Old highway alignments in Anaheim

[Max Rockatansky]

Anaheim of Orange County, California was the crossroads of numerous major highways.  Anaheim was traditionally part of the corridor of US Route 101 which originally was aligned along Los Angeles Street (now Anaheim Boulevard).  During 1934 California State Route 18 was aligned through Anaheim via Center Street and was joined by California State Route 10 on the Manchester Boulevard Extension during 1937.  California State Route 10 in Anaheim was replaced by US Route 101 Bypass by 1940 and US Route 91 began to multiplex California State Route 18 by 1947. 

The original highway alignments through Anaheim were replaced by the developing corridors of the Santa Ana Freeway and Riverside Freeway during the 1950s-1960s.  This blog will explore the history of Signed Highway alignments through the city of Anaheim.  Featured as the blog cover is a then new segment of California State Route 10 along the Manchester Boulevard Extension in Anaheim from the May 1937 California Highways & Public Works. 

https://www.gribblenation.org/2023/09/former-us-route-101-us-route-91.html?m=1

[mrsman]

Anaheim of Orange County, California was the crossroads of numerous major highways.  Anaheim was traditionally part of the corridor of US Route 101 which originally was aligned along Los Angeles Street (now Anaheim Boulevard).  During 1934 California State Route 18 was aligned through Anaheim via Center Street and was joined by California State Route 10 on the Manchester Boulevard Extension during 1937.  California State Route 10 in Anaheim was replaced by US Route 101 Bypass by 1940 and US Route 91 began to multiplex California State Route 18 by 1947. 

The original highway alignments through Anaheim were replaced by the developing corridors of the Santa Ana Freeway and Riverside Freeway during the 1950s-1960s.  This blog will explore the history of Signed Highway alignments through the city of Anaheim.  Featured as the blog cover is a then new segment of California State Route 10 along the Manchester Boulevard Extension in Anaheim from the May 1937 California Highways & Public Works. 

https://www.gribblenation.org/2023/09/former-us-route-101-us-route-91.html?m=1

Anaheim of course is still a major crossroads, but the main interchange in the area is on the border of Santa Ana, so the freeways have that control.

The 55 control of Anaheim is terrible as it leads people away from Downtown, Disney, sports stadiums to Anaheim Hills???  The old control was just Riverside, if they wanted something in OC then Yorba Linda would probably be better, since 55 leads to 91 on the way toward YL.

91 WB in Riv County should have Anaheim as a control instead of the amorphous Beach Cities.

[dbz77]

So, Riverside Fwy was once called the Houston Freeway. I wonder where they got the name in the first place.

Also, it seems that the Riverside Freeway was only the 18 Freeway on August 29, 1963. I wonder why it was changed back to 91.

[Occidental Tourist]

So, Riverside Fwy was once called the Houston Freeway. I wonder where they got the name in the first place.

Also, it seems that the Riverside Freeway was only the 18 Freeway on August 29, 1963. I wonder why it was changed back to 91.

It's named for Houston Avenue, which the freeway paved over in parts of Anaheim and Fullerton. There are still a few remnants of the street as well as a Houston Avenue canal which runs along part of the freeway.

From an old CHPW article I saw, the Houston Freeway officially began at the end of the Santa Ana Canyon Freeway leg (the current 91/55 interchange) and ended where the freeway ended at the Santa Ana Freeway. I don't think either the Santa Ana Canyon or Houston Freeway names survived long enough for any signage to be put up with them.