County Route 66 (CR 66) is an east–west numbered road in San Bernardino County, California, United States. It runs for 175.7 miles (282.8 km)[1] from Oro Grande (north of Victorville) to the U.S. Route 95 (US 95) at Arrowhead Junction (northwest of Needles). The entire route is part of the former U.S. Route 66 (US 66), connecting towns that were bypassed by Interstate 40 (I-40) such as Oro Grande and Amboy. It is the only numbered county route in San Bernardino County.
 County Road 66 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Trails Highway | ||||
 CR 66 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Length | 175.7 mi[1] (282.8 km) | |||
| Existed | 2011–present | |||
| Tourist routes |  Scenic route (in its entirety) | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end | 1st Street in Oro Grande | |||
| East end |  US 95 in Arrowhead Junction | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | California | |||
| County | San Bernardino | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
Route description
edit_--_2012_--_5698.jpg)
The route is part of the California Route Marker Program.[2] CR 66 begins at its western terminus, on the National Trails Highway at the intersection of 1st Street in unincorporated Oro Grande, near the Victorville city limits. From there, it heads north towards Barstow where it becomes Main Street headed eastbound. After an overlap with Interstate 15 Business (I-15 BL), it continues south to the I-40 interchange, where it runs concurrently with I-40 east for four miles (6.4 km) before splitting from the freeway at the Nebo Street exit. At that junction, CR 66 runs parallel to I-40 all the way to Ludlow, but then turns southeast towards Amboy Crater National Natural Landmark and the town of Amboy. It then heads back towards I-40, crossing paths with the freeway again at Fenner, before heading east on Goffs Road to the junction with US 95, where it terminates.[1]
At 175.7 miles (282.8 km) in length, CR 66 is the longest county route in California,[citation needed] and it is even longer than some Interstate highways.[3][4]
The CR 66 sign program began in San Bernardino County in June 2011,[5] defining the route from just north of I-15 in Victorville to US 95 northwest of Needles. Although the route officially stops short of the Victorville city limits, there has been signage for the route within that city.[6]
In 2012, the county announced an extension to the sign program which would sign the route through Needles.[7]
History
edit.svg)
CR 66 originally was part of the historic US 66, established in 1926. California decommissioned this highway in 1979,[8] and in 1985, it was decommissioned nationally.[9] In 2011, San Bernardino County Supervisor Brad Mitzlefelt proposed Resolution 63, which would establish a county route with the number 66, as a tribute to the original "Mother Road". Route markers were first installed in September 2011, upon passage of the resolution, which also allowed the possibility of the route being extended in the future along other parts of old US 66 in San Bernardino County.[2][10] In May 2012, the County Board of Supervisors designated CR 66 a County Scenic Highway.[6]
Since flash flooding in 2014, CR 66 has been closed between Chambless and Essex due to multiple bridge failures.[11]
San Bernardino County Public Works is in the process of replacing 128 timber bridges in excess of 80 years of age.[12] No known date of reopening is known as of 2023.[13]
As of 2024, Public Works has only repaired 12 bridges.[14]
In February 2024, Public works started the environmental review to replace another 33 bridges along the route.[15]
Major junctions
editThe entire route is in San Bernardino County.
| Location | mi[1] | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oro Grande | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1st Street | Western terminus; road continues south as National Trails Highway; former US 66 west | |
| Barstow | 27.7 | 44.6 |  SR 58 – San Bernardino, Las Vegas, Bakersfield | Interchange; SR 58 exit 233 | |
| 29.6 | 47.6 |   L Street (I-15 BL west) to I-15 | West end of I-15 BL overlap | ||
| 33.1 | 53.3 | I-15 – San Bernardino, Las Vegas | Interchange; I-15 exit 184 | ||
| 33.6 | 54.1 | Eastern terminus of I-15 BL | Interchange; east end of I-15 BL overlap; west end of I-40 overlap; I-40 exit 1 | ||
  I-40 west / East Main Street / Montara Road – San Bernardino | |||||
| West end of freeway on I-40 | |||||
| 35.4 | 57.0 | 2 | Marine Corps Logistics Base (East Main Street) | Exit number follows I-40; former US 66 | |
| | 37.8 | 60.8 | East end of freeway on I-40 | ||
 I-40 east / Nebo Street to Pendleton Road | Interchange; east end of I-40 overlap; no access to I-40 east from CR 66 westbound; I-40 exit 5 | ||||
| Newberry Springs | 51.8 | 83.4 | I-40 – Needles | Interchange; I-40 exit 18 | |
| Ludlow | 83.7 | 134.7 | I-40 – Barstow, Needles | Interchange; I-40 exit 50 | |
| | 115.1 | 185.2 | Kelbaker Road – Kelso | ||
| | 115.1 151.1 | 185.2 243.2 | Road closed to through traffic from Kelbaker Road to I-40 in Fenner[12] | ||
| Fenner | 151.1 | 243.2 | I-40 – Barstow, Needles | Interchange; I-40 exit 107 | |
| Arrowhead Junction | 175.7 | 282.8 | US 95 – Searchlight, Las Vegas, Needles | Eastern terminus; former US 66 east | |
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
| |||||
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Overview of CR 66 (California)" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
- ^ a b "County Route Marker Program Gets Its Kickoff on Route 66". Highland Community News. July 20, 2011. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
- ^ Adderly, Kevin (December 31, 2014). "Table 1: Main Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways as of December 31, 2014". Route Log and Finder List. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved May 19, 2015.
- ^ Adderly, Kevin (December 31, 2014). "Table 2: Auxiliary Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways as of December 31, 2014". Route Log and Finder List. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved May 19, 2015.
- ^ Warnick, Ron (July 20, 2011). "San Bernardino County will sign part of Route 66". Route 66 News. Retrieved March 1, 2016.
- ^ a b Garrett Metzger, Nikki (August 6, 2012). "Supervisor Mitzlefelt Unveils Route 66 Marker in Front of the Famous Emma Jean Café". High Desert Daily. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ Warnick, Ron (May 2, 2012). "San Bernardino County extends sign program to Needles". Route 66 News. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
- ^ Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering (June 25, 1979). "Route Numbering Committee Agenda Showing Action Taken by the Executive Committee" (PDF) (Report). Washington, DC: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Retrieved May 19, 2015 – via Wikimedia Commons.
- ^ Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering (June 26, 1985). "Route Numbering Committee Agenda" (Report). Washington, DC: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Retrieved May 19, 2015 – via Wikisource.
- ^ Faigin, Daniel. "San Bernardino County Route #66". California Highways: Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Numbered Highways in California. Daniel P. Faigin. Retrieved May 18, 2015.[self-published source]
- ^ "Road Closures and Weight Restrictions". Archived from the original on October 18, 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
- ^ a b "NTH Route 66 – Public Works". San Bernardino County. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
- ^ "Current Road Closures". Archived from the original on April 29, 2022. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
- ^ https://dpw.sbcounty.gov/operations/nth-active-and-completed-projects/
- ^ https://dpw.sbcounty.gov/news/national-trails-highway-33-bridges-project-2/