San Francisco state & US route history

[TheStranger]

Got inspired to do this after seeing sparker's post about surface street routes in the California thread.  This only reflects routes that were signed in SF


Via historic maps:

Route 1
1934-1940 or so: Junipero Serra Boulevard, 19th Avenue, Crossover Drive, Park Presidio Bypass, Fulton Street to US 101/Van Ness Avenue, then Van Ness/US 101 routing north.  Park Presidio Bypass was under construction in 1938:
https://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~239590~5511893?qvq=q%3Acaltrans%3Bsort%3APub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No%3Blc%3ARUMSEY~8~1&mi=70&trs=86
1940-present (when the MacArthur Tunnel in the Presidio was completed) - Junipero Serra, 19th, Crossover, Park Presidio Bypass, Park Presidio Boulevard, Macarthur Tunnel (known also at the time as the Funston Avenue tunnel), US 101/Doyle Drive
Note that the portion of today's I-280 between San Jose Avenue and the 280/1 split in Daly City was legislatively part of Route 1 between 1964 and 1968, but not signed as such (at the time 280 just followed signed 1 up towards Presidio, but when the freeway revolts canceled that, this 1 stub became part of the 280 realignment northeast along the Southern Freeway)

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1934-1964 Route 5/1964-present Route 35: Skyline Boulevard, Sloat Boulevard to 19th Avenue terminus (Route 1)

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US 101 (US 101W/US 101E, ALT US 101, Bypass US 101)
1930: US 101W used a routing of Mission Street, Valencia Street, Market Street to Van Ness (note that this cannot be exactly followed anymore northbound as left turns from Market northeast to Van Ness northbound were eliminated decades ago).  US 101E "northbound" went west via ferry from Oakland then southwest down Market to Van Ness (based on the "circular terminus" marking on the map below)
https://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~239601~5511906?qvq=q%3Acaltrans%3Bsort%3APub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No%3Blc%3ARUMSEY~8~1&mi=77&trs=86

Van Ness between Market and Lombard is the current routing, past City Hall.  North of Lombard, US 101 then apparently used Chestnut to connect to Hyde, then to the Hyde Street Pier and the ferry to Sausalito.  Similar routing is shown in the 1934 map:
https://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~239596~5511897?qvq=q%3Acaltrans%3Bsort%3APub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No%3Blc%3ARUMSEY~8~1&mi=74&trs=86

1936/1937: With the completion of the Bay Bridge, US 101E has been replaced with US 40/50.  What had been US 101W in SF is now US 101
https://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~239593~5511895?qvq=q%3Acaltrans%3Bsort%3APub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No%3Blc%3ARUMSEY~8~1&mi=72&trs=86

1938: The first major realignments of US 101 in SF, as Mission/Valencia/Market is taken off the portion south of Van Ness & Fell.  Instead, as the Bayshore Highway was mainline US 101 for a brief spell, the newly created ALT US 101 used the 1926-1937 El Camino Real routing south of SF, and a new routing of San Jose Avenue and Alemany Boulevard to Bayshore.  US 101 from there continued Bayshore, Potrero, 10th and Fell to Van Ness. 

The Hyde Street Pier was taken off the route with the 1937 completion of the Golden Gate Bridge, with 101 now following its modern alignment of Lombard Street west to Richardson Avenue and then along the Doyle Drive freeway to the bridge.

1940: Due to the outcry by El Camino Real business owners, the 1938-1939 ALT US 101 was reverted to mainline US 101, while Bayshore south of Alemany Boulevard became Bypass US 101 - essentially the corridor arrangement that would exist until 1964.

1950: The LRN 68 freeway bypass (covering Bypass US 101 south of Alemany, US 101 between Alemany and US 40/50, and the San Francisco Skyway portion of US 40/50/future I-80 between US 101 and 5th Street) is proposed with portions beginning to be built; the displacement through Potrero Hill and the Bayview caused by the project would be a major influence in the eventual freeway revolts.
https://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~239569~5511879?qvq=q%3Acaltrans%3Bsort%3APub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No%3Blc%3ARUMSEY~8~1&mi=56&trs=86

1954: The very first portions of the Central Freeway and Bayshore Freeway, so US 101 north of Alemany now follows Bayshore Freeway from Army Street through Hospital Curve, then the first few thousand feet of the Central Freeway, then the current 9th Street offramp/10th Street onramp and then the 1938 alignment of 10th and Fell to Van Ness.  (Northbound US 101 at this time appears to have taken the 9th offramp, then a left onto Bryant to then rejoin the 10th Street corridor)
https://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~239557~5511871?qvq=q%3Acaltrans%3Bsort%3APub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No%3Blc%3ARUMSEY~8~1&mi=48&trs=86

1955: The Central Freeway is completed west to today's Duboce/South Van Ness/Mission Street ramp complex. US 101 between Army (Cesar Chavez today) and the bridge is exactly the same as the 1989-present alignment at this time, with 101 exiting the Central Freeway at Duboce and then connecting to Van Ness north from there.
https://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~239554~5511869?qvq=q%3Acaltrans%3Bsort%3APub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No%3Blc%3ARUMSEY~8~1&mi=46&trs=86

1956: Bayshore Freeway shown as complete to today's 3rd Street/Bayshore Boulevard ramp complex at the edge of Little Hollywood.  (The portion from Brisbane south would be finished several years later, connecting to the 1947-era freeway in South San Francisco)
https://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~239551~5511867?qvq=q%3Acaltrans%3Bsort%3APub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No%3Blc%3ARUMSEY~8~1&mi=44&trs=86

1958: Central Freeway shown as under construction from Duboce to Turk/Franklin:
https://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~239545~5511863?qvq=q%3Acaltrans%3Bsort%3APub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No%3Blc%3ARUMSEY~8~1&mi=40&trs=86

Around this time that segment to Turk/Franklin opens up, with US 101 north reaching Van Ness via a one-block segment of Golden Gate Avenue just east of Franklin.  US 101 south connected to the Central Freeway from Van Ness via Turk two blocks west, then joining the freeway at Turk/Gough.  This would remain US 101's alignment until after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.

Bypass US 101 used the Bayshore Freeway south of Alemany. Circa 1960, US 101 southwest of Alemany now used the Southern Freeway up to San Jose Avenue.

1964: the California renumbering resulted in Bypass US 101 becoming US 101, and the former US 101 routing along the Southern Freeway and San Jose Avenue becoming Route 82.

1989: US 101 reverted to 1955-1958 alignment from Turk Street south to the Duboce exit of the Central Freeway; essentially US 101 north of today's I-280 in the present day is this.

ca. 1991: former US 101/Central Freeway segment between Fell Street and Turk Street demolished.  Segment from Duboce to Fell remains and is reopened westbound around 1996.

2005: Central Freeway closed permanently between Market Street and Fell Street and demolished, replaced with Octavia Boulevard surface street connector.  Central Freeway rebuilt between Duboce and Market as a single-deck configuration to connect to Octavia.

2012-2015: Doyle Drive original 1937 structure demolished and replaced with the new Presidio Parkway tunnels and freeway on a slightly parallel routing.

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US 40/50 (which always existed concurrent in SF)
1936: Bay Bridge opens, so US 40/50 replaces old US 101E. 40/50 enter town via bridge.  Based on the marked terminus spot in the 1936/1937 map above, Market/Van Ness remained the route junction, with 40/50 connecting to Market via 5th.

1938: US 40/50 moved off of Market Street and instead continue west to US 101 at 10th Street via the Harrison (westbound)/Bryant (eastbound) pair.

1955: the first portion of the San Francisco Skyway is finished from the Central Freeway to 7th Street, with US 40/50 starting at the Central Freeway, then exiting to use the Harrison/Bryant pair for 2 blocks, then the 5th Street onramps to the Bay Bridge.
https://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~239554~5511869?qvq=q%3Acaltrans%3Bsort%3APub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No%3Blc%3ARUMSEY~8~1&mi=46&trs=86

1956: San Francisco Skyway completed, US 40/50 moved fully to freeway.  This would be the two routes' final alignment until the 1964 decommissioning; they were concurrent with I-80 for a few years.
https://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~239551~5511867?qvq=q%3Acaltrans%3Bsort%3APub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No%3Blc%3ARUMSEY~8~1&mi=44&trs=86

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Route 82

1964: Created as part of former US 101, along San Jose Avenue and the Southern Freeway.  East of US 101, it continued to a planned junction with Route 87 at today's Cesar Chavez Street/I-280 interchange.

1968: I-280 rerouted to supplant all of Route 82 beyond San Jose Avenue.

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Route 480

1968: created as state route after Interstate funding for I-480 was instead shifted over to the Century Freeway/I-105 project in Los Angeles.
1991: Demolished due to earthquake damage and decommissioned

[cahwyguy]

I should note that I still miss your site on the history of San Francisco routes. One of these days, you should consider bringing it back.

[TheStranger]

I had a hard drive crash over a decade ago so not sure if I still have anything from the old page (the server it was on crashed around that time too).  Also not sure if the information on that page is as accurate as the stuff on the Rumsey map collection.

SAMSUNG-SM-G930A

[cahwyguy]

What you add -- what we all add -- is the analysis we do on top of those maps.

[Max Rockatansky]

San Francisco prior to the state assuming maintenance during the build up to bridge construction is vague at best.  Even the official state highway maps on Rumsey aren't exactly clear where San Francisco was signing US Routes.  Most cities on the State Highway Map inserts in the 1930s had clear US Route alignments on them. 

[TheStranger]

San Francisco prior to the state assuming maintenance during the build up to bridge construction is vague at best.  Even the official state highway maps on Rumsey aren't exactly clear where San Francisco was signing US Routes.  Most cities on the State Highway Map inserts in the 1930s had clear US Route alignments on them.

One thing I did key in on were the circular "terminus" intersection markings in those 1930s maps, along with the ferry pathways for 101W, Hyde Street, and 40/50.

SAMSUNG-SM-G930A

[Max Rockatansky]

San Francisco prior to the state assuming maintenance during the build up to bridge construction is vague at best.  Even the official state highway maps on Rumsey aren't exactly clear where San Francisco was signing US Routes.  Most cities on the State Highway Map inserts in the 1930s had clear US Route alignments on them.

One thing I did key in on were the circular "terminus" intersection markings in those 1930s maps, along with the ferry pathways for 101W, Hyde Street, and 40/50.

SAMSUNG-SM-G930A

For the most part I had US 101/W tracked to an alignment I'm 99% confident in.  That said I never could find a conclusive document to back up what I was reading to be implied.  Here is my take US 101/W from last year:

https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/11/november-bay-trip-part-6-downtown-san.html

[TheStranger]

Just saw this 1935 AAA map of the Bay Area in the Old Highway 101 Facebook group:



This is one of the few maps to show US 48 during its brief existence.

Most importantly, the Mission/Valencia/Market to Van Ness route of 101 seems to be best illustrated here

[usends]

Just saw this 1935 AAA map of the Bay Area in the Old Highway 101 Facebook group:

Are we sure about the date of that map?  I'm pretty certain US 48 was gone by 1931 or so.

[TheStranger]

Just saw this 1935 AAA map of the Bay Area in the Old Highway 101 Facebook group:

Are we sure about the date of that map?  I'm pretty certain US 48 was gone by 1931 or so.

Map actually says 1934 on it now that I look.  I do agree with you that I recall 48 being gone before then (especially on the California state highway maps of that era)

SAMSUNG-SM-G930A

[mrsman]

I also find interesting that the bridge between San Mateo and Hayward was called the SF Bay Toll Bridge.  Of course, a few years later the SF-Oakland Bay Bridge would be built a few miles to the north.  Until the SF Bay Toll Bridge was replaced with the more modern San Mateo-Hayward Bridge, using the common term "Bay Bridge" would have been confusing as it could refer to two separate crossings.

[Max Rockatansky]

Just saw this 1935 AAA map of the Bay Area in the Old Highway 101 Facebook group:

Are we sure about the date of that map?  I'm pretty certain US 48 was gone by 1931 or so.

Map actually says 1934 on it now that I look.  I do agree with you that I recall 48 being gone before then (especially on the California state highway maps of that era)

SAMSUNG-SM-G930A

That's the issue I've had with maps put out by anyone other than the Division of Highways, they tend to have questionable accuracy.  The ACSC and CSAA maps are probably the only generally reliable variation outside of the Division Highways.

[usends]

Map actually says 1934 on it now that I look.  I do agree with you that I recall 48 being gone before then (especially on the California state highway maps of that era)

To me that "1934" looks like it was added with a rubber stamp or something.  I was hoping maybe the image you posted was just a clip from an original source that had a wider geographic extent, but maybe that clip is all we have to work with.

[TheStranger]

Hmm.  The same person also posted a 1930 CSAA Bay area map in the same Facebook group yesterday

SAMSUNG-SM-G930A

[Northcoast707]

re: "1954": the first portion of the Bayshore Freeway within the city limits of San Francisco was built between Apr. 1949 & May 1951, and was the section stretching from just south of Alemany Blvd. (at Augusta St.) to Army St. The section north of Army/Caesar Chavez to the on/off ramps at Bryant @ 9th & 10th sts. was built from the fall of 1951 and the fall of 1953 (this section opened on 10/1/53.)  CSAA maps of the Bay Area dated Jan. 1953 and their city map dated June 1953 show it as open, or at least completed, whereas Rand McNally maps of the city show it under construction (1953 edition, printed twice - in Feb. and June), and the 1954 edition (printed in Nov. 1953) as completed. I have 1953 maps of San Francisco by five different cartographers, and they all contradict one another concerning the extent of the city's freeway alignment. (interesting...!)

[Northcoast707]

re.: "saw this 1935 AAA map of the Bay Area.." It looks to me as if this map is from around 1932, as the Bayshore Highway has it's southern terminus at Menlo Park, which was the situation at that time. However, the map may be a 1935 reprint as the CSAA was known to do - I have a Bay Area or Peninsula Points map of theirs bearing the date of Oct. 1937 that shows neither the Bay nor the Golden Gate Bridges on it!

[Northcoast707]

Dear mrsman  re: "I also find it interesting..."  The present-day San Mateo-Hayward Bridge was once indeed called the "San Francisco Bay Toll Bridge." The name changed at the time of the completion of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge in Nov. 1936. The original San Mateo span was built with private funds between Dec. 1927 and Feb. 1929 and opened to traffic on 3/2/29.  This bridge was a narrow, two lane affair of eight miles, plus four for the approaches that had a lift span over the central shipping channel. I had a vertical clearance of 35 feet when the  span was unraised, allowing for small watercraft to pass beneath without vehicular traffic disruption. Exploding population of the San Francisco Bay Region in the aftermath of WWII rendered this bridge obsolete, and a new span was constructed between 1964 and 1967 (not including the approaches), opening to traffic in Oct. 1967.

[Northcoast707]

Dear Max  re: "That's the issue..."  Sometimes not even the CSAA maps are completely up-to-date or reliable.  I have for instance two different CSAA street maps of San Francisco dated June 1953 (their date code - 356).  Both show the Bayshore Freeway either open or completed (not stated on maps) to 9th & 10th Sts. @ Bryant St., a situation not being the case until October '53.  One of them shows the freeway reaching to on/off ramps at 7th St. (completed July '54), while the other doesn't, but the date of the map is unchanged.  I have in my possession 1953 street maps of the city by five different cartographers (Bekins Van & Storage, CSAA, HM Gousha, Rand McNally & Thomas Bros.), and they all contradict one another not only on the extent of the freeway completion/ alignment, but also on some of the lesser traffic arteries.  The most accurate one of San Francisco for this particular year is the Gousha map.  When in doubt, consult the respective state highway dept. archives as well as any aerial photography that may be available.

[Northcoast707]

re: "1955" - the Central Freeway in San Francisco from the (now I-80) junction to S. Van Ness Ave. was completed in May, 1954.

[Northcoast707]

re: "1956" - the section of Bayshore Freeway from Alemany Blvd. south to the 3rd St. interchange was completed in July, 1955; and the southern extension from there across the bay flats to Sierra Point and South San Francisco, July, 1957.

[Northcoast707]

re. "1956"(#2) : the San Francisco Skyway was completed in July, 1955 - the final link to the Bay Bridge.  Work soon began on the Embarcadero Freeway with the first on/off ramps at Beale & Main sts. @ Mission st. completed in Jan. 1957. Extension work towards the Embarcadero began in the fall of 1956, but labor disputes interrupted work until mid-1957. The Embarcadero Freeway was completed in May, 1959.

[TheStranger]

1940 map of SF from the Old Highway 101 facebook group

[bing101]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nSvy8jcNbU