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Tunnel Off Old U.s. 99 In Ca.


Boy Named Sioux
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I am new to this forum and hopefully someone here can answer a question that has been eluding me for some time. A few miles north of Templin Hwy on old 99 there is a turn off on the east side of the highway and you can see a tunnel entrance just down the dirt road across the very large concrete slab. This could be something to do with I-5 or the Angeles Tunnel which is part of the state water project. Does anyone have any idea what this is? I can not find anything anywhere about it. (34.61344444, -118.7222375)

 

Thanks. Suey.

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I am new to this forum and hopefully someone here can answer a question that has been eluding me for some time. A few miles north of Templin Hwy on old 99 there is a turn off on the east side of the highway and you can see a tunnel entrance just down the dirt road across the very large concrete slab. This could be something to do with I-5 or the Angeles Tunnel which is part of the state water project. Does anyone have any idea what this is? I can not find anything anywhere about it. (34.61344444, -118.7222375)

 

Thanks. Suey.

 

Suey,

 

First, a big American Road WELCOME!

 

An intriguing question!

 

In my first look at the site using Google Earth, I didn’t spot the other end of the tunnel, suggesting there is none. If that is true (it may not be) then it is not a transportation or water tunnel, but some kind of mine or access shaft.

 

I thought at first it might be an access to the aqueduct tunnel, which is due east, but there would be closer access points. It remains a mystery to me.

 

I will look some more later.

 

That immediate area offers some fascinating comparisons of road building methods. Look at the cut on the freeway compared to how old 99 followed the contours…and old 99 was a big deal in its day! Then east across the freeway you see the Ridge Route, which as you know was a great achievement in its day. It looks like a snake trying to make it over the mountains!!!

 

Your question leads to some great stuff!

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

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Suey,

 

That is an interesting section of old US99! A little web searching turned up good stuff, but no identification of the tunnel or its purpose.

 

I note that one of the birdseyes on Virtual Earth (that is an amazing feature when it is available for an area) shows a truck backed up to the tunnel. The truck appears to be as big or bigger than the tunnel, which suggests the tunnel was not designed to carry vehicles.

 

The truck seems to be enclosed, as vs. a dump truck, which doesn’t bode well for my speculating on a mining purpose! So I remain stumped.

 

Whatever the purpose of the tunnel, the section of the road you identify is interesting in and of itself. The site below, which you no doubt have seen (but others visiting here may not have), does a nice job describing the road.

 

http://www.gbcnet.com/ushighways/US99/US99f_side.html

 

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

 

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Suey,

 

That is an interesting section of old US99! A little web searching turned up good stuff, but no identification of the tunnel or its purpose.

 

I note that one of the birdseyes on Virtual Earth (that is an amazing feature when it is available for an area) shows a truck backed up to the tunnel. The truck appears to be as big or bigger than the tunnel, which suggests the tunnel was not designed to carry vehicles.

 

The truck seems to be enclosed, as vs. a dump truck, which doesn’t bode well for my speculating on a mining purpose! So I remain stumped.

 

Whatever the purpose of the tunnel, the section of the road you identify is interesting in and of itself. The site below, which you no doubt have seen (but others visiting here may not have), does a nice job describing the road.

 

http://www.gbcnet.com/ushighways/US99/US99f_side.html

 

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

Dave,

 

Thank you so much for the response and the search effort. I have walked up to the entrance, it is a concrete tunnel that is screened off with chain link. You could drive a small vehicle in it but it is not a transportation tunnel. I wish I had a photo, maybe next time.

There is a sign that says State of California Property, which makes me think State Water Project. There are electrical conduits running into it.

Anyway, it has my curiosity going.

 

There are a lot of interesting roads in the area. It was the Ridge Route that got me started on this road kick.

 

Thanks again.

 

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Dave,

 

Thank you so much for the response and the search effort. I have walked up to the entrance, it is a concrete tunnel that is screened off with chain link. You could drive a small vehicle in it but it is not a transportation tunnel. I wish I had a photo, maybe next time.

There is a sign that says State of California Property, which makes me think State Water Project. There are electrical conduits running into it.

Anyway, it has my curiosity going.

 

There are a lot of interesting roads in the area. It was the Ridge Route that got me started on this road kick.

 

Thanks again.

From all my research I find that this is Mike Ballard country. Mike, Whadayathink?

 

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  • 1 month later...

I should read these things more often! There are two tunnels visible. One is in Piru Gorge, the other in Osito Canyon. They are both adits to the Angeles Tunnel. That tunnel connects Pyramid Lake with Castaic Lake, which are a part of the California Aqueduct - West Branch. Hope that clarifies.

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I should read these things more often! There are two tunnels visible. One is in Piru Gorge, the other in Osito Canyon. They are both adits to the Angeles Tunnel. That tunnel connects Pyramid Lake with Castaic Lake, which are a part of the California Aqueduct - West Branch. Hope that clarifies.

 

Noticed your www.sdrocksnroads.com url after your signature on your post. Neat site and interesting. Of course I was more interested in the highways section, tho the railroad section was neat too.

 

I'll have to check back now and again to see what other goodies you've posted.

 

Hudsonly,

Alex Burr

Memphis, TN

Edited by Alex Burr - hester_nec
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I should read these things more often! There are two tunnels visible. One is in Piru Gorge, the other in Osito Canyon. They are both adits to the Angeles Tunnel. That tunnel connects Pyramid Lake with Castaic Lake, which are a part of the California Aqueduct - West Branch. Hope that clarifies.

 

Mike,

 

Another “Road Mystery” solved! Thanks, Mike. I hope Suey spots the solution!

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
Mike,

 

Another “Road Mystery” solved! Thanks, Mike. I hope Suey spots the solution!

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

I did spot the solution so thanks to both of you for your help. I suspected it had something to do with the Angeles Tunnel but it seemed to be a ways south from where the AT runs from the maps I've seen. I even went to Vista Del Lago Visitor Center to try to gleam some insight. The Visitor Center was interesting on its own anyway and worth the stop.

 

Another 'State Secret' exposed! :)

 

Suey

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