CA-120 / Tioga Pass Road

[Quillz]

Why is CA-120 allowed through Yosemite Nat'l Park, yet none of the other state highways are? Looking at a map, CA-41 and CA-140 junction in the Yosemite Valley itself, and there is another road that could serve as a logical CA-41 extension north to CA-120.

The same logic applies to CA-180 and CA-198. These routes effectively end at the nat'l park borders, despite having physical roadways within (and CA-198/Generals Highway even connects to CA-180).

Did CA-120 at one point run through a segment of the Sierra not covered by Yosemite?

[oscar]

The legislative definition of CA 120 is explicit that the route ends at Yosemite's western boundary, and restarts at the eastern boundary. Don't be thrown off by the fake markers within the park, which point travelers to the western and eastern CA 120 segments, but don't say that CA 120 exists within the park. CA 41 and CA 140 markers within the park are also non-Caltrans-spec, and on CA 41 the last Caltrans signage you see before crossing the park boundary is an End 41 sign assembly.

CA 180 is legislatively less clear, but Caltrans route logs and other documents indicate the route ends at the west boundary of the Grant Grove unit of Kings Canyon NP, resumes at the north boundary, then ends for good (with an End 180 assembly) at the west boundary of the park's Cedar Grove unit. Unlike Yosemite, there is Caltrans-spec CA 180 signage within the park. Also, the road through Grant Grove is the only road connection between the CA 180 segments on either side, or connecting the eastern part of CA 180 to the rest of the state highway system. So one might think Caltrans would want that connection to be part of the state highway system. but no.

AIUI, there never was a state highway through Yosemite, and Tioga Pass Rd. started as a private mine road that was donated to the National Park Service. This differs from the CA 178 and CA 190 segments within Death Valley NP, where the state highways were there first, before the park was created in 1994 (part of the park, but not the part with CA 178 in it, was a national monument from 1933-1994).

[Max Rockatansky]

Tioga Road and Big Oak Flat Road aren't technically part of 120 within Yosemite, they are maintained by the Park Service.  Groveland and Big Oak Flat constructed the Big Oak Flat Road originally and Tioga Road was originally a mine route up to the Tioga Mine.  The section down through Lee Vining Canyon was originally a toll road.  I have specific years and time events at home, I'll look them up tomorrow and post here.

Incidentally I have my own theories that 180 is an active route in Grant Grove, or at least has accurate Caltrans spec signage like you said.  I've never seen a definition of 180 that couldn't be interpreted clearly either way about who owns 180.  About the only indication I've seen is that the Park Service has an entry station for Grant Grove.  Things get even stranger when you consider part of the Generals Highway isn't on National Park lands at all.  190 for sure exists in Death Valley National Park along with 146 east in Pinnacles National Park.  In the case of 146 east it was part of the Pinnacles Wilderness before Pinnacles National Monument was upgraded to a park.  I would suspect that 190 has similar origins from the Death Valley National Monument days that carried over Caltrans maintenance when it became a park.

Incidentally I did a revisit to 140 and El Portal which I included maps showing the construction of this thread:

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=18387.0

I also know that I went into the history of the Wawona Road on the "Max's Road Pacific Southwest" thread last year....I want to say I might have talked about Tioga Road also. 

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=18621.0

Edit:  In the thread above I do talk about Wawona Road in full and Big Oak Flat Road.  I didn't really touch on the history of the Tioga Road much but there is a plaque that details the history in a picture.  Everything you're looking for is in Reply 7.

[Max Rockatansky]

Okay, so Tioga Pass Road....  Really this monument tells the meat of the story:



So basically the Tioga Road was originally a wagon route from Big Oak Flat Road to service the Tioga Mine which was a silver claim which was more or less where this webpage has it:

http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh630/MadMaxRockatansky73/IMG_8632_zpsjcsw9k1q.jpg

Yosemite.ca has a pretty solid article on the mining claims near Tioga Pass:

http://www.yosemite.ca.us/library/tioga_road/mines.html

Followed by fully detailed articles on the history of Tioga Pass Road in much greater detail than I ever could describe it:

http://www.yosemite.ca.us/library/tioga_road/great_sierra_wagon_road.html

http://www.yosemite.ca.us/library/tioga_road/travel_before_1915.html

http://www.yosemite.ca.us/library/tioga_road/business_ventures.html

The Department of Highways getting involved in building a state highway up Lee Vining Canyon to Tioga Lake which is now CA 120:

http://www.yosemite.ca.us/library/tioga_road/east_side.html

Initial automotive traffic:

http://www.yosemite.ca.us/library/tioga_road/automobiles_arrive.html

Improvements along Tioga Road in detail:

http://www.yosemite.ca.us/library/tioga_road/reconstruction.html

Modernization of the last 21 miles of dirt roadway:

http://www.yosemite.ca.us/library/tioga_road/post_war_developments.html

http://www.yosemite.ca.us/library/tioga_road/today.html

So I know that really is an overly stated answer to your question, no CA 120 never has existed in Yosemite National Park.  CA 120 has always ended at the Park Boundary from both sides; from the east as detailed above.  Really it was the Park Service pushing for improvements much like the Generals Highway over the Colony Mill Road in Sequoia National Park that modernized Tioga Pass Road to what you see today.  Without all those silver claims in the eastern Sierras there would probably never have been a road since it wasn't one of the Gold Rush era passes like Sonora, Ebbetts, Carson, and Donner to the north. 

Here is 1935 maps from the Division of Highways showing the actual maintenance of CA 120 in Tuolumne and Mono Counties from the very beginning of the Signed State Route system:

http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~247318~5515370:Mono-County-?sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No&qvq=q:california%2Bdivision%2Bof%2Bhighways;sort:Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=47&trs=160

http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~247379~5515400:Tuolumne-County-?sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No&qvq=q:california%2Bdivision%2Bof%2Bhighways;sort:Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=76&trs=160

Interestingly on the Tuolumne Map you can see the old state road maintained route up Evergreen Road to the Ackerson Creek that went to Aspen Valley.  The original alignment of Tioga Pass Road is much more clear on the state highway map in 1938 through Aspen Valley:

http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~239588~5511892:Road-Map-of-the-State-of-California?sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No&qvq=q:california%2Bdivision%2Bof%2Bhighways;sort:Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=137&trs=160

Incidentally if you travel up Evergreen Road to Ackerson Creek the old roadway is still there and can actually be hiked on.  It basically resembles a normal trail mostly today, but if you're in the know it has a ton of historic value being the original Tioga Pass Road.

[NE2]

Note however that until the 1940s Yosemite's west border was farther east, with the west piece of SR 120 (LR 40) extending into the current boundaries and a second piece of SR 140 (LR 18) existing (on what is now implicit SR 120 due to the Tioga Pass Road realignment).

[Max Rockatansky]

Note however that until the 1940s Yosemite's west border was farther east, with the west piece of SR 120 (LR 40) extending into the current boundaries and a second piece of SR 140 (LR 18) existing (on what is now implicit SR 120 due to the Tioga Pass Road realignment).

Essentially SSR 120 continued east to Aspen Valley at the current junction of Evergreen Road and modern CA 120 and SSR 140 went southeast from that same junction on modern Big Oak Flat Road.  Just curious, have you ever seen a map that shows this more clearly?  The state highway maps I'm looking at completely suck showing the split in Tuolumne County.

[NE2]

Essentially SSR 120 continued east to Aspen Valley at the current junction of Evergreen Road and modern CA 120 and SSR 140 went southeast from that same junction on modern Big Oak Flat Road.  Just curious, have you ever seen a map that shows this more clearly?  The state highway maps I'm looking at completely suck showing the split in Tuolumne County.

http://research.archives.gov/id/5823226 (image 8)

[Max Rockatansky]

Essentially SSR 120 continued east to Aspen Valley at the current junction of Evergreen Road and modern CA 120 and SSR 140 went southeast from that same junction on modern Big Oak Flat Road.  Just curious, have you ever seen a map that shows this more clearly?  The state highway maps I'm looking at completely suck showing the split in Tuolumne County.

http://research.archives.gov/id/5823226 (image 8)

Much obliged, that is certainly a keeper seeing those LRNs displayed up the Yosemite Park boundaries.

[coatimundi]

This came up in a thread a few months ago, with respect to the legislative definitions of the highways in the Sierras with regards to their entry into and out of the national parks. Specifically, 180 and 198 as they leave the former General Sherman National Park back into national forest land, then enter Kings Canyon and Sequoia, respectfully. The unofficial NPS signage at the Grant Grove junction signs 198 but the highway does not officially exist until its western exit from Sequoia, even though it does leave national park land for a time between KCNP and Sequoia. I looked a few months ago, and couldn't see any Caltrans milemarkers on the route there. Meanwhile, the orphaned section of 180 does officially exist between the two sections of KCNP, and I believe it is signed accordingly.
Additionally, a similar situation exists up north, at Lassen Volcanic National Park: 89 is in two sections on either side of the park, but is signed throughout the park (via NPS signage) as a contiguous routing.

California is not totally unique in this. In Texas, US 385 officially ends at the Big Bend National Park boundary, reverting to a park road. The same occurs with SR 118. However, I believe the routes that traverse Great Smoky Mountains National Park are all contiguous, though I could be wrong about that (they're certainly signed).

[Max Rockatansky]

In respect to Death Valley it wasn't declared a National Monument until 1933.  It would seem that the legislation that led to the creation of LRN 127 and SSR 190 was also enacted at the state level the same year.  I'm unsure of when the Park Service started to begin operations in Death Valley but I'm sure that they would have been perfectly okay with the state building and maintaining a highway through the Monument:

http://www.cahighways.org/185-192.html

Traces of the rough alignment of SSR 190 appear on the 1934 State Highway Map:

http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~239594~5511896:Road-Map-of-the-State-of-California?sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No&qvq=q:caltrans;sort:Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=73&trs=86

The 1935 Division of Highways Map shows a partially state owned route from Darwin that used the Eichbaum Toll Road:

http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~247289~5515355:Inyo-County-?sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No&qvq=q:california%2Bdivision%2Bof%2Bhighways;sort:Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=33&trs=160

With the route complete on the 1938 map showing SSR 190 taking a route north of Darwin and the Eichbaum Tollroad being absorbed into state control:

http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~239588~5511892:Road-Map-of-the-State-of-California?sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No&qvq=q:caltrans;sort:Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=69&trs=86

Now things get weird with LRN 212 in 1947.  Somehow the state thought it was a good idea to try to build a highway from Death Valley National Monument over the Panamints west through what I'm pretty sure was even in those days part of Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake to Trona.  Of course this became an extension of CA 178 post 1964...I guess the Park Service was good the state trying to build a state highway over the Panamints and assuming maintenance over of Jubilee Pass Road?

http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~239573~5511882:Road-Map-of-the-State-of-California?sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No&qvq=q:caltrans;sort:Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=59&trs=86

With respect to what Coatimundi said on 180...  Incidentally on the 1938 map you can also see there is a smidge of 180 in Grant Grove that is shown as a road not maintained by the state.  Grant Grove was already a pretty well maintained Park Unit being established back in 1890 well before the state got around to creating Signed State Routes.

[NE2]

However, I believe the routes that traverse Great Smoky Mountains National Park are all contiguous, though I could be wrong about that (they're certainly signed).

US 441 is not state maintained in the park, and AASHTO even explicitly deleted it through the park in 1970 so signs could be removed: http://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3AAASHO_USRN_1970-11-06.pdf&page=7

[coatimundi]

US 441 is not state maintained in the park, and AASHTO even explicitly deleted it through the park in 1970 so signs could be removed: http://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3AAASHO_USRN_1970-11-06.pdf&page=7

Huh. I guess the only signs are at the end of the Blue Ridge Parkway. It's been years since I've been there, but maybe that's what I'm recalling. 321 is signed but, looking at the map, that doesn't really go into the park.

Utah signs SR 9 through Zion, but the road is actually maintained by NPS. Meanwhile, SR 347 is maintained by CDOT for the first bit into Black Canyon of the Gunnison. But US 34 is NPS through RMNP.
So this just seems very inconsistent.

[Max Rockatansky]

Carlsbad Caverns is another Park Service mystery I haven't been able to entirely crack.  Basically the only NM 7 sign I've seen is directly after you turn off of US 62/180 into Whites City.  Beyond first sign I can't recall ever seeing another NM 7 sign and the Park Service Map provides no insight to what is actually going on.  The only information I've ever found was on Steve Riner's New Mexico Roads Page and he doesn't even sound sure himself if NM 7 is state maintained in the park lands:

http://www.steve-riner.com/nmhighways/NM1-25.htm

Granted I know this is going way beyond the scope now of CA 120 and Tioga Pass Road but it is an interesting subject nonetheless.

[coatimundi]

The only information I've ever found was on Steve Riner's New Mexico Roads Page and he doesn't even sound sure himself if NM 7 is state maintained in the park lands:

NMDOT lists it as a minor collector for 7.199 miles, which seems to be pretty much up to the Caverns' parking lot: http://dot.state.nm.us/content/dam/nmdot/Data_Management/NM_AADT_Listing.pdf

[oscar]

Meanwhile, the orphaned section of 180 does officially exist between the two sections of KCNP, and I believe it is signed accordingly.

I was there a year ago, all the way to a snow closure in Hume. Caltrans signage (at least postmiles) resumes exiting the Grant Grove section of KCNP. As I noted above, GMSV shows an End 180 sign assembly at the east end of the orphan segment.

Carlsbad Caverns is another Park Service mystery I haven't been able to entirely crack.  Basically the only NM 7 sign I've seen is directly after you turn off of US 62/180 into Whites City.  Beyond first sign I can't recall ever seeing another NM 7 sign and the Park Service Map provides no insight to what is actually going on.  The only information I've ever found was on Steve Riner's New Mexico Roads Page and he doesn't even sound sure himself if NM 7 is state maintained in the park lands:

http://www.steve-riner.com/nmhighways/NM1-25.htm

NMDOT's legal definition of NM 7 had it going into the park, to its visitor c center well within park boundaries, last I checked it (I only have a dead link now).