California State Route 1
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Highway 1, legislatively deemed California State Route 1, runs along the Pacific coast for most of the length of the US state of California. In Southern California it is known as the Pacific Coast Highway or P.C.H., and in parts of central California, it is known as the Cabrillo Highway.
CA_Coastal_Highway.jpg
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Route Description (north to south)
The highway is famous for some of the most beautiful coastline in the world, which contributed to its designation as an All-American Road. From the north, the highway passes through the cities of Ferndale, Fort Bragg and Bodega Bay before joining with U.S. Highway 101 and entering San Francisco over the Golden Gate Bridge. The highway continues south on the west coast of the San Francisco Peninsula, passing through Devil's Slide, on through Half Moon Bay to Santa Cruz and Monterey. Several miles south of Carmel, Highway 1 crosses the scenic Bixby Bridge, a 900-foot stone arch that passes over the Bixby Creek gorge. The highway then continues south through the cliffs of Big Sur, then past Hearst Castle, and on to the coastal cities of San Luis Obispo, Pismo Beach, and Santa Barbara. It then connects to such Southern California beach cities as Ventura, Oxnard, Malibu, Santa Monica, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach and Torrance. South of the Los Angeles area, P.C.H. winds through cities which include Long Beach, Seal Beach, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, and Dana Point.
For most of its length from roughly San Luis Obispo northward Highway 1 is a winding, two lane road with occasional passing lanes, except between Watsonville and Santa Cruz, where it is a multi-lane freeway, between Colma and Daly City, where it is co-signed with Interstate 280 and again a multi-lane freeway, and in San Francisco, where it is 6 lane wide 19th Avenue and Park Presidio Boulevard, a major approach to the Golden Gate Bridge. State parks and small coastal towns can be found amongst hundreds of miles of wilderness. Along the southern length, P.C.H. is a wide, multi-laned boulevard and is even part of a freeway as it is co-signed with U.S. Highway 101 in the Ventura and Oxnard area.
State Law
Legal Definiton of Route 1
301. Route 1 is from:
(a) Route 5 south of San Juan Capistrano to Route 101 near El Rio.
(b) Route 101 at Emma Wood State Beach, 1.3 miles north of Route
33, to Route 101, 2.8 miles south of the Ventura-Santa Barbara county
line at Mobil Pier Undercrossing.
(c) Route 101 near Las Cruces to Route 101 in Pismo Beach via the
vicinity of Lompoc, Vandenberg Air Force Base, and Guadalupe.
(d) Route 101 in San Luis Obispo to Route 280 south of San
Francisco along the coast via Cambria, San Simeon, and Santa Cruz.
(e) Route 280 near the south boundary of the City and County of
San Francisco to Route 101 near the approach to the Golden Gate
Bridge in San Francisco.
(f) Route 101 near the southerly end of Marin Peninsula to Route
101 near Leggett via the coast route through Jenner and Westport.
(g) (1) The commission may relinquish to the City of Dana Point,
the portion of Route 1 that is located within the city limits of that
city and is between the western edge of the San Juan Creek channel
overcrossing and the city limits of the City of Laguna Beach, upon
terms and conditions the commission finds to be in the best interests
of the state, if the commission and the city enter into an agreement
providing for that relinquishment.
(2) A relinquishment under this subdivision shall become effective
immediately following the County Recorder's recordation of the
relinquishment resolution containing the commission's approval of the
terms and conditions of the relinquishment.
(3) On and after the effective date of the relinquishment, that
portion of Route 1 so relinquished shall cease to be a state highway.
(4) For portions of Route 1 that are relinquished under this
subdivision, the City of Dana Point shall maintain within its
jurisdiction signs directing motorists to the continuation of Route
1.
301.5. The commission may relinquish to the City of Newport Beach
the portion of Route 1 that is located between Jamboree Road and the
southern city limits of the City of Newport Beach, upon terms and
conditions the commission finds to be in the best interests of the
state.
(a) A relinquishment under this section shall become effective
immediately following the county recorder's recordation of the
relinquishment resolution containing the commission's approval of the
terms and conditions of the relinquishment.
(b) On and after the effective date of the relinquishment, both of
the following shall occur:
(1) The portion of Route 1 relinquished under this section shall
cease to be a state highway.
(2) The portion of Route 1 relinquished under this section shall
be ineligible for future adoption under Section 81.
(c) The City of Newport Beach shall ensure the continuity of
traffic flow on the relinquished portions of Route 1, including, but
not limited to, any traffic signal progression.
(d) For those portions of Route 1 that are relinquished, the City
of Newport Beach shall maintain within its jurisdiction signs
directing motorists to the continuation of Route 1.
Source: California Streets and Highways Code, Chapter 2, Article 3, Section 301
Freeway and Expressway System
253.2. The California freeway and expressway system shall also
include:
Route 1 from:
(a) Los Angeles-Ventura county line to Route 101 near El Rio.
(b) Route 101 near Las Cruces to Route 227 south of Oceano.
(c) Route 101 near San Luis Obispo to San Simeon.
(d) The north limits of Carmel to the west city limits of Santa
Cruz.
(e) The Higgins-Purisima Road to Route 280 south of San Francisco.
(f) Route 280 to the San Francisco county line.
(g) Route 101 near the southerly end of Marin Peninsula to the
vicinity of Valley Ford.
(h) Route 128 near the mouth of the Navarro River to Route 101
near Leggett.
Source: California Streets and Highways Code, Chapter 2, Article 2, Section 253.2
Scenic Route
263.2. The state scenic highway system shall also include:
Route 1 from:
(a) Route 5 south of San Juan Capistrano to Route 19 near Long
Beach.
(b) Route 187 near Santa Monica to Route 101 near El Rio.
(c) Route 101 at Las Cruces to Route 246 near Lompoc.
(d) Route 227 south of Oceano to Route 101 near Pismo Beach.
(e) Route 101 near San Luis Obispo to Route 35 near Daly City.
(f) Route 35 in San Francisco to Route 101 near the approach to
the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
(g) Route 101 near Marin City to Route 101 near Leggett.
Source: California Streets and Highways Code, Chapter 2, Article 2.5, Section 263.2
Designation
635. (a) State Highway Route 1 from Las Cruces to San Francisco
shall be known and designated as the "Cabrillo Highway."
(b) State highway routes embracing portions of Routes 280, 82,
238, 101, 5, 72, 12, 37, 121, 87, 162, 185, 92, and 123 and
connecting city streets and county roads thereto, and extending in a
continuous route from Sonoma southerly to the international border
and near the route historically known as El Camino Real shall be
known and designated as "El Camino Real."
(c) State Highway Route 1 from south of San Juan Capistrano to
near El Rio shall be known and designated as the "Pacific Coast
Highway."
Source: California Streets and Highways Code, Chapter 2, Article 2.5, Section 635
See also
External links
- WestCoastRoads - California 1
- California Highways: CA-1
- The Big Highways Page: California Route 1
- Cal-NExUS: Route 1 North
- Cal-NExUS: Route 1 South