California Highways (www.cahighways.org): Route 126

▸In 1963, Route 126 was defined as "(a) Route 101 near Ventura to Route 5. (b) Route 5 to Route 14 near Solemint."

On June 26, 1964, a 9.4-mile section of the Route 126 Freeway was adopted between the Golden State and Antelope Valley Freeways, estimated to cost $18 million.

Between US 101 and I-5, the route for a freeway was adopted in 1958. After planning studies, the project was terminated because of financial and technical problems. A 1973 estimate for the construction of a freeway through the Santa Clara River Valley was $130,000,000. Extensive flood protection would have been required through this narrow river valley. Because the financing for this project could not be foreseen within a 20-year period, and the need for a freeway did not develop, the 1958 freeway adoption was rescinded in 1974.
(Source: kernals12 on AARoads, “Re: CA-126 eventually to be expanded to a full freeway from 5-101?”, April 2022)

▸ Rte 126 former Seg (b) Prior to 2001, there was an additional segment that ran from Route 5 to Route 14 near Solemint. Relinquishment of this segment was authorized by AB 635, Chapter 575, 10/11/2001. The bill required that Santa Clarita keep signs showing the way for travelers to get to the rest of Route 126. The section (which is from PM R5.8 to T12.707) was up for relinquishment in September 2002.

The non-freeway surface street routing of former segment (b) was along Magic Mountain Parkway (former Route 126), and then what is now called Railroad Ave and Newhall Ave (formerly, San Fernando Road). Evidence of this remains at the Elsmere Creek Bridge № 53C2320, which is at PM LA T12.51, just as Newhall Ave meets Route 14. There also appears to have been a routing along Soledad Canyon Road, dating back to when Soledad Canyon was LRN 23 prior to 1940.

Rte 5 to Rte 14 Unadoption of Route In 1963, a freeway routing was adopted between I-5 and Route 14. The rough freeway routing started roughly where Newhall Ranch Road is now, but instead of using Golden Valley (the Cross Valley Connector route, see below), it would hewed closer to Newhall Ranch Road to near Bouquet Canyon Road. Then, running closer to the Santa Clara River, it would have crossed the river at Ruether Avenue. Running along the south bank, it would have continued the vicinity of Whites Canyon Road. At that point, it hewed closer to Via Princessa, running a bit N to meet Route 14. Planned interchanges were at Rye Canyon, McBean, Bouquet Canyon, Soledad Canyon, and Sierra Highway. In 1977, the CHC published a notice to un-adopt the 9.4 mi segment of the Route 126 freeway between I-5 and Route 14.
(Source: The Signal, 12/16/1977 via Joel Windmiller, 2/25/2023)

Unbuild Rte 14/Rte 126 interchange When they built the segment of the Antelope Valley Fwy (Route 14) in this area in the early 1970s, they built the Sierra Highway connectors as preparation for the Route 126 freeway. These are the Sierra Highway offramps/onramps just before Via Princessa NB (there is no SB connector). Reportedly, the Cedar Valley Way Overcrossing, which crosses Route 14 just after the start of the Sierra Canyon NB off-ramp, was also part of this construction. Constructed in 1972, a 2007 Google Street View map shows the bridge as fenced off. By December 2011, it was opened and striped for two-way traffic, the intersection with Lost Hills allows exit from the the housing subdivision only. The only way to enter that community is from Sierra Highway.

Michael Ballard has a good page on the Antelope Valley/Santa Paula Freeway interchange, including a map of the design of the interchange.

▸In 2003, AB 1717 (Ch. 525, 9/25/2003) updated the legislative definition to reflect the relinquishment.The relinquished former portion of Route 126 within the City of Santa Clarita is not a state highway and is not eligible for adoption as a state highway.

The segment from Route 5 to Route 14 was functionally replaced with the Cross Valley Connector (see below). According to the City of Santa Clarita, The Cross Valley Connector (CVC) is an 8½ mile roadway that connects to various streets, running from the I-5/Route 126 to Route 14. It is a $230+ Million project, and was completed in 2006.

Pre 1964 Signage History

In 1934, Route 126 was signed along the route from Jct. US 101 near Ventura to Jct. US 99 at Castaic, via Santa Paula. It was LRN 79. The portion between Castaic Junction (US 99/I-5) and US 101 (LRN 2)) was defined in 1931. The portion from US 99/I-5 to Route 14 was originally part of the 1909 definition of LRN 4; it was routed off LRN 4 in 1939. It was adopted as a conventional highway by California Highway Commission on June 3, 1938. It was adopted as a freeway on April 19, 1956 from US 101 S of the City of Ventura NE-ly to the City of Santa Paula.

The original routing of Route 126 was:
(Source: Gribblenation Blog - California State Route 126; from CA 23 east to Santa Clarita)

From US 101/LRN 2 in Ventura east on modern day Telegraph Road to Steckle Drive in Santa Paula.
Steckle Drive to Main Street in Santa Paula.
Main Street to Telegraph Road.
Telegraph Road to Ventura Street in Fillmore.
Ventura Street to Telegraph Road.
Telegraph Road to Edwards Canyon Road.
Edwards Canyon Road to Pacific Avenue.
Pacific Avenue to Main Street in Piru.
Main Street to Via Fustero in Piru.
Via Fustero to Center Street in Piru.
Center Street to Telegraph Road.
Telegraph Road to the Los Angeles County line.
From the Los Angeles County line Henry Mayo Drive.
Henry Mayo Drive to US 99 on The Old Road near Castaic.

The second segment of the route, defined after 1939, continued across the Ridge Route (now Magic Mountain Parkway) over to San Fernando Road (now Newhall/Railroad) over to Sierra Highway (US 6, Sign Route 7, now Route 14). Here's the summary of the route in this area, with LRN 79 being what became Route 126:

LRN 4 originally continued along San Fernando Road out of Sylmar. Originally, it continued as San Fernando Road through the Newhall Tunnel along what is now Sierra Highway, making a turn NNW before Placerita Canyon at San Fernando Road (now Newhall Ave).
The Newhall Tunnel was constructed on LRN 4. The tunnel was only 17' 5" wide, and accommodated two lanes of traffic.Tunnel construction started in September 1907, and was located slightly W of the existing Beale's Cut. By January 1909, the Highway Commission approved plans for a tunnel, with funding from Los Angeles County bonds. The tunnel was officially opened on December 21, 1910. The total length of the finished tunnel was 435 feet. It was 17 feet high and 17 feet 5 inches wide. It was about 200 feet below the summit and about 250 feet below Beale's Cut. The road grade was reduced from about 26 % through the Cut to about 6 % through the tunnel. The tunnel also had no lighting. In October 1929, modifications were made to the alignment of the just north of the tunnel. Until 1930, the road going north exited the tunnel and turned to the right (east) onto today's Clampitt Road. Then the road followed a wide loop to where it runs into today's Sierra Highway and continued on to Newhall. The new road went straight north from the tunnel to the point where Remsen Road joins Sierra Highway, basically following today's alignment, shortening and straightening the road. This modification was finished in June of 1930. However, the tunnel proved to be a significant traffic bottleneck due to its narrow dimensions.
(Source: Elsmere Canyon Newhall Tunnel page)
LRN 4 continued NNW along San Fernando Road/Newhall Avenue, veering off onto San Fernando Road/Railroad Avenue. At Saugus Ventura Road / Ridge Route Highway (now Magic Mountain Parkway), the connection to the Ridge Route started, with LRN 4 following Saugus Ventura Road / Ridge Route Highway (Magic Mountain Parkway) over to Castaic Junction (where Route 126 and I-5 meet today). The 1935 definition of LRN 4 captured this additional segment as "A point at Santa Clara River bridge, on that portion of [LRN 4] described in subdivision [1] of this section, to Saugus." Chapter 194 extended this spur definition to Newhall by changing the wording of [2] to “to [LRN 23] near Newhall via Saugus”. US 99 and US 6 (and Sign Route 7) ran co-signed along San Fernando Road to the LRN 4 Ridge Route cutoff, where US 99 then followed LRN 4, and US 6/Sign Route 7 followed LRN 23.
The definition of LRN 23 started at this point, continuing along San Fernando Road / Bouquet Canyon Road (it changed to Bouquet Canyon Road at the LRN 4 connection) to Sierra Highway (now Soledad Canyon Road). LRN 23 continued Sierra Highways (Soledad Canyon Road) to Solemint. In Solemint, LRN 23 then transitioned to the current Sierra Highway E/N towards Palmdale. Sign Route 7 was signed along LRN 23, adding the US 6 mantle when US 6 was defined in 1937.
Around 1930, construction on the Weldon Canyon Cutoff began. When that was completed, LRN 4 was moved off San Fernando Road/Newhall Ave to the new alignment. This lightened traffic through the Newhall Tunnel somewhat, and led to the removal of the spur along the Saugus Ventura Road (Magic Mountain Parkway) and San Fernando Road from the definition of LRN 4, the extension of the definition of LRN 79 to terminate at "[LRN 23] via Castaic Junction and Saugus" (which moved Saugus Ventura Road to LRN 79), and LRN 23 was extended to meet LRN 4 at the start of the Weldon Canyon Cutoff (where The Old Road and Sierra Highway split off of San Fernando Road today). As LRN 23 had been defined as "From Los Angeles", no legislative changes to LRN 23 were required.
In 1938-1940, the cutoff across Mint Canyon (Mint Canyon Short Cut Route) was constructed through the Newhall Pass (Mint Canyon) and between San Fernando Road and Sierra Highway in Newhall and Sierra Highway (Soledad Canyon Road) in Solemint (Placerita Canyon). Details of the construction can be found in the Elsemere Canyon Newhall Cut page and the November 1938 issue of CHPW and the March 1940 CHPW. The Elsemere Canyon page notes that "On May 5, 1938, the state awarded a contract for construction and improvement of the highway between Tunnel Station and Placerita Canyon to the Griffith Company of Los Angeles. From Tunnel Station to the intersection of Sierra Highway and Newhall Avenue, the construction would follow the existing road. From there, a new road would be built to Placerita Canyon. The construction from Placerita Canyon to Solemint was part of a different contract." Upon completion, the new road was named as a continuation of Sierra Highway, and the older routing from Solemint to Saugus renamed Soledad Canyon Road. The Sierra Highway name was also applied to the segment from San Fernando Road / Newhall Avenue through the Newhall Pass to the start of the Mint Canyon Cutoff (the current Old Road / Sierra Highway / San Fernando Road junction); it is unclear whether the original name in the tunnel era was San Fernando Road or Sierra Highway. LRN 23 was rerouted along the new Sierra Highway and was signed as US 6, connecting it with the former LRN 4 portion along San Fernando/Sierra to Tunnel Station. LRN 79 ran along Soledad Canyon Road to Sierra Highway. As for the segment along San Fernando Road (Newhall Ave / Railroad) between Soledad Canyon and Sierra Highway: Maps show it as part of the state highway system, but don't provide the detail to indicate if it was a spur of LRN 23 or a spur of LRN 79.

There appears to have been a spur of the route, according to a 1943 USGS map, that ran along LRN 154 (now Route 232) down Vineyard, to Route 1 near El Rio (LRN 2). It multiplexed LRN 2, leaving LRN 2 along Saviers Road down to Hueneme Road, and then across Hueneme Road to US 101A (LRN 2). This appears to correspond to a 1951 addition to the route -- but "The junction of [LRN 60] and Saviers Road in Ventura County, along the route of said road to [LRN 2] near El Rio." is Oxnard Blvd, and it doesn't correspond with the Seviers Road and Hueneme Road routing.

Status

Route 101 to Route 5

Much of this is freeway. As of 4/94, only the portion from Route 101 to Santa Paula, and from about .5 mi E of Route 5 to Route 5, was freeway. As of 2001, the entire route is, at minimum, 4 lanes.

In January 2002 and April 2002, the CTC voted on relinquishment of the portion of the route in the City of Santa Paula that was bypassed by the new freeway portion, PM 13.5.

In December 2019, the CTC authorized vacation of right of way in the city of Santa Paula along Route 126 (Telegraph Road) between Padre Lane and realigned Route 126 (07-Ven-126-PM R13.3/R13.6), consisting of superseded highway right of way no longer needed for State highway purposes.
(Source: December 2019 CTC Agenda, Agenda Item 2.3d)

Route 126 "Blood Alley" Safety Improvements (~ VEN R14.782 to VEN 18.62)

In March 2016, it was noted that the segment of Route 126 E of Santa Paula is undivided,and has seen more than its share of fatalities for decades. In 2007, after a rash of head-on collisions, Caltrans proposed building a concrete median between Santa Paula and Fillmore. The agency abandoned that idea when people who lived in and in between the two cities objected, in part because a median would make it difficult to turn on and off the highway from the roads that cross it. The latest proposal is to install a series of four roundabouts: one located halfway between Hobson Road and Fleischer Redmand Road (~ VEN R14.782); one at the Toland Road intersection (~ VEN R15.989); one just west of Spalding Drive (~ VEN 17.952); and one at Oak Village Road (VEN 18.62), just west of Old Telegraph Road. It should be noted that roundabouts are Caltrans' top choice at the moment, but the agency is also considering a concrete barrier or raised island in the median. The goal of any of those options would be to reduce the risk of cross-median head-on accidents, the most likely to cause serious injury or death. The goal is drafting a detailed analysis of the project over 2016 and securing final approval in the summer of 2017.
(Source: Andy3175 @ AAroads, Feb 2016; VCStar 2/27/2016)

In October 2016, there was another article on the safety problems on Route 126, again on the portion between Santa Paula and Fillmore. On the portion that stretches from US 101 Freeway in Ventura to the Fillmore city limits, approximately 21 miles, three fatal collisions occurred in 2015, and two have occurred in 2016. A Road Safety Assessment, studying Route 126 from Hallock Drive in Santa Paula to E Street in Fillmore, a distance of about 7 miles, was conducted in 2014 by an independent group, with the participation of Caltrans. It showed that out of 320 total crashes that occurred from 2006 through 2012, there were nine fatalities and 111 injury crashes. 36% were in some way attributed to speeding, 28% were improper turns, and 6% were coded as “influence alcohol” as the primary contributing factor. Three other crashes involved a driver “Under Drug Influence” and 10 more crashes involved drivers who were suffering from “fatigue.” Frequent collisions also occur due to orchards surrounding Route 126 and it being a two-lane highway. Trucks account for approximately 10 to 15% of the traffic on this stretch of Route 126, according to the Road Safety Assessment. Average daily traffic and truck counts are both expected to increase with the proposed developments at Newhall Ranch (21,000 dwelling units) and possibly at Limoneira East (up to 1,500 dwelling units). The Road Safety Assessment and Comeaux also pointed out that traffic along this corridor comes from three primary uses: agriculture, residential and the through traffic traveling between I-5 and the Pacific Coast, crossing through the cities of Santa Paula and Fillmore. Route 126 is also a designated bike route. To address concerns regarding cross-median collisions and fatalities, Caltrans initiated a median-barrier project, reduced the posted speed limit, installed speed feedback signs and rumble strips, and requested the Road Safety Assessment with the Federal Highway Administration. Other measures considered include a concrete median barrier or a raised median island with visual markers. However, a median-barrier significantly reduces the places where drivers can make left turns. Collisions are reduced, but if drivers can’t make left turns, they will have to drive some distance to a place where they can make a U-turn and come back to make a right turn. So as part of a possible median barrier project, Caltrans is considering building four roundabouts that would be spaced along Route 126 to give drivers convenient places to make U-turns so they can go back to where they want to go. These would be modern roundabouts, not older traffic circles. The current study that Caltrans is conducting is expected to produce a draft environmental document in approximately spring 2017; and a final environmental document before the end of 2017.
(Source: VC Reporter, 10/5/2016)

OLeary Creek Bridge № 52-0196 Replacement (07-Ventura-126 T16.54)

In January 2024, Caltrans released the draft 2024 SHOPP, which contained the following project: 07-Ventura-126 T16.54. PPNO 07-5676; ProjID 0719000336; EA 36570. Route 126 Near Fillmore, at OLeary Creek Bridge № 52-0196. Replace bridge. Proposed ($ × 1000): PA&ED: $1,349; PS&E: $2,466; R/W $1,666; R/W Sup $426; Con $11,027; Con Sup: $3,032; Total: $19,966. Begin Con: 2/26/2029.
(Source: 2024 Draft SHOPP v4.0, 1/31/2024)

In March 2024, the CTC approved the following preconstruction environmental phase allocation: $1,349,000 (PA&ED). 07-Ventura-126 T16.54. PPNO 07-5676; ProjID 0719000336; EA 36570. Route 126 Near Fillmore, at OLeary Creek Bridge № 52-0196. Replace bridge.
(Source: March 2024 CTC Agenda, Agenda Item 2.5b.(3) #29)

March 2026 review of the DRAFT 2026 SHOPP noted the following updated instance of this project (updates in bold, if possible): 07-Ventura-126 T16.54. PPNO 07-5676; ProjID 0719000336; EA 36570. Route 126 Near Fillmore, at OLeary Creek Bridge № 52-0196. Replace bridge. Proposed ($ × 1000): PA&ED: $1,349; PS&E: $2,466; R/W Sup $426; Con Sup: $3,032; R/W $218; Con $11,027; Total: $18,518. Begin Con: 5/1/2029.
(Source: Caltrans SHOPP Page: DRAFT 2026 SHOPP PROPOSED, State Highway Operation and Protection Program, Fiscal Years 2026-27 through 2029-30 (PDF), January 31, 2026; March 2026 CTC Agenda, Agenda Item 4.7)

Commerce Center Drive Interchange Improvements (~ LA R4.896)

In May 2010, the CTC approved for route adoption a project in Los Angeles County that will construct a grade-separated interchange at the existing signalized interchange of Route 126 and Commerce Drive near the city of Santa Clarita. As part of the project, Route 126 would be realigned to the south over a recently constructed embankment. The project is entirely funded from Metro Proposition C funds and private funds from Newhall Land and Farming Company. Total estimated project cost is $40,900,000 for capital and support. Construction is estimated to begin in Fiscal Year 2009-10. The project will involve construction activities that will result in potential impacts to water quality and noise. In addition, construction activities will be occurring in the habitat of the Peirson’s morning glory, a federal species of concern. As part of this, the CTC designated Route 126 in Los Angeles County from Castaic Creek to Route 5 west of City of Santa Clarita as a Controlled Access Highway. The proposed improvements will increase highway capacity, improve traffic operations, enhance driver safety and accommodate planned growth within the project area. Adoption of the proposed segment as a freeway is not practical because it would eliminate the Fire Department required emergency entrance/exit from an adjacent property owner. Attempts to maintain the required exits would severely reduce the commercial value of the property.

In July 2013, it was reported that a partnership of state and county agencies planned to break ground in mid-July or early August on a $50 million project to expand and reroute Route 126 near the Valencia Commerce Center. As designed, the project would entail construction of a bridge to lift Route 126 over Commerce Center Drive in Castaic, improving traffic flow on both routes. The projectwould also add new lanes on the highway, expanding it to three in each direction. The project also includes adding on- and off-ramps from Route 126 to Commerce Center Drive and Henry Mayo Drive, realigning and extending Henry Mayo Drive, adding new traffic signals at the intersection of Commerce Center and Henry Mayo drives and at the intersection of Route 126 and the access road to the Valencia Travel Village RV park. It also entails planting new landscaping to help stabilize the bank of the Santa Clara River near Route 126 and removing some invasive species to improve water flow in the river. The project is slated to be complete in late 2016. $9 million in funding for the project comes from a Metro grant, the remainder is in the form of bridge and major thoroughfare construction fees. Those fees are part of the costs that accompany residential and commercial development, such as the Newhall Ranch residential development project, which would add more than 20,000 homes along Route 126.

In October 2021, the CTC approved the following allocation for preconstruction project phases: $999,000. 07-LA-126 R2.4. PPNO 07-5732; ProjID 0720000138; EA 37070. Route 126 Near Del Valle, at the intersection with Chiquito Canyon Road. Intersection improvements. Allocation: PS&E $939,000 (Programmed) $982,000 (Allocated); R/W Sup $17,000.
(Source: October 2021 CTC Agenda, Agenda Item 2.5b.(2a) #13)

Note: This segment is no longer part of the state highway system.

According to Don Hagstrom, in 1990, Caltrans offered to build a Route 126 Freeway from I-5 to Route 14. Santa Clarita declined the offer. Instead, they planned to make up for this by constructing a "Cross Valley Arterial." This would work as follows: Starting at the interchange between I-5 and Route 126, Santa Clarita will construct Newhall Ranch Road, a 6 and 8 lane arterial that will be a de-facto extension of Route 126. The road itself will not be a freeway and it will not carry the CA-126 designation (in fact, the CTC planned back then to decommission this segment). On the other side (near Route 14), Golden Valley Road would be extended westward to meet up with Newhall Ranch Road. Somewhere in here the Santa Clara River would have to be crossed. There also would be a grade-separated interchange built between Golden Valley and Soledad Canyon Road.

The SAFETEA-LU act, enacted in August 2005 as the reauthorization of TEA-21, provided the following expenditures on or near this route:

High Priority Project #216: Construction of a cross-valley connector between I-5 and Route 14. This important transportation project will connect I-5 and Route 14, significantly easing traffic in and around the city and increasing the efficiency of commerce in the area. The Cross Valley Connector will consist of 8.5 miles of new six- and eight-lane arterial roadways, bridges, grade-separated crossings and intersections, including the connection of Newhall Ranch Road and Golden Valley Road. It will provide a direct link between I-5 and Route 126 on the west and Route 14 and the Golden Valley interchange on the east. HPP #3786 seems to provide significant additional funding. $4,000,000.
High Priority Project #3786: Construction of a cross-valley connector between I-5 and Route 14. This seems to be additional funding for the connector. $5,000,000.

Note that the Cross Valley Connector is a surface artery across Santa Clarita, 25 miles further south, consisting of Newhall Ranch Road, about half of which is complete, and Golden Valley Road, which was recently finished. It won't be a freeway, and will probably never be used by anyone to get between I-5 and Route 14 (except maybe if an accident bogs down the freeways), as it will have at least a dozen traffic lights along its length.

Funding for the I-5 to Route 14 portion of the CVC was included in the SAFETEA-LU legislation passed in August 2005.

In January 2016, it was reported that the Santa Clarita City Council passed a resolution to rename the Cross Valley Connector as the Santa Clarita Veterans Parkway in honor of the more than 10,000 servicemen and women that reside in Santa Clarita” after a unanimous vote by the city council. The Cross Valley Connector is an 8.5 mile segment of roadway within the city of Santa Clarita that starts from the intersection of Newhall Ranch Road and I-5, continues through the intersection where Newhall Ranch Road turns into Golden Valley Road, and ends at the intersection of Golden Valley Road and Route 14. Two bridges along the Cross Valley Connector have received formal recognition, including the Fallen Warriors Memorial Bridge and the Connie Worden-Roberts Memorial Bridge. The Fallen Warriors Memorial Bridge was dedicated by the Santa Clarita City Council on May 26, 2011. The bridge connects Newhall Ranch Road and Golden Valley Road and was dedicated in honor of the service men and women who lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to Tuesday’s agenda. Additionally, an Assembly Concurrent Resolution was adopted on Sept. 15, 2015 to designate the Golden Valley Road Bridge over the Route 14 Freeway in honor of long-time Santa Clarita resident and community leader Connie Worden-Roberts, becoming the Connie Worden-Roberts Memorial Bridge.
(Source: KHTS 1220, 1/27/2016)

In February 2019, it was reported that the Newhall Ranch Road Bridge Widening project was completed. Newhall Ranch Road is considered one of the major sections of the cross-valley connector, which provides motorists a path from I-5 to Route 14 by way of surface streets. An estimated 35,000 vehicles pass through the bridge on a daily basis. Located in the area between Avenue Tibbitts/Dickason Drive and McBean Parkway, the project was designed to improve traffic circulation. The updated bridge now offers four travel lanes in the east and west directions, landscaped medians, a crossing path with protective concrete barriers for pedestrians and cyclists and an enhanced trail connection underneath the bridge for people to safely pass.
(Source: SCV Signal, 2/27/2019)