California State Route 4

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State Route 4 (legal definition)
Length:	197[1] mi (317 km)
Formed:	1934[2]
West end:	I-80 in Hercules
Major junctions:	I-680 near Concord SR 160 in Antioch I-5 in Stockton SR 99 in Stockton SR 49 in Angels Camp
East end:	SR 89 near Markleeville
California State Highway Routes < Route 3 Route 5 > Unconstructed - Deleted - Freeway - Scenic

State Route 4 is a state highway in U.S. State of California, routed from Interstate 80 to State Route 89. It passes through Ebbetts Pass and contains the Ebbetts Pass Scenic Byway, a National Scenic Byway.

[edit] Route description

Route 4 through Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest (©2005 Dick James, courtesy of byways.org)

Route 4, an east-west highway, begins in Hercules at San Pablo Avenue next to the Interstate 80 junction as part of John Muir Parkway. (The actual parkway extends a bit past the western terminus.) The road is an expressway between from its starting point until it approaches Martinez, at which point it becomes a full freeway (the California Delta Highway) passing Concord, Pittsburg, and Antioch. BART tracks run in the median of the freeway from the Port Chicago Highway interchange in Concord to the Bailey Road interchange in Bay Point, where the line currently ends at the Pittsburg/Bay Point Station. Access to that station is provided by a pedestrian bridge crossing over the eastbound lanes of Highway 4. After Antioch, the freeway turns northward to become State Route 160, and Route 4 separates to become a suburban and rural road passing through the Bay Area's outermost eastern suburbs (Oakley and Brentwood). Route 4 continues to Stockton, where it briefly joins I-5 and then enters a separate freeway routing almost directly through downtown Stockton. The route then multiplexes with State Route 99 before running eastward into the Sierra through Angels Camp and Calaveras Big Trees State Park. The route runs through the 8,050 ft. (2,454 m) Pacific Grade Summit on its way up to the 8,730 ft. (2,661 m) Ebbetts Pass and ends at State Route 89 ten miles west of Topaz Lake, on the California–Nevada border. The portion from Arnold to its terminus is designated the Ebbetts Pass Scenic Byway.

Through the mountains, Route 4 is not suitable for large trucks, buses, or RVs, as it becomes very steep and narrow, with no center dividing line shortly after the Mount Reba Turnoff to Bear Valley Ski area, with tight switchbacks. The pass is not plowed for snow, and thus closes during the winter months often from November through as late as May. Thus, no passage between the Mount Reba Turnoff and Markleeville is possible. The western slope is plowed and rarely closes, even for a few hours, but often has chain restrictions during and immediately following storms, usually just east of Arnold The eastern slope is not plowed.

As of April 2006, a freeway extension from the route 160 junction bypassing Oakley and Brentwood to the south and west is in the various stages of planning and construction. [1] [2]

[edit] History

This section is a stub. You can help by expanding it.

Pre-1964 Legislative Route 4 was originally defined in 1909 to travel 358 miles (576 km) between Sacramento and Los Angeles; this became U.S. Route 99.

[edit] Points of interest

The dangerous segment of Route 4 between Stockton and Antioch has been designated as a "safety corridor."

Listed in order of west to east.

• The John Muir National Historic Site is California Historical Landmark #312, located directly north of Route 4 on Alhambra Avenue in Martinez. Additionally, Route 4 is also known as John Muir Parkway between I-80 and I-680.
• The town of Copperopolis (CHL #296) is a mining town not for gold, but for copper.
• Altaville (CHL #288), an important foundry town.
• Angels Camp (CHL #287), one of the richest quartz mining sections of the Mother Lode and home of "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County".
• Vallecito (CHL #273), one of California's important early-day mining towns.
• Douglas Flat (CHL #272), a roaring mining camp of the early 1850s.
• Murphys (CHL #275), one of the principal mining communities in Calaveras County, and where notorious bandit Joaquin Murietta is said to have begun his murderous career.
• Calaveras Big Trees State Park
• CHL #318, marking Ebbetts Pass, is located at postmile ALP 18.5, 18 miles southwest of Markleeville.

[edit] Exit list

Postmile[1]	Municipality	#[3]	Destinations	Notes
CC 0.00	Hercules	1A	San Pablo Avenue	At-grade intersection
		1B	Interstate 80 - West: Oakland; San Francisco - East: Vallejo; Sacramento	No entrance from westbound I-80, served by Cummings Skyway
			Willow Avenue	Eastbound exit from east I-80 ramp; eastbound entrance
CC 0.95		1C	Willow Avenue; Bayberry Avenue	Westbound exit only; westbound entrance merges directly to I-80 exit; Bayberry Avenue renamed Willow Avenue
CC R1.70		1	Sycamore Avenue	Eastbound exit and entrance only; westbound access via Carbon Way/Franklin Canyon Road overcrossing (refinery traffic only)
CC 2.70		3	Franklin Canyon Road	Westbound exit and entrance; eastbound access is currently an at-grade intersection
CC T4.89		5	Cummings Skyway - TO  Interstate 80 East - Crockett; Port Costa; Vallejo
CC R5.17		6	McEwen Road - Port Costa	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
CC R8.55	Martinez	9	Alhambra Avenue - Martinez
CC R9.18		10	Pine Street; Center Avenue
CC R10.33		11	Morello Avenue; Glacier Drive
CC 12.41		12A	Pacheco Boulevard	Eastbound exit and entrance accessible via Muir Road
CC 12.67		12B 12C	Interstate 680 - South: Walnut Creek; San Jose - North: Benicia; Sacramento	Split into Exit 12B (South) and Exit 12C (North)
CC R13.65		13	Solano Way	Westbound exit and entrance accessible via Arnold Industrial Way; Eastbound exit and entrance accessible via Arnold Industrial Place
CC R14.88	Concord	15A	State Route 242 - South: Concord; Oakland
CC R15.42		15B	Port Chicago Highway - Clyde; Concord Naval Weapons Station
CC R16.83		17	Willow Pass Road	Willow Pass Rd. joins eastbound and leaves westbound
CC R18.76		19	San Marcos Boulevard - Bay Point	Willow Pass Rd. joins westbound and leaves eastbound
CC R20.10		20	Bailey Road	split into Exit 20A (South) and Exit 20B (North)
CC 23.05	Pittsburg	23	Railroad Avenue; Harbor Street	Westbound exit accessible via California Avenue
CC 24.32 CC 24.34		24	Loveridge Road	Westbound exit and entrance accessible via California Avenue
CC 26.01	Antioch	26	Somersville Road	Split into Exit 26A (South) and Exit 26B (North) eastbound
CC 26.94		27A	Contra Loma Boulevard; L Street	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
CC 27.29		27B	G Street	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
CC R27.79		28	A Street; Lone Tree Way
CC 28.90 CC R28.94		29	Hillcrest Avenue
CC T31.52 CC 31.30		30	State Route 160 - North: Rio Vista; Sacramento	SR-160 continues on freeway; temporary until Route 4 bypass is built
			East 18th Street; Main Street	SR-4 exits eastbound to, and enters westbound from, Main St
Continues on surface streets to Brentwood
--	Brentwood	31	Laurel Road	Unconstructed future bypass
--		33	Lone Tree Way
Continues on surface streets to Stockton
SJ 15.91	Stockton		Charter Way	I-5 joins westbound and leaves eastbound; SR-4 exits westbound to, and enters eastbound from, Charter Way
			Interstate 5 - South: Los Angeles
Concurrent with Interstate 5
SJ 16.55	Stockton	65	Interstate 5 - South: Los Angeles - North: Sacramento	I-5 joins westbound and leaves eastbound; split into Exit 65A and Exit 65B
			Fresno Avenue	Westbound left exit and eastbound entrance
		65C	Lincoln Street
		66A	El Dorado Street	Westbound exit and northbound entrance
		66B	Stanislaus Street	Exit 66 eastbound
SJ R17.71		67	Wilson Way	Westbound exit accessible via Washington St; eastbound entrance accessible via Lafayette St
SJ R18.77		68A	Filbert Street	Exit 68 westbound; eastbound exit accessible via Market St; westbound entrance accessible via Myrtle St
SJ 19.72		68B	State Route 99 - North: Sacramento	SR-99 joins eastbound and leaves westbound
Concurrent with State Route 99
	Stockton		State Route 99 - South: Fresno; Los Angeles	SR-99 joins westbound and leaves eastbound; SR-4 exits eastbound to, and enters westbound from, Charter Way
			Farmington Road
Continues on surface streets to Angels Camp

[edit] State law

Legal Definition of Route 4: California Streets and Highways Code, Chapter 2, Article 3, Section 304

Route 4 is part of the Freeway and Expressway System, as stated by section 253.2 of the California State Highway Code.

Route 4 is part of the Scenic Highway System, as stated by section 263.2 of the California State Highway Code.

[edit] Other names

• Arnold Industrial Highway: From I-680 near Martinez to Route 242 near Concord. Runs parallel to Arnold Industrial Way.
• California Delta Highway: From I-680 near Martinez to I-5 in Stockton. The Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers empty into the Delta north of the highway.
• John Muir Parkway: From I-80 in Hercules to I-680 near Martinez. Named for the environmentalist John Muir.
• Ort J. Lofthus Freeway: Runs from I-5 to Route 99 within Stockton.

Source: 2004 Named Freeways, Highways, Structures and Other Appurtenances In California

[edit] References

1. ^ ^a b January 1, 2006 California Log of Bridges on State Highways
2. ^ California Highways: State Route 4
3. ^ Cal-NExUS Interchange Exit Numbering

[edit] External links

• Caltrans: Route 4 road conditions
• Ebbetts Pass Scenic Byway
• Scenic 4 - Ebbetts Pass Scenic Byway
• WestCoastRoads - California 4
• California Highways: CA-4
• Western Exit Guide - California 4
• The Big Highways Page: California Route 4
• Cal-NExUS: Route 4 West
• Cal-NExUS: Route 4 East