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Moss Landing Road (Early California State Route 1)

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Moss Landing Road is located in Monterey County in the namesake community of Moss Landing.  The corridor was part of the original Coast Road between Monterey-Watsonville and was added to the State Highway system in 1933.  Moss Landing Road would briefly carry California State Route 1 beginning in August 1934.  The alignment was short lived as the modern bypass was completed the in October 1934.  




Part 1; the history of Moss Landing Road

Moss Landing was settled in 1866 as a wharf at the confluence of the Old Salinas River, Elkhorn Slough and Moro Cojo Slough.  The community's name is a reference to found Captain Charles Moss.  Moss Landing supplied early the California Gold Rush communities with sugar beets, lumber and potatoes.  The community was located on the Coast Road between Monterey-Watsonville.  The Southern Pacific Railroad Coast Line would reach Moss Landing by 1871.    

Moss Landing (displayed as Moss Log) can be seen along the Coast Road between Monterey and Watsonville on the 1882 Bancroft's map of California.  The Coast Road originally passed through the community via what is now Moss Landing Road and over a ferry at Elkhorn Slough.  


Elkhorn Road was the more popular highway across Elkhorn Slough until 1884.  During Spring of said year the Moss Landing ferry crossing of Elkhorn Slough was replaced by a tolled bridge.  This undated photo from the early 20th century is of the Moss Landing bridge is from the Vierra family collection (courtesy Elkhorn Slough Foundation). 


The Coast Road can be seen passing through Moss Landing on the 1912 United States Geological Survey map of Capitola.  


State Highway service in Moss Landing began in 1933 when Legislative Route Number 56 was extended north from Carmel to Fernbridge.  The initial State Highway routing through the community was via Moss Landing Road.  The entirety of Legislative Route Number 56 was be announced as California State Route 1 in the August 1934 California Highways & Public Works.  



California State Route 1 along Moss Landing Road was short lived.  The highway was announced as having been realigned in the October 1934 California Highways & Public Works.  The bypass of Moss Landing was part of a 11.3-mile project corridor from Castroville north to Watsonville. 




Part 2; a drive on Moss Landing Road

Moss Landing Road acts as a western frontage of modern California State Route 1.  The corridor can be used in conjunction with Potrero Road to reach Salinas River State Beach.  



Northbound Moss Landing Road passes Moss Landing Cemetary.  Said cemetery was established in 1869 shortly after the founding of Moss Landing.  



Moss Landing Road enters the downtown area and intersects Sandholdt Road.  







Moss Landing Road crosses at-grade over Moro Cojo Slough and terminates at California State Route 1 within view of the Moss Landing Power Plant.  One of the few Sea Otter Crossing signs can be seen at Moro Cojo Slough.  The natural gas power plant was commissioned by Pacific Gass & Electric in 1950.  Interest in the facility was sold off to Duke Energy in 1998.  





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