Shasta Valley of Siskiyou County has several County Sign Routes. One of the newest additions to the State Level County Sign Route network is Siskiyou County Route A28 which serves as a frontage facility to the numerous former Southern Pacific Railroad sidings of Shasta Valley.
Siskiyou County Route A28 ("A28") is an approximately 23.5 mile highway connecting Siskiyou County Route A12 in Grenada north through Shasta Valley to Interstate 5 ("I-5") near Hornbrook. A28 consists of the rail frontage roads of; Montague-Grenada Road, 11th Street in Montague, Montague-Ager Road, Ager Road, and Copco Road. A28 serves the heart of Shasta Valley by providing direct highway access to the communities of; Grenada, Montague, Ager, and Hornbrook.
Part 1; the history of Siskiyou County Route A28
The exact date of the establishment for A28 is unknown given it is a relatively new designation which does not appear in any known State record. According to CAhighways.org A28 is a post-1983 County Sign Route given it was not in the established records from Caltrans. Nonetheless the roads which make up A28 are very old and were established by the Southern Pacific Railroad when sidings were plotted out in Shasta Valley circa 1886-87. The communities of; Grenada, Montague, Ager, and Hornbrook were all plotted by the Southern Pacific as frontage facilities along it's then new line in Shasta Valley. Said communities can all be seen (in addition to Laird and Klamathon) along the Southern Pacific Railroad in Shasta Valley on the 1903 Rand McNally Map of California.
The 1909 San Francisco Motor Club Map of the Yreka Area (courtesy Kevin Walsh of the Map Scans Facebook group) shows two routes from Yreka north towards the State Line. The primary highway north of Yreka is shown to follow what is now Yreka-Ager Road and much of Siskiyou County Route A28 towards Hornbrook. The secondary road is shown to follow what is now Anderson Grade Road from Yreka towards Hornbrook.
The 1912 California State Automobile Map (courtesy Kevin Walsh of the Map Scans Facebook group) only shows
present Yreka-Montague Road and Siskiyou County Route A28 as a highway
between Yreka-Hornbrook. Note; conjecture has it that early Legislative Route Number 3 ("LRN 3") may have been planned to follow much of what is A28.
The current roads which comprise A28 all appear between Grenada and Hornbrook (yes, there was a community called Balls in Siskiyou County) on the 1917 California State Automobile Association Map. LRN 3 is shown following what is now Anderson Grade Road towards Yreka instead of utilizing future A28 through Shasta Valley.
The 1935 California Division of Highways Map of Siskiyou County provides more detail regarding future A28. Most of future A28 (from Grenada to Ager) is shown as a major County Highway.
Part 2; a drive on Siskiyou County Route A28
A28 begins from A12/99-97 Cutoff in Grenada via a turn northward onto Montague-Grenada Road. Montague is signed as 5 miles north of Grenada.
A28 initially tracks east of the Central Oregon & Pacific Railroad ("COPR") on Montague-Grenada Road. Approximately 4 miles from Grenada A28 northbound crosses over to the western side of the Union Pacific approaching Oberlin Road. Note; The rail route through Shasta Valley is presently operated by the COPR which was sold by the Southern Pacific in 1994.
A28 north of Oberlin Road crosses the Shasta River and enters the City of Montague on 11th Street. A28 north picks up California State Route 3 ("CA 3") at Montague Road and beings a rare State Highway/County Sign Route multiplex.
The Montague Depot Museum can be found on CA 3/A28 on 11th Street. As noted above Montague was plotted out as a Southern Pacific Railroad siding in 1887. Montague was named after a engineer from the Central Pacific Railroad and incorporated as a City in January of 1909. The Montague Depot was constructed over a five week period in 1887 and is presently located at the intersection of 11th Street/King Street. The Montague Depot was originally located on Webb Street on the east side of the COPR tracks.
At Webb Street CA 3 splits east towards a terminus at the edge of the Montague City Limits. A28 continues north to the City Limit of Montague and transitions onto Montague-Ager Road upon crossing Oregon Slough.
A28 north of Montague follows the western side of the COPR and has a major intersection at Yreka-Ager Road. A28 at Yreka-Ager Road is signed as 15 miles from Hornbrook.
A28 follows Willow Creek and the COPR to the outskirts of Ager approximately 10 miles north of Montague.
A28 transitions onto Ager Road and continues north towards the Klamath River. A28 crosses over the COPR and Klamath River at Klamathon Road. Upon crosses the Klamath River A28 swings westbound onto Copco Road towards I-5, Hornbrook is signed as 3 miles away.
A28 approaches the outskirts of Hornbrook at Roy Jones Road. West of Roy Jones Road A28 crosses the COPR.
Upon crossing the COPR A28 intersects Hornbrook Road. Access to Hornbrook is signed north on Hornbrook Road whereas A28 traffic is directed to stay west to reach I-5.
A28 terminates at I-5 in the community of Henley.
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