CA RxR 3.11: US 6: A Major Route no More

With Episode 3.11, we turn our attention to Route 6, better known as US 6. As is our tradition, we start by looking into the 6th state highway, and the LRN 6, and then the route that was originally signed as Sign Route 6. We then turn our attention to US 6, looking at the history of the route, and the historical routings in Long Beach, Los Angeles, Newhall, the Antelope Valley, the Eastern Sierras, and Bishop. We also talk about El Camino Sierra, the Midland Trail, and the proposals for trans-Sierra highways that would have included US 6. Lastly, we look at US 6 today: the portion between Bishop and the Nevada State line. Next up: The last episode of Season 3, where we talk about Route 7: both the current short route near the border, and the more interesting historical routings of LRN 7, Sign Route 7, and the original 1964 Route 7.

Here’s the link to the show:

And here’s the link on Spotify for Creators:


Here are some relevant links (I may edit this to add more links in later):

We encourage you to explore our back catalog through this site or our Spotify for Creators home.

 

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CA RxR 3.07: I-5: The Central ValleyCA RxR 3.07: I-5: The Central Valley

Next up in our exploration of I-5: the segment between the I-5 / Route 99 split and where I-5 meets former US 99W (now Route 113) in Woodland. Generally known as the “Westside Highway”, this was mostly a completely new routing for I-5 along LRN 238, although some portions paralleled former US 50 between Stockton and Sacramento, and Sign Route 16 between Sacramento and near Route 113 in Woodland/Yolo.  As usual, we cover the history of the route, naming, and projects. Subsequent episodes will be looking at (3.08) the planned I-5W; (3.09) the former US 99W portion from Sacramento to Redding; and (3.09) the portion from Redding to the Oregon Border.

Here’s the link to the show:

And here’s the link on Spotify for Creators:

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CA RxR 3.13: Fresno Flats (Bonus)CA RxR 3.13: Fresno Flats (Bonus)

Episode 3.13 is our first bonus episode, bridging the gap while we write Season 4. This bonus episode is a presentation that our co-host, Tom Fearer, gave at the Fresno Flats museum back in May 2025. The presentation focuses on the highways of the Oakhurst area, and was described as: “Since the establishment of the Stockton-Los Angeles Road in 1853 the Sierra Nevada foothills of what is now Madera County has been a hub of highway development. Much of the existing infrastructure in the area was established by the late 1880s with the plotting of the Fresno-Fresno Flats Road and Yosemite Stage Road. The area was of great interest during the early State Highway era due to the desirable access it could provide for logging interests and automotive based recreational travel to Yosemite National Park. Even Minaret Summit was briefly considered for a proposed extension of Interstate 70 into California before the era of environmental impact assessment began.” We’ll pick up in the fall with Season 4, which will cover Route 8 through Route 14. I’m also looking into better software for recording the podcast: In particular, does anyone have opinions on Zencaster, Riverside, or Squadcast?

Here’s the link to the show:

And here’s the link on Spotify for Creators:

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CA RxR 2.10: Route 1: The Lost Coast (incl. Route 208 and Route 211)CA RxR 2.10: Route 1: The Lost Coast (incl. Route 208 and Route 211)

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, and made the “Lost Coast” portion of the route Route 211. This episode explores the Lost Coast, including the history of Route 208 and Route 211. In our next episode we will move to Route 2, talking about Route 2 in the flatlands: From Santa Monica to and through Glendale, including the Beverly Hills Freeway, the Glendale Freeway, and even some Pacific Electric. We’ll also talk about the Western Terminus of US 66.

Here’s the link to the show:

 

And here’s the link on Spotify for Podcasters:

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