Before the Freeway (1960) Signs like this populated many Southland freeways. This is because most freeways built in California during the late 1940s and in the 1950s were built as expressways with plans to upgrade them to grade separated freeways as traffic and funds permitted. Sections of modern US 101 and SR-99 still hark back to this era. |
|
![]() Photograph courtesy of Caltrans Library |
Ramona Fwy (1951) This is now part of I-10 and has since been modified to accomodate the 10 lane freeway that now goes through. The freeway was built in 1943 over the previous alignment of the Ramona Parkway in conjunction with the Aliso Street Viaduct and the US 99 / US 101 interchange. |
San Bernardino Split (1955) This marked the western terminus of US 60 and US 70, two major transcontinental highways and the interchange of US 99 and US 101. Thegrade separated interchange was originally completed in 1943 as a wartime project which also included the Aliso Street Viaduct, now the bridge that carries the Santa Ana Freeway over the LA River. It was later modified by the addition of the flyover in 1954, which incorporated some innovative techniques. Ironically the interchange looks almost the same now as it did in 1943 since, in 1996, the flyover was removed for earthquake safety reasons and because it had been obviated by the construction of the I-5/I-10 interchange in 1960. |
![]() Photograph courtesy of Caltrans Library |
![]() |
North: Los Angeles (North) South: Inland Empire Return to the US 99 Page. |
Go to the Historic California US Highways Main Page
http://www.gbcnet.com/ushighways/US99/99pics_d.html