U.S. Route 6 in California

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U.S. Route 6
Defined by S&HC § 306, maintained by Caltrans
Length: 40.505 mi[1] (65.19 km)
Formed: 1936[2]
South end: US 395 in Bishop
North end: US 6 towards Tonopah, NV
State highways in California (list - pre-1964)
County routes in California (list)
< I-5 SR 7 >
History - Unconstructed - Deleted - Freeway - Scenic

In the U.S. state of California, U.S. Route 6 is a short segment in the state from Bishop to the Nevada state Line. Prior to a 1964 highway renumbering project US 6 extended to Long Beach, California.[3]

This route is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System[4] and is eligible for the State Scenic Highway System[5].

Contents

[edit] Route description

Although this recent sign states that US 6 is travelling east, it was still declared a north-south route by Caltrans.
Although this recent sign states that US 6 is travelling east, it was still declared a north-south route by Caltrans.[6]

Starting in Inyo County, US 6 begins its route at Bishop at a junction with US 395 near the Bishop Paiute Indian Reservation. After leaving Inyo County and entering Mono County, the highway proceeds due north to the small town of Benton and makes a junction with SR 120. The highway then begins an ascent up Montgomery Pass, in the state of Nevada. The highway reaches the state line before cresting the pass. While still in California, the highway passes by Boundary Peak, the highest point in Nevada.[7]

[edit] History

The California portion of US 6 was originally commissioned in 1937 as an extension of the highway from Greeley, Colorado[8]

US 6 extended to Long Beach, California.[3] It traveled along with what is now US 395, SR 14, I-5, I-110 / SR 110, and SR 1. When the Four Level Interchange was constructed, US 6 was the original number for SR 110 at this interchange.

The highway was truncated to Bishop as part of a 1964 highway renumbering project.[9] The truncation caused US 6 to be cancelled as the section of Harbor and Pasadena Freeway. It formerly ran from Gaffey Street in San Pedro and continued on I-5 Golden State Freeway, which north of I-5 junction the pasadena freeway was US 66. In 1964, the entire length of US 66 and most of US 6 was cancelled. The pasadena freeway was redesignated to SR 11, which took full length from Gaffey Street in San Pedro until Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena. The Harbor Freeway south of Santa Monica Freeway completely replaced the SR 11 designations to I-110 in 1981, and the section north of it, which is Pasadena Freeway became SR 110.

Despite being designated as an east-west route, US 6 was designated as a north-south route in California when it was extended to Long Beach and still remained after the 1964 truncation. Caltrans still declared that the route was north-south in the present day.[6]

[edit] Major intersections

Note: Except where prefixed with a letter, postmiles were measured in 1964, based on the alignment as it existed at that time, and do not necessarily reflect current mileage. The numbers reset at county lines; the start and end postmiles in each county are given in the county column.
County Location Postmile
[1][10][11]		 Destinations Notes
Inyo
INY R0.00-8.35		 Bishop R0.00 US 395 – Los Angeles, Reno South end of US 6
Mono
MNO 0.00-32.29		 Benton 25.72 SR 120
32.29 Nevada state line

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b California Department of Transportation, State Truck Route List (XLS file), accessed February 2008
  2. ^ Daniel P. Faigin.. California Highways Routes 1 through 8. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
  3. ^ a b Michael Ballard. Virtual Tour of old US 6. Retrieved on 2007-12-16.
  4. ^ CA Codes (shc:250-257)
  5. ^ CA Codes (shc:260-284)
  6. ^ a b Caltrans - Route and Direction, accessed December 2007
  7. ^ Benchmark Maps. Nevada Road and Recreation Atlas [map], 2003 edition, 1:250000. (2003) ISBN 0-929591-81-X. Page 70, section B2.
  8. ^ Richard F. Weingroff. U.S. 6- The Grand Army of the Republic Highway. United States Department of Transportation - Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
  9. ^ Dale Sanderson. End of US highway 6. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
  10. ^ California Department of Transportation, Log of Bridges on State Highways, July 2007
  11. ^ California Department of Transportation, All Traffic Volumes on CSHS, 2005 and 2006

[edit] External links


U.S. Route 6
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Terminus		 California Next state:
Nevada