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Thestate highway system in theU.S. state ofCalifornia dates back to 1896, when the state took over maintenance of theLake Tahoe Wagon Road. Before then, roads and streets were managed exclusively bylocal governments. Construction of a statewide highway system began in 1912, after the state's voters approved an $18 millionbond issue for over 3,000 miles (4,800 km) of highways. The last large addition was made by theCalifornia State Assembly in 1959, after which only minor changes have been made.
The first state road was authorized on March 26, 1895, by theCalifornia State Legislature when it enacted a law which created the post of "Lake Tahoe Wagon Road Commissioner" to maintain theLake Tahoe Wagon Road (the 1852Johnson's Cut-off of theCalifornia Trail), nowUS 50 fromSmith Flat — 3 miles (4.8 km) east ofPlacerville — to theNevada state line.[1] The 58 mile[2] (93 km) road had been operated as atoll road until 1886, whenEl Dorado County bought it; the countydeeded the road to the state on February 28, 1896.[3] Funding was only enough for minimal improvements, including astone bridge over theSouth Fork American River in 1901.[4]
Also in 1895, on March 27, the legislature created the three-personBureau of Highways to coordinate efforts by thecounties to buildgood roads. The bureau traveled to every county of the state in 1895 and 1896 and prepared a map of a recommended system of state roads, which they submitted to thegovernor on November 25, 1896.[5] The legislature replaced the Bureau of Highways with theDepartment of Highways on April 1, 1897,[6] three days after it passed a law creating a second state highway fromSacramento toFolsom — another part of what became US 50 — to be maintained by three "Folsom Highway Commissioners".[7] This was the last highway maintained by a separate authority, as the next state road, theMono Lake Basin State Road (now part ofSR 120), was designated by the legislature in 1899 to be built and maintained by the Department of Highways.[8]
Several more state highways were legislated in the next decade, and the legislature passed a law creating theDepartment of Engineering on March 11, 1907. This new department, in addition to non-highway duties, was to maintain all state highways, including the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road.[9] On March 22, 1909, the "State Highways Act" was passed, taking effect on December 31, 1910, after a successful vote by the people of the state in November. This law authorized the Department of Engineering to issue $18 million inbonds for a "continuous and connected state highway system" that would connect allcounty seats.[10] To this end, the department created the three-memberCalifornia Highway Commission on August 8, 1911, to take full charge of the construction and maintenance of this system. As with the 1896 plan by the Bureau of Highways, the Highway Commission traveled the state to determine the best routes,[11] which ended up stretching about 3,100 miles (5,000 km).[12] Construction began in mid-1912,[13] withgroundbreaking on Contract One — now part ofSR 82 inSan Mateo County — occurring on August 7.[14] Noteworthy portions of the system built by the commission included theRidge Route insouthern California and theYolo Causeway west fromSacramento.[15]
Because the first bond issue did not provide enough funding, the "State Highways Act of 1915" was approved by the legislature on May 20, 1915, and the voters in November 1916, taking effect on December 31. This gave the Department of Engineering an additional $12 million to complete the original system and $3 million for a further approximately 680 miles (1,090 km) specified by the law. At this time, each route was assigned a number from 1 to 34;[16] this system of labeling routes, although never marked with signs, remained until the1964 renumbering. In 1917, the legislature gave the California Highway Commission statutory recognition, and turned over the approximately 750 miles[17] (1200 km) of roads adopted by legislative act, until then maintained by the State Engineer, to the commission.[13] Where not serving as extensions of existing routes, these - and routes subsequently added legislatively in 1917 and 1919 - were given numbers from 35 to 45. A third bond issue was approved by the voters at a special election on July 1, 1919, and provided $20 million more for the existing routes and the same amount for new extensions totaling about 1,800 miles (2,900 km), adding Routes 46 to 64 to the system.[18] The three bond issues together totaled 5,560 miles (8,950 km), of which just over 40% (60% if the 1919 bond issue is left out) was completed or under construction in mid-1920.[19]
The Department of Engineering became part of the newDepartment of Public Works in 1921, and the California Highway Commission was entirely separated as its own department in 1923.[20] In order to pay for the roads, a 2-cent per gallongasoline tax was approved in 1923.[20] The legislature continued to add highways to the system, including theMother Lode Highway (now part ofSR 49) in 1921[21] and theArrowhead Trail (nowI-15 north ofBarstow) in 1925.[22] In January 1928, theCalifornia State Automobile Association andAutomobile Club of Southern California, which had already been placing guide and warning signs along state highways, marked theU.S. Highways along several of the most major state highways.[23] TheCalifornia Toll Bridge Authority was created in 1929 to acquire and operate all toll bridges on state highways,[20] including theSan Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge andCarquinez Bridge.
After 1927 and 1929, in which no highways were added to the system, the legislature authorized the construction of 23 new routes in 1931,[24] which were numbered from 72 to 80 when not forming extensions of existing routes. Two years later, another 213 sections of highway were added,[25] almost doubling the total length of state highways to about 14,000 miles (23,000 km);[26] the last-assigned route number jumped from 80 to 202. Many of these new routes, as well as a number of existing routes, were incorporated into the initial system of state sign routes in 1934, also posted by the auto clubs.[20][27]
The Division of Highways took over signage on state highways from the auto clubs in 1947,[20] though at least the Auto Club of Southern California continued to place signs on city streets until 1956.[28]
In 1963 and 1964, theCalifornia Division of Highways implemented a major renumbering of its state highways. The majority ofsign routes — those marked for the public — kept their numbers; the main changes were to thelegislative routes, which had their numbers changed to match the sign routes. A large number of formerly unsigned routes received sign numbers corresponding to their new legislative numbers. A smaller change was the removal and truncating of many U.S. Routes in favor of theInterstate Highways (designated in 1959), and the renumbering of State Routes that conflicted with Interstate numbers. Some U.S. Routes that were officially removed continued to be signed until the replacement Interstates were completed. The state law authorizing the renumbering was passed on September 20, 1963. Signage changes took place by July 1, 1964.[29]
![[icon]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aWiki_letter_w_cropped.svg) | This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding to it.(March 2013) |
A regularly recurring issue in California politics since the 1960s was whether the state should continue to aggressively expand its freeway network or concentrate on improving mass transit networks.Freeway revolts sprang up across the state in the 1960s and 1970s, killing or delaying several projects such as a freeway in San Francisco between theGolden Gate Bridge and theSan Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge better known as theEmbarcadero Freeway, and an expansion ofInterstate 710 throughSouth Pasadena.
Both theNational Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and theCalifornia Environmental Quality Act of 1970 added significant environmental regulations to highway construction. Then in 1972, the Department of Public Works was merged with the Department of Aeronautics to become the modernCalifornia Department of Transportation (Caltrans).[30] Now Caltrans not only manages the state highway system, but is also actively involved with public transportation systems throughout the state, and thus is essentially in charge of the entire state's transportation network.
Toll roads andhigh-occupancy toll lanes began to open across the state beginning in the 1990s. The decade also saw the implementation ofFasTrak, California'selectronic toll collection (ETC) system, across all toll facilities on state highways. The91 Express Lanes opened in 1995 alongState Route 91 betweenAnaheim and theRiverside County line, developed as a partnership between Caltrans and the private California Private Transportation Company (CPTC). TheTransportation Corridor Agencies, a local agency created by the state, also established three toll roads inOrange California in the 1990s. Another privately financed toll highway project, theSouth Bay Expressway, began operation inSan Diego County in 2007. Several of these other HOT lanes across various state highway are also either currently under construction or in the planning stages that will open in the near future.
| Approximate present number(s) | From | To | History | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | US 101,US 199 | Sausalito | Oregon | 1910 bond issue: Sausalito toCrescent City 1919 bond issue: Crescent City to Oregon |
| 2 | US 101,I-5 | San Francisco | San Diego | 1910 bond issue: entire route |
| 3 | I-80,SR 65,SR 99,I-5 | Sacramento | Oregon | 1910 bond issue: entire route |
| 4 | SR 99,I-5 | Sacramento | Los Angeles | 1910 bond issue: entire route |
| 5 | I-5,I-205,I-580,SR 238,I-680,SR 17 | Stockton | Santa Cruz, with a branch toOakland | 1910 bond issue: entire route |
| 6 | I-80 | Sacramento | Davis | 1910 bond issue: entire route |
| 7 | I-680,I-80,SR 113,I-5 | Benicia | Red Bluff | 1910 bond issue: entire route |
| 8 | SR 37,SR 121,SR 12 | Novato | Fairfield | 1910 bond issue: entire route |
| 9 | SR 118,I-210,SR 66 | San Fernando | San Bernardino | 1910 bond issue: entire route (San Bernardino County seat lateral) |
| 10 | SR 198 | San Lucas | Sequoia National Park | 1910 bond issue:Hanford toVisalia (Kings County andTulare County seat lateral) 1916 bond issue: San Lucas to Hanford 1919 bond issue: Visalia to Sequoia National Park |
| 11 | US 50 | Sacramento | Nevada | 1895 law:[1]Smith Flat to Nevada 1897 law:[7] Sacramento toFolsom 1910 bond issue: Sacramento toPlacerville (El Dorado County seat lateral) 1915 law:[31] Placerville to Smith Flat 1919 bond issue: Placerville toPollock Pines |
| 12 | I-8 | San Diego | El Centro | 1910 bond issue: entire route (Imperial County seat lateral) |
| 13 | SR 219,SR 108 | Salida | East ofSonora Pass | 1901 law:[32]Long Barn to east of Sonora Pass 1910 bond issue: Salida toSonora (Tuolumne County seat lateral) 1919 law:[33] Sonora to Long Barn |
| 14 | SR 123,I-80 | Oakland | Martinez | 1910 bond issue: entire route (Contra Costa County seat lateral) |
| 15 | SR 20 | Ukiah | Emigrant Gap | 1910 bond issue:Williams toColusa (Colusa County seat lateral) 1919 bond issue: Ukiah to Williams and Colusa to Emigrant Gap |
| 16 | SR 175 | Hopland | Lakeport | 1910 bond issue: entire route (Lake County seat lateral) |
| 17 | I-80,SR 49 | Roseville | Nevada City | 1910 bond issue: entire route (Placer County andNevada County seat lateral) |
| 18 | SR 140 | Merced | Yosemite National Park | 1910 bond issue: Merced toMariposa (Mariposa County seat lateral) 1915 law:[34] through Yosemite National Park 1916 bond issue: Mariposa to Yosemite National Park |
| 19 | SR 71,SR 60 | West ofClaremont | Riverside | 1910 bond issue: entire route (Riverside County seat lateral) |
| 20 | SR 299 | Arcata | Redding | 1910 bond issue:Weaverville to Redding (Trinity County seat lateral) 1916 bond issue: Arcata to Salyer and Helena to Weaverville |
| 21 | SR 162,SR 70 | Richvale | Quincy | 1910 bond issue: Richvale toOroville as Route 21 (Butte County seat lateral) and Oroville to Quincy as Route 30 (Plumas County seat lateral) 1919 bond issue: Oroville to Quincy as Route 21 |
| 22 | SR 156 | North ofHollister | San Juan Bautista | 1910 bond issue: Hollister to San Juan Bautista (San Benito County seat lateral) 1919 bond issue: north of Hollister to Hollister |
| 23 | SR 14,US 395,SR 89 | Saugus | South Lake Tahoe | 1901 law:[32] Bridgeport to east ofSonora Pass 1910 bond issue: Saugus toBridgeport (Inyo County andMono County seat lateral) 1911 law:[35] east of Sonora Pass to South Lake Tahoe |
| 24 | SR 12,SR 49,SR 4 | Lodi | Southeast ofMarkleeville | 1910 bond issue: Lodi toSan Andreas (Calaveras County seat lateral) 1911 law:[35]Calaveras Big Trees to southeast of Markleeville 1921 law:[21] San Andreas toAngels Camp 1925 law:[36] Angels Camp toCalaveras Big Trees |
| 25 | SR 49 | Nevada City | Downieville | 1910 bond issue: entire route (Sierra County seat lateral) |
| 26 | I-10,SR 86 | San Bernardino | El Centro | 1916 bond issue: entire route |
| 27 | I-8 | El Centro | Arizona | 1916 bond issue: entire route |
| 28 | SR 299 | Redding | Nevada | 1910 bond issue: Redding toAlturas (Modoc County seat lateral) 1911 law:[37]Pittville toAdin 1921 law:[38] Alturas to Nevada |
| 29 | SR 36,US 395 | Red Bluff | Nevada | 1910 bond issue: Red Bluff toSusanville (Lassen County seat lateral) 1919 bond issue: Susanville to Nevada |
| 30 | SR 70 | Oroville | Quincy | See Route 21 |
| 31 | I-215,I-15 | San Bernardino | Nevada | 1916 bond issue: San Bernardino toBarstow 1925 law:[22] Barstow to Nevada |
| 32 | SR 152 | Chowchilla | Gilroy | 1916 bond issue: entire route |
| 33 | SR 46 | Bakersfield | Paso Robles | 1916 bond issue: entire route |
| 34 | SR 104,SR 88 | Galt | Southeast ofLuther Pass | 1910 bond issue: Galt toJackson (Amador County seat lateral) 1911 law:[35] Jackson to southeast of Luther Pass |
| 35 | SR 36,SR 3 | Mad River | Peanut | 1907 law:[39] entire route |
| 36 | N/A | Northwest ofDownieville | Downieville | 1907 law:[40] entire route |
| 37 | I-80 | Auburn | Truckee | 1909 law:[41]Emigrant Gap toDonner Lake 1915 law:[42] Donner Lake to Truckee 1915 law:[43] Auburn to Emigrant Gap 1919 bond issue: entire route |
| 38 | SR 89,I-80 | South Lake Tahoe | Nevada | 1911 law:[44] South Lake Tahoe toHomewood 1915 law:[42] Homewood toTruckee 1919 law:[45] Truckee to Nevada 1919 bond issue:Tahoe City to Nevada |
| 39 | SR 28 | Tahoe City | Nevada | 1915 law:[46] entire route |
| 40 | SR 120 | West ofChinese Camp | Lee Vining | 1899 law:[8]Yosemite National Park to west of Lee Vining 1915 law:[47] through Yosemite National Park 1915 law:[34] west of Chinese Camp to Yosemite National Park 1917 law:[48] west of Lee Vining to Lee Vining |
| 41 | SR 180 | General Grant Grove | Kings Canyon | 1909 law:[49] entire route 1919 bond issue: entire route |
| 42 | SR 9,SR 236 | Saratoga Gap | Big Basin Redwoods State Park | 1913 law:[50] entire route |
| 43 | SR 18 | Waterman Canyon | Big Bear Lake | 1917 law:[51] Waterman Canyon to east end of Big Bear Lake via north side 1919 bond issue:Arrowbear Lake toMetcalf Bay on south side of Big Bear Lake |
| 44 | SR 236 | Boulder Creek | Big Basin Redwoods State Park | 1913 law:[50] within the park 1917 law:[52] outside the park |
| 45 | SR 162 | Biggs | Willows | 1919 law:[53] entire route |
| 46 | SR 96,SR 169 | North ofYreka | Klamath | 1919 bond issue: entire route |
| 47 | SR 32 | Orland | Chico | 1919 bond issue: entire route |
| 48 | SR 128 | Cloverdale | Albion | 1919 bond issue: entire route |
| 49 | SR 29,SR 53 | Calistoga | North ofLower Lake | 1919 bond issue: Calistoga to Lower Lake as Route 49 and Lower Lake to north of Lower Lake as Route 50 |
| 50 | SR 16 | Northeast ofLower Lake | Rumsey | 1919 bond issue: entire route |
| 51 | SR 12 | Santa Rosa | Sonoma | 1919 bond issue: entire route |
| 52 | SR 131 | Tiburon | Mill Valley | 1919 bond issue: entire route |
| 53 | SR 12 | Fairfield | Lodi | 1919 bond issue: Fairfield toRio Vista 1921 law:[54] Rio Vista to Lodi |
| 54 | SR 16 | East ofSloughhouse | Plymouth | 1919 bond issue: entire route |
| 55 | SR 35 | San Francisco | North ofSanta Cruz | 1919 bond issue: entire route |
| 56 | SR 1 | Cambria | Carmel | 1919 bond issue:San Simeon to Carmel 1921 law:[55] Cambria to San Simeon |
| 57 | SR 166,SR 119,SR 178 | Santa Maria | Freeman Junction | 1919 bond issue: entire route |
| 58 | SR 58,I-40 | Mojave | Arizona | 1919 bond issue: Mojave toNeedles 1925 law:[56] Needles to Arizona |
| 59 | SR 138 | Gorman | Lancaster | 1919 bond issue: entire route |
| 60 | SR 1 | El Rio | San Juan Capistrano | 1919 bond issue:Oxnard to San Juan Capistrano 1925 law:[57] El Rio to Oxnard |
| 61 | SR 2 | La Canada Flintridge | Red Box Gap | 1919 bond issue: entire route |
| 62 | SR 39 | Azusa | San Gabriel Canyon | 1919 bond issue: entire route |
| 63 | SR 168 | Big Pine | Oasis | 1919 bond issue: entire route |
| 64 | I-10 | Mecca | Blythe | 1919 bond issue: entire route |
| 65 | SR 49 | Auburn | Sonora | 1921 law:[21] entire route |
| 66 | SR 120 | Lathrop | Manteca | 1921 law:[58] entire route |
| 67 | SR 129 | San Juan Bautista | Chittenden | 1921 law:[59] entire route |
| 68 | US 101 | San Francisco | San Jose | 1923 and 1925 laws:[60][61] entire route |
| 69 | I-580 | San Rafael | Point San Quentin | 1925 law:[62] entire route |
| 70 | SR 222 | Ukiah | Mendocino State Hospital | 1925 law:[63] entire route |
| 71 | US 101 | Crescent City | Oregon | 1925 law:[64] entire route |
