California State Route 197

Back during 2014 I drove California State Route 197 while exploring rural Del Norte County. This article traces the history of the short but albeit scenic CA 197.

CA 197 is a 7 mile north/south State Highway signed along North Bank Road. CA 197 connects US 199 along the Smith River near Hiouchi to US 101 near Fort Dick.

Part 1; the history of California State Route 197

Compared to nearby US 199 the backstory of CA 197 is far more mundane. While US 199 was built upon the bones of what was the Gasquet Toll Road to Oregon Mountain the route of CA 197 has a considerably less ambitious origin. North Bank Road was added to the State Highway System during 1933 as Legislative Route 81 ("LRN 81"). LRN 81 simply was a connecting highway between US 199/LRN 1 north to US 101/LRN 71 and can be seen on the 1935 Division of Highways Map of Del Norte County.

LRN 81 was an adoption of the already existing North Bank Road. North Bank Road can be seen on the 1917 California State Automobile Association Map of California.

During the 1964 State Highway Renumbering LRN 81 was reassigned as CA 197. CA 197 can be seen appearing for the first time on the 1964 Division of Highways State Map.

CA 197 first appears to have been signed circa 1969 as indicated by the Division of Highways State Map from said year.

Part 2; a virtual tour of California State Route 197

Our virtual tour of CA 197 begins from US 199 westbound. US 199 westbound meets CA 197 northbound at approximately Post Mile DN 4.420. CA 197 traffic is advised the highway is signed on North Bank Road as a cut-off to US 101 headed towards Oregon State Line. Note; all below images are ripped from Google Street View as I did not have the presence in mind to take photos during 2014.

CA 197 north traffic is advised that Ruby Van Deventer County Park is 4 miles away. US 101 is signed as 7 miles away on CA 197 northbound. The Oregon State Line signed as 17 miles away.

At Post Mile R1.629 CA 197 north meets it's original alignment at Tan Oak Drive. The "R" suffix in the Post Mile designation indicates that CA 197 is on it's first realignment after the 1964 Highway Renumbering.

Upon crossing Peacock Creek CA 197 north meets the back end of it's former Tan Oak Drive at Post Mile R2.192.

CA 197 north enters the a heavily wooded area along the east bank of the Smith River. At Post Mile DN 4.500 CA 197 north reaches Ruby Van Deventer County Park.

As CA 197 north approaches US 101 it occasionally closes onto the north bank of the Smith River (hence the name North Bank Road).

CA 197 northbound terminates at US 101 at Post Mile DN 7.08. The north terminus of CA 197 doesn't carry an end placard and is controlled by a simple pair of dual stop signs.

Comments

Abandoned US Route 40 in the Truckee River Canyon

Within the Truckee River Canyon in the Sierra Nevada range numerous abandoned portions of US Route 40 can be found alongside modern Interstate 80. This segment of highway was opened during 1926 as a bypass of the Dog Valley Grade which carried the early North Lincoln Highway and Victory Highway. The corridor of the Truckee River Canyon State Highway would be assigned as US Route 40 when the US Route System was commissioned during November 1926. During 1958 the segment of Interstate 80 between Boca, California and the Nevada state line was complete. When Interstate 80 opened east of Boca numerous obsolete portions of US Route 40 were abandoned. Some of these abandoned segments have been incorporated into the Tahoe-Pyramid Trail. Part 1; the history of US Route 40 in the Truckee River Canyon The Truckee River Canyon for centuries has been an established corridor of travel known to native tribes crossing the Sierra Nevada range. The first documented wagon crossi...

Former California State Route 41 past Bates Station

When California State Route 41 was commissioned during August 1934 it was aligned along the then existing Fresno-Yosemite Road north of the San Joaquin River. Within the Sierra Nevada foothills of Madera County, the original highway alignment ran past Bates Station via what is now Madera County Road 209, part of eastern Road 406 and Road 207. Bates Station was a stage station plotted during the early 1880s at what was the intersection of the Coarsegold Road and Stockton-Los Angeles Road. The modern alignment bypassing Bates Station to the east would be reopened to traffic during late 1939. Part 1; the history of California State Route 41 past Bates Station Bates Station was featured as one of the many 1875-1899 Madera County era towns in the May 21, 1968, Madera Tribune . Post Office Service at Bates Station is noted to have been established on November 23, 1883 and ran continuously until October 31, 1903. The postal name was sourced...

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...

Gribblenation

Search This Blog