State Route 30, Part One.
Base Line Rd in La Verne and Claremont to the San Bernardino County Line.
As my first photo archive on Forgotten Hwy, we traverse SR 30 through Southern California. Originally the route went west from La Verne at Foothill Blvd (former US 66) along Base Line Rd, into Claremont, crossing the San Bernardino County line into Upland as 16th Street. The route then headed north on Mountain Ave, curved east onto 19th Street, then entered the community of Alta Loma (later Rancho Cucamonga). The route reached Haven Ave, went north again, and continued onto Highland Ave which it stayed aligned on for 20 miles until it entered the city of Highland. There, the route originally went north along City Creek Rd into the mountain resort town of Running Springs.
In the later part of the route's life, it was tunicated to Highland but took over SR 106's roadbed. This let the highway curve south into San Bernardino before terminating at Interstate 10 in Redlands. In the early 1970's, a stub freeway and a full freeway section were constructed in preparation for SR 30 to connect to Interstate 210. The route was extended west to the I-210 interchange in Glendora - a total freeway length of 3 miles (the stub). The freeway upgrade ran from SR 259 (another interesting story) to Highland Ave in the city of San Bernardino. In 1992, the eastern freeway was completed with the opening of the extension from 5th Street in Highland to I-10 in Redlands. California transferred the official designation of SR 30's freeway to SR 210 in 1998; this included the stub route east of the I-210 junction. SR 210 shields were never placed on these freeway segments however until almost 10 years later. Technically speaking, I-210 and SR 210 are two different roads entirely. I-210 originally went from it's junction with I-5 in Sylmar to I-10 in San Dimas. SR 210 started on the backbone of SR 30, and it's western freeway terminus was extended east to meet with the old SR 30 freeway. In 1998, the segment of I-210 from the I-210/SR 30 interchange to I-10 was handed off to SR 57, although it was still heavily signed as I-210.
The freeway aspirations for SR 30 (dating back to the 1960s, possibly even earlier) weren't realized until the completion of the segment from Alder Ave in Fontana to I-215 in 2007. When the freeway was opened to the public - to great fanfare - the SR 30 shields were quietly (and quickly) removed and replaced with SR 210 shields. California is actively seeking to upgrade the 210 in its entirety to Interstate designation, in fact they have been asking for it since the 1990's but failed to get approval since the freeway was incomplete. It is now unknown whether California has given up on the Interstate designation, or if the freeway in its current state is no longer eligible for Interstate status.
This will be a multi-part series starting in La Verne on Foothill Blvd. The stub freeway, since it has very few markers left, was disregarded (partly due to mistake). The freeway segment in San Bernardino will be photographed at a later date, along with the remainder of Highland Ave. We are traveling the highway west to east working our way to Fontana, covering even some rather disregarded and discontinuous stubs in Rancho Cucamonga and Fontana.
In the later part of the route's life, it was tunicated to Highland but took over SR 106's roadbed. This let the highway curve south into San Bernardino before terminating at Interstate 10 in Redlands. In the early 1970's, a stub freeway and a full freeway section were constructed in preparation for SR 30 to connect to Interstate 210. The route was extended west to the I-210 interchange in Glendora - a total freeway length of 3 miles (the stub). The freeway upgrade ran from SR 259 (another interesting story) to Highland Ave in the city of San Bernardino. In 1992, the eastern freeway was completed with the opening of the extension from 5th Street in Highland to I-10 in Redlands. California transferred the official designation of SR 30's freeway to SR 210 in 1998; this included the stub route east of the I-210 junction. SR 210 shields were never placed on these freeway segments however until almost 10 years later. Technically speaking, I-210 and SR 210 are two different roads entirely. I-210 originally went from it's junction with I-5 in Sylmar to I-10 in San Dimas. SR 210 started on the backbone of SR 30, and it's western freeway terminus was extended east to meet with the old SR 30 freeway. In 1998, the segment of I-210 from the I-210/SR 30 interchange to I-10 was handed off to SR 57, although it was still heavily signed as I-210.
The freeway aspirations for SR 30 (dating back to the 1960s, possibly even earlier) weren't realized until the completion of the segment from Alder Ave in Fontana to I-215 in 2007. When the freeway was opened to the public - to great fanfare - the SR 30 shields were quietly (and quickly) removed and replaced with SR 210 shields. California is actively seeking to upgrade the 210 in its entirety to Interstate designation, in fact they have been asking for it since the 1990's but failed to get approval since the freeway was incomplete. It is now unknown whether California has given up on the Interstate designation, or if the freeway in its current state is no longer eligible for Interstate status.
This will be a multi-part series starting in La Verne on Foothill Blvd. The stub freeway, since it has very few markers left, was disregarded (partly due to mistake). The freeway segment in San Bernardino will be photographed at a later date, along with the remainder of Highland Ave. We are traveling the highway west to east working our way to Fontana, covering even some rather disregarded and discontinuous stubs in Rancho Cucamonga and Fontana.
Click any image to enlarge it.
Junction: Base Line Rd. This is a surprise, to say the least. According to images online and Google Streetview, this new assembly was installed between 2009 and 2012. It's California's property too - clearly stated on the assembly's front and back. I'm baffled as to why California would replace this shield - the old assembly was as weathered as the the last set we saw. Maybe it hasn't been relinquished to the city in these areas?
Either way, the route historically started at this intersection, with Foothill Blvd/old US 66 in La Verne. Base Line Rd starts at our right, so does SR 30. Ramona Ave would be a left and has nothing to do with SR 30. San Dimas city limits is just the other side of this intersection. |
Looking back to the 'Interstate'. Technically that sign is incorrect - the interstate doesn't start for another 3 miles west (right) of here. SR 66's terminus is on the other side of this overpass. SR 30's freeway would have terminated here, pointing it's eastbound traffic west on Foothill Blvd, then east onto Base Line Rd.
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It's a shield! Wow this is an oldie. Look at the shape and lack of 'Property of CA' stamp. Something isn't right here. The bottom two in this assembly are marked 'Property of CA' and are non-reflective aluminum/steel. The shield is reflective but not marked or stamped. The production seems rather quick and sloppy to be California, almost like these are stickers on metal. Notice the lifting between the 'R' in California and number zero. There is also a manufacturing line down the center (left to right). I'm willing to bet either this shield was refurbished or is a reproduction hung by either the city of Claremont or a private citizen.
Either way, kudos to whoever put it up for trying to keep the heritage alive! |
Very odd interchange here. This is looking at the westbound ramp looking north/northwest. The traffic crosses over the freeway on an overpass, comes around a cloverleaf, then passes under the overpass they just crossed to enter the freeway. The eastbound traffic also has a cloverleaf. Really worth looking at overhead on a map application.
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Ok I lied. There is one sign that tells us we've entered San Bernardino County and that is our first mile marker! This is located just east of the 210 interchange (naturally). There is an identical marker on the westbound side (I was hoping for an LA country marker. Damn!) it is too dangerous to picture however due to the fact its on the shoulder of a dedicated turn right turn lane for SR 210 East.
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