Category: US 99 News

99 Alert – Calimesa Area

Roberts Road, highlighted in orange, between Cherry Valley Blvd and Singleton Road

A section of US 99 in Calimesa, Riverside County, with concrete dating to 1925, is in danger of being destroyed and forgotten due to developments on the adjacent land. Known as Roberts Road, running for nearly 3/4 mile between Cherry Valley Blvd and Singleton Road, has the last intact and exposed concrete between Yucaipa and Whitewater. This was US 99 from 1926-1937.

As the roadway is to be realigned to the south, we propose making this into a recreational path or at least preserving the contractors date stamps in the paving. This is a treasure that needs to live on.

Looking easterly along Roberts Road
One of the intact stamps from May 9, 1925.

Contact the City of Calimesa, tell them the Historic Highway 99 Association of California sent you and that you don’t want this section destroyed! Show your support for preserving what is left of US 99 in that area.

City of Calimesa Contacts:

Main Website – http://www.cityofcalimesa.net/

909-795-9801 – Main number
City Manager – Bonnie Johnson – bjohnson@cityofcalimesa.net
909-795-9801 x239

Planning Commission – Agency in charge of planning
Area is under the “Summerland Ranch Specific Plan”

99 Alert – Saugus

Saugus Cafe Needs Your Help!

The Saugus Cafe, which has been in business for 132 years, is in danger of closing. With the ongoing crisis, business has slowed and restrictions are in place making it tougher than ever. This restaurant is a part of the history of Santa Clarita and US 99. It is located at 25861 Railroad Avenue (formerly San Fernando Road) in Santa Clarita, California. As a kid, I always enjoyed going there and getting a seat near the window so I could watch the trains go by. I was last able to stop there in January 2020. It isn’t truly a Ridge Route trip without it, as it is the LAST place that is still around that dates to that era AND is along the route.

If you’d like to help save this historic restaurant and learn more, KHTS radio has a detailed article here. The Saugus Cafe has also started a “GoFundMe” account. If you are in the area, please stop by the restaurant and show your support! We need places like this to keep going, as without we lose a part of our heritage and a connection to the past.

Highway 99 Week

In 1947, the Kern County Board of Supervisors designated the week of November 17-22 as “US Highway 99 Week”. This was to commemorate the importance of the highway in Kern County and promote the highway improvements which were needed at the time. US 99 still had a lot of two and three lane sections of highway until 1952 through the area. Bakersfield, the largest city in Kern County, wouldn’t be bypassed by a freeway until 1962. An organization called the “US Highway 99 Association, Incorporated” also spoke before the board in favor of this designation.

What a week to get the Historic Highway 99 Association of California going!