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State Route 67

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


Routing Routing

Rte 67From Route 8 near El Cajon to Route 78 near Ramona.

Post 1964 Signage History Post 1964 Signage History

This route remains as defined in 1963.

By Summer 1965, 2.5 miles of the Route 67 freeway in Santee was completed. For 1966, funding was secured for construction of a connecting segment of the Route 67 freeway between I-8 in El Cajon to the existing segment in Santee.  A second project would extend the Route 67 freeway from Santee 1.7 miles through Lakeside.  The Route  67 Lakeside Freeway was completed north from Interstate 8 to Pepper Drive in El Cajon by 1967.  The Route 67/Lakeside Freeway was extended northward to Woodside Avenue by December 1968.  The Route 67/Lakeside Freeway would be completed to the San Diego River during October 1970.
(Source: Gribblenation Blog (Tom Fearer), "California State Route 67", 2/2/2022)

Pre 1964 Signage History Pre 1964 Signage History

This once followed Magnolia Avenue N of El Cajon through Santee. Out of Lakeside, Route 67 was known as Julian Road when it was built in 1913, then became a state highway in 1933. By 1953, it was signed as Route 67. It was LRN 198, defined in 1933. It was not numbered as part of the 1934 state numbering, but was signed by 1953.

The Julian Road was a Franchise Toll Road which was completed between San Diego and the booming gold mines of Julian during 1871 by the Atkinson Brothers.  The Julian Road was purchased by San Diego County during 1874 and a public facility. The Julian Road originally ascended through what is now Foster Canyon north of Lakeside.  San Diego County Supervisor Joe Foster found the Julian Road through Foster Canyon to be difficult to maintain which led to a proposed realignment being put to San Diego County voters during 1890.  The new alignment of the Julian Road was completed north of Lakeside by 1892 via what known as the Mussey Grade.  In time the Julian Road would come to be known as County Route 3A.  Julian Road was paved between El Cajon and Santee by San Diego County by 1920, which was followed up by paving between Foster (the site of San Vicente Dam) and Ramona being completed by July 1922.  Julian Road was fully paved to Julian by April 1925. 
(Source: Gribblenation Blog (Tom Fearer), "California State Route 67", 2/2/2022)

LRN 198, as originally defined, ran to what became LRN 200. As such, Route 67 originally continued S from I-8 to Route 94. Note that this route once ran as far S as Route 94. The 1963 definition of Route 125 essentially transferred the segment from Route 94 to I-8 to Route 125.

LRN 198 originally ran along Palm Avenue between Route 94/LRN 200 north to US 80/LRN 12, reading LRN 12 at La Mesa Boulevard. In 1939, a new alignment of US 80/LRN 12 from El Cajon east to La Mesa had been completed during 1939; this bypassed much of La Mesa on El Cajon Boulevard; this resulted in LRN 198 being rerouted over former US 80/LRN 12 on La Mesa Boulevard. By 1955, a new freeway corridor alignment of LRN 198 had been assigned as an extension of Route 67, with construction started during the 1955-1957 period. The Route 67/LRN 198 freeway in La Mesa was dedicated on March 12th, 1957. This freeway became part of Route 125 with the 1964 renumbering.
(Source: Gribblenation Blog (Tom Fearer), "California State Route 125", 1/7/2022)

Scott Parker on AARoads provided the following historical recollection:
(Source: Sparker on AARoads, "Re: Interstate 5", 5/16/2019)

Route 67 from Route 94 to US 80 was established in the '50's; it was part of the longish LRN 198, which comprised Route 94 from US 395 in downtown San Diego to Route 67, Route 67 from that point through El Cajon and then north to Route 78 in Ramona, then the rest of Route 78 east to then-US 99 (now Route 86) near the south end of the Salton Sea. It was a series of surface streets in the Lemon Grove area until the freeway was built (essentially a freeway continuation of the '50's-built Route 94 freeway; 94 exited onto the surface Campo Road while Route 67 took over the freeway alignment heading northeast). Route 67 multiplexed over US 80 into El Cajon, then took off on its own northward. IIRC, it retained the "67" number in the field well after '64; eventually giving way as the first signed segment of Route 125. I don't know the exact date of the switchover, but I do remember seeing Route 67 signage (with black-on-white later-issue shields, no less) on that freeway as late as 1968.

In 1944, LRN 198 was realigned north of Lakeside around the site of San Vicente Dam.  The new alignment of LRN 198 originated at the San Diego River and following an existing county road for two miles.  The new alignment of LRN 198 then followed a new grade northward eight miles to Poway Road.  The new alignment of LRN 198 followed existing Poway Road northward where it rejoined the existing Julian Road at Mount Woodson State Ranger Station near Ramona.  Construction of the new alignment of LRN 198 began on April 27, 1942.  The new alignment of LRN 198 around the San Vicente Reservoir was complete by December 29, 1943.  The slow construction of the new alignment of LRN 198 was due to it being a low priority project during World War II.  A tunnel through San Vicente Dam temporarily allowed traffic to continue from Lakeside through to Ramona on LRN 198/Julian Road while the new highway was being constructed. 
(Source: Gribblenation Blog (Tom Fearer), "California State Route 67", 2/2/2022)

Status Status

Route 67 Median Barriers (~ SD 15.068)

In August 2013, the CTC received notice of preparation of an Environmental Impact Report. The proposed project in San Diego County will construct safety improvements on Route 67 near the city of Poway (approx SD 15.068) (roughly between Rosemont and Moreno). The project is programmed in the 2012 State Highway Operation and Protection Program. The total estimated cost is $49,183,000 for capital and support. Construction is estimated to begin in Fiscal Year 2015-16. The scope, as described for the preferred alternative, is consistent with the project scope programmed by the Commission in the 2012 State Highway Operation and Protection Program. Alternatives for the project include:

  1. Alternative 1 – This alternative would remove the existing inside lane to install a median barrier in the three and four- lane segments of Route 67.
  2. Alternative 2 – This alternative would install a median barrier on the existing centerline of Route 67 without removing a lane.
  3. Alternative 3 – This alternative would remove a lane and install a 12-foot painted buffer in the median of Route 67 in the three and four-lane segments of the highway.
  4. Alternative 4 – No-build

In September 2013, it was reported that the Caltrans was studying whether to build median barriers along a 12-mile stretch of the Route 67 between Willow Road in Lakeside (approx SD R6.22) and Shady Oaks Drive in Ramona (approx SD 19.041) . Barriers would reduce head-on collisions, but would create a the vast inconvenience for thousands of people who live off cross streets or have driveways along the highway. Barriers would mean those residents would have to make right turns and possibly drive for miles before being able to make a U-turn and head back in the direction they intended. Barriers are also a concern when it comes to evacuating Ramona during a wild fire.

In December 2016, it was reported that Caltrans had introduced the Route 67 Centerline Project that proposes to install "channelizers” between Willow Road in Lakeside and Shady Oaks Drive in Ramona. The project is also set to install outside shoulder rumble strips and fixed changeable message signs with closed-circuit cameras that will monitor the highway. Members of the public who expressed an opinion were largely skeptical about the effectiveness of channelizers, which are 3-inch solid-polyurethane posts that can bounce back after impacts from a vehicle traveling up to 100 mph. Many preferred a fixed-concrete or movable zipper-type barrier that would keep incidents confined to one direction of traffic and help reduce head-on collisions, several of which have resulted in major injuries and deaths along Route 67 this year. One of the presenters noted that there are 39 driveways that would be impacted if a fixed-barrier centerline were installed.
(Source: Ramona Home Journal, 12/15/2016)

In May 2017, it was reported that Ramona Community Planning Group members have warmed to the idea of a centerline concrete barrier -- specifically, because in the 1,640 feet on Route 67 between Cloudy Moon Drive and Rockhouse Road, over the past 30 years there have been 74 accidents, 12 fatalities, 52 persons transported to the hospital, 19 major traumas, one person paralyzed, and one person burned to death. To help prevent head-on collisions on Route 67, Caltrans is starting its channelizer project — installing flexible yellow posts down the centerline of the highway between Willow Road in Lakeside and Shady Oaks Road in Ramona. Four years ago, Caltrans discussed concrete barriers with the planning group but said they could block driveways, restrict line of sight, and cause problems for emergency responders. The Planning Group is only asking for K-rails in the area of the curve.
(Source: Ramona Sentinal/San Diego U-T, 5/10/2017)

Mapleview to Dye Road (~ SD R5.496 to SD 21.325) Safety Improvements

Rte 67 Mapleview to DyeThe SAFETEA-LU act, enacted in August 2005 as the reauthorization of TEA-21, provided the following expenditures on or near this route:

In January 2021, Caltrans District 11 held scoping meetings related to potential improvements along 16 miles of Route 67 between Mapleview Street and Highland Valley/Dye Road in the City of Poway and unincorporated Lakeside communities Ramona in San Diego County, California. According to Caltrans, the SR-67 Improvements Project will prioritize the safe and efficient movement of people and goods along this critical corridor. Caltrans will also consider pedestrian, bicycle, and transit movement and current barriers to wildlife movement along the corridor. For planning purposes, Route 67 is divided into six segments, although priorities for ranking which segments will be improved first will be decided after the environmental studies are completed. The segments are Mapleview Street to Willow Road, 0.75 miles; Willow Road to Vigilante Road, 2.47 miles; Vigilante Road to Scripps Poway Parkway, 4.2 miles; Scripps Poway Parkway to Poway Road, 1.72 miles; Poway Road to Archie Moore Road, 3.35 miles; and Archie Moore Road to Highland Valley/Dye Roads, 2.75 miles. There are several alternatives for improving Route 67, as listed below. Research into the alternatives will look at factors such as Route 67’s diverse animal and plant species, parks and recreation such as hiking, and archeological, architectural and cultural aspects of the proposed project. Additionally, studies will assess ways of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, building retaining walls or sound barriers and preserving the scenic landscape. Caltrans officials said they will also coordinate with tribal communities on recovering ancient artifacts and remains.
(Source: FB Event Announcement, 1/27/2021; San Diego Union Tribune, 2/2/2021)

In March 2022, there was a presentation by Caltrans and the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) on a wish list for Route 67 improvement projects. The proposals, which include bike lanes, wildlife crossings and more traffic signs, were part of a San Vicente Comprehensive Multimodal Corridor Plan (CMCP), which the agencies said is a starting point to attract state funding for road improvements. The plan covers roughly 18 miles of the San Vicente Corridor, which follows the path of SR-67 from north of the San Diego River bridge in Lakeside (~ SD R005.85) to 10th Street in Ramona (~ SD 24.364). After the presentation, Planning Group members said they were discouraged that widening the highway wasn’t included in the list. Melina Pererira, Caltrans project manager for the San Vicente CMCP, told the Planning Group that the suggested upgrades focus on safety, operations and the movement of people and goods on a daily basis and during emergencies. Some of the proposed solutions are shorter pedestrian crossing areas, wildlife crossings or underpasses, signs that reduce driver confusion and identify parking areas, and improved vegetation management to increase driver visibility. Widening Route 67 was not included in the CMCP because highway improvement projects are still being studied. The results of the studies will be incorporated in the CMCP,
(Source: Ramona Sentinal, 3/9/2022)

In December 2023, the CTC approved an allocation of $4,043,000 for the following LPP (Formulaic) Project: 11-SD-67 R5.479-21.348. PPNO 11-1419; ProjID 1100000339; EA 28700. Route 67 Improvements. Route 67 Highway Improvements/San Diego County from Mapleview Street (PM R5.479) to Highland Valley/Dye Road (PM 21.348)/ Safety improvements to travel lanes, shoulders, medians, traffic signals, and emergency access lanes. Concurrent LPP (Formulaic) Programming Amendment under Resolution LPP-P-2324-06; December 2023. Contribution from other sources: $11,975,000. Allocation: PA&ED $4,043,000.
(Source: December 2023 CTC Agenda, Agenda Item 2.5s.(1))

What is a side effect of a barrier? It is harder to cross the street. At the end of December 2017, it was reported that a vision hatched nearly three years ago to create an interconnected trail system that stretches across much of the county inched ahead with a December of the Poway City Council. Officials agreed to fund the creation of designs for a pedestrian tunnel that would be built beneath Route 67 just north of the intersection of Poway Road and the highway (~ SD 15.241). The designs, which will cost the city $22,000, with half that amount being reimbursed by the county, would then be submitted as part of a state grant application. Should the California Department of Transportation make the funding available, the tunnel could be built, thereby connecting Poway’s trail systems from the Mt. Woodson/Potato Chip Rock west of the highway with the Iron Mountain trails system to the east. But the vision that has the tunnel at its core is far greater. The dream is then to purchase about 800 acres of privately owned land near Iron Mountain, and to extend the trail system to Dos Picos County Park in Ramona. Originally, the concept was to build a pedestrian/wildlife bridge over the highway, but Caltrans nixed that concept, saying it would cause visual problems for motorists approaching the Poway Road intersection. It’s not known how much it would cost to construct the tunnel, but it is expected to be “significantly less” than the $6 million estimated to build a bridge, said Bob Manis, the city’s director of development services.
(Source: San Diego Union Tribune, 12/27/2017)

In April 2018, it was reported that two car lanes on southbound Route 67 from Archie Moore Road (~ SD R18.55) to the Cal Fire station (~ SD R18.117) are being reduced to one lane to widen the adjacent shoulder as part of $1.5 million in projects intended to make the highway safer. The lane reduction by Caltrans is designed to give bicyclists more space to maneuver around cars parked near Mt. Woodson. The lane widening increases the previous 8-foot shoulder width by 2 to 4 feet, with 12-foot shoulder widths installed where cars turn in and out at the Mt. Woodson intersection. As part of the lane reduction, three white “lane drop arrows” were painted on Route 67 to indicate to drivers they should be merging to the left lane and not passing other vehicles. Ramona and county leaders are seeking other solutions to hazardous parking conditions near the Mt. Woodson trail off Route 67. Included in the improvements package is the addition of high-friction surface treatments on the Route 67 pavement at the Archie Moore, Cloudy Moon, Poway Road and Scripps Poway Parkway intersections. Drivers will notice the black pavement transitioning to the grey high-friction surface treatment at these four intersections along with high-intensity yellow lines in the centerline down the length of Route 67 that can be seen at night and even in fog. On the northbound side of Route 67, two lanes were turned into one at Archie Moore Road on March 28 to adjust for a curve. A turning lane at Archie Moore Road was also made safer by separating a turn pocket from the traffic lane with white chevrons indicating space between the two lanes.
(Source: Ramona Sentinel, 4/4/2018)

In December 2017, it was reported that, in an effort to improve safety on Route 67, Ramona Community Planning Group unanimously approved sending a letter to Caltrans recommending cautionary signs be placed along the roadway. In two separate actions, group members on Dec. 7 first agreed to seek signage stating “No Unsafe Passing on the Right” based on laws cited in California Vehicle Codes 21754 and 21755. Then planners recommended that other signage be installed to warn drivers on the southbound side of Route 67 before the Airmail Lane curve ( SD 19.844) that the line of sight for vehicles turning left may be insufficient for approaching vehicles to make a safe stop behind them. Planning group members, however, stopped short of recommending the speed limit be reduced from 55 mph to 45 mph on the stretch of road from Cloudy Moon Drive to Mussey Grade Road. With only 10 planning group members present, the vote was evenly split 5-5. At least 8 votes are required for approval.
(Source: San Diego Union Tribune, 12/13/2017)

In November 2022, it was reported that Caltrans officials feel that a traffic signal is needed at the intersection of Route 67 and Mussey Grade Road, the site of two fatal accidents in 2022. A project such as this typically takes several years to complete, but Caltrans is working to implement it sooner. Caltrans estimates the traffic signal would cost $1.5 million and is expected to be paid for by Caltrans. As a temporary measure at Mussey Grade, Caltrans plans to restripe and extend the existing lane markers as well as install the thin orange cones known as channelizers. The temporary delineating channelizers and striping will be done by Caltrans maintenance crews separately from the Route 67 Pavement Rehabilitation Project. The Mussey Grade Road Alliance, a 501(c)(4) organization established in 1999 for the protection of the road and its surroundings, supports a traffic signal.
(Source: Ramona Sentinel, 11/8/2022)

In December 2018, the CTC authorized relinquishment of right of way in the county of San Diego (County) at Dye Road and Highland Valley Road (11-SD-67-PM 21.3), consisting of collateral facilities. The County, by letter dated May 7, 2018, agreed to waive the 90-day notice requirement and accept title upon relinquishment by the State.
(Source: December 2018 CTC Minutes, Agenda Item 2.3c)

Naming Naming

This is named the "San Vicente Freeway".

CHP Officer Christopher D. Lydon Memorial FreewayThe segment of this route between I-8 and Mapleview St. in Lakeside (~ SD R0.000 to SD R5.496) is named the "CHP Officer Christopher D. Lydon Memorial Freeway". It was named in memory of California Highway Patrol Officer Christopher D. Lydon, a dedicated officer, died in the line of duty at the age of 27 while attempting to apprehend a drunk driver on southbound Route 67 at Riverford Road in the town of Lakeside on June 5, 1998. Officer Lydon was involved in a solo vehicle traffic collision while attempting to apprehend that drunk driver, and sustained fatal injuries as a result of that collision. The errant driver was subsequently arrested and charged with drunk driving. Officer Lydon graduated from Poway High School in 1989 and immediately enlisted as a reservist in the United States Marines Corps. Lydon was called to active duty in November 1990, and served as a Humvee driver during Operation Desert Storm before being honorably discharged from active duty in August, 1991. Prior to joining the California Highway Patrol, Lydon attended San Diego State University graduating with a Bachelor's Degree in Public Administration in December, 1994, and subsequently graduated from the California Highway Patrol Academy on August 30, 1996. Named by Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 53, Resolution Chapter 88, signed 8/26/1999.
(Image sources: Find a Grave)

Ramona Historic ColonnadeThe segment of this route between Kalbaugh Street (~ SD 22.808) and 11th Street (~ SD 24.265) is designated as Ramona Historic Colonnade. This designation honors the community’s towering rows of eucalyptus trees. The more than 300 eucalyptus trees, most of them planted in 1909, make up one of the few remaining colonnades of its type in California. The State Historical Resources Commission unanimously approved placing the Ramona Main Street Colonnade on the National Register of Historic Places in August 2018. The designation was endorsed by the Ramona Community Planning Group, the Ramona Design Review Board, the Ramona Village Design Board and the Ramona Chamber of Commerce. The signage was requested by the Ramona Tree Trust in 2022. It is rare to have a national historic designation for a living entity. No other national designation exists for a live monument in San Diego County. The only other structure with signs in the county that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places is Chicano Park near Downtown San Diego.
(Source: Ramona Sentinel, 3/7/2023)

Historical Route Historical Route

The entirety of Route 67 is designated "Historic Highway Route 67". Route 67 originally followed an ancient Kumeyaay Native American trail through the eastern part of the County of San Diego to the Laguna Mountains that provided an efficient system of communication and trade among the Kumeyaay villages that existed along that route. This route was later catalogued by Spanish explorers, the regional owners of Mexican ranchos, and the United States military, who followed it up and over Mission Valley’s eastern rim and down into the El Cajon Valley. By 1872, the “Julian road,” as Route 67 was known back then, was used for stagecoaches. The road was realigned in 1885 in what was known as the Bernardo District onto private property, where it passed through farms and was buttressed with granite the greater part of the way, continuing through vineyards towards the town of Ramona. Not until 1876, when new commercial buildings, collectively known as “Knox’s Corners,” were built in El Cajon Valley by former Maine resident, Amaziah Knox, did the direction of the old trail begin to change in that area, with new roadways laid out in a traditional American grid pattern that would cover and eventually erase the original route. At the turn of the 20th Century, the historic road that became Route 67 also served as a railroad corridor for the San Diego, Cuyamaca, and Eastern Railroad from the City of San Diego through the City of El Cajon to the town of Foster, northeast of the town of Lakeside. This rail line was built in the 1880s to accommodate the state’s second gold rush and carried miners and goods from today’s San Diego Gaslamp District to and through Lemon Grove, La Mesa, and El Cajon Valley to Lakeside’s end-of-the-line Foster station. In 1896, a stagecoach line connected the terminus of the railroad line in the town of Foster to the town of Julian, and transported San Diego newspapers to the town of Ramona by 2:30 p.m. each day. In 1926, the County of San Diego declared the Julian road a county boulevard, meaning that vehicles were required to stop before entering the highway, and the road that became Route 67 was added to the state highway system in 1933, from the City of El Cajon to near the unincorporated community of Santa Ysabel. Route 67 begins today in the City of El Cajon at the interchange with I-8 near the Chase Avenue exit and runs north for approximately 24 miles to an intersection with Route 78 in the unincorporated community of Ramona, starting as the San Vicente Freeway before becoming an undivided highway in Lakeside. Route 67 is a significant transportation corridor with abundant natural, cultural, historic, and scenic qualities. It was named by Senate Concurrent Resolution 56, Resolution Chapter 177, 9/22/2017.

US Highway Shield ACR 123 (Resolution Chapter 104, 8/16/2006) designated segments of former U.S. Highway Route 80 in San Diego and Imperial Counties as Historic U.S. Highway Route 80, and requested the Department of Transportation to design and facilitate the posting of appropriate signs and take related actions in that regard. The resolution noted that US 80, largely parallel to current I-8, was a 180-mile highway spanning San Diego and Imperial Counties from San Diego Bay to the Colorado River, and played a major role in the development of this state during much of the 20th century. In 1909, California voters approved a statewide bond measure for road improvement purposes in the amount of $18 million, providing, among other things, funds to construct a road between San Diego and Imperial Counties, and their county seats of San Diego and El Centro. In 1915, a unique wood plank road was built over the Imperial Valley sand hills, resulting in a shorter route. In 1925, the federal government became involved in standardized highway route designations across the nation and even numbers were assigned to major highways running east and west, and odd numbers for highway running north and south. The numbering of highways proceeded in numerical order beginning in the north and east and continuing south and west, respectively, and, as a result, the routing along California's southern border was formally designated as US 80. This road, from San Diego to Tybee Island, Georgia, was adopted as US 80 on November 11, 1926. US 80 was the first ocean-to-ocean transcontinental highway to be completed, and portions of the route were known as the Bankhead, Broadway of America, Dixie, Lee, Old Spanish Trail, and Southern Transcontinental Highway.

Classified Landcaped Freeway Classified Landcaped Freeway

The following segments are designated as Classified Landscaped Freeway:

County Route Starting PM Ending PM
San Diego 67 R1.41 R2.33
San Diego 67 R0.01 R0.62

Exit Information Exit Information

Other WWW Links Other WWW Links

Freeway Freeway

[SHC 253.1] Entire route; constructed to freeway standards from Route 8 to Lakeside. Added to the Freeway and Expressway system in 1959.

Statistics Statistics

Overall statistics for Route 67:

Pre-1964 Legislative Route Pre-1964 Legislative Route

The route that became LRN 67 was first defined in 1921 by Chapter 836, which declared and established as a state highway "That certain highway beginning at the south abutment of a bridge across the Pajaro River (said bridge being 1.125 mi SE of Chittenden Station on the California Central RR) and continuing in a general SE-ly direction for approx 3.1 to a point on LRN 2 in the vicinity of the San Benito River Bridge, all lying in San Benito County..." In 1933, it was extended from [LRN 67] near Chittenden to the Coast Road near Watsonville. In 1935, it was codified into the highway code as:

"[LRN 2] near the San Benito River to [LRN 56] near Watsonville, passing near Chittenden"

This definition remained unchanged until the 1963 renumbering. This route was not signed in the 1934 numbering; it is present day Route 129.


Acronyms and Explanations:


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