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Monterey County Route G11

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Monterey County Route G11 is 8.96-mile highway located on San Juan Road between US Route 101 near the Pincate Rocks and County Route G12 in Pajaro.  San Juan Road is one of the primary overland corridors which once served as a spur of El Camino Real between Missions San Juan Bautista and Santa Cruz.  San Juan Road maintained relevance as a connector highway into modern times and was designated as Monterey County Route G11 in 1965.  




Part 1; the history of Monterey County Route G11

Monterey County Route G11 is aligned over San Juan Road from US Route 101 westward to Monterey County Route G12 (Porter Drive) in the community of Pajaro.  The road name implies it more or less provides a direct connection from Pajaro to San Juan Bautista.  

San Juan Road was one of the main established paths which carried the so-called "El Camino Real" from Mission San Juan Bautista west to Mission Santa Cruz.  The Spanish variation of El Camino Real was a loose corridor of roads and trails which connected the twenty-one Catholic Missions of Spanish Las Californias.  Mission Santa Cruz had formally founded in August 1791 whereas Mission San Juan Bautista was founded in June 1797. 

Following the secularization of the Spanish Missions during the era of early Mexican Alta California their land holdings were split into Ranchos.  The course of San Juan Road east from the modern community of Pajaro passes through the lands which once were the Mexican Ranchos of Bolsa de San Cayetano, Vega del Rio Pajaro and Cañada de la Carpenteria.  

San Juan Road can be seen branching east of Pajaro towards Natividad and Salinas on the 1882 Bancroft's map of California.  The corridor included a connection directly to San Juan Bautista past the Pincate Rocks (not shown on the map).


San Juan Road is shown connecting Pajaro (near Watsonville Junction) east to the community of Dunbarton near the Pincate Rocks on the 1917 United States Geological Survey map of San Juan Bautista.  




San Juan Road can be seen Township 12 South Ranges 2-3 on the 1935 Division of Highways map of Monterey County. 


San Juan Road was defined as Monterey County G11 in 1965.  The corridor was added at the same time as Monterey County G12.  The purpose of both highways seems to have been to provide better route continuity between US Route 101 and the Watsonville/Pajaro area. 

Monterey County Route G11 can be seen mapped on a cahighways.org sourced image below.  




Part 2; a drive on Monterey County Route G11

Westbound Monterey County Route G11 begins at US Route 101 Exit 342 at San Juan Road.  From US Route 101 there are no County Route G11 shields.  



County Route G11 upon departing US Route 101 passes through the former site of Dunbarton.  The only really indication the community existed is signage for Dunbarton Road.  






Westbound County Route G11 intersects Aromas Road.  Watsonville is signed as being located 6 miles to ahead.  










County Route G11 descends west of Aromas Road into the Pajaro River Valley.  The highway crosses the Union Pacific Railroad and enters the community of Royal Oaks where it intersects San Miguel Canyon Road.  








Westbound County Route G11 enters the community of Pajaro and terminates at County Route G12 (Porter Drive).  Pajaro was founded in the 1870s as the Southern Pacific Railroad Coast Line was being constructed.  The portion of County Route G12 in Pajaro is a former surface segment of California State Route 1.  







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