CA-299 to Nevada border?

[kkt]

I read here:

http://gbcnet.com/ushighways/US299/index.html

that US-299 east end was at US-395 in Alturas.  It was later that California extended CA-299 to the Nevada border, where it turns into a dirt road.

Why was it important for California to build this paved road to the Nevada border?  I can see that it would have been desirable to have a state route over the hills from Alturas to Cedarville, but why didn't it end at Cedarville?  Did California think that Nevada was going to build a paved road to meet it?

[NE2]

It was added to the state highway system in 1921. There is a decent-quality unpaved road in Nevada.

[roadfro]

The unpaved road that CA 299 meets at the Nevada state line is former NV 8A. This road was removed from the Nevada route system with the 1976 renumbering.

This portion of 8A travels through the now very sparsely populated northwest corner of the state...the ghost town of Vya is all that's really left in this area.

Perhaps the thought from California was that there would be more settlement in this part of Nevada, and that NDOT would eventually make a paved NV 8A connection to CA 299? What ended up happening in the highway realm SR 140 replacing much of 8A and curving north to Oregon instead of following the former trek west to California, as part of the "Winnemucca to the Sea Highway" effort.

[Quillz]

Is this the only example of a state route being longer than the US Route it replaced? In most other cases, former US Routes become shorter state routes.

[NE2]

Is this the only example of a state route being longer than the US Route it replaced? In most other cases, former US Routes become shorter state routes.

MD 213 is longer than the post-1948 route of US 213 (after US 50 replaced part).

[Max Rockatansky]

This seemed particularly relevant (and ironic given the statement by Roadfro) as it seems the corridor of CA 299 from US 395 to NV 8A was the original concept of the Winnemucca to the Sea Highway.  Per what I wrote on Facebook:

" While researching US Route 299 tonight I stumbled upon a unexpected Winnemucca-to-the-Sea Highway reference in the March 1951 California Highways & Public Works.  Said volume details improvements made to California Legislative Route Number 28 over the Bonner Grade between Alturas and Cedarville of Modoc County.  The Bonner Grade is described as being a weak link the Winnemucca-to-the-Sea Highway which is stated to have a western terminus at Eureka.  The implication seemingly is that the Winnemucca-to-the-Sea Highway as originally envisioned was to follow US Route 95, Nevada State Route 8A through Vya, Legislative Route Number 28 over the Bonner Grade, US Route 395 to Alturas and US Route 299."

I snipped the CHPW in question on Gribblenation's Facebook page.  Talk about an out of nowhere discovery:

https://www.facebook.com/72868503020/posts/10158233450643021/?d=n

[andy3175]

This seemed particularly relevant (and ironic given the statement by Roadfro) as it seems the corridor of CA 299 from US 395 to NV 8A was the original concept of the Winnemucca to the Sea Highway.  Per what I wrote on Facebook:

" While researching US Route 299 tonight I stumbled upon a unexpected Winnemucca-to-the-Sea Highway reference in the March 1951 California Highways & Public Works.  Said volume details improvements made to California Legislative Route Number 28 over the Bonner Grade between Alturas and Cedarville of Modoc County.  The Bonner Grade is described as being a weak link the Winnemucca-to-the-Sea Highway which is stated to have a western terminus at Eureka.  The implication seemingly is that the Winnemucca-to-the-Sea Highway as originally envisioned was to follow US Route 95, Nevada State Route 8A through Vya, Legislative Route Number 28 over the Bonner Grade, US Route 395 to Alturas and US Route 299."

I snipped the CHPW in question on Gribblenation's Facebook page.  Talk about an out of nowhere discovery:

https://www.facebook.com/72868503020/posts/10158233450643021/?d=n

Thanks Max for this research. I didn't realize that SR 299/former US 299 was in contention as a possible alignment of the Winnemucca-to-the-Sea Highway; I was under the impression it had always been planned to go along Nevada/Oregon SR 140 and US 199. I wonder when the decision was made to shift its alignment. Since there is no paved route leading from Alturas to Cedarville, Vya, and ultimately SR 140, that might be why the northern route was chosen. I wonder if there are archives of the advocate group for creating Winnemucca-to-the-Sea Highway perhaps in Winnemucca's historical society or equivalent.

Finally, I had no idea there was a plan for a State of Deseret. Cool reference; I found more information on that concept here: https://www.uen.org/utah_history_encyclopedia/d/DESERET.shtml.

[Max Rockatansky]

This seemed particularly relevant (and ironic given the statement by Roadfro) as it seems the corridor of CA 299 from US 395 to NV 8A was the original concept of the Winnemucca to the Sea Highway.  Per what I wrote on Facebook:

" While researching US Route 299 tonight I stumbled upon a unexpected Winnemucca-to-the-Sea Highway reference in the March 1951 California Highways & Public Works.  Said volume details improvements made to California Legislative Route Number 28 over the Bonner Grade between Alturas and Cedarville of Modoc County.  The Bonner Grade is described as being a weak link the Winnemucca-to-the-Sea Highway which is stated to have a western terminus at Eureka.  The implication seemingly is that the Winnemucca-to-the-Sea Highway as originally envisioned was to follow US Route 95, Nevada State Route 8A through Vya, Legislative Route Number 28 over the Bonner Grade, US Route 395 to Alturas and US Route 299."

I snipped the CHPW in question on Gribblenation's Facebook page.  Talk about an out of nowhere discovery:

https://www.facebook.com/72868503020/posts/10158233450643021/?d=n

Thanks Max for this research. I didn't realize that SR 299/former US 299 was in contention as a possible alignment of the Winnemucca-to-the-Sea Highway; I was under the impression it had always been planned to go along Nevada/Oregon SR 140 and US 199. I wonder when the decision was made to shift its alignment. Since there is no paved route leading from Alturas to Cedarville, Vya, and ultimately SR 140, that might be why the northern route was chosen. I wonder if there are archives of the advocate group for creating Winnemucca-to-the-Sea Highway perhaps in Winnemucca's historical society or equivalent.

Finally, I had no idea there was a plan for a State of Deseret. Cool reference; I found more information on that concept here: https://www.uen.org/utah_history_encyclopedia/d/DESERET.shtml.

The weird thing is I can't even find a reference to it on any City of Winnemucca media.  It kind of makes me wonder how well known the NV 8A/US 299 concept is even known in the Winnemucca circles...if at all.  It does make sense when you think about it, NV 8A was already an established road west of Denio to Cedarville whereas NV 140/OR 140 largely had to be constructed from scratch.  I would note though that the current NV/OR 140 and US 199 corridor is much more sound in terms of moving modern traffic (particularly freight) over much of CA 299. 

[xonhulu]

Is this the only example of a state route being longer than the US Route it replaced? In most other cases, former US Routes become shorter state routes.

MD 213 is longer than the post-1948 route of US 213 (after US 50 replaced part).

OR 126 is also longer than US 126 was, as it ended in Eugene.

There are probably other examples out there.