U.S. Route 395 in California
Route information | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Maintained by Caltrans | ||||
Length | 556.909 mi[1] (896.258 km) | |||
Existed | 1930s–present | |||
Tourist routes | Portions of US 395 in Inyo and Mono Counties[2] | |||
Southern segment | ||||
South end | I-15 in Hesperia | |||
Major intersections |
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North end | US 395 at Nevada state line in Topaz Lake, NV | |||
Northern segment | ||||
South end | US 395 at Nevada state line near Cold Springs, NV | |||
Major intersections |
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North end | US 395 at Oregon state line in New Pine Creek, OR | |||
Location | ||||
Country | United States | |||
State | California | |||
Counties | San Bernardino, Kern, Inyo, Mono; Sierra, Lassen, Modoc | |||
Highway system | ||||
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U.S. Route 395 (US 395) is a
, before returning to California.Prior to truncation, US 395 served the metropolitan areas of San Diego, Riverside, and San Bernardino. The highway serves as a connection to the Los Angeles area for the communities of the Owens Valley, Mammoth Lakes and Mono Lake. The highway is used as an access route for both the highest point in the contiguous United States, Mount Whitney, and the lowest point in North America, Death Valley.
The corridor has been used since the California gold rush, and before numbering was known by several names including El Camino Sierra.
Route description
The route of US 395 in California is split into two segments, as the highway exits and reenters California via Nevada. The southern segment crosses the
US 395 is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System,[4] and part of the National Highway System,[5] a network of highways that are considered essential to the country's economy, defense, and mobility by the Federal Highway Administration.[6] US 395 is eligible to be included in the State Scenic Highway System,[7] and is officially designated as a scenic highway by the California Department of Transportation from Fort Independence to Fort Springs Road in Inyo County, and from the Inyo–Mono county line to south of Walker.[8] This designation means that there are substantial sections of highway passing through a "memorable landscape" with no "visual intrusions", where the potential designation has gained popular favor with the community.[9]
Mojave Desert
US 395 begins in
After leaving Kramer Junction, US 395 passes the Kramer Junction Solar Electric Generating Station.[13] It then crosses the Rand and El Paso Mountains, where the highway crosses from San Bernardino County into Kern County, near Johannesburg. While traversing these mountains, the route crosses a former Southern Pacific rail line, now owned by the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) that loosely follows the route of SR 14 through the Mojave. Though the railroad is abandoned north of Searles Station, US 395 parallels the old railroad grade from this point to Lone Pine.[3][14]
On the other side of the mountains is
Between
Owens Valley
US 395 traverses the entire length of the Owens Valley, entering the valley near the former site of the
Past Lone Pine, the highway passes by
At the north end of the valley sits
Sierra Nevada
US 395 scales the Sierra Nevada on a ridge between the canyons of the Owens River and Rock Creek. Sherwin Summit, at 7,000 feet (2,100 m), is the first of five mountain passes crossed by US 395 in the Sierra Nevada. The highway enters Mono County midway up the ascent, which is known as the Sherwin Grade.[3]
After cresting Sherwin Summit, the highway travels along the west shore of Crowley Lake. Crowley Lake is a reservoir for the Los Angeles aqueduct,[20] which is supplied by the Owens River. However, US 395 does not resume following the river, instead cutting across the Long Valley Caldera to serve the ski resort areas of Mammoth Lakes and Mammoth Mountain via SR 203, after paralleling the runway of the Mammoth Yosemite Airport.
Eight miles (13 km) past the junction leading to Mammoth, the highway crests the second summit,
Along the descent towards Mono Lake, the highway passes near the community of
Just before arriving at Mono Lake, US 395 has a brief concurrency with SR 120; the two routes separate at the southern end of Lee Vining. At this junction US 395 is 12 miles (19 km) from Tioga Pass, along SR 120, the highest paved through route in California, and the eastern boundary of Yosemite National Park.[3]
Visible for miles, the highway finally passes Mono Lake, squeezed between the lake and the Sierra crest. The next geographic feature is
The highway descends Conway Summit via the tributaries of the East Walker River, heading towards Bridgeport and Bridgeport Reservoir. Along the descent the highway passes by a turnoff to Bodie, a ghost town which the state park system has preserved, including items still on the shelves in the abandoned stores.[22]
The fourth summit crossed by US 395 in California is Devil's Gate Pass, elevation 7,519 feet (2,292 m), which separates the East and West Walker Rivers. The winding descent from Devil's Gate follows the West Walker River, exiting near the towns of Walker and Coleville in the Antelope Valley, a few miles south of Topaz Lake which is on the California-Nevada State Line.
Nevada
Topaz Lake is where US 395 leaves California, to serve the Reno and Carson City metropolitan areas before returning to California. The highway runs for 87 miles (140 km) in Nevada, with a significant portion built to freeway standards and co-designated Interstate 580.[23] When the highway passes from California to Nevada it is near the area where the larger Sierra Nevada in California separates from the Pine Nut Mountains of Nevada. The highway crosses one more pass, Simee Dimeh Summit, before completely exiting the mountains. The highway returns to California following the receding escarpment of the Sierra.[3]
Honey Lake
US 395 returns to California as a
The highway enters the state in a corner of
The highway proceeds towards and around the west side of 73-square-mile (190 km2)
Modoc Plateau
North of Susanville, the highway bends around
History
Camino Sierra
The Camino Sierra was a trail from Los Angeles to
Rail lines
Both the northern and southern segments of the US 395 corridor were used by railroads built in the 1880s branching from the
On May 20, 1880, the
The corridor for the northern segment was first used by the
Current designation
As first commissioned in 1926, US 395 was a minor spur route of
The new southern terminus of US 395 was at Pacific Highway (former US 101) in San Diego. Traveling north, US 395 traversed much of the path of modern SR 163 and I-15 to Poway Road, where it routed to the east along much of today's Pomerado Road to Lake Hodges, with various realignments over the years. Portions of Pomerado Road today are signed "Historic US 395". At Lake Hodges the highway crossed a now-replaced bridge to Escondido.
Past Escondido, the route passed through Fallbrook, using portions of what is now SR 78 and SR 76 before returning to I-15 near Temecula.[37] This portion was straightened to the route of modern I-15 by 1960.[38] Past Temecula, the route followed SR 71, SR 74, I-215, and I-15 until reaching the modern terminus in Hesperia.[38] This part would also be straightened with the construction of what is now I-215. In 1969, the portion south of Hesperia was removed and assigned to other routes.[39]
Over time, the road was paved, upgraded and straightened. Some parts are now built to
Future
Currently US 395 runs as a surface street through most of the cities and towns it serves. However, numerous proposals for bypasses of several of the towns along the route have been proposed, with varying degrees of progress since first proposal. Proposals with no current construction include longstanding proposals to bypass Bishop, [41] and a freeway bypass of the current surface route through Adelanto, Victorville, and Hesperia.
In 2022, construction began on a bypass of Olancha and Cartago,[42] which has been controversial as most residents preferred improving the existing route.[43] Once finished, the northern portion, through Cartago, is proposed to become a county route while the southern portion, through Olancha, would become an extension of SR 190.[44]
With the fast growth of the Victorville area, Caltrans and the county governments have noted a dramatic increase in congestion and accidents along the route. While short-term fixes are in progress to increase capacity,[45][46] the governments note the numerous fixes already implemented along US 395 have failed to reduce congestion or increase safety and a freeway bypass is likely needed.[47] The frustration over a lack of progress on a freeway bypass of the Victorville area has led to community protests and petitions to accelerate progress for a freeway alignment of US 395.[48]
Major intersections
Except where prefixed with a letter, postmiles were measured on the road as it was in 1964, based on the alignment that existed at the time, and do not necessarily reflect current mileage. R reflects a realignment in the route since then, M indicates a second realignment, L refers to an overlap due to a correction or change, and T indicates postmiles classified as temporary ( ).[1] Segments that remain unconstructed or have been relinquished to local control may be omitted. The numbers reset at county lines; the start and end postmiles in each county are given in the county column.
County | Location | Postmile [1][49][50] | Exit [24] | Destinations | Notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mojave Freeway) – San Bernardino | No direct access to I-15 north; interchange; south end of US 395; former US 395 south; I-15 north exit 141 | ||||||
| Joshua Street to I-15 north – Victorville | ||||||
R5.61 | Main Street, Phelan Road – Phelan | ||||||
Victorville | 8.62 | Bear Valley Road to I-15 | |||||
Palmdale Road) – Palmdale | |||||||
US 466 ; SR 58 exit 206 | |||||||
| 72.77 | Trona Road – Trona, Death Valley | |||||
Kern KER 0.00-R36.82 | | R1.15 | Redrock Randsburg Road – Randsburg | ||||
| R15.00 | China Lake Boulevard (US 395 Bus. north), Brown Road – Ridgecrest, China Lake NAWS | China Lake Boulevard serves Cerro Coso Community College; Brown Road is former US 395 north | ||||
Inyokern | R23.48 | SR 178 (US 395 Bus. south, to SR 14 south) – Ridgecrest, Inyokern | Interchange | ||||
R25.08 | Brown Road – Inyokern | Interchange; southbound exit and northbound entrance; former US 395 | |||||
| R29.64 | Los Angeles | Interchange; southbound exit and northbound entrance; former US 6 south | ||||
Kennedy Meadows | |||||||
Coso Junction | 17.80 | Gill Station Coso Road, Sykes Road – Coso Junction Rest Area | |||||
Death Valley | |||||||
Death Valley | |||||||
| 83.90 | Division Creek Rest Area | |||||
Westgard Pass, Deep Springs | South end of SR 168 overlap | ||||||
Bishop | 115.40 | SR 168 west (West Line Street) / East Line Street – Lake Sabrina, South Lake | North end of SR 168 overlap; East Line Street serves Eastern Sierra Regional Airport; SR 168 through traffic from Aspendell to Lake Sabrina closed in winters | ||||
116.25 | US 6 east to US 95 – Tonopah | No left turn from southbound US 395; western terminus of US 6[51][52] | |||||
116.41 | Wye Road to US 6 east – Tonopah | ||||||
Mono MNO R0.00-120.49 | | 8.02[53] | Sherwin Summit, elevation 7,000 feet (2,100 m)[53] | ||||
Tom's Place | R10.26 | Crowley Lake Drive, Owens Gorge Road – Rock Creek Lake | |||||
| R13.93 | South Landing Road – Crowley Lake, Hilton Creek | Interchange | ||||
| | Benton Crossing Road to SR 120 / US 6 – Owens River, Benton | |||||
| R25.75 | Devils Postpile | Interchange; through traffic from Mammoth Lakes to Devils Postpile closed in winters | ||||
| R32.20 | Crestview Rest Area | |||||
| 36.12[53] | Deadman Summit, elevation 8,041 feet (2,451 m)[53] | |||||
June Lake Loop ) | |||||||
| 45.96 | Mono Lake South Tufa | South end of SR 120 overlap; through traffic to Benton closed in winters | ||||
| 46.40 | June Lake Loop ) | Closed in winters | ||||
Lee Vining | 50.74 | SR 120 west (Tioga Pass Road) / Airport Road – Tioga Pass, Yosemite National Park | North end of SR 120 overlap; through traffic to Yosemite closed in winter | ||||
| 58.24 | SR 167 east / Lundy Lake Road – Hawthorne, Lundy Lake | |||||
| 63.52[53] | Conway Summit, elevation 8,138 feet (2,480 m)[53] | |||||
| 69.85 | SR 270 east – Bodie | |||||
Bridgeport | 76.30 | SR 182 north – Bridgeport Lake, Yerington | |||||
Sonora Junction | 93.70 | SR 108 west – Marine Corps Training Center, Sonora | through traffic via Sonora Pass to Sonora closed in winters | ||||
| 88.11[53] | Devil's Gate Pass, elevation 7,519 feet (2,292 m)[53] | |||||
| 116.96 | SR 89 north to SR 4 – Monitor Pass, Markleeville | Closed in winters | ||||
| 120.00 | Agricultural Inspection Station (southbound only) | |||||
| 120.49 | US 395 north – Carson City | Continuation into Nevada | ||||
US 395 exits and reenters California via Nevada | |||||||
Sierra SIE R0.00-R3.12 | | R0.00 | US 395 south – Reno | Continuation into Nevada | |||
Lassen LAS R0.00-138.98 | | R1.50 | Agricultural Inspection Station (northbound only) | ||||
| | South end of freeway | |||||
Hallelujah Junction | R4.62 | 8 | SR 70 west – Portola, Quincy | The only numbered exit on US 395 in California; former SR 24 | |||
| | North end of freeway | |||||
| 29.84 | CR A26 (Garnier Road) – Herlong, Sierra Army Depot | |||||
| | CR A25 (Herlong Access Road) – Herlong | |||||
| 49.60 | Honey Lake Rest Area | |||||
| 51.87 | ||||||
| R61.09 | SR 36 / Richmond Road East – Susanville | |||||
CR A3 south (Standish Buntingville Road) – Reno | |||||||
CR A27 (Center Road) – High Desert State Prison | |||||||
| 96.50 | Secret Valley Rest Area | |||||
Madeline | 129.19 | Ash Valley Road – Adin | |||||
Modoc MOD 0.06-61.56 | Alturas | 22.76 | SR 299 west (12th Street) / Main Street – Redding, Klamath Falls | South end of SR 299 overlap | |||
| 27.10 | Agricultural Inspection Station (southbound only) | |||||
| 28.29 | SR 299 east – Cedarville, Gerlach | North end of SR 299 overlap | ||||
US 395 north – Lakeview | Continuation into Oregon | ||||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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See also
- California Roads portal
References
- ^ a b c California Department of Transportation. "State Truck Route List". Sacramento: California Department of Transportation. Archived from the original (XLS file) on June 30, 2015. Retrieved June 30, 2015.
- ^ California Department of Transportation (August 2019). "Officially Designated State Scenic Highways and Historic Parkways" (XLSX). Sacramento: California Department of Transportation. Retrieved March 27, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l California Road and Recreation Atlas (Map) (3rd ed.). 1:300,000. Benchmark Maps. 2002. p. 103-105.
- ^ "Article 2 of Chapter 2 of Division 1". California Streets and Highways Code. Sacramento: California Office of Legislative Counsel. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
- ^ Federal Highway Administration (March 25, 2015). National Highway System: California (South) (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
Federal Highway Administration (March 25, 2015). National Highway System: California (North) (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved July 29, 2017. - ^ Natzke, Stefan; Neathery, Mike & Adderly, Kevin (June 20, 2012). "What is the National Highway System?". National Highway System. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
- ^ "Article 2.5 of Chapter 2 of Division 1". California Streets & Highways Code. Sacramento: California Office of Legislative Counsel. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
- ^ California Department of Transportation (August 2019). "Officially Designated State Scenic Highways and Historic Parkways" (XLSX). Sacramento: California Department of Transportation. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
- ^ California Department of Transportation (2012). Scenic Highway Guidelines (PDF). Sacramento: California Department of Transportation. p. 5. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
- ^ "Victorville — City History". City of Victorville. Retrieved September 11, 2008.
- ^ "A world of Opportunity". City of Victorville Economic Development Department. Retrieved September 11, 2008.
- ^ "New segment of State Route 58 opens near Kramer Junction". Mojave Desert News. October 24, 2019. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
- ^ "Kramer Junction Solar Electric Generating Station". Ludb.clui.org. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
- ^ a b c Map of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad/ Western Pacific and Connections (Map). Cartography by Pool Broths. Chicago. Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad. June 14, 1914.
- ^ Google Maps — Ridgecrest, California (Map). Cartography by Tele Atlas. Google. Retrieved October 22, 2008.
- ^ The Megalithic Portal and Megalith Map. "C.Michael Hogan (2008) Morro Creek, ed. by A. Burnham". Megalithic.co.uk. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
- ^ "The Owens Valley Land Grab". University of Southern California. Retrieved September 11, 2008.
- ISBN 0-7627-3641-0.
- ^ a b c "Google Maps street maps and USGS topographic maps". Acme Mapper. Retrieved December 15, 2007.
- ^ "LADWP Mono Basin Project". Wsoweb.ladwp.com. Archived from the original on March 10, 2014. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
- ^ "Mono Basin Statistics". Mono Lake Committee. January 29, 2007. Archived from the original on May 12, 2008. Retrieved September 18, 2008.
- ^ "Bodie State Historical Park". California State Parks. Retrieved September 18, 2008.
- ^ "State Maintained Highways, Descriptions, Index & Maps and NHS". Nevada Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on January 24, 2008. Retrieved January 28, 2008.
- ^ California Numbered Exit Uniform System, US-395 Northbound and US-395 Southbound, accessed February 2008
- ^ "Office of Historic Preservation — California State Parks". State of California. Retrieved October 5, 2008.
- ^ Reno to Sacramento (Map). Cartography by Tele Atlas. Google. Retrieved January 3, 2009.
- ^ Reno to Sacramento via Quincy and Oroville (Map). Cartography by Tele Atlas. Google. Retrieved January 3, 2009.
- ^ Google Maps- Susanville, California (Map). Cartography by Tele Atlas. Google. 2008. Retrieved September 21, 2008.
- ^ Cheuvront, Mike. "About Bishop: History". Bishop Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau. Archived from the original on October 23, 2008. Retrieved October 30, 2008.
- ^ "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.
- ^ a b "Laws Museum — The Story of Laws". Laws Museum. Retrieved October 5, 2008.
- ^ ISBN 0-87417-193-8. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
- .
- ^ a b "Historical Maps". Nevada Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on September 18, 2008. Retrieved October 18, 2008.
- .
- ^ Coast and Inland Routes — Los Angeles to San Diego (Map). Automobile Club of Southern California. 1929. Archived from the original on January 22, 2009.
- ^ a b National Geographic Atlas of the 50 United States (Map). National Geographic Society. 1960. p. 22. § F5.
- ^ "Statutes and Amendments to the Codes" (PDF). State of California. p. 609 of 2220. Retrieved October 18, 2008.
- ^ Svirsky, Alexander. "National Bridge Inventory". Alexander Svirsky (using data from the Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved October 22, 2008.
- ^ District 9 (July 13, 2007). Bishop Area Access & Circulation Feasibility Study (PDF). Bishop: California Department of Transportation. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - Caltrans. December 16, 2022. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
- ^ "Citizens upset over Olancha bypass plan". Sierra Wave Media. November 9, 2011.
- ^ Alta Planning + Design (January 2020). Olancha Cartago Corridor Study 2020 (PDF). Inyo County Planning Department. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
- ^ Rebuild SoCal Partnership. "Widening of Highway 395 continues in Victorville and Adelanto". RebuildSoCal Partnership. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
- ^ Victor Valley News Group (March 2, 2020). "Widening of Highway 395 continues in Victorville and Adelanto". Victor Valley News Group. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
- ^ California Department of Transportation District 8; San Bernardino County (February 2013). US 395 Corridor Improvements Between Routes 15 and 58 (PDF). SANBAG. Retrieved May 6, 2022 – via Mono County.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Smith, Ryan C. (April 3, 2018). "Blood Alley - US 395 Kills". Save Live on 395. Archived from the original on March 22, 2023. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
- ^ California Department of Transportation (July 2007). "Log of Bridges on State Highways". Sacramento: California Department of Transportation.
- ^ California Department of Transportation, All Traffic Volumes on CSHS, 2005 and 2006
- ^ "California: U.S. Highway 6". aaroads.com. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
U.S. 6 was signed as north-south in California until the early 2000s, when it was changed to east-west to match the primary orientation of the national route
- ^ "US 6 west reassurance marker". Google Street View. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Elevation and Location of Summits and Passes in California". California Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on March 1, 2017.
External links
- Caltrans: US 395 highway conditions
- Caltrans Traffic Conditions Map
- California Highway Patrol Traffic Incidents
- Roadside Heritage by ESICE
- The Three Flags Highway: US 395 at Floodgap Roadgap by Cameron Kaiser
- El Camino Sierra by Lloyd L. Chambers; hosted by Ray Delea
- U.S. Route 395 - Desert to Mountains by Casey Cooper
- U.S. Highway 395 California by AARoads
- U.S. Highway 395 by Daniel P. Faigin
- U.S. Highway 395: California's 'mother road' from the Los Angeles Times