In this episode, we commence a 3-part exploration of Route 4. This episode starts with all things Route 4: The 4th state route, DOH and Legislative Route 4, and pre-1964 Route 4, finally setting on today’s Route 4. We talk about the LRNs that make up today’s Route 4: LRN 106, LRN 75, and LRN 24. We focus on the first segment of the route, from I-80…

Welcome to Season 3 of California Highways: Route by Route. We promised that the season would start in September, and we're making it by the wire. Season 3 covers Routes 3 through 7; this is the first episode covering Route 3, which is in Northwest California near Weaverville and Route 299. In this episode, we talk about all things "three": The thi…

As promised, we had one more bonus episode to tide you over during the break between Season 2 and Season 3. In this episode, we explore the auto trails that were in California before we started having signed numbered highways. Auto Trails discussed include (a) trails that are maintained today—El Camino Real, De Anza Trail, Volcanic Legacy Scenic By…

As promised, here are a few bonus episodes to tide you over during the break between Season 2 and Season 3. In this episode, we have the second half of an interview with Joe Rouse of Caltrans, talking about HOV Lanes, Express/Toll Lanes and Bridges, and Fastrak. The first part was in Episode 2.13. There is one more bonus episodes in the pipeline: E…

As promised, here are a few bonus episodes to tide you over during the break between Season 2 and Season 3. In this episode, we have the first half of an interview with Joe Rouse of Caltrans, talking about HOV Lanes, Express/Toll Lanes and Bridges, and Fastrak. There are two more bonus episodes in the pipeline. Episode 2.14 will be the second part …

Episode 2.12 of California Highways: Route by Route is the second of two episodes on Route 2. In this episode, we complete our exploration of Route 2. This time, we focus on the segments in Glendale and through the Angeles National Forest, roughly from US 101 to Route 138. We talk about the pre-freeway routing, the history of the Glendale Freeway, …

Episode 2.11 of California Highways: Route by Route is the first of two episodes on Route 2. In this episode we explore the general history of all things Route 2: What was the second state route defined; what was legislative route (LRN) 2, what was Sign Route 2, and what is today's Route 2. We focus on the flatland segment: From Santa Monica to the…

Episode 2.10 of California Highways: Route by Route completes our exploration of Route 1, as we discuss the "Lost Coast". This area was originally part of the last segment of LRN 56, and was to be Route 1, but some reworking of the state system made the former lateral between Usal Road and US 101 (which in 1964 became Route 208) officially Route 1,…

Episode 2.09 of California Highways: Route by Route continues our exploration of Route 1, as we complete discussing present-day Route 1 in Medocino County from Gualala to Leggett and current Route 1's end at US 101. Along the way, we'll discuss the communities of Gualala, Point Arena, Albion, Mendocino, Fort Bragg, Westport and Rockport, and Legget…

Episode 2.08 of California Highways: Route by Route continues our exploration of Route 1. We've now crossed the Golden Gate Bridge, and are continuing north from the Marin Headlands, up along the coast through Sausalito and Marin, Muir Beach and Stinson Beach, Point Reyes, Bodega Bay, Jenner and Fort Ross until we reach the Marin Headlands. As alwa…

Episode 2.07 of California Highways: Route by Route continues our exploration of Route 1 by exploring an interesting gap in the route: The Golden Gate Bridge (GGB). The GGB is not part of the state highway system, and thus (from the point of view of the state) not part of either Route 1 or US 101. It is part of US 101 per AASHTO, and is run by its …

Episode 2.06 of California Highways: Route by Route continues our exploration of Route 1 by exploring everything about Route 1 from Pacifica, just N of the Tom Lantos Tunnels near Montara (in San Mateo Couny) to and through San Francisco up to the Golden Gate Bridge. This includes communities such as Pacifica, Daly City, and of course, San Francisc…

In Episode 2.05 of California Highways: Route by Route, we continue our exploration of Route 1 by exploring everything about the segment of Route 1 from Carmel in Monterey County to just N of the Tom Lantos Tunnels near Monara (in San Mateo Couny). This includes communities such as Carmel, Monterey, Seaside, Watsonville, Castroville, Aptos, Santa C…

In Episode 2.04 of California Highways: Route by Route, we continue our exploration of Route 1 by exploring everything about the segment in San Luis Obispo (SLO) County and the portion in Monterey County up through Big Sur until just S of Carmel. This includes the Five Cities (Grover Beach, Pismo Beach, Shell Beach (actually part of Pismo Beach), A…

In Episode 2.03 of California Highways: Route by Route, we continue our exploration of Route 1 by exploring everything about the segment in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, from Solromar / Malibu at the edge of Ventura County to near Guadalupe in Santa Barbara County. We'll go over the history of this segment of the route, the history of the rou…

In Episode 2.02 of California Highways: Route by Route, we continue our exploration of Route 1 by exploring everything about the segment in Los Angeles County, from Long Beach to the northern edge of Malibu at the Ventura County line. We'll go over the history of this segment of the route, the history of the route through various communies includin…

Welcome back to season 2 of California Highways: Route by Route. With Season 2 we return to the original premise of the podcast: Going route by route through every state highway. We start with Route 1 and its segment in Orange County. In this episode, we'll go over what was the first national highway, the first state highway, the first legislative …

We close season 1 of the podcast with an episode that focuses on the organizations involved with the State Highway System. In this episode, we discuss organizations you might have heard about, but don't know about: The California Transportation Commission, the California Coastal Commission, Caltrans, the Regional Transportation Planning Agencies, a…

In our penultimate episode of the season, we explore highways and their names. Tom and Daniel discuss how highways got their names in the past, as well as how highways are named today through the legislature. You'll see a discussion of historical names, destination-based names, and memorial names. We'll also explore auto trail names, as well as som…

In this episode, we complete our exploration of numbering of state highways by turning our attention to the County Signed Route system. This system, started in 1959, uses a blue pentagon with yellow numbers, and applies to significant routes at the county level. It is the last episode in a four part miniseries on highway numbers in California. In t…

In this episode, we continue our exploration of numbering of state highways by turning our attention to the Interstate Highway system. This system, started in 1956, uses the red, white, and blue shields. It is the third episode in a four part miniseries on highway numbers in California. In this episode we talk about the history of the Interstate Hi…

In this episode, we continue our exploration of numbering of state highways by turning our attention to the U.S. highway system. These are the white shields with black numbers. It is the second episode in a four part miniseries on highway numbers in California. In this episode we talk about the history of the US highway system, how the US highways …

In this episode, we explore numbering systems in state highways. It is the start of a four part miniseries on highway numbers in California. Specifically, this episode explores the rhymes and reason for the assigning of signed route numbers to highways with the state shield. This includes looking at the patterns in those numbers, and how the number…

In this episode, we conclude our exploration the history of the State Highway System with the last episode in this 6-part miniseries. This episode focused on the post-1969 era in the stat highway system: the changes in the highway system after 1969; the impact of the environmental quality acts, and the growing involvement of the regional transporta…

In this episode, we’re continuing to explore the history of the State Highway System, focusing on the construction boom in the 1960s under the administration of Pat Brown. This period saw the great renumbering, as highways were unified under a combined legislative / sign route system (as opposed to the separate systems that existing previously). It…

In this episode, we’re continuing to explore the history of the State Highway System, focusing on the period as WWII was ending, the Interstate system was emerging, and the construction boom was starting. This is part of our first season of California Highways: Route by Route, where we are exploring the background needed for our route by route jour…

In this episode, we're continuing to explore the history of the State Highway System, focusing on the 1930s and the early 1940s. This is part of our first season of California Highways: Route by Route, where we are exploring the background needed for our route by route journal. In this episode, we'll see the establishment of the legislative route s…

This first season of California Highways: Route by Route establishes the background listeners will need for our subsequent route by route podcasts. We’re starting with a history of the state highway system. In Episode 1.01, we discussed how the highway system started and got through the first three bond acts that created a large number of today’s r…

Welcome to the first season of California Highways: Route by Route. This first season will be establishing the background listeners will need for our subsequent route by route podcasts. We'll start with a history of the state highway system. We'll then explore how highways are numbered in the state. Lastly, we'll look at how highways are named, and…

This is a sample episode to show what the Route by Route format will be, as we don't expect to start exploring routes until the second season. The first season will be mostly background: The history of the California State Highway system, explorations of how highways are numbers, exploring how highways are named, and the entities you'll be hearing …

California Highways: Route by Route is a podcast exploring California's state (and county) highway system, starting with the history and proceeding route by route through all highways in the state. This episode introduces you to the podcast, giving you a taste of things to come.