California Highways: 
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Routing
A portion of the former Redwood Highway through and connecting a number of state park
units, from Route 101 near the Sylvandale interchange to Route 101 south
of Stafford.
Post 1964 Signage HistoryThis route was added in 1963 by Chapter 890 as “the Avenue of the Giants, comprising a portion of the former Redwood Highway through and connecting a number of state parks, from Route 101 near the Sylvandale interchange to Route 101 near the Redcrest interchange.” A duplication section defining this was added by 1963 Chapter 901, but repealed by 1965 Chapter 155. Note that these chapters also added this route as LRN 296, but that definition did not take effect.
In 1967, Chapter 1331 extended the definition: “the Avenue of the
Giants, comprising a portion of the former Redwood Highway through and
connecting a number of state parks, from Route 101 near the Sylvandale
interchange to Route 101 near the Redcrest interchange one-tenth
of a mile north of Jordan Creek.” This change added the
portion from the Redcrest interchange to one-tenth of a mile north of
Jordan Creek.
In 1968, Chapter 282 relaxed the definition: “the Avenue of the
Giants, comprising a portion of the former Redwood Highway through and
connecting a number of state parks, from Route 101 near the Sylvandale
interchange to Route 101 one-tenth of a mile north of
Jordan Creek.
In 1990, Chapter 1187 clarified the definition: “the Avenue of the Giants, comprising a portion of the former Redwood Highway through and connecting a number of state park units, from Route 101 near the Sylvandale interchange to one-tenth of a mile north of Jordan Creek south of Stafford.” This change added the portion from one-tenth mile north of Jordan Creek to Route 101 south of Stafford.
In 1992, Chapter 1243 relaxed the definition: “the Avenue of the
Giants, comprising a portion of the former Redwood Highway through and
connecting a number of state park units, from Route 101 near the
Sylvandale interchange to Route 101 one-tenth of a mile
north of Jordan Creek south of Stafford.”
This route is a former segment of US-101 that has been bypassed by freeway.
Pre 1964 Signage HistoryThis was part of LRN 1, defined in 1909.
The Gribblenation Blog "California State Route 254; Avenue of the Giants and former US Route 101" provides more details on this segment. The following is condensed from that presentation:
The July 1916 California Highway Bulletin discusses the construction of 14 miles of the Redwood Highway/LRN 1 from Miranda north to Dyerville. This segment of the Redwood Highway would in decades become part of Route 254/Avenue of the Giants. When US 101 was designated in 1926, it was largely planned to follow the Redwood Highway south from Crescent City towards San Francisco, and US 101 appears on the 1925 Rand McNally Map of California as being routed over the Redwood Highway of Humboldt County. The July 1931 California Highways & Public Works announced the purchase of Coastal Redwoods by the Save the Redwoods League from the Bull Creek and Dyerville Groves which were to be incorporated into Humboldt Redwoods State Park. Humboldt Redwoods State Park had been established previously in 1921. US 101 was stable for many years, modulo storm damage. The March/April 1957 California Highways & Public Works discusses the modernization of US 101/LRN 1 in Humboldt County. The first segment of the Redwood Freeway slated to be constructed was a segment from Englewood south to the vicinity of Dyerville. The Redwood Freeway was planned to continue south from Dyerville to the Mendocino County Line.
By 1959, it was reported that the "Redwood Parks Freeway" recently had a second segment completed from Myers Flat 7.5 miles north to the vicinity of Dyerville. This second segment of the Redwood Parks Freeway connected with the first completed segment that continued another 4.4 miles northward. The recently bypassed portions of US 101 from Myers Flat to the vicinity of Englewood were retained under State Control as a spur of LRN 1, and would form the basis for Avenue of the Giants. In 1960, it was announced that 25 miles of former US 101/LRN 1 north from Miranda would be maintained by the State Division of Parks and Beaches as Avenue of the Giants. Avenue of the Giants was announced on August 27th, 1960 by then Governor Edmund G. Brown. In 1963, Avenue of the Giants was added formally to the State Highway System by Chapter 890 which was duplicated by Chapter 901. Avenue of the Giants was assigned LRN 296, which was replaced by Route 254 for the 1964 Highway Renumbering.
StatusIn August 2016, the CTC approved for future consideration of funding a project on Route 254 in Humboldt County that will upgrade the railings on four bridges on Route 254 near Humboldt Redwoods State Park. Specifically, this project in Humboldt County will upgrade the railings on Ohman Creek Bridge (HUM 000.88), Elk Creek Bridge (HUM 010.43), Bridge Creek Bridge (HUM 010.80), and Bear Creek Bridge (HUM 043.02). The project is programmed in the 2014 State Highway Operation and Protection Program. The total programmed amount is $7,509,000 for capital and support. Construction is estimated to begin in Fiscal Year 2016-17. The scope, as described for the preferred alternative, is consistent with the project scope programmed by the Commission in the 2014 State Highway Operation and Protection Program.
In July 2010, the CTC vacated right of way in the county of Humboldt along Route 254 at 0.15 miles north of Trouble Lane near Miranda (~ HUM 6.585), consisting of highway right of way no longer needed for State highway purposes. The County of Humboldt was given a 90-day notice of intent to vacate, without protesting such action.
In August 2011, the CTC approved $729,000 in SHOPP funding to repair slipout and failed drainage facilities damaged by heavy rainfall near Redcrest, 1.7 miles north of South Fork Eel River Bridge and at 2.9 miles south of Bear Creek Bridge (~ HUM 022.34). They also approved $1,662,000 to reconstruct embankment, construct Tie- Back Slope Protection wall, repair drainage system and dewater and fill the voids in the roadway prism at 1 location to repair washed out embankment cause by heavy rain near Miranda, 0.6 mile south of Post Office.
Naming
This segment is named the "Avenue of the Giants". It was named by Assembly Concurrent Resolution 10 in 1960.
The highway is named for the Coast Redwoods that overshadow the road and
surround the area. The road winds alongside the scenic Eel River, and
connects several small towns such as Phillipsville, Miranda, Myers Flat,
Burlington, Weott, Englewood, Redcrest and Pepperwood. According to the Save the Redwoods League, "On August 27, 1960, Governor Edmund G. “Pat” Brown stood beside some of the tallest trees in the
world. His mission: to dedicate the “Avenue of the Giants
Parkway.” The 32-mile-long road was not new—it had been around
since the days when stagecoaches wended their way through these
spectacular redwoods 200 miles north of San Francisco. What was new was a
nearby high-speed highway, which made it possible for the old road to
become “a serene drive,” Brown said proudly, “where kids
and families can cross the road at will, where traffic moves at a far
slower pace than on the bypass which is just a few hundred feet
away.”" The road started in 1917, when Save the Redwoods League
founders John C. Merriam, Madison Grant, and Henry Fairfield Osborn visit
the site of what is now Humboldt Redwoods State Park. In 1918, the League
was founded; by 1920, with funds from private donors, including
Congressman William Kent and National Park Service Director Stephen
Mather, the League acquires the first redwood groves along what is now the
Avenue of the Giants Parkway. In 1921, the League and other civic groups
convince the state legislature to appropriate “$300,000 to establish
“Humboldt State Redwood Park" From 1926 on, the League and the state
slowly acquired more lands for the park, thanks to many donors and hard
work."
(Image source: The Bill Beaver Project)
Scenic Route[SHC 263.1] Entire route.
Blue Star Memorial HighwayThis route was designated as a "Blue Star Memorial Highway" by Assembly Concurrent Resolution 61, Chapter 61 in 1996.
Other WWW Links
StatisticsOverall statistics for Route 254:
Pre-1964 Legislative RouteIn 1959, Chapter 1062 defined LRN 254 as:
This was all signed as part of proposed Route 93.
© 1996-2020 Daniel P. Faigin.
Maintained by: Daniel P. Faigin
<webmaster@cahighways.org>.
Route 253
Route 255