CA 26

[Max Rockatansky]

Drove the entirety of CA 26 heading westbound to CA 99 today:

https://flic.kr/s/aHsmmqqMUz

The connection with vintage CA 8 makes this route particularly interesting between CA 49 and CA 99.  Really I'm kind of puzzled what purpose the alignment serves east of CA 49 to CA 88.  The routing of CA 26 takes a huge 180 degree turn before it terminates at CA 88, it almost seems that the original alignment of CA 8 through Jackson multiplex on CA 49 would work just as well if not better in terms of getting to Carson Pass.

[TheStranger]

The routing of CA 26 takes a huge 180 degree turn before it terminates at CA 88, it almost seems that the original alignment of CA 8 through Jackson multiplex on CA 49 would work just as well if not better in terms of getting to Carson Pass.

I think it was on another thread here that someone mentioned that the C-shaped portion of Route 26 used to partially be a segment of Route 104, but became Route 26 to give it all one number.  I'm kinda reminded of the question mark shape of Route 18's trajectory between Apple Valley and San Bernardino, and the C shape of today's Route 38 (which is partially the result of the original Route 30 being rerouted away from today's Route 330 and onto what is now Route 210's north-south leg to Redlands).

[sparker]

West Point does have some significance in the annals of the California Gold Rush history; back in the '60's it was being groomed as a regional tourist destination -- which probably prompted the extension of CA 26 and CA 104 during that period.  And in the '80's a retirement "village" was planned just west of town along CA 26; eventually financing fell through and the project abandoned.  Because of the "backtracking" involved in traversing the entirety of present CA 26, it's really not positioned to serve as an alternative way to get from the Valley floor to the Carson Pass road (CA 88).   

[Max Rockatansky]

West Point does have some significance in the annals of the California Gold Rush history; back in the '60's it was being groomed as a regional tourist destination -- which probably prompted the extension of CA 26 and CA 104 during that period.  And in the '80's a retirement "village" was planned just west of town along CA 26; eventually financing fell through and the project abandoned.  Because of the "backtracking" involved in traversing the entirety of present CA 26, it's really not positioned to serve as an alternative way to get from the Valley floor to the Carson Pass road (CA 88).   

The canyon the North Fork Mokelumne River poses a huge geographic obstacle.  It seems the more east you go from 26 the steeper it gets.  Basically if the alignment was going to be straightened it would require a massively tall bridge akin to something like Forest Hill. 

[sparker]

West Point does have some significance in the annals of the California Gold Rush history; back in the '60's it was being groomed as a regional tourist destination -- which probably prompted the extension of CA 26 and CA 104 during that period.  And in the '80's a retirement "village" was planned just west of town along CA 26; eventually financing fell through and the project abandoned.  Because of the "backtracking" involved in traversing the entirety of present CA 26, it's really not positioned to serve as an alternative way to get from the Valley floor to the Carson Pass road (CA 88).   

The canyon the North Fork Mokelumne River poses a huge geographic obstacle.  It seems the more east you go from 26 the steeper it gets.  Basically if the alignment was going to be straightened it would require a massively tall bridge akin to something like Forest Hill. 

Generally speaking, if one is coming from most populated areas on the Valley floor from Stockton to Sacramento and intending to head east over Carson Pass, CA 26 won't figure into travel plans unless an interim stop somewhere along that route is called for.  Straight up CA 88 is still the best way from Stockton and southerly points along CA 99 or I-5; from Lodi and the North Bay CA 12 to 88 works well, and 16 to 49 to 88 from Sacramento is the most direct path.  That being said -- if one is heading due north from Modesto, a straight north trek through Escalon will, in fact, put one on to CA 26 -- but even then, jogging north on CA 49 to Jackson remains the optimal way to expedite that routing.  That's the thing about the Valley -- if one is willing to take local roads, just about any route variation is possible! 

[Max Rockatansky]

West Point does have some significance in the annals of the California Gold Rush history; back in the '60's it was being groomed as a regional tourist destination -- which probably prompted the extension of CA 26 and CA 104 during that period.  And in the '80's a retirement "village" was planned just west of town along CA 26; eventually financing fell through and the project abandoned.  Because of the "backtracking" involved in traversing the entirety of present CA 26, it's really not positioned to serve as an alternative way to get from the Valley floor to the Carson Pass road (CA 88).   

The canyon the North Fork Mokelumne River poses a huge geographic obstacle.  It seems the more east you go from 26 the steeper it gets.  Basically if the alignment was going to be straightened it would require a massively tall bridge akin to something like Forest Hill. 

Generally speaking, if one is coming from most populated areas on the Valley floor from Stockton to Sacramento and intending to head east over Carson Pass, CA 26 won't figure into travel plans unless an interim stop somewhere along that route is called for.  Straight up CA 88 is still the best way from Stockton and southerly points along CA 99 or I-5; from Lodi and the North Bay CA 12 to 88 works well, and 16 to 49 to 88 from Sacramento is the most direct path.  That being said -- if one is heading due north from Modesto, a straight north trek through Escalon will, in fact, put one on to CA 26 -- but even then, jogging north on CA 49 to Jackson remains the optimal way to expedite that routing.  That's the thing about the Valley -- if one is willing to take local roads, just about any route variation is possible!

What I found interesting while researching the alignment history of CA 26 east of 49 is how long the route just ended in West Point.  It looks like there was never a preferred route alignment ever adopted and eventually Caltrans just picked up the existing roadway between 1970-75:

http://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2018/07/california-state-route-26.html