned a new designation of CA 221.  This change can clear be seen on the 1964 State Highway Map. 


The 1982 State Highway Map shows CA 12/29 moved to a new bypass route of Napa via the Napa River.  The planned route of CA 221 appears to have been abandoned at this point as it is shown shifted to the old alignment of CA 12/29. 


According to CAhighways.org the planned route of CA 221 was likely planned as an freeway or expressway bypass of northern Napa.  CA 221 was officially moved to the former alignment of CA 12/29 legislatively in 1984.  Apparently Caltrans and the legislature wanted to relinquish the old alignment of CA 12/29 but local interests spurred it be kept as a new CA 221. 


Part 2; a drive on California State Route 221

As for my road photos from CA 221, there really wasn't much to see.  Until recently my only photo was from CA 121 east in Napa approaching southbound start of CA 221. 


This November I returned to Napa which allowed me to take a fresh drive on CA 221.  My approach to CA 221 south was from CA 121 east.


CA 221 is signed from all junctions which is somewhat surprising given it is a minor highway.  


CA 221 from CA 121 isn't signed with a control city.


CA 221 southbound doesn't have any reassurance shields and is aligned on Napa-Vallejo Highway.  There aren't really many notable features or locales along CA 221 aside from the CA 12/CA 29 junction at the southern terminus. CA 221 shows 2.675 miles in the Caltrans Post Mile Tool.













Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Grand Loop Road of Yellowstone National Park

By
  Grand Loop Road is a 140 mile loop highway which traverses the interior of Yellowstone National Park.  Grand Loop Road connects all of the major attractions and geological features of Yellowstone National Park along with the entrance roads.  Grand Loop Road is a seasonal highway and despite some conjecture never has been part of the US Route System.   Part 1; the history of Grand Loop Road The majority of history pertaining to Grand Loop Road was taken from the below National Park Service article: Historic Roads - Yellowstone National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov) Yellowstone was declared the first National Park of the United States on March 1st, 1872.  The first real highway to access Yellowstone National Park came in 1873 when a tolled facility was constructed from Bozeman, Montana via Yankee Jim Canyon to Mammoth Hot Springs.  Numerous attempts were made to fund construction of roadway infrastructure during the early years of Yellows...
Post a Comment
Read more

The last 1956-63 era California Sign State Route Spade?

By
Along southbound California State Route 170 (the Hollywood Freeway Extension) approaching the Hollywood Freeway/Ventura Freeway interchange a white California State Route 134 Sign State Route Spade can be observed on guide sign.  These white spades were specifically used during the 1956-63 era and have become increasingly rare.  This blog is intended to serve as a brief history of the Sign State Route Spade.  We also ask you as the reader, is this last 1956-63 era Sign State Route Spade or do you know of others?  Part 1; the history of the California Sign State Route Spade Prior to the Sign State Route System, the US Route System and the Auto Trails were the only highways in California signed with reassurance markers.  The creation of the US Route System by the American Association of State Highway Officials during November 1926 brought a system of standardized reassurance shields to major highways in California.  Early efforts to create a Sign State Route ...
Post a Comment
Read more

California State Route 70; the Feather River Highway

By
From 2017 through to early 2019 I drove the majority of the California State Route 70; the Feather River Highway from CA 89 southwest to CA 99. CA 70 is an approximately 178.5 mile state highway which starts at US 395 near the Nevada State Line and travels west through the Feather River Canyon to CA 99.  CA 70 is often referred to as the Feather River Highway" given it's close association with the river.  Historically CA 70 was previously signed as US 40A and CA 24.  The Legislative Routes prior to the 1964 California Highway Renumbering that made up the current route of CA 70 are as follows: -  Legislative Route Number 21 from US 395 westward to Oroville. -  LRN 87 from Oroville south to Marysville. -  LRN 232 from Marysville to the current junction with CA 99.  CA 70 was even dual signed with CA 99 into Sacramento on what was LRN 232 for a time. The change from US 40A/LRN 21/LRN 87/LRN 232 can be seen by comparing the 1963 State Highway Ma...
Post a Comment
Read more