Golden State Highway, Ridge Route, Interstate 5 Highway

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The Ridge Route refers to the section of highway between Castaic and Grapevine, through the Tejon Pass. The highway had its origins in the early 1910s. At that time a route was needed to connect Los Angeles to the Central Valley. Some believed the only option was the route through Mojave and the Tehachapi Mountains but a new route was discovered through the Tejon Pass. This route, that became known as the Ridge Route, saw almost constant planning and construction from 1914 to 1970.
The first road was completed in 1915. It was a slow, winding 2-lane road through the mountains with a speed limit of 15 mph in some places. However, the need for improvements was realized soon after it was completed. The road was paved after World War I and several blind turns were opened up (“daylighted”). Even with these improvements in the 1920s, it became clear that a new route was needed to keep up with increasing demand. The last major alteration to the Ridge Route began in the early 1960s. By then, the plan for a 6-lane freeway had expanded to eight lanes.

In 1927 plans were drawn up for a "Ridge Route Alternate", so named as it was planned as an addition to the existing Ridge Route and not as a replacement. The new route opened in 1933 as a 3-lane highway through the mountains. The middle or “suicide lane" was used as an overtaking lane for cars in both directions! This route was a great improvement, faster and 9.7 miles (15.6 km) shorter than the old Ridge Route, but it was not enough to satisfy demand, and a conversion to a 4-lane expressway was needed. The outbreak of World War II delayed this until 1948 and the fourth lane was completed in 1952. However, just three years later, it was by-passed with plans begun for converting the 4-lane expressway to a 6-lane freeway.

Now this little used stretch of good road is often the film location for many film car chase action scenes.