California State Route 152

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State Route 152

SR 152 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by Caltrans
Length105.86 mi[1] (170.37 km)
(plus about 1.5 mi (2.5 km) on US 101)
HistoryState highway in 1916; SR 152 in 1934
Tourist
routes		California Scenic State.svg Pacheco Pass Road between the Santa Clara–Merced county line and I-5 near Santa Nella[3]
RestrictionsNo tractor-trailer combinations over 45 feet (14 m) in length through Hecker Pass[2]
Major junctions
West end SR 1 in Watsonville
Major intersections
East end SR 99 near Chowchilla
Location
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CountiesSanta Cruz, Santa Clara, Merced, Madera
Highway system
← SR 151→ SR 153

State Route 152 (SR 152) is a state highway that runs from east to west near the middle of the U.S. state of California from SR 1 in Watsonville to SR 99 southeast of Merced. Its western portion (which is also known as Pacheco Pass Road and Pacheco Pass Highway) provides access to and from Interstate 5 (I-5) toward Southern California for motorists in or near Gilroy and San Jose.

Route description

Eastbound traffic and signs on SR 152 at its interchange with SR 156
SR 152 as it crosses O'Neill Forebay, viewed while traveling east

SR 152 begins near SR 1 as a series of local streets that run through downtown Watsonville; East Lake Avenue carries it to the intersection of Casserly Road. This point marks the start of a winding two-lane highway that crosses the Santa Cruz Mountains through Hecker Pass to reach Gilroy. In Gilroy, it is again carried on a series of local streets, then overlapped onto U.S. Route 101 (US 101) for a small stretch before it separates again a short distance to the south and returns to heading east–west on more local streets in Gilroy.

After exiting the large commercial developments near US 101, SR 152 consists of a single lane in each direction, with narrow shoulders, rain ditches on either side of the road, no center dividers, and posted speed limit of 55 mph (89 km/h), making it prone to head-on collisions. Headlights are required at all times along this portion. This segment is a significant bottleneck for traffic traveling along SR 152 between the San Francisco Bay area and the Central Valley. Upon reaching SR 156 near Hollister, the road expands to two lanes in each direction, and climbs and curves along the valley of Pacheco Creek into the mountains of the Diablo Range, crossing them through the Pacheco Pass into the San Joaquin Valley.

SR 152 is one of the three major routes that cross the Diablo Range after I-580 and SR 46. Pacheco Pass is higher than Altamont Pass to the north, but lower than Polonio Pass to the south.

SR 152 continues as a four-lane divided expressway, descending along the northern and eastern shore of the massive San Luis Reservoir. The route passes in between the San Luis Dam and the O'Neill Forebay. The route continues east and passes a large Path 15 substation and then meets I-5 as an expressway. It becomes a speed-limited city street, Pacheco Boulevard, while passing through Los Banos. It then returns to an expressway until its eastern terminus at SR 99. Here, eastbound SR 152 traffic merges into southbound SR 99 a few miles northwest of the city of Madera, and approximately 25 miles (40 km) northwest of Fresno. Motorists wishing to travel north on SR 99 are advised to take SR 233 north through Chowchilla to connect to northbound SR 99. Another possible northbound route exists by exiting SR 152 at SR 59, and proceeding directly north to the city of Merced, where SRv59 meets SR 99.

The landmarks located on SR 152 include the Pacheco Pass, the Gilroy Gardens, the San Luis Reservoir, the Casa de Fruta and the Merry Cherries.

SR 152 is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System,[4] and east of US 101 is part of the National Highway System,[5] a network of highways that are considered essential to the country's economy, defense, and mobility by the Federal Highway Administration.[6] SR 152 is eligible for the State Scenic Highway System,[7] and from the Merced–Santa Clara county line to I-5 is officially designated as a scenic highway by the California Department of Transportation,[8] meaning that it is a substantial section of highway passing through a "memorable landscape" with no "visual intrusions", where the potential designation has gained popular favor with the community.[9]

History

Pacheco Pass is named after Don Francisco Pérez Pacheco, a noted Californio ranchero whose lands were situated on the pass.
1939 map of Route 152 alignments between Bell Station and Pacheco Pass.[10]
1963 map of Route 152 alignments at San Luis Reservoir.[11]

The road became popular as a route east during the California Gold Rush. The Butterfield Overland Mail ran along this route from 1858 to 1861. A portion of SR 152 from Bell Station to Pacheco Pass was a toll road from 1857 until 1878. In that year, Merced County and Santa Clara County purchased the toll road and replaced it with a new road built as a public highway, part of which is now a segment of Whiskey Flat Trail in Pacheco State Park. In 1915, the road became part of the state highway system, and in 1923, the state completed the third road through the pass.[12] Historic references say the portion of the route west of SR33 was named Legislative Route 32 before being designated SR 152.[13][14][15]

The 1923 state route over the pass had numerous curves and steep grades. In 1934, 3.3 miles (5.3 km) of the road eastward from the summit was realigned and widened.[16] In 1939, a realignment of 2.6 miles (4.2 km) of highway was completed eastward from the Pacheco Reservoir area (starting about a mile east of Bell Station). In 1950, the first four-lane expressway segment was constructed from the 1939 alignment to near the Merced County line, a distance of 3.26 miles (5.25 km).[10][15][17] The 1934 alignment is now Dinosaur Point Road, while the 1939 and 1950 alignments continue to be in use today as part of SR 152.

In 1963-65, a new 12-mile (19 km), four-lane expressway, with climbing lanes for trucks, was built from the Merced County line eastward, to bypass the San Luis Reservoir which was then under construction.[11][18] A three-mile (4.8 km) stretch of the bypassed road continues to be in use as Dinosaur Point Road, providing access to a boat launch ramp at the reservoir.

Between 1982 and 1992, the road was widened in two phases from two to four lanes, with some realignments, on a 10.5-mile (16.9 km) segment from the four-lane section completed in 1950 to just east of the junction with SR 156. The first phase, from the 1950 segment west to Bell Station, was completed in 1984.[19] The second phase, from Bell Station to Route 156, was constructed from 1990 to 1992, with an interchange built at Casa de Fruta.[19] In 2008, a T-junction and stop sign at the intersection with SR 156 on the remaining two-lane section of the highway west of Casa de Fruta was replaced with a flyover, greatly easing congestion there.[20]

A segment of SR 152 west of Gilroy, between the Uvas Creek Bridge and Santa Teresa Boulevard, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.[21] This segment of the road, serving as a western gateway into Gilroy, is lined with deodar cedar trees that were planted on consecutive Arbor Days in 1930 and 1931.


Major intersections

CountyLocationmi
[22][1]		kmDestinationsNotes
Santa CruzWatsonville0.000.00
 SR 1 north – Santa Cruz		Interchange; westbound exit and eastbound entrance; west end of SR 152; SR 1 south exit 426
2.103.38Main Street, Beach StreetWest end of one-way pair where eastbound traffic heads onto East Beach Street then Lincoln Street, and westbound traffic joins from East Lake Avenue
2.45–
2.57		3.94–
4.14		Lincoln StreetEast end of one-way pair where westbound traffic stays on East Lake Avenue, and eastbound traffic joins from Lincoln Street
Interlaken0.871.40Carlton Road, Casserly RoadTrucks over 45 feet (14 m) in length are instructed to instead use Carlton Road to SR 129[23]
Santa Cruz–Santa Clara
county line		Llagas-Uvas10.4716.85Hecker Pass
Santa Clara15.5024.94 CR G8 (Watsonville Road) – Morgan Hill, San Jose
Gilroy19.9032.03

 US 101 Bus. south (Monterey Street)		West end of US 101 Bus. overlap
20.2532.59

 US 101 Bus. north (Monterey Street) / Welburn Avenue		East end of US 101 Bus. overlap
20.2532.59
 US 101 north (South Valley Freeway) / CR G9 (Leavesley Road) – San Jose		Western end of US 101 overlap; US 101 south exit 357; interchange
Western end of freeway on US  101
Eastern end of freeway on US 101
22.2035.73
 US 101 south (South Valley Freeway) / 10th Street – Los Angeles		Eastern end of US 101 overlap; US 101 north exit 356; interchange
​24.9640.17 CR G9 (Ferguson Road)
​27.0443.52 CR G7 (Bloomfield Avenue)
​34.1955.02
 SR 156 west – Hollister		No westbound entrance; interchange
​35.6257.32Casa de Fruta ParkwayInterchange
Pacheco Pass47.0875.77Dinosaur Point Road – Pacheco State Park, San Luis Reservoir
Merced​60.6197.54


 SR 33 north to I-5 north – Santa Nella, Gustine		Wester end of SR 33 overlap; signed as exit 60; interchange
​63.19101.69 I-5 (West Side Freeway) – Sacramento, San Francisco, Los AngelesInterchange; I-5 exits 403A-B
Los Banos70.61113.64

 SR 165 (Mercey Springs Road) to I-5 south – Turlock
Dos Palos Y81.71131.50
 SR 33 south – Dos Palos, Mendota		Eastern end of SR 33 overlap; interchange
Merced–Madera
county line		​90.05144.92
 SR 59 north – Merced		Interchange
Madera​101.03162.59


 SR 233 north (Robertson Boulevard) to SR 99 north – Chowchilla		Interchange
Califa105.86170.37
 SR 99 south – Madera, Fresno		Interchange; eastbound exit and westbound entrance; eastern end of SR 152; former US 99; SR 99 exit 166
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

  1. ^ a b California Department of Transportation (2016). Postmile Services (Map). California Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  2. ^ California Department of Transportation. "Special Route Restrictions". California Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on July 12, 2024. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
  3. ^ California Department of Transportation (August 2019). "Officially Designated State Scenic Highways and Historic Parkways" (XLSX). Sacramento: California Department of Transportation. Retrieved March 27, 2019.
  4. ^ "Article 2 of Chapter 2 of Division 1". California Streets and Highways Code. Sacramento: California Office of Legislative Counsel. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  5. ^ Federal Highway Administration (March 25, 2015). National Highway System: California (North) (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved September 24, 2017.
  6. ^ Natzke, Stefan; Neathery, Mike & Adderly, Kevin (June 20, 2012). "What is the National Highway System?". National Highway System. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  7. ^ "Article 2.5 of Chapter 2 of Division 1". California Streets & Highways Code. Sacramento: California Office of Legislative Counsel. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  8. ^ California Department of Transportation (August 2019). "Officially Designated State Scenic Highways and Historic Parkways" (XLSX). Sacramento: California Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 24, 2017.
  9. ^ California Department of Transportation (2012). Scenic Highway Guidelines (PDF). Sacramento: California Department of Transportation. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 5, 2024. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
  10. ^ a b Payson, H. (September 1939). "Pacheco Pass Realignment Job Completed Abolishing 31 Curves" (PDF). California Highways and Public Works. Vol. 17, no. 9. pp. 6–7. Retrieved April 26, 2014.
  11. ^ a b Kroeck, Louis (March–April 1963). "Pacheco Pass, Highway Relocation Includes 11,400,000-cubic-yard Fill" (PDF). California Highways and Public Works. Vol. 42, no. 3–4. pp. 45–49. Retrieved April 26, 2014.
  12. ^ "New Pacheco Pass Road and Scenic Pinnacles Make Delightful Trip". The Fresno Morning Republican. September 30, 1923. p. 37. Retrieved October 10, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Myer, Chuck (1992). Pacheco Past: A History of the Gateway to Santa Clara County (Report). San Jose: Pioneers of Santa Clara County. p. 9.
  14. ^ Shumate, Albert (1977). Francisco Pacheco of Pacheco Pass. Stockton, California: University of the Pacific. This information is repeated in other sources.
  15. ^ a b Levier, G. (March–April 1951). "Pacheco Pass, Portions of Historic Road Realigned To Meet Important Industrial Needs" (PDF). California Highways and Public Works. Vol. 30, no. 3–4. pp. 34–37. Retrieved April 26, 2014.
  16. ^ "Pacheco Grade Work to be Big Improvement". The West Side Index. Newman, California. May 17, 1934. p. 6. Retrieved October 10, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ Skeggs, Jno. (February 1939). "Pacheco Pass Realignment Deletes 31 Curves, Steep Grades" (PDF). California Highways and Public Works. Vol. 17, no. 2. pp. 10–12. Retrieved April 26, 2014.
  18. ^ Weavern, R. (July–August 1965). "Pacheco Pass, Route 152 Now Skirts San Luis Reservoir Site" (PDF). California Highways and Public Works. Vol. 44, no. 7–8. pp. 2–7. Retrieved April 26, 2014.
  19. ^ a b Myer (1992), pp. 20–21.
  20. ^ Richards, Gary (November 10, 2007), "Pacheco Pass unplugged: Relief on the way at 152-156 interchange", San Jose Mercury-News.
  21. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009. Retrieved July 26, 2012.
  22. ^ California Department of Transportation (July 2007). "Log of Bridges on State Highways". Sacramento: California Department of Transportation.
  23. ^ Google (March 2023). "725 E Lake Ave, Watsonville, California". Google Street View. Google. Retrieved June 22, 2024.

External links

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