The page cover image seen above was taken from the Columbia Street onramp to former US Route 99 on the Alaskan Way Viaduct by Tom Fearer on May 10th, 2018. Below the general corridor of US Route 99 as it was during its peak can be seen.
A general timeline of the birth and death of US Route 99
The US Route System was finalized on November 11th, 1926 by the Executive Committee of the American Association of State Highway Officials ("AASHO"). US Route 99 was one of the original US Routes created by the AASHO Executive Committee. As originally plotted US Route 99 began at US Route 80 in El Centro, California and terminated at the Canadian Border in Blaine, Washington. The original southern terminus of US Route 99 in El Centro can be seen in the AASHO US Route descriptions for California dated November 11th, 1926.
As originally conceived US Route 99 only had one three digit child route in the form of US Route 199. US Route 199 was plotted via the Redwood Highway from Crescent City, California to Grants Pass, Oregon.
On September 8th, 1931 the California Division of Highways proposed an extension of US Route 99 from US Route 80 in El Centro south to the Mexican Border at Calexico.
The AASHO Executive Committee on June 22nd, 1932 notified the California Division of Highways that US Route 99 was approved to be extended to the Mexican Border.
On August 11th, 1934 the California State Highway Engineer petitioned the AASHO for a new US Route designation between Arcata and Alturas via the corridor of California State Route 44.
The elimination of US Route 299 was approved by the AASHO Executive Committee on June 19th, 1963 and would become effective on New Year's Day 1964. The elimination of US Route 299 was requested by the State of California due to the highway not meeting the 1959 AASHO 300 mile intra-state standard for a single State US Routes. The State of California intended to replace the entire 295 miles of US Route 299 with California State Route 299.
On May 1st, 1963 the Division of Highways submitted a request to the AASHO Executive Committee to remove US Route 399 as part of the planned 1964 California State Highway Renumbering. This request was considered by the AASHO Executive Committee on June 19th, 1963 and met with their approval. US Route 399 subsequently would effectively cease to exist come New Year 1964. US Route 399 was replaced by California State Route 119 from Bakersfield to Taft and saw California State Route 33 realigned from Maricopa via the Ventura-Maricopa Highway to Ventura.
The truncation of US Route 99 from Calexico to the junction of the Golden State Freeway and San Bernardino Freeway in Los Angeles was approved by the AASHO Executive Committee on June 19th, 1963. The justification by the California Division of Highways to truncate US Route 99 was to avoid what the agency viewed as confusing multiplexes on the new Interstate corridors of Southern California.
The AASHO Renumbering database shows that US 99 was approved to be truncated out of California to Ashland, Oregon by the AASHO Executive Committee on June 29th, 1965. This measure would have become effective on New Years Day 1966.
On June 24th, 1969 the AASHO Executive Commitee approved a request by the Washington State Highway Commission to eliminate US Route 99 in Washington. The Washington State Highway Commission approved a motion to eliminate US Route 99 on April 22nd, 1969. The justification to eliminate US Route 99 in Washington State was to avoid confusion and cost associated with signing the highway concurrent on much of Interstate 5.
On July 27th, 1971 the Oregon State Highway Division informed the AASHO Executive Director that the State Highway Commission had approved the elimination of US Route 99 from the State in favor of like numbered State Routes.
The elimination of US Route 99 from Oregon was approved by the AASHO Executive Committee on December 4th, 1971. The deletion of US Route 99 in Oregon left only US Route 199 as the remaining part of the US Route 99 family left in the US Route System .
Version History of the Gribblenation US Route 99 Page
Version 1; page launched as of December, 13th 2021. This page will be updated as blogs and media pertaining to US Route 99 are created. Additional features may be added as this page progresses.
Gribblenation blogs pertaining to US Route 99
The below directory is list of Gribblenation blogs pertaining to US Route 99. This section will be updated from the most southerly location we have on file in California ascending northward towards the Canadian Border in Washington State. Our blogs are heavily oriented towards exploring in detail the history of alignments of US Route 99 in particular regions and cities.
US Route 99 in California
Oregon
Washington
Child Routes of US Route 99
Gribblenation Roadcast media
The below directory is list of Gribblenation Roadcasts pertaining to US Route 99. This segment will sporadically expand as topics of interest develop into Roadcasts.
Comments
I also know 199 very well. I was on 299 a few years ago at night. Never again at night.