California State Route 149

While traveling through Sacramento Valley earlier this month I drove the entirety of California State Route 149.

CA 149 is a short 5 mile expressway completely located within Butte County. CA 149 starts at CA 99 near Chico and travels southeast towards CA 70 near Oroville. CA 149 was part of Legislative Route Number 87 which was created by the State Legislature in 1933 according to CAhighways.org.

CAhighways.org on CA 149

A state maintained LRN 87 appears on the 1934 State Highway Map between Chico and Oroville.

1934 State Highway Map

During the 1964 State Highway Renumbering LRN 87 between Chico and Oroville (technically Wicks Corner) was assigned CA 149. CA 149 does not appear to have been signed in 1964.

1963 State Highway Map

1964 State Highway Map

CA 149 first appears on the 1969 State Highway Map as a signed route.

1969 State Highway Map

CA 149 was part of what was known as the "East Valley Corridor." The East Valley Corridor consisted of CA 99, CA 70, CA 149 and CA 149 north of Sacramento which was meant to be a full corridor alternate of I-5 consisting of freeways/expressways. Much of the East Valley Corridor was built but some notable segments like a bypass of Marysville and a segments north of Chico were never constructed to CAhighways.org.

My path on CA 149 southward towards CA 70 from CA 99 near Chico. CA 149 maintains a flat grade with a left exit at the junction with CA 99 and begins to head southeast towards the Sierra Foothills. Despite appearances in the photos CA 149 isn't a full freeway and includes several at-grade intersections.

CA 149 is signed as the "Lt. Larry Estes Deputy Bill Hunter Memorial Highway."

Oroville is signed as being 10 miles to the south along CA 149.

CA 149 ends at CA 70. The ramp for CA 70 east is signed showing the highway connects to CA 191.

The junction of CA 149 and CA 70 is signed as "Wicks Corner Interchange."

Comments

Interstate 40's Tumultuous Ride Through the Pigeon River Gorge

In the nearly 60 years Interstate 40 has been open to traffic through the Pigeon River Gorge in the mountains of Western North Carolina, it has been troubled by frequent rockslides and damaging flooding, which has seen the over 30-mile stretch through North Carolina and Tennessee closed for months at a time. Most recently, excessive rainfall from Hurricane Helene in September 2024 saw sections of Interstate 40 wash away into a raging Pigeon River. While the physical troubles of Interstate 40 are well known, how I-40 came to be through the area is a tale of its own. Interstate 40 West through Haywood County near mile marker 10. I-40's route through the Pigeon River Gorge dates to local political squabbles in the 1940s and a state highway law written in 1921. A small note appeared in the July 28, 1945, Asheville Times. It read that the North Carolina State Highway Commission had authorized a feasibility study of a "...water-level road down [the] Pigeon River to the Tennessee l

Mines Road

Mines Road is an approximately twenty-eight-mile highway located in the rural parts of the Diablo Range east of the San Francisco Bay Area. Mines Road begins in San Antonio Valley in Santa Clara County and terminates at Tesla Road near Livermore of Alameda County. The highway essentially is a modern overlay of the 1840s Mexican haul trail up Arroyo Mocho known as La Vereda del Monte. The modern corridor of Mines Road took shape in the early twentieth century following development of San Antonio Valley amid a magnesite mining boom. Part 1; the history of Mines Road Modern Mines Road partially overlays the historic corridor used by La Vereda del Monte (Mountain Trail). La Vereda del Monte was part of a remote overland route through the Diablo Range primarily used to drive cattle from Alta California to Sonora. The trail was most heavily used during the latter days of Alta California during the 1840s. La Vereda del Monte originated at Point of Timber between modern day Byron and Bre

Interstate 210 the Foothill Freeway

The combined Interstate 210/California State Route 210 corridor of the Foothill Freeway is approximately 85.31-miles. The Interstate 210/California State Route 210 corridor begins at Interstate 5 at the northern outskirts of Los Angeles and travels east to Interstate 10 in Redlands of San Bernardino County. Interstate 210 is presently signed on the 44.9-mile segment of the Foothill Freeway between Interstate 5 and California State Route 57. California State Route 210 makes up the remaining 40.41 miles of the Foothill Freeway east to Interstate 10. Interstate 210 is still classified by the Federal Highway Administration as existing on what is now signed as California State Route 57 from San Dimas south to Interstate 10. The focus of this blog will mostly be on the history of Interstate 210 segment of the Foothill Freeway. Part 1; the history of Interstate 210 and California State Route 210 Interstate 210 (I-210) was approved as a chargeable Interstate during September of

Gribblenation

Search This Blog