LIF e~v ry i N ~ ~ ~~~ ~~RK~s ' ~ ~: y y. ,fir"~ t ~ ~~' 4 ~ .YWt x. F y ~ ~,...Y. al. ~i~ '10~ f ~ « Of~'iciai Journal o{ the Division Q$ Highways, Department of Public Works, S#ate of California RICHARD WINN, Editor FIELEN HALSTED, Assistant Editor STEWART MITCHELL, Assistant Edator MERRITT R. NICKERSON, Chief Photographer Vo1.37 January-February, 1958 Nos.l-2 FRONT COVER A rotary snowplow, dwarfed by the snow-blanketed landscape, puts the finishing touch on a cleanup job along a section of US 40 at Donner Summit. Donner Lake and the crest of the Sierra Nevada range lie beyond, to the east. —Photo by Robert Munroe BACK COVER California contrast is provided by this winter scene of The Mojave Desert region east of Victorville. Two sehool busses drive along a section of State Sign Route 18 toward a community in Lucerne Valley. —Photo by Robert Munroe Table of Confenfs on Page 2 Published in the interest of highway development in California. Editors of newspapers and others are invited to use matter contained herein and to request photographs or engravings. Address communications to ~,4LIFORNI,4 HeG~9~/Al'S AND PUBLIC WORKS P. O. Box 1499 SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA Freeway Sysfem Taking Sha,~e In Greater Los Angeles Area C VARY T. TELFORD ate Highway Engineer ~rsTxicT VII of the State Division eration of freeway development at an increases, principally by adding the of Highways includes the three coun- early date. The first actual freeway financing of the Interstate Highway ties of Los Angeles, Orange, and Ven- construction was asix-mile length on System to the previously existing fed- tura, within which are 87 incorporated the Arroyo Seco Parkway,now known eral aid program. The accelerated con- cities. Here there reside over 6,000,000 as the Pasadena Freeway, which was struction program resulting from these people who operate more than 3,000,- completed and opened to traffic De- upward steps in financing is shown by 000 motor vehicles, roughly 45 percent cember 30, 1940. Considerable planning the following tabulation of expendi- of the State's total motor vehicle regis- was done on other freeways during the tures, contract obligations and budg- tration. Of the total population of the early years in addition to the Pasadena eted projects for the period 1947 district, approximately 40 percent live Freeway; however, there was no com- through the 1957-58 Fiscal Year, for within the City of Los Angeles. The prehensive financial program which construction, rights of way, and existing State Highway System in Dis- would permit an adequate rate of prog- engineering: trict VII includes approximately 1,400 ress until the enactment of the Collier- July 1, 7947, to June 30, 1952 miles of traversable routes, with an- Burns Act in June of 1947. The results Los Angeles County $143,672,371 in routes other 100 miles, more or less, of this 1947 legislation were helpful in Orange County 14,615,486 which have been included in the sys- Ventura County 7,945,354 that some increase in progress was pos- tem by the Legislature with the under- sible, but the rate was still much less Total for five years_____ $~166,233,2ll standing that the State would not be called upon to maintain these routes than desirable. In 1953 the California July 1, 1952, to June 30, 1955 until constructed on final alignment. Legislature increased funds available Los Angeles County $169,14b,220 Approximately 326 miles of U. S. in- for highway construction, and then Orange County 22,634,489 terstate routes are in the system. the passage of the 1956 Federal Aid Ventura County ____ 14,441,750 The pressure of population and traf- Highway Act by the Congress of the Total for three years ____ $206,222,459 fic in this area brought about consid- United States made further substantial .., Continued on page 2 DISTRlC~' VII Continued from page 7 .. Ju9y 1, 7955, to 3une 30, 1958 Los Angeles County $258,391,000 Orange County 51,200,000 Ventura County 18,688,000 Public Works Building Total for three years ___. $328,281,000 7welfPh and N Streefs Sacramento GRAND TOTAL ~~~~,736,670 The rate of expansion of this pro- gram is graphically indicated on the two accompanying maps of District VII freeways. One of these, dated March of 1953, indicates progress as of that time, and the other indicates the status as of January 1, 1958, including projects budgeted for the 1958-59 Fis- cal Year. The abrupt changes in the financial picture that have taken place from time to time can best be indi- cated by considering certain of the District VII annual budgets: 1952-53 Fiscal Year $44,263,000 1953-54 Fiscal Year $77,232,000 Page 1956-57 Fiscal Year Budget Report From District VII------- ----------------------------------------------------- ----- 1 was increased by revenue By E. T. Telford, Assistant State Highway Engineer from Federal Aid Act of Operations and Activities of Materials and Research Department 17 1956 from about $86,000; By A. W. Root OQO to $119,000,000 1958-59 Fiscal Year $115,064,000 Robert E. McClure Again Named to CHC 24 California Highways-1957 _ _ 25 Freeway Progress to January 1, 7958 Miles By G. T. McCoy, State Highway Engineer Routes adopted as freeways._______..__ 647.0 Durkee Retires; Gillis Named 41 Constructed or under construction Governor Officiates at Ground Breaking for New State Building_ 43 Freeways 180.4 Cost Index - - - - -- - -------- --------------------- 44 Expressways 107.2 By J. P. Murphy, Assistant State Highway Engineer Budgeted (including 1958-59 Fiscal H. C. McCarty, Office Engineer Year) Freeways 32.7 Lloyd B. Reynolds, Assistant Office Engineer Total value :freeway Atwater Bypass 46 contracts under way________ $79,508,934 By Robert W. Gillispie, Resident Engineer examination of the District VII Orange County --- - - ---- -------- --- --- ---- -------- 47 An 8y Basil N. Frykland, Construction Engineer, District VII Freeways Map for January 1, 1958, in- 1957 Annual Traffic Count 50 dicates that we now are beginning to By G. T. McCoy, State Highway Engineer have a sufficiznt mileage of connected Merit Award Board Winners Announced 51 freeways and expressways in operation Eastshore Opening 53 so that we are justified in referring to By Webster C. Hite, Resident Engineer it as a "freeway system." Three i~n- San Die.go's US 80--- ----- ------ - ---- - -- -- ---- 54 portant freeways, the Pasadena, file By C. Wigginton, District Administrative Assistant Hollywood, and the San Bernardino, US 66 Project 56 completed within the dis- By K. B. Stone, Resident Engineer have been E. M. Riker, Bridge Department Representative trict, and gaps are now being closed 'Equity for State,' Governor Reports 59 where necessary to connect our free- National Honors Accorded State Engineers 60 ways in the so-called Los Angeles Met- Index of California Highways and Public Works, 1957 62 ropolitan Area with the expressways Retirements in the outlying areas for Los Angeles, Mrs. Jessie Steen_________ 42 Ventura, and Orange Counties. Harry D. Johnson_________ 58 William R. Cobb 59 One System Obituaries When it is considered that on all of Fred T: Grumm 52 the freeway routings in District VII Vincent J. Preston _____ 58 the extreme distance between the Los Lloyd Dunbar Craig____ 5& Charles K: Benedict___. 64 Angeles Civic Center and the outlying 2 California Highways --z-, L----`-- unuflf~ ANTEIAPE VALLEY V w;."~rg 0 A N G E L E ' ~„ 5 OJAI FREEWAY Q C ,,,~ -. ~ ,~,~ O S . t C SANTA MONICA STATE OF CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT Of PUBLIC NRORKS DIVISION OF HIGHWAYS i1. DISTRICT VII LONG'BEACH ei FREEWAYS FREEWAY G E ~a ~ c e O &1N GABRI6L RNER pII66R,AY x COMPLETED OR ~~~~ E%PRESSWAYS C UNDER CONSTRUCTION FULL FREEWAYS C BUDGETED •~~~~~~~~~ 4 FREEWAY ROUTE ADOPTEL .•.............. K JANUARY I, 1958 boundaries of the district is less than Later thinking has indicated the rea- over the Ridge Route is not as impor- 100 miles, and that in time they can sonableness of including a considerable tant as any of the freeways in the een- easily be traveled in less than 2 %Z portion of Orange County in the so- tral Los Angeles area% Therefore, it is hours, it is certainly now in order to called "Los Angeles Metropolitan perhaps not out of line to suggest that speak of the District VII freeways as Area." In their thinking now, the peo- the District VII freeways be called being the "Greater Los Angeles Free- ple of this area are definitely inclined "The Greater Los Angeles Freeway way system.,, to get away from consideration of System." This is perhaps a better descriptive county boundaries and recognize the Interstate Highways title than the previously used "Los importance of the freeways being built The general location of the national Angeles Metropolitan Freeway Sys- for their use in outlying areas of the system of interstate highways was des- tem" which at best makes it necessary three counties, as well as those that are ignated in September, 1955, by the to define a vague area originally con- close in. Bureau of Public Roads of the U. S. sidered to be the coastal plain occupied From the standpoint of offering Department of Commerce. Included by the City of Los Angeles and other vitally needed traffic service in the in this national system are seven im- cities in Los Angeles County between movement of people and goods, who portant state highway routes in Dis- the mountains and the Pacific Ocean. can say that the Golden State Freeway trict VII that are being developed as and Pub{ic Works 3 freeways. These interstate freewa3rs Santa Ana Freeway Miles TraAie Counts constitute an important part of the Broadway to Lewis Street in Santa Z s G.