Interstate 5; the West Side Freeway

The past four years I've frequently driven the entirety of Interstate 5 in San Joaquin Valley and Sacramento Valley. I-5 from Wheeler Ridge north to a segment near of Woodland is known as the "West Side Freeway."

The West Side Freeway segment of I-5 refers to an approximately 330 mile portion of the highway from the split with CA 99 at Wheeler Ridge north to the convergence with I-505 near Woodland.

Part 1; the history of the West Side Freeway and the split of I-5W/I-5E

In the 1947 Interstate plan I-5 was to be routed up US 99 where it would have split into I-5W and I-5E in Modesto. I-5W was to planned to use the following current state highways:

- Modern CA 132 west to I-580.
- Modern I-580 west to I-80.
- Modern I-80 east to I-505.
- Modern I-505 to I-5.

As the second Interstate System was being drafted the path of I-5 was shifted to the western part of San Joaquin Valley which was planned as Legislative Route 238. I-5W was planned to split from I-5 at the present junction of CA 132/I-5. I-5E would have split from I-5W at the present junction of CA 132/I-5 and converged again at what is now I-505. Legislative Route 238 was added to the State Highway System in 1957 according to CAhighways.

The initial planned routing of LRN 238 first appears on the 1958 Division of Highways Map. Note; much of the initial planned route of LRN 238 followed a more centralized path through San Joaquin Valley.

During the 1964 State Highway Renumbering I-5W/I-5E were dropped and mainline I-5 was routed entirely on what had been LRN 238. As noted above I-5W became; CA 132, I-580, I-80 and I-505. That said; I-5W was definitely signed in-field along the current corridor I-580 between Tracy and Oakland as evidenced by this photo from the July/August 1962 California Division of Highways Guide. The photo shows I-5W on the current MacArthur/I-580 freeway near Broadway in Oakland.

I-5, I-580, I-80, and I-505 can all be seen for the first time on the 1964 Division of Highways Map where the split of I-5W/I-5E was initially planned.

I-5 between CA 152 north to the split with I-580 are shown as completed on the 1967 Division of Highways Map.

A portion of I-5 south of CA 46 is shown open on the 1969 Division of Highways Map.

I-5 is shown completed between CA 119 north to CA 46 on the 1970 Division of Highways Map.

A segment of I-5 north of CA 41 is shown open on the 1970 Division of Highways Map.

I-5 between CA 99 in Wheeler Ridge north to planned CA 235 near Stockton is shown open on the 1975 Caltrans State Highway Map.

The 1975 Caltrans Map also shows I-5 completed from CA 160 north to I-505.

The 1977 Caltrans State Highway Map shows I-5 completed north of Stockton near the vicinity of CA 12.

The 1979 Caltrans State Highway Map shows I-5 completed from Stockton north to Sacramento. The opening of I-5 north of Stockton to Sacramento marked the completion of the West Side Freeway.

Part 2; a drive on the West Side Freeway from CA 198 north to I-580

My photos of I-5 on the West Side Freeway are somewhat limited and I plan to expand on this section in the near future. In interim the photo log begins from CA 198 westbound in Fresno County approaching I-5 northbound at Harris Ranch at Exit 334.

Sacramento is signed as 181 miles northbound on I-5. Interestingly San Francisco is used as a control city on I-5 despite it being far to the west.

At Exit 337 I-5 northbound has a junction with CA 33 southbound as well as CA 145.

CA 33 northbound multiplexes I-5 northbound to Exit 349 at Derrick Avenue.

At Exit 357 northbound I-5 meets Kamm Avenue, Manning Avenue at Exit 365, Panoche Road at Exit 368, and Russell Avenue at Exit 372. At Exit 379 I-5 northbound meets County Route J1 at Exit 379/Shields Avenue.

I-5 northbound meets Nees Avenue at Exit 385 and enters Merced County. I-5 northbound passes by a Rest Area and the Dos Amigos Vista before Exit 391 for CA 165.

At Exit 403A/Exit 403B I-5 northbound meets CA 152/CA 33. Given that the I-5/CA 152/CA 33 is among the oldest on the West Side Freeway is essentially substandard and very narrow.

I-5 northbound crosses the California Aqueduct and meets CA 33 again at Exit 407 in Santa Nella.

I-5 north of Santa Nella has a weigh station.

I-5 northbound ascends to the foothills of the Diablo Range and meets CA 140 at Exit 418.

I-5 north of CA 140 crosses the Stanislaus County Line. San Francisco is signed as being 99 miles away.

I-5 northbound continues as a Scenic Corridor and meets County Route J18 at Exit 423 for Stuhr Road.

I-5 north Exit 430 accesses Fink Road

I-5 northbound crosses paths with another Vista Point before meeting County Route J17 on Sperry Avenue on the outskirts of Patterson.

I-5 northbound meets County Route J16 at Exit 441 for Howard Road.

I-5 northbound passes by another Rest Area approaching the split for I-580 at Exit 446. At the I-580 split the route of I-5 northbound enters San Joaquin County.

Where the hell is Hill Valley? (US Route 8 south/US Route 395 east)

Recently I made a visit to Universal Studios near Los Angeles. While on the back lot tour I came across a piece of infamous movie-borne fictional highway infamy; the location of town square of Hill Valley, California on US Route 8/US Route 395. The above photo is part of the intro scene to the first Back-to-the-Future movie which was set in 1985. To anyone who follows roadways the signage error of US 8 meeting US 395 in California is an immediately notable error. For one; US 8 doesn't even exist anywhere near California with present alignment being signed as an east/west highway between Norway, Michigan and Forest Lake, Minnesota. To make matters worse US 8 is signed as a southbound route and US 395 (a north/south highway) is signed as an eastbound route. At minimum the cut-out US 8 and US 395 shields somewhat resemble what Caltrans used in the 1980s. Assuming Hill Valley is located on what would have been US 395 by 1985 what locales would be a viable real world analog?

The Vague Original Southern Terminus of US Route 91 in the Californian Mojave Desert

One of the more intriguing mysteries of the early US Route System in California is where the original south terminus of US Route 91 was intended to be located in the Mojave Desert. This blog is a little different than my usual behind the wheel fare and explores why US Route 91 ultimately ended at US Route 66 in Daggett instead of Bannock. What ultimately became the US Route System was first discussed during the American Association of State Highway Officials ("AASHO") during their annual 1924 meeting. Ultimately the AASHO recommended to the Department of Agriculture to work with the States to develop a system of Interstate Highways to replace the many Auto Trails in use. The Joint Board on Interstate Highways was ultimately commissioned by the Department of Agriculture and it's branch agency the Bureau of Public Roads in March of 1925. The Joint Board on Interstate Highways first met in April of 1925 and decided on the new interstate road network would be known a

Legend of the Ridge Route; a history of crossing the mountains between the Los Angeles Basin and San Joaquin Valley from wagon trails to Interstates

Over the past two decades I've crossed the Interstate 5 corridor from Los Angeles north over the Sierra Pelona Mountains and Tehachapi Range to San Joaquin Valley what seems to be an immeasurable number of times. While Interstate 5 from Castaic Junction to Grapevine via Tejon Pass today is known to most as "The Grapevine" it occupies a corridor which has been traversed by numerous historic highways. The most notable of these highways is known as the "Ridge Route." This article is dedicated to the Ridge Route and the various highways that preceded it. The Ridge Route is a 44 mile section of highway which was completed in 1915. The Ridge Route originally stretched from Castaic Junction north over Liebre Summit and Tejon Pass to the tiny community of Grapevine. In spite of a roadway that once utilized nearly 700 curves the Ridge Route is generally considered far ahead of it's time and one of the first modern highways constructed for automotive use.

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