California Highways (www.cahighways.org): Route 07

1964-1982 Route 7 - Long Beach Freeway

Post-1964 Legistlative Route Graphic ▸ In 1963, Route 7 was defined as "from Route 11 [Present-Day Route 110] in San Pedro to Route 210 in Pasadena via Long Beach and including a bridge, with at least four lanes, from San Pedro at or near Boschke Slough to Terminal Island."

▸ In 1965 the southern end was truncated by Chapter 1372, transferring the San Pedro portion and bridge to Route 47. This left the route definition as "from Route 1 to Route 210 in Pasadena."

▸ In 1982, Chapter 914 extended the definition to include that portion of the freeway between Route 1 and the northern end of Harbor Scenic Drive, that portion of Harbor Scenic Drive to Ocean Boulevard, that portion of Ocean Boulevard west of its intersection with Harbor Scenic Drive to its junction with Seaside Boulevard, and that portion of Seaside Boulevard from the junction with Ocean Boulevard to Route 47. It was noted that this extension didn't become operative unless the commission approves a financial plan.

In 1984, this route was transferred to Route 710 as it was approved as non-chargable interstate. See the page on I-710 for more information.

Post-1990 Route 7 at the International Border

State Shield ▸ In 1990, the current incarnation of Route 7 was defined as "from a new International Border crossing near Calexico to Route 8 near El Centro." (Chapter 1187)

▸ In 1994, the definition was changed to "from the northerly boundary of the Federal Port of Entry near Calexico to Route 8 near El Centro." (Chapter 1220). Note that the route appears to continue N of Route 8 as Imperial County Sign Route S32 to Route 78, although County Sign Route S32 was defined well before Route 7. Route 7 becomes Orchard Road. N of I-8.

Route 7 was added facilitate State Highway access to the new Calexico East Port of Entry. The Calexico East Port of Entry was intended to supplement the original Calexico Port of Entry by moving the trunk entry east of the city. The Calexico East Port of Entry was constructed during 1996. Route 7 was completed from the Mexican Border to Route 98 during March 1996 but did not open until December 2, 1996. The delay in the opening of Route 7 was due to connecting highway in Mexico not being ready.
(Source: Gribblenation Blog (Tom Fearer), "California State Route 7", 8/9/2023)

Pre 1964 Signage History

Sign Route 7 - Sepulveda Blvd

Rte 7 in 1934 Pre-1964 State Shield In 1934, Sign Route 7 was signed along the route from Jct. Sign Route 3 (US 101A, later Route 1) at Torrance to the California-Nevada state line north of Coleville, via Mojave, and from the Nevada-California State Line near Reno Jct. to the California-Oregon State Line at New Pine Creek via Alturas. Starting in 1935, the portion of this route N of former LRN 95 at the Inyo-Kern County Line was renumbered as US 395. In that routing, it began at the Oregon border, and consisted of the following segments:

From the Oregon border to Johnstonville (Route 36 junction). This segment was LRN 73, and was added to the state highway system in 1931. This was later signed as US 395.
From Johnstonville (present-day Route 36 junction) S to the Nevada Border. This was part of LRN 29, as was the original portion of LRN 29 defined in 1919. This was later signed as US 395.
From the Nevada border near Topaz Lake to the junction with signed Route 89 (LRN 23). This was LRN 95, and was defined as part of the state highway system in 1933; it was later signed as US 395.
From Route 89 to the vicinity of Inyokern. This was part of LRN 23, and was defined as part of the state highway system in 1909. It was later signed as US 395.
From Inyokern down what was Sierra Highway (and is now approximately Route 14) through Mojave, Rosamond, Palmdale, and Lancaster, then down Soledad Canyon Road to San Fernando Road. This was originally signed as Sign Route 7 until it was resigned/cosigned with US 6, and was part of the 1911 LRN 23 extension.
At San Fernando Road to Foothill Blvd. This was part of LRN 4, and was cosigned as US 6/US 99/Sign Route 7. At San Fernando Road, Sign Route 7 diverged from US 6 (which continued cosigned with US 99).
From San Fernando to Westchester, near the present-day Los Angeles International Airport. This segment originally proceeded down Maclay and Brand in San Fernando to Sepulveda Blvd. By the mid-1950s, it was running on Sepulveda Blvd directly from the southern terminus of the "Golden State Freeway" from approximately San Fernando Blvd (although the map I have doesn't show Sign Route 7 running N of San Fernando, so it is possible the routing had been truncated by then). Sign Route 7 then continued S along Sepulveda to Pico (in the San Fernando Valley, Sepulveda Blvd was at one time Saugus Avenue), where it jogged W to Sawtelle, and then S to Washington (where it was under construction between Washington and Centinela). At one time, however, it actually continued along Sepulveda. It terminated at the interchange of Sepulveda Blvd . and Century Blvd. US 101A ran along Lincoln, and continued under the LAX Tunnel.
By 1938, Sign Route 7 was constructed south of LRN 164/Centinela Avenue to US 101A/LRN 60 near the grounds of Los Angeles Municipal Airport. The segment of LRN 158/Sepulveda Boulevard north of LRN 164/Centinela Avenue in Culver City was unconstructed. By 1939, the segment of Route 7/LRN 158 on Sepulveda Boulevard between Brand Boulevard and US 99-6/LRN 4 at San Fernando Road was opened. The segment of Sign Route 7/LRN 158 from Jefferson Boulevard south to Route 107/LRN 164 at Centinela Avenue was not yet constructed due to it requiring extensive drainage. By 1942, construction was authorized for Sign Route 7/LRN 158 on Sepulveda Boulevard from Slauson Avenue south to Sign Route 107/LRN 164 at Centinela Avenue.
(Source: Gribblenation Blog (Tom Fearer), "California State Route 107", May 2022)

As the San Diego Freeway was constructed, it ran along the San Diego Freeway. Some portions in the San Fernando Valley were signed as Sign Route 7 (as indicated in the photo), but portions in West LA were signed as I-405 (even prior to the great renumbering). These segments were the original segment of LRN 158 added in 1933. Sepulveda Blvd was named for the Sepulveda family of early Los Angeles.

Scott Parker (SParker) on AAroads noted: "The initial construction on I-405 actually started shortly before the Interstate era as a freeway upgrade to then Route 7 (LRN 158) between Culver City and the Santa Monica Mountains; that segment opened to traffic at the end of 1957 with Sign Route 7 signage; that was replaced by that summer with I-405 signage." Note that this means the Route 7 signage on this section existed for perhaps 5-6 months at best.
(Source: Scott Parker (SParker) on AAroads, "Re: I-405 widening in Orange County has started", 1/24/2019)

Interesting historical note: There was once a reservoir in Sepulveda Canyon operated by the Santa Monica Water Company. It failed in 1914.

The Sepulveda Tunnel opened on September 27, 1930. Sepulveda Pass was paved and became a state highway route in 1935. In the November 1935 issue of CHPW, there is an interesting article on the Sepulveda Tunnel construction and dedication. Although the tunnel was constructed in 1930, the state highway between Ventura and Sunset was opened and dedicated on October 20, 1935. The article noted that the first steps to a modern Sepulveda came in 1922, as the the Indian footpath was transformed into a highway of commerce. The section opened in 1935, 7.6 mi in length, was from Ventura Blvd to Sunset. It was surfaced with 30-foot asphalt concrete pavement bordered on each side by oil-treated rock shoulders, costing $300K, and financed out of the state gasoline tax. Grading was previously completed in 1930. The tunnel is 665' long, and bored through the mountains 130' under Mulholland Drive. The 1935 project involved the completion of 2.1 mi of new road, and the improvement of 3.3 mi of existing road.
From Inglewood down Centinela, across Inglewood-Redondo Blvd (present-day Florence) to Hawthorne, and S on Hawthorne to Route 3 (later US101A [LRN 60], now Route 1) near Palos Verdes. By 1938, this segment of Sign Route 7 was later signed as Sign Route 107 (LRN 164; defined in 1933). Once the signage for Sign Route 107 occurred, Sign Route 7 was resigned to continue S along Sepulveda until joining US101A (LRN 60) in Westchester (near what is now LAX). Signage for Sign Route 7 stopped at this point. It may have continued to El Segundo Blvd.

Tom Fearer describes it thusly: The original Sign Route 7 was announced as a highway originating at Sign Route 3/LRN 60 (future US 101A, later Route 1) in Torrance northward to the Nevada State Line, which connected through the Reno Area to a second segment to the Oregon State Line. Sign Route 7 was originally defined followed the entirety of LRN 164 from Sign Route 3/LRN 60 north to LRN 158. Sign Route 7 continued north via LRN 158 to US 99/LRN 4 near San Fernando where it briefly multiplexed it to LRN 23. Sign Route 7 followed LRN 23 along the eastern flank of the Sierra Nevada Mountains to Topaz. From Topaz, Sign Route 7 followed LRN 95 to the Nevada State Line where a gap in the highway existed. Sign Route 7 emerged at the California/Nevada State Line north of Reno where it followed LRN 29, LRN 28 and LRN 73 towards the Oregon State Line.
(Source: Gribblenation Blog (Tom Fearer), "California State Route 7", 8/9/2023)

US 395 was approved to be extended into California during 1934 by the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO). US 395 would replace Sign Route 7 from near Bradys north to the Oregon State Line. In 1937, US 6 was extended into California, and would replace Sign Route 7 from US 395 near Bradys to US 99 near San Fernando. In 1938, another truncation of Sign Route 7 occurred, when Sign Route 7 was realigned to follow LRN 158/Sepulveda Boulevard south to a terminus at US 101A/LRN 158. The former routing along LRN 164 and Centinela Avenue became Sign Route 107. In 1964, what remained of Sign Route 7 was replaced with I-405, although signage for I-405 began in the late 1950s as the freeway segments were constructed.
(Source: Gribblenation Blog (Tom Fearer), "California State Route 7", 8/9/2023)

1964-1982 Route 7 - Long Beach Freeway

Note that the 1964-1982 Route 7 had been signed as Sign Route 15 [LRN 167], but in 1964 the Route 15 designation was reassigned to I-15. For the history of this route, see the page for I-710 or the entry for LRN 167.

Post-1990 Route 7 at the International Border

Post-1990 Route 7 was not in the state highway system before 1990; in fact, it is new highway.

Status

A controlled access highway routing has been adopted from Route 98 (~ 007 IMP 1.164) to I-8 (~ 007 IMP 6.695), per the August 2000 CTC Agenda. It was under construction as of October 2002, according to Don Hagstrom. It was open as of March 2012, giving trucks a full expressway route to the interstate, and allowing then to avoid the narrow 2-lane Route 98. A future extension of Route 7 north may be constructed as a routing of a new Route 115 expressway as well, although this is far off.

In September 2009, the CTC relinquished right of way in the county of Imperial along Route 7 from Heber Road to Hunt Road (11-Imp-7-PM 3.7/6.3), consisting of relocated or reconstructed county roads, and frontage roads. This is likely roadway bypassed or modified by the expressway construction.

In September 2019, it was reported that there is an effort underway to remove trucks from Orchard Road (County Sign Route S32) N of I-8. As part of this effort, Caltrans proposes to install signage along Route 7 advising drivers of large trucks going north to avoid Orchard Road and use alternate routes. Route 7 becomes Orchard at Interstate 8 south of Holtville. As part of a mid-range proposal, Caltrans is looking to develop a package of guidance signs to provide directional information for trucks as a part of its Traffic Investigative Report. The city of Holtville will eventually need to cooperate with the removal of truck-route designations at Orchard and Fourth Street, the north terminus of Orchard. Caltrans is looking at a number of guidance signs, the first at the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Facility at the East Port of Entry. There would be another sign on Route 7, midway up, for further notification to truck drivers, and, just south of I-8 on Route 7, a different sign that indicates the truck route ends in a half mile. Wording on the signs would read, “Trucks to SR 115 use I-8 West to SR 111 North.” This would direct trucks northbound from Mexico to Los Angeles. Also, signs would guide trucks southbound. The southbound sign would be at the intersection of Route 78 and Route 111 in Brawley. The sign would read, “Trucks to Route 7 Use Route 111 South to I-8 East.” A third sign near Holtville for trucks southbound on Route 115 would read, “Trucks to Route 7 Use Route 115 South to I-8 West.”
(Source: Holtville Tribune, 9/12/2019)

Note: Apparently, a 2007 episode of the TV program "24" featured a Route 7 that ran from the central part of Los Angeles (Florence and something) to Newhall. Although Pre-1964 Route 7 ran to Newhall, it was only from the top of the San Fernando Valley (Sepulveda Blvd), not from Central Los Angeles.