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US Highway Shield X-Ed Out

Former US Highway 399

Click here for a key to the symbols used. An explanation of acronyms may be found at the bottom of the page.


Routing Routing

U.S. 399 in 1963No current routing.

Pre 1964 Signage History Pre 1964 Signage History

Until July 1, 1964, the following route was signed as US 399:

  1. Present-day Route 33 between US 101 [LRN 2] in Ventura and Route 166 (LRN 57) 7 mi N of Ventucopa. This segment was LRN 138, defined in 1933.
  2. Present-day Route 33/Route 166 (previously cosigned as US 399/Route 166) between 7 mi N of Ventucopa and Maricopa. This segment was LRN 57, defined in 1919.
  3. Present-day Route 33 between Maricoa and Taft (previously cosigned as US 399/Route 33). This was LRN 138, defined in 1933.
  4. Present-day Route 119 between Taft and US 99 (present-day Route 99). This was LRN 140, defined in 1933.

The first mention of US 399 is found in a letter by the Division of Highways to the AASHO Executive Secretary dated September 6, 1934. US 399 appears as a proposed US Route that would connect US 101 to US 99. US 399 is described as having a proposed length of 131 miles beginning from a south terminus at US 101 in Ventura along with a north terminus at US 99 in Bakersfield.
(Source: Gribblenation Blog (Tom Fearer), "California State Route 33 and legacy of US Route 399 on the Maricopa-Ventura Highway", August 2021)

Signage of the route as US 399 dates back to around 1935. Note that, as of 1936, US 399 actually continue north cosigned with US 99 to end at US 466. This portion of US 399 was later relegated to Business Loop status in 1962, and became Business Route 99/Route 204 in 1964. However, the portion of former US 399 south of Brundage Lane (current parallel street to Route 58, the replacement for US 466) was removed from the state route in 1978; only the portion of former US 99 on Union Avenue from Golden State Avenue/Sumner Street south to Route 58 remains in the state system as Route 204. All of the route remains part of Business Route 99.

The 1936-37 Division of Highways Map shows US 399 (defined in 1934) co-signed with US 99 on Golden State Avenue.  US 399 is shown to multiplex US 99 from Greenfield into downtown Bakersfield via Union Avenue where it would have terminated at US 466. In 1957, US 99/US 466/LRN 4 on Golden State Avenue was relocated to an overpass of the Garces Traffic Circle. Connection to LRN 142/Chester Avenue would be made from the US 99/US 466/LRN 4 overpass via frontage roads. The first units of the Bakersfield Bypass freeway routing were funded in 1960-1961, and opened in 1962. US 99 moved to the "West Bakersfield" freeway in 1963. The West Bakersfield Freeway saw the relinquishment of Union Avenue south of Brundage Lane/LRN 141, which truncated US 399 out of Bakersfield to US 99 at Pumpkin Center on Taft Highway.  US 399 was removed by AASHO with the great renumbering in 1964. 
(Source: Gribblenation Blog (Tom Fearer), “California State Route 204; former US Route 99, US Route 399 and US Route 466 in Bakersfield”, April 2021)

Proposed Rerouting of U.S. 399 in TaftIn 1952, a freeway alignment was adopted for US 399 (now Route 33 and Route 119) through Taft. The plan was to widen US 399 through Taft to a point 1.3mi N of the town's city limits. Project plans were under study  The bypass was eventually constructed. US 399 originally entered Taft from the S along the Westside Highway (now Route 33), and turned towards Bakersfield at 6th Street, continuing along 6th as it turned into Harrison, rejoining the Taft Highway (possibly to the E of Elk Hills Road). Subsequent discussion on the Facebook post where this map was posted indicated that the final adopted routing differed slightly from the routing shown. Specifically, the proposed route seems to show the new routing running along Monroe St, whereas the actually routing runs about 6-7 blocks to the E, running straight to the N and curving back after passing what is shown as the US Navy land in the diagram.
(Source: Art Moore on FB, 12/22/2022, sharing map from the Bakersfield Californian, 12/23/1952)

On May 1, 1963, the Division of Highways submitted a request to the AASHO Executive Committee to remove US 399 as part of the planned 1964 California State Highway Renumbering.   This request was considered by the AASHO Executive Committee on June 19th, 1963 and met with their approval.  US 399 subsequently would effectively cease to exist as of 1/1/1964. US 399 was replaced by Route 119 from Bakersfield to Taft and by a realigned Route 33 from Maricopa via the Ventura-Maricopa Highway to Ventura (including a co-signed portion with Route 166).
(Source: Gribblenation Blog (Tom Fearer), "California State Route 33 and legacy of US Route 399 on the Maricopa-Ventura Highway", August 2021)

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Acronyms and Explanations:


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Maintained by: Daniel P. Faigin <webmaster@cahighways.org>.