Sierra Highway
Sierra Highway | |
---|---|
El Camino Sierra | |
Route information | |
Length | 424 mi (682 km) |
Existed | 1910–present |
Component highways |
|
Major junctions | |
South end | Los Angeles |
North end | US 50 / SR 89 in South Lake Tahoe[1] |
Location | |
Country | United States |
State | California |
Counties | Los Angeles, Kern, Inyo, Mono, Alpine, El Dorado |
Highway system | |
Sierra Highway or El Camino Sierra is a road in Southern California, United States. El Camino Sierra refers to the full length of a trail formed in the 19th century, rebuilt as highways in the early 20th century, that ran from Los Angeles to Lake Tahoe following parts of modern State Route 14, U.S. Route 395 and State Route 89. Two portions of this road are currently signed as Sierra Highway. The first is an old alignment of SR 14/U.S. Route 6 from Los Angeles to Mojave. This road is also signed with the unusual designation of State Route 14U through the city of Santa Clarita. The second part signed as Sierra Highway is a portion of US 395 in Bishop.
Traversing the extremes of California, from the
Route description
Location | Santa Clarita |
---|---|
Existed | 1971–present |
El Camino Sierra connects Los Angeles with Lake Tahoe along the eastern edge of California, serving the counties of Los Angeles, Kern, Inyo, Mono, Alpine and El Dorado. The highway exists as a roadway now called Sierra Highway from Los Angeles to Mojave. North of Mojave, El Camino Sierra is better known by the numbered designations in current use. While traversing the state, the highway crosses several mountain passes. The highway crests the San Gabriel Mountains via Soledad Pass. While in the Sierra Nevada the highway crosses Sherwin Summit, Deadman Summit, Conway Summit, Devil's Gate Pass, Monitor Pass and Luther Pass.[2]
Southern California
Sierra Highway begins at Tunnel Station within the northernmost limits of the City of Los Angeles, where it intersects with
The highway serves as one of the main thoroughfares of
Sierra Highway, modern Route 14, and a main line of the Union Pacific Railroad all cross the San Gabriel Mountains, cresting the mountains at Soledad Pass (elevation 3,179 feet (969 m)). The three transportation arteries use different paths up the mountains, separating at Santa Clarita and converging near Acton. Sierra Highway uses Mint Canyon, the railroad uses Soledad Canyon and the modern Route 14 is a hybrid route using the ridges and side canyons between the two older routes.[2] These canyons are formed by the Santa Clara River and its tributaries.
Upon exiting the mountains, Sierra Highway enters the Antelope Valley and serves as one of the main streets of Palmdale, Lancaster, and Rosamond. The highway runs parallel to the modern Route 14 and the railroad, becoming a frontage road. Just shy of Mojave the freeway portion of Route 14 ends, while the frontage road becomes a dirt path and eventually terminates. From this point, the canonical route of Sierra Highway joins State Route 14, passing through downtown Mojave.
U.S. Route 395 and State Route 89
North of Mojave the alignments of State Routes 14 and
U.S. 395 was rebuilt on a new alignment on the ascent to Sherwin Summit and around Crowley Lake. Unlike the highway relocation in southern California, the old alignments have been renamed, now called Lower Rock Creek Road, Old Sherwin Grade, and Crowley Creek Road; not Sierra Highway.[2] From here to Lake Tahoe, the highway crosses mountainous terrain inside the Sierra Nevada, giving the highway its name. While in the Sierra Nevada, the road passes by attractions such as Mammoth Mountain, Yosemite National Park and Mono Lake. El Camino Sierra separates from U.S. 395, just prior to the Nevada state line at Topaz Lake, following SR 89. This is the only portion of the route not used year-round, as Caltrans closes Route 89 over Monitor Pass during winter months.[8] Motorists destined for Lake Tahoe during the winter closures can continue along US 395 into Nevada, and return to California via Nevada State Route 88 or Nevada State Route 207.[2]
History
El Camino Sierra
The first recorded journey along what would become El Camino Sierra was by
By 1918, El Camino Sierra had been included in the Blue Book, an early road atlas of the United States.[12] The Los Angeles Times declared El Camino Sierra complete on February 19, 1931, announcing that the portion from Mojave to Owens Valley was now paved, and would be dedicated the following Sunday.[13]
Sierra Highway
During the 1930s, two
Though during the 1970s most of Sierra Highway was bypassed by freeways and expressways, the old two-lane road remained a famous roadway. In 1971, Steven Spielberg made his first feature-length film, Duel, along Sierra Highway, near Acton. The film is about an unseen truck driver who stalks and attempts to kill an innocent motorist trapped in the truck's game. It prominently shows the desert portions of Sierra Highway.[16] With Duel's status, both restorations of the truck used in the movie, as well as replicas exist. The owner of one such truck has driven it along Sierra Highway for nostalgia, enjoying the terrified looks received from passing motorists who recognize it.[17] Other movies have since been filmed in the vicinity, including scenes in The Terminator.[18]
Major intersections
County | Location | mi[19] | km | Destinations | Notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Los Angeles | 0.0 | 0.0 | San Fernando Road, The Old Road | South end of Sierra Highway; former US 99 | |||
0.1 | 0.16 | Interchange; entrance from I-5 north is accessible from San Fernando Road; entrance from SR 14 is accessible from The Old Road; no exit or entrance from I-5 south | |||||
Santa Clarita | 2.5 | 4.0 | Newhall Avenue – Newhall, Saugus, Valencia | Former SR 126 west; formerly San Fernando Road; south end of SR 14U / state maintenance | |||
3.6 | 5.8 | Placerita Canyon Road – Palmdale | |||||
5.0 | 8.0 | Golden Valley Road | |||||
6.3 | 10.1 | Via Princessa to Los Angeles | North end of SR 14U / state maintenance; exit from SR 14 north connects directly to Sierra Highway | ||||
7.3 | 11.7 | Soledad Canyon Road | |||||
8.1 | 13.0 | Skyline Ranch Road | |||||
| 10.3 | 16.6 | Sand Canyon Road | ||||
| 10.6 | 17.1 | Vasquez Canyon Road | ||||
Agua Dulce | 18.8 | 30.3 | Agua Dulce Canyon Road | ||||
| 24.9 | 40.1 | Los Angeles | Interchange; SR 14 exit 22 | |||
Acton | 26.7 | 43.0 | Crown Valley Road – Acton | ||||
28.9 | 46.5 | Santiago Road | |||||
30.4 | 48.9 | Los Angeles | Interchange; SR 14 exit 27 | ||||
| 32.5 | 52.3 | Los Angeles, Pasadena, La Cañada Flintridge | Interchange; SR 14 exit 30 | |||
| 33.7 | 54.2 | Pearblossom Highway – Littlerock, Victorville | ||||
Palmdale | 36.4 | 58.6 | Avenue S | ||||
37.9 | 61.0 | Los Angeles | |||||
39.5 | 63.6 | Rancho Vista Boulevard (Avenue P) | Serves LA/Palmdale Regional Airport | ||||
41.6 | 66.9 | R. Lee Ermey Avenue (Avenue N) | |||||
42.6 | 68.6 | Columbia Way (Avenue M) | |||||
Lancaster | 43.6 | 70.2 | Avenue L | Interchange | |||
44.6 | 71.8 | Avenue K | |||||
45.6 | 73.4 | CR N5 (Avenue J) | |||||
46.6 | 75.0 | Avenue I | |||||
47.7 | 76.8 | Avenue H | Interchange; southbound entrance only; other access is via Avenue G-12 and 7th Street West | ||||
48.7 | 78.4 | Avenue G | Serves General William J. Fox Airfield | ||||
| 49.7 | 80.0 | Avenue F | ||||
| 51.8 | 83.4 | Avenue D to | ||||
Kern | Rosamond | 57.8 | 93.0 | Rosamond Boulevard – Rosamond, Edwards AFB | |||
| 64.1 | 103.2 | Backus Road | ||||
| 67.3 | 108.3 | Los Angeles | Interchange; south end of SR 14 overlap; SR 14 exit 64 | |||
See SR 14 (KER R12.15–64.56) | |||||||
Kern | | US 395 south – San Bernardino | Interchange; southbound exit and northbound entrance; north end of SR 14 overlap; south end of US 395 overlap | ||||
See US 395 (KER R29.64–MNO 116.96) | |||||||
Mono | | US 395 north – Carson City | North end of US 395 overlap; south end of SR 89 overlap | ||||
See SR 89 (MNO 0.00–ED 8.55) | |||||||
El Dorado | | US 50 / SR 89 north – Placerville, South Lake Tahoe | Roundabout; north end of Sierra Highway; north end of SR 89 overlap | ||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
|
See also
- California Roads portal
References
- ^ a b California Teachers Association (1915). Complimentary Souvenir Book - 53rd Annual Convention, National Education Association and International Congress of Education. Oakland, California. pp. 59–61. Retrieved 2013-01-26.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ ISBN 0-929591-80-1.
- ^ Google Maps (Map). Google. Retrieved 2008-12-30.
- ^ "Antelope Valley Freeway Dedication (First Section)". Santa Clarita Valley Public Television. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
- ^ "California Log of Bridges on State Highways - District 7" (PDF). Caltrans. October 2018. p. 25. Retrieved 2021-04-14.
- ^ "Pedestrian Bridge Erected Over Sierra Highway". Santa Clarita Valley Public Television. November 10, 2018. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
- ^ Google Maps – Bishop, California (Map). Google. Retrieved 2008-12-30.
- ^ "Road Information - Winter Driving Tips - Mountain Pass Closures". Caltrans. Retrieved 2009-01-04.
- ^ Cheuvront, Mike. "About Bishop: History". Bishop Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau. Archived from the original on 2008-10-23. Retrieved 2008-10-30.
- ^ "Great sierra road planned". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles. 1910-09-11. p. 12.
- ^ "Two Mules and a Motorist". Sunset - the Pacific Monthly. 29. San Francisco, California: Southern Pacific Company: 159–171. 1912.
- ^ The Automobile Blue Book - Standard Road Guide of America. Vol. 8. The Automobile Blue Book Publishing Company. 1918. p. 21.
- ^ "Camino Sierra, Newest Highway, Opens on Sunday". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles. 1931-02-19. p. 12.
- ^ "Historical Maps". Nevada Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on 2008-09-18. Retrieved 2008-10-18.
- ^ California State Assembly. "An act to add Section 253 and Article 3 (commencing with Section 300) to Chapter 2 of Division 1 of, and to repeal Section 253 and Article 3 (commencing with Section 300) of Chapter 2 of Division 1 of, the..." 1963 Session of the Legislature. Statutes of California. State of California. Ch. 385 p. 1182.
- ^ "Duel film locations". The Worldwide Guide To Movie Locations. Retrieved 2008-12-30.
- ^ Linss, Daniel J. (May 2004). ""Duel" Lives On!". Ten Four Magazine. Retrieved 2008-12-30.
- ^ Rock, Carol (1994-02-07). "Big Screen, Big Valley – First used for filming in 1903, the SCV continues to thrive as a movie-making mecca". The Signal. Retrieved 2008-01-08.
- ^ Google Maps, Santa Clarita to Mojave, via Sierra Highway (Map). Cartography by Tele Atlas. Google. Retrieved 2009-01-15.
External links
- Floodgap Roadgap by Cameron Kaiser
- Camino Sierra by Lloyd L. Chambers; hosted by Ray Delea