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CA 190

Started by Max Rockatansky, August 15, 2018, 07:45:42 PM

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Max Rockatansky

I drove the western segment of CA 190 from CA 99 east to Mountain Route 107 in the Sierras.  Ultimately is to combine my photos of CA 190 east of the Sierras into something that covers the entire highway.  I drove a portion of the pre-1961 alignment of CA 190 east of Lake Success which wasn't incorporated into Signed County Route J28.  I should have a couple maps up later this week showing the differences between the proposed alignments of CA 190 over the Kern River Fault and the eastern Sierras.  Either way I just uploaded my photos of the western segment of CA 190:

https://flic.kr/s/aHsmqggrbd


Max Rockatansky

Prepared the first two maps showing how CA 190 exited Porterville eastward through what is now Lake Success.  The modern expressway in Porterville seems to have been completed by 1964 whereas the Lake Success realignment appears on the 1960 State Highway Map:

X1 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

X2 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Max Rockatansky

Started out writing about the western segment of CA 190 but ended up writing something about the entire route instead. I included maps showing the three proposed routings of CA 190 over the Sierras. I also made some custom maps showing the pre-Success Dam alignments near Porterville in addition to early CA 190 related to the Eichbalm Toll Road. I think that included links for all the other articles I wrote on connecting highways:

https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2018/08/california-state-route-190-trans-sierra.html

Max Rockatansky

Figured I would link over the maps I made for the above blog:

X3Map1934 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

X3Map1935aTulare by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

X3Map1935Inyo by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

X4Map1938 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

X5Map1940 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

X6Map1960 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

X7Map1966 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

X8Map1967 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

X9Horseshoe by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

X10Lonepine by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

X11Map1934 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

X12Map1935 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

X13Map1936 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

X14Map1938 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Max Rockatansky

I wanted to point out a couple articles that were either brought to my attention or that I found regarding CA 190 in my research. 

The first article is from the Los Angeles Times in 1926 detailing a Trans-Sierra Route that had $1,000,000 dollars funded to build it.  Apparently Tulare County, Inyo County, and the City of Los Angeles were complete a route over Carroll Creek near Lone Pine which would cross the 11,300 Mulkey Pass.  The Trans-Sierra Highway was to emerge on what is now Signed County Route J37 on Balch Park where it would branch off to Visalia via Yokohol Valley Drive and modern CA 190 towards Porterville.  It seems that much of Tuttle Creek Road and Balch Park Road were part of the $1,000,000 dollars set aside for construction of the Trans-Sierra Highway.  In fact if you look at the blog post above I showed some of my pictures of the North Fork Tule River Bridge on Balch Park Road which has a time stamp of 1927:

http://www.owensvalleyhistory.com/trans_sierra_road/page60.html

So it seems that the Inyo County Route as described above was later annexed into the plans for CA 190.  For unknown reason the Balch Park Road alignment for the Trans-Sierra Highway was abandoned in favor of the Middle Fork Tule River Canyon which is now occupied by CA 190. 

The second article is about the Eichbalm Tollroad which was constructed by 1926 to route vehicle traffic from Darwin to Death Valley.  What I found interesting about the article is that Legislative Route 127 is actually signed on the Eichbalm Toll Road in several of the pictures.  I've never seen a situation where an LRN was signed on a highway like this:

http://www.dot.ca.gov/d9/environmental/eichbaum_toll_rd/index.html

NE2

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 18, 2018, 11:17:05 PM
The second article is about the Eichbalm Tollroad which was constructed by 1926 to route vehicle traffic from Darwin to Death Valley.  What I found interesting about the article is that Legislative Route 127 is actually signed on the Eichbalm Toll Road in several of the pictures.  I've never seen a situation where an LRN was signed on a highway like this:

http://www.dot.ca.gov/d9/environmental/eichbaum_toll_rd/index.html
I think that was a portable sign they used to identify photos. Why else would it include the date?
pre-1945 Florida route log

I accept and respect your identity as long as it's not dumb shit like "identifying as a vaccinated attack helicopter".

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: NE2 on August 19, 2018, 12:20:27 AM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 18, 2018, 11:17:05 PM
The second article is about the Eichbalm Tollroad which was constructed by 1926 to route vehicle traffic from Darwin to Death Valley.  What I found interesting about the article is that Legislative Route 127 is actually signed on the Eichbalm Toll Road in several of the pictures.  I've never seen a situation where an LRN was signed on a highway like this:

http://www.dot.ca.gov/d9/environmental/eichbaum_toll_rd/index.html
I think that was a portable sign they used to identify photos. Why else would it include the date?

True...given it was 1934 it was probably during the initial survey of Eichbalm.  Even the 1935 Division of Highways Map doesn't have Eichbalm under state maintenance.  Have you seen anything else like those in any of the Department of Engineering and Public Works publications?

Max Rockatansky

#7
Took a drive up Horseshoe Meadows Road this morning on my way home from Owens Valley.  Horseshoe Meadows from Tuttle Creek Road west to Horseshoe Meadows is essentially the same alignment that was once in Division of Highways hands as part of the Lone Pine-Porterville High Sierra Road.  For what it is worth the amount of grading and amount of cuts through the terrain makes for a pretty quality alignment traversed by Horseshoe Meadows Road.  Horseshoe Meadows Road tops out at 10,072 feet above sea level which makes it the second highest paved road in California behind only Rock Creek Road. 

https://flic.kr/s/aHsmQp192A

Below is the best picture I have of Horseshoe Meadows Road as it begins it's descent to Owens Valley:

0 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Max Rockatansky

I finished up an article on last week's visit to Horseshoe Meadows Road.  Horseshoe Meadows Road has origins as part of the 1920s era proposed Lone Pine-Porterville High Sierra Road which was a joint effort by; Inyo County, Tulare County, and the City of Los Angeles to construct a Trans-Sierra Highway over Mulky Pass.  The Lone Pine-Porterville High Sierra Road ended up being partially constructed on both sides of the Sierra Nevada Mountains before being added to State Inventory as Legislative Route 127.  Legislative Route 127 began being signed as California State Route 190 beginning in 1934.  Horseshoe Meadows Road remained part of CA 190 until when a new planned alignment was created in 1960 which had the highway cross the Sierra Nevada Mountains to Olancha.  Unlike Onion Valley Road the somewhat more modernized design of Horseshoe Meadows Road is obvious in the form of a 6.2% average grade versus 7.8%.  Horse Shoe Meadows is paved completely through it's 19.7 mile alignment and is the second highest surfaced road in California with a peak elevation of 10.072 feet above sea level.

https://www.gribblenation.org/2020/08/horseshoe-meadows-road-former.html


Max Rockatansky

#9
Paid a visit to the abandoned original alignment of CA 190 at Lake Success today.  Almost all of the original alignment is now above the water line and much of the later asphalt surfacing is peeling back to the older concrete slabs.  Some of old CA 190 near the Tule River channel is completely silted and overgrown:

https://flic.kr/s/aHsmWTBr4r

Edit:  The blog version is below:

https://www.gribblenation.org/2021/10/former-california-state-route-190-at.html

ClassicHasClass

Has any work started on the Olancha bypass? I haven't been up that way in several years (not much business travel these days).

Quillz

Quote from: ClassicHasClass on October 12, 2021, 11:06:42 PM
Has any work started on the Olancha bypass? I haven't been up that way in several years (not much business travel these days).
I was there last July and it was the same as always.

Concrete Bob

US 395's Cartago-Olancha four lane project went to bid on October 7, 2021.  Construction is expected to start next January:


https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-9/district-9-current-projects/olancha-cartago-4-lane-project



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