U.S. Route 66 (California)
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| U.S. Route 66 (California) | |
|---|---|
.png) | |
| State | California |
| Type | US |
| Route | 66 |
| Length mi | 315 |
| Established | 1926 |
| Decommissioned | 1979 |
| Direction a | West |
| Terminus a | Santa Monica |
| Direction b | East |
| Terminus b | Needles |
U.S. Route 66 (California) was the westernmost segment of the original U.S. Route 66 corridor, running from Santa Monica through Los Angeles and the Inland Empire to Needles at the California–Arizona border. The route connected Pacific coastal ports, Hollywood, San Bernardino County, and Mojave Desert communities, forming a primary arterial during the Great Depression migrations and World War II mobilization. Its alignment and function evolved with the construction of the Interstate Highway System, notably I-10, I-15, and Interstate 40.
Route description
The western terminus sat at the end of the Santa Monica Pier near Pacific Coast Highway intersections, proceeding northeast along Wilshire Boulevard, Broadway, and Santa Monica Boulevard through West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and central Los Angeles. East of downtown the alignment followed San Bernardino Freeway corridors through Montebello, Pomona, and Rialto into San Bernardino and Redlands. The corridor continued along U.S. Route 66 in San Bernardino County alignments toward Barstow and across the Mojave Desert via Victorville and Needles, terminating at the Colorado River crossing into Arizona. The road crossed diverse landscapes including coastal plains, the San Gabriel Mountains, the Basin and Range Province, and the Mojave National Preserve.
History
Planned in the mid-1920s, the route followed older auto trails and Lincoln Highway spurs, formalized with the 1926 U.S. highway numbering that included U.S. Highway System designations. During the Dust Bowl era, thousands traveled the road toward California Dream opportunities, documented in works by John Steinbeck and responses from California State Legislature agencies. During World War II, the corridor supported troop movements to Camp Pendleton, March Air Reserve Base, and Naval Air Station Lemoore, while postwar tourism surged with service stations run by chains such as Standard Oil, Sinclair Oil, and independent entrepreneurs. The 1956 Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 initiated the Interstate Highway System that gradually bypassed many segments with I-10, I-15, and I-40, culminating in formal decommissioning of U.S. highways in California by the California Department of Transportation in 1979.
Major intersections and routing changes
Key intersections included the junctions with US 101 and I-5 near Los Angeles, the interchange with I-15 at Barstow, and the connection to I-40 east of Needles. Early alignments shifted notably in Los Angeles County where routing moved from Whittier Boulevard to Firestone Boulevard and then to more direct freeway corridors; the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials approvals and California State Highway Commission actions documented these changes. Realignments through Riverside County and San Bernardino County responded to urban growth in Ontario and Fontana, while desert segments were straightened near Barstow to improve travel times and safety.
Historic and cultural significance
The California segment became emblematic in narratives by John Steinbeck, whose novel The Grapes of Wrath immortalized migration along the route, and in music by artists tied to Los Angeles and Route 66 tributes, including Bobby Troup and performers associated with Sun Records. The road fostered roadside culture visible in neon signs preserved from Motel 6 predecessors, El Rancho Motel establishments, and classic diners featured in photography by Ansel Adams and travelogues by Dorothea Lange. It facilitated cultural flows to Hollywood, influenced postwar culture, and intersected with Civil Rights Movement struggles over access in urban neighborhoods. The corridor also supported early aerospace industry commutes to employers like Lockheed Corporation, Northrop Corporation, and Douglas Aircraft Company.
Preservation and landmarks
Numerous preserved structures along the route include the Santa Monica Pier, historic segments in San Bernardino and Barstow listed by local historical societies, the Wigwam Motel in San Bernardino region, and restored gas stations reinterpreted by organizations such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation and local Route 66 associations. Museums and exhibits include the Route 66 Museum (Victorville), the California Route 66 Museum in Victorville, and collections at the Autry Museum of the American West and California State Railroad Museum that contextualize transportation history. Community-driven designations by city councils and National Register of Historic Places nominations protect vernacular neon, bridges, and motels.
Traffic and maintenance
Traffic patterns shifted from heavy long-distance flows to regional commuter and tourist use following I-10 and Interstate 40 completions; maintenance responsibilities transferred from AASHTO-designated state routes to the Caltrans and municipal agencies. Seasonal traffic peaks relate to holiday travel to Santa Monica and desert recreation near the Mojave Desert, while freight routing moved to interstates serving Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach. Pavement preservation employs standards from the Federal Highway Administration applied by Caltrans divisions in Los Angeles County and San Bernardino County.
Legacy in popular culture
The route’s image endures in literature by John Steinbeck and travelogues by Jack Kerouac, in songs like "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66" popularized by Nat King Cole and later covered by The Rolling Stones and Chuck Berry, and in film and television productions set in Los Angeles and desert highways, including episodes referencing Hollywood car culture and series produced by Warner Bros. and Paramount Pictures. Annual festivals organized by local chambers of commerce, classic car gatherings sponsored by Automobile Club of Southern California, and scholarly work at institutions like the University of California, Los Angeles maintain the corridor’s status as a symbol of American mobility and westward aspiration.
Category:U.S. Route 66 Category:Historic trails and roads in California