California

[Max Rockatansky]

Is the Sierra Highway that parallels the southern CA 14 freeway the Historic US 6 alignment into the LA area?

Yes, but there are several alignments in Santa Clarita.

[cl94]

Must've never got much beyond the concept phase.  I don't see that segment of CA 9 referenced as part of the Freeway & Expressway System.  But to Quillz point, probably over 95% of urban state highways were added to the Freeway & Expressway system at some point.  It would be fair to say that most state highways in big cities were at least conceptually planned to have limited access elements.  That's not to say every planned freeway and expressway had a formal alignment adoption by the CHC.

This. A stupid percentage of the state highway system is on the freeway and expressway system. That does not mean a full freeway was ever proposed, or even anything more than minor access control.

[Quillz]

It seems in the 50s and 60s there were plans to make absolutely everything a freeway. CA-23 was envisioned as the Decker Freeway, all the way from CA-1 to Fillmore. There was the CA-64 freeway through the San Fernando Valley. The CA-14 extension was going to be a freeway to CA-1. I think this was still part of that "we can build anything, anywhere" mentality that defined most of the first half of the 20th century, and before there was a large environmental movement.

Don't forget the plans to make CA 1 a freeway from Oxnard to San Luis Capistrano, including an offshore causeway between Malibu and Santa Monica

Yeah, that's exactly what I was referring to with my comment. Or how there were all these plans to take highways across the Sierra. It was just a mentality of anything and everything can be built, and who cares about the environmental impact. Makes me wonder what might have been if environmentalism didn't become a bigger deal, would we have a causeway from California to Hawaii?

[kernals12]

It seems in the 50s and 60s there were plans to make absolutely everything a freeway. CA-23 was envisioned as the Decker Freeway, all the way from CA-1 to Fillmore. There was the CA-64 freeway through the San Fernando Valley. The CA-14 extension was going to be a freeway to CA-1. I think this was still part of that "we can build anything, anywhere" mentality that defined most of the first half of the 20th century, and before there was a large environmental movement.

Don't forget the plans to make CA 1 a freeway from Oxnard to San Luis Capistrano, including an offshore causeway between Malibu and Santa Monica

Yeah, that's exactly what I was referring to with my comment. Or how there were all these plans to take highways across the Sierra. It was just a mentality of anything and everything can be built, and who cares about the environmental impact. Makes me wonder what might have been if environmentalism didn't become a bigger deal, would we have a causeway from California to Hawaii?

Pretty obviously not. That would be physically impossible

[Max Rockatansky]

Worth noting that environmentalism killing highways wasn't just a late 1960s/early 1970s problem.  Both CA 180 over Kearsarge Pass and CA 168 over Piute Pass were low key killed in 1940 when Forest Service lands were transferred to the National Park Service as part of Kings Canyon National Park.  Both projects were intended to be Forest Service built roads with Sign Routes affixed to them.  Essentially think Sherman Pass Road but with a more significant profile.

[skluth]

It seems in the 50s and 60s there were plans to make absolutely everything a freeway. CA-23 was envisioned as the Decker Freeway, all the way from CA-1 to Fillmore. There was the CA-64 freeway through the San Fernando Valley. The CA-14 extension was going to be a freeway to CA-1. I think this was still part of that "we can build anything, anywhere" mentality that defined most of the first half of the 20th century, and before there was a large environmental movement.

Don't forget the plans to make CA 1 a freeway from Oxnard to San Luis Capistrano, including an offshore causeway between Malibu and Santa Monica

Yeah, that's exactly what I was referring to with my comment. Or how there were all these plans to take highways across the Sierra. It was just a mentality of anything and everything can be built, and who cares about the environmental impact. Makes me wonder what might have been if environmentalism didn't become a bigger deal, would we have a causeway from California to Hawaii?

Pretty obviously not. That would be physically impossible

Doesn't stop FritzOwl from planning it

[kernals12]

These maps from a 1958 US Department of Commerce study show lots of never built freeways.

[ClassicHasClass]

Drove through Glendale the other day. Caltrans put up a new I-5 shield at the Victory Blvd exit. No more US-99.

Aww. Did they replace the entire panel or just green it out?

[Max Rockatansky]

Worse, I-5 patch with no further repairs. 

[TheStranger]

Not quite sure if the map shows "proposed freeways" or just "planned or existing highways" regardless of freeway.  Having said that:

What's listed in the first map that is unbuilt:
Route 87 north of US 101 (to San Francisco)

Route 61 north of Route 84 (to Alameda)
Route 84 west of the Dumbarton Bridge (as a freeway)
I-380 west of I-280

First map also essentially shows the 1958-1965 I-680 that used today's Route 262 and I-880 between Warm Springs and San Jose

Second map:
Route 93 east of I-80, heading southeast to Moraga and then to Alamo at I-680 (west of I-80 is the Richmond Parkway)
Route 24 east of Walnut Creek through Clayton to Route 4 in Pitsburg
Route 77 east of International Boulevard northeast to Moraga to Route 242 in Concord
Route 84 between Livermore and Brentwood along Vasco Road
Route 239 from Route 4 in Brentwood southeast to the I-580/I-205 junction
Route 13 west of Route 24 and south of I-580
Route 92 as a freeway east of I-880 to I-580

Third map:
Route 17 (now unbuilt Route 251) northwest of the I-580/US 101 junction in San Rafael to Route 1 in Point Reyes Station
Route 37 between Point Reyes Station and Novato

Fourth map:
Route 12 freeway east of Santa Rosa

[Henry]

Is the Sierra Highway that parallels the southern CA 14 freeway the Historic US 6 alignment into the LA area?

Yes, it is.

[kernals12]

Not quite sure if the map shows "proposed freeways" or just "planned or existing highways" regardless of freeway.  Having said that:

What's listed in the first map that is unbuilt:
Route 87 north of US 101 (to San Francisco)

Route 61 north of Route 84 (to Alameda)
Route 84 west of the Dumbarton Bridge (as a freeway)
I-380 west of I-280

First map also essentially shows the 1958-1965 I-680 that used today's Route 262 and I-880 between Warm Springs and San Jose

Second map:
Route 93 east of I-80, heading southeast to Moraga and then to Alamo at I-680 (west of I-80 is the Richmond Parkway)
Route 24 east of Walnut Creek through Clayton to Route 4 in Pitsburg
Route 77 east of International Boulevard northeast to Moraga to Route 242 in Concord
Route 84 between Livermore and Brentwood along Vasco Road
Route 239 from Route 4 in Brentwood southeast to the I-580/I-205 junction
Route 13 west of Route 24 and south of I-580
Route 92 as a freeway east of I-880 to I-580

Third map:
Route 17 (now unbuilt Route 251) northwest of the I-580/US 101 junction in San Rafael to Route 1 in Point Reyes Station
Route 37 between Point Reyes Station and Novato

Fourth map:
Route 12 freeway east of Santa Rosa

That freeway bypassing Santa Rosa to the west (presumably Route 116) is really eyebrow raising. I guess they really expected Santa Rosa's population to boom.

Also weird is that freeway along Pleasant Hill/Taylor west of Walnut Creek

[TheStranger]

Also weird is that freeway along Pleasant Hill/Taylor west of Walnut Creek

That was part of the Route 77 proposal.

[Quillz]

Not quite sure if the map shows "proposed freeways" or just "planned or existing highways" regardless of freeway.  Having said that:

What's listed in the first map that is unbuilt:
Route 87 north of US 101 (to San Francisco)

Route 61 north of Route 84 (to Alameda)
Route 84 west of the Dumbarton Bridge (as a freeway)
I-380 west of I-280

First map also essentially shows the 1958-1965 I-680 that used today's Route 262 and I-880 between Warm Springs and San Jose

Second map:
Route 93 east of I-80, heading southeast to Moraga and then to Alamo at I-680 (west of I-80 is the Richmond Parkway)
Route 24 east of Walnut Creek through Clayton to Route 4 in Pitsburg
Route 77 east of International Boulevard northeast to Moraga to Route 242 in Concord
Route 84 between Livermore and Brentwood along Vasco Road
Route 239 from Route 4 in Brentwood southeast to the I-580/I-205 junction
Route 13 west of Route 24 and south of I-580
Route 92 as a freeway east of I-880 to I-580

Third map:
Route 17 (now unbuilt Route 251) northwest of the I-580/US 101 junction in San Rafael to Route 1 in Point Reyes Station
Route 37 between Point Reyes Station and Novato

Fourth map:
Route 12 freeway east of Santa Rosa

That freeway bypassing Santa Rosa to the west (presumably Route 116) is really eyebrow raising. I guess they really expected Santa Rosa's population to boom.

Also weird is that freeway along Pleasant Hill/Taylor west of Walnut Creek

Same reason California City was built. There was an expected population boom around Edwards Air Force Base, and all those workers would need somewhere to live. But it never happened but they still built up miles of tracts anyway. I guess back in the 50s or w/e these plans were made, they just had different predictions about where population booms would be.

[TheStranger]

New Yerba Buena Island offramp from eastbound I-80 on the Bay Bridge.  (This explains finally why the Treasure Island exit remained numbered as "Exit 4A" for years even when the Yerba Buena exit/4B was not active)

https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/will-new-bay-bridge-off-ramp-reduce-traffic-18078884.php?fbclid=IwAR1mnEl-9HX7L6jwl06fe7gwlc4JO2fuZha8-lD97zKhyAnZ03OQXmqBETc

[jdbx]

Not quite sure if the map shows "proposed freeways" or just "planned or existing highways" regardless of freeway.  Having said that:

What's listed in the first map that is unbuilt:
Route 87 north of US 101 (to San Francisco)

Route 61 north of Route 84 (to Alameda)
Route 84 west of the Dumbarton Bridge (as a freeway)
I-380 west of I-280

First map also essentially shows the 1958-1965 I-680 that used today's Route 262 and I-880 between Warm Springs and San Jose

Second map:
Route 93 east of I-80, heading southeast to Moraga and then to Alamo at I-680 (west of I-80 is the Richmond Parkway)
Route 24 east of Walnut Creek through Clayton to Route 4 in Pitsburg
Route 77 east of International Boulevard northeast to Moraga to Route 242 in Concord
Route 84 between Livermore and Brentwood along Vasco Road
Route 239 from Route 4 in Brentwood southeast to the I-580/I-205 junction
Route 13 west of Route 24 and south of I-580
Route 92 as a freeway east of I-880 to I-580

Third map:
Route 17 (now unbuilt Route 251) northwest of the I-580/US 101 junction in San Rafael to Route 1 in Point Reyes Station
Route 37 between Point Reyes Station and Novato

Fourth map:
Route 12 freeway east of Santa Rosa

That freeway bypassing Santa Rosa to the west (presumably Route 116) is really eyebrow raising. I guess they really expected Santa Rosa's population to boom.

Also weird is that freeway along Pleasant Hill/Taylor west of Walnut Creek

What is interesting is that Pleasant Hill Road / Taylor Blvd functions effectively as an expressway anyway. This is right by my house, I drive it daily, and in spite of posted speed limits, most people travel 60-70 MPH in the area between Geary Blvd and Pleasant Hill Rd.  I don't think a freeway was ever truly necessary along this route, however.

The routes that really did need to be built out as a freeway are 24 over Ygnacio Valley and Kirker Pass road, and 239/84 between Brentwood and Livermore and/or Tracy.  There is still a glimmer of hope for the Brentwood - Tracy route.

[Max Rockatansky]

A lot of the planned freeways and expressways did get built eventually, but not as state highways.  That's really apparent with some planned corridors around Sacramento and even the Bay Area with the likes of stuff akin to Vasco Road.

[kernals12]

Not quite sure if the map shows "proposed freeways" or just "planned or existing highways" regardless of freeway.  Having said that:

What's listed in the first map that is unbuilt:
Route 87 north of US 101 (to San Francisco)

Route 61 north of Route 84 (to Alameda)
Route 84 west of the Dumbarton Bridge (as a freeway)
I-380 west of I-280

First map also essentially shows the 1958-1965 I-680 that used today's Route 262 and I-880 between Warm Springs and San Jose

Second map:
Route 93 east of I-80, heading southeast to Moraga and then to Alamo at I-680 (west of I-80 is the Richmond Parkway)
Route 24 east of Walnut Creek through Clayton to Route 4 in Pitsburg
Route 77 east of International Boulevard northeast to Moraga to Route 242 in Concord
Route 84 between Livermore and Brentwood along Vasco Road
Route 239 from Route 4 in Brentwood southeast to the I-580/I-205 junction
Route 13 west of Route 24 and south of I-580
Route 92 as a freeway east of I-880 to I-580

Third map:
Route 17 (now unbuilt Route 251) northwest of the I-580/US 101 junction in San Rafael to Route 1 in Point Reyes Station
Route 37 between Point Reyes Station and Novato

Fourth map:
Route 12 freeway east of Santa Rosa

That freeway bypassing Santa Rosa to the west (presumably Route 116) is really eyebrow raising. I guess they really expected Santa Rosa's population to boom.

Also weird is that freeway along Pleasant Hill/Taylor west of Walnut Creek

What is interesting is that Pleasant Hill Road / Taylor Blvd functions effectively as an expressway anyway. This is right by my house, I drive it daily, and in spite of posted speed limits, most people travel 60-70 MPH in the area between Geary Blvd and Pleasant Hill Rd.  I don't think a freeway was ever truly necessary along this route, however.

The routes that really did need to be built out as a freeway are 24 over Ygnacio Valley and Kirker Pass road, and 239/84 between Brentwood and Livermore and/or Tracy.  There is still a glimmer of hope for the Brentwood - Tracy route.

All those freeways through Western Marin and Sonoma Counties would've been great, spawning beautiful new subdivisions and preventing the Bay Area's current housing crunch.

[jdbx]

Not quite sure if the map shows "proposed freeways" or just "planned or existing highways" regardless of freeway.  Having said that:

What's listed in the first map that is unbuilt:
Route 87 north of US 101 (to San Francisco)

Route 61 north of Route 84 (to Alameda)
Route 84 west of the Dumbarton Bridge (as a freeway)
I-380 west of I-280

First map also essentially shows the 1958-1965 I-680 that used today's Route 262 and I-880 between Warm Springs and San Jose

Second map:
Route 93 east of I-80, heading southeast to Moraga and then to Alamo at I-680 (west of I-80 is the Richmond Parkway)
Route 24 east of Walnut Creek through Clayton to Route 4 in Pitsburg
Route 77 east of International Boulevard northeast to Moraga to Route 242 in Concord
Route 84 between Livermore and Brentwood along Vasco Road
Route 239 from Route 4 in Brentwood southeast to the I-580/I-205 junction
Route 13 west of Route 24 and south of I-580
Route 92 as a freeway east of I-880 to I-580

Third map:
Route 17 (now unbuilt Route 251) northwest of the I-580/US 101 junction in San Rafael to Route 1 in Point Reyes Station
Route 37 between Point Reyes Station and Novato

Fourth map:
Route 12 freeway east of Santa Rosa

That freeway bypassing Santa Rosa to the west (presumably Route 116) is really eyebrow raising. I guess they really expected Santa Rosa's population to boom.

Also weird is that freeway along Pleasant Hill/Taylor west of Walnut Creek

What is interesting is that Pleasant Hill Road / Taylor Blvd functions effectively as an expressway anyway. This is right by my house, I drive it daily, and in spite of posted speed limits, most people travel 60-70 MPH in the area between Geary Blvd and Pleasant Hill Rd.  I don't think a freeway was ever truly necessary along this route, however.

The routes that really did need to be built out as a freeway are 24 over Ygnacio Valley and Kirker Pass road, and 239/84 between Brentwood and Livermore and/or Tracy.  There is still a glimmer of hope for the Brentwood - Tracy route.

All those freeways through Western Marin and Sonoma Counties would've been great, spawning beautiful new subdivisions and preventing the Bay Area's current housing crunch.

I agree that we need to build more housing, and that the fact that we essentially stopped within the core Bay Area 40 years ago has a lot to do with the current crisis, but I don't think the terrain of Western Marin or Sonoma counties really lends itself to large-scale housing development of that sort. There are still plenty of interior lowland areas in the core Bay Area that should be built up and densified, with adequate highway and transit provisioning to service them.  Case-in-point: the lost opportunity to really do something on a grander scale on the various closed military installations.

[kernals12]

Not quite sure if the map shows "proposed freeways" or just "planned or existing highways" regardless of freeway.  Having said that:

What's listed in the first map that is unbuilt:
Route 87 north of US 101 (to San Francisco)

Route 61 north of Route 84 (to Alameda)
Route 84 west of the Dumbarton Bridge (as a freeway)
I-380 west of I-280

First map also essentially shows the 1958-1965 I-680 that used today's Route 262 and I-880 between Warm Springs and San Jose

Second map:
Route 93 east of I-80, heading southeast to Moraga and then to Alamo at I-680 (west of I-80 is the Richmond Parkway)
Route 24 east of Walnut Creek through Clayton to Route 4 in Pitsburg
Route 77 east of International Boulevard northeast to Moraga to Route 242 in Concord
Route 84 between Livermore and Brentwood along Vasco Road
Route 239 from Route 4 in Brentwood southeast to the I-580/I-205 junction
Route 13 west of Route 24 and south of I-580
Route 92 as a freeway east of I-880 to I-580

Third map:
Route 17 (now unbuilt Route 251) northwest of the I-580/US 101 junction in San Rafael to Route 1 in Point Reyes Station
Route 37 between Point Reyes Station and Novato

Fourth map:
Route 12 freeway east of Santa Rosa

That freeway bypassing Santa Rosa to the west (presumably Route 116) is really eyebrow raising. I guess they really expected Santa Rosa's population to boom.

Also weird is that freeway along Pleasant Hill/Taylor west of Walnut Creek

What is interesting is that Pleasant Hill Road / Taylor Blvd functions effectively as an expressway anyway. This is right by my house, I drive it daily, and in spite of posted speed limits, most people travel 60-70 MPH in the area between Geary Blvd and Pleasant Hill Rd.  I don't think a freeway was ever truly necessary along this route, however.

The routes that really did need to be built out as a freeway are 24 over Ygnacio Valley and Kirker Pass road, and 239/84 between Brentwood and Livermore and/or Tracy.  There is still a glimmer of hope for the Brentwood - Tracy route.

All those freeways through Western Marin and Sonoma Counties would've been great, spawning beautiful new subdivisions and preventing the Bay Area's current housing crunch.

I agree that we need to build more housing, and that the fact that we essentially stopped within the core Bay Area 40 years ago has a lot to do with the current crisis, but I don't think the terrain of Western Marin or Sonoma counties really lends itself to large-scale housing development of that sort. There are still plenty of interior lowland areas in the core Bay Area that should be built up and densified, with adequate highway and transit provisioning to service them.  Case-in-point: the lost opportunity to really do something on a grander scale on the various closed military installations.

I think this area looks pretty suitable for housing development.

[Max Rockatansky]

Problem is obtaining said land requires the land owner to be willing to sell.  Most of those property owners and ranchers on the Shoreline Highway aren't interested in selling.

[TheStranger]

A lot of the planned freeways and expressways did get built eventually, but not as state highways.  That's really apparent with some planned corridors around Sacramento and even the Bay Area with the likes of stuff akin to Vasco Road.

Another example of "state route planned, local route built" -
I have always wondered if that expressway section of Watt Avenue between Fair Oaks Boulevard and Jackson Highway was built with state funds - it was part of the 1980s proposed relocated Route 16, though 16 eventually was kept along Jackson, Folsom and Power Inn west towards Sacramento State University.

The most obvious Bay Area example is the Richmond Parkway/planned Route 93.

[jdbx]

Not quite sure if the map shows "proposed freeways" or just "planned or existing highways" regardless of freeway.  Having said that:

What's listed in the first map that is unbuilt:
Route 87 north of US 101 (to San Francisco)

Route 61 north of Route 84 (to Alameda)
Route 84 west of the Dumbarton Bridge (as a freeway)
I-380 west of I-280

First map also essentially shows the 1958-1965 I-680 that used today's Route 262 and I-880 between Warm Springs and San Jose

Second map:
Route 93 east of I-80, heading southeast to Moraga and then to Alamo at I-680 (west of I-80 is the Richmond Parkway)
Route 24 east of Walnut Creek through Clayton to Route 4 in Pitsburg
Route 77 east of International Boulevard northeast to Moraga to Route 242 in Concord
Route 84 between Livermore and Brentwood along Vasco Road
Route 239 from Route 4 in Brentwood southeast to the I-580/I-205 junction
Route 13 west of Route 24 and south of I-580
Route 92 as a freeway east of I-880 to I-580

Third map:
Route 17 (now unbuilt Route 251) northwest of the I-580/US 101 junction in San Rafael to Route 1 in Point Reyes Station
Route 37 between Point Reyes Station and Novato

Fourth map:
Route 12 freeway east of Santa Rosa

That freeway bypassing Santa Rosa to the west (presumably Route 116) is really eyebrow raising. I guess they really expected Santa Rosa's population to boom.

Also weird is that freeway along Pleasant Hill/Taylor west of Walnut Creek

What is interesting is that Pleasant Hill Road / Taylor Blvd functions effectively as an expressway anyway. This is right by my house, I drive it daily, and in spite of posted speed limits, most people travel 60-70 MPH in the area between Geary Blvd and Pleasant Hill Rd.  I don't think a freeway was ever truly necessary along this route, however.

The routes that really did need to be built out as a freeway are 24 over Ygnacio Valley and Kirker Pass road, and 239/84 between Brentwood and Livermore and/or Tracy.  There is still a glimmer of hope for the Brentwood - Tracy route.

All those freeways through Western Marin and Sonoma Counties would've been great, spawning beautiful new subdivisions and preventing the Bay Area's current housing crunch.

I agree that we need to build more housing, and that the fact that we essentially stopped within the core Bay Area 40 years ago has a lot to do with the current crisis, but I don't think the terrain of Western Marin or Sonoma counties really lends itself to large-scale housing development of that sort. There are still plenty of interior lowland areas in the core Bay Area that should be built up and densified, with adequate highway and transit provisioning to service them.  Case-in-point: the lost opportunity to really do something on a grander scale on the various closed military installations.

I think this area looks pretty suitable for housing development.

You make a fair point, I suppose the area around Valley Ford wouldn't be that prohibitive from a terrain standpoint. Obviously the political obstacles are much greater.  It still bothers me how much of an opportunity is being squandered in places like Alameda and Concord where there is plenty of space to provide housing for so many more people.

[Max Rockatansky]

A lot of the planned freeways and expressways did get built eventually, but not as state highways.  That's really apparent with some planned corridors around Sacramento and even the Bay Area with the likes of stuff akin to Vasco Road.

Another example of "state route planned, local route built" -
I have always wondered if that expressway section of Watt Avenue between Fair Oaks Boulevard and Jackson Highway was built with state funds - it was part of the 1980s proposed relocated Route 16, though 16 eventually was kept along Jackson, Folsom and Power Inn west towards Sacramento State University.

The most obvious Bay Area example is the Richmond Parkway/planned Route 93.

Which even has Contra Costa County Route 93 call boxes. 

[kernals12]

Perhaps what's needed is for all the tech firms, venture capitalists, and Stanford be forced to move to Sacramento.