|
BARRETT
HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION 1954 One of the major projects
undertaken by Caltrans for improvements on Highway 94, was the 1.9 mile
stretch east of Barrett Café going up the hill that included construction
of the new Cottonwood bridge. This
project was completed in 1954. This stretch of road
started 1/8 mile east of Barrett to rejoin the older road three miles
farther east. The new section
eliminated 33 curves and two narrow bridges and replaced them with a
straighter right of way and the new bridge over Cottonwood Creek.
Note picture of new bridge under construction. This new stretch of highway saved time and provided a much
safer road for all traffic. This
is the road we currently use. It
probably has been widened, but is basically the same. When this project was
completed there was a 3 day celebration over Labor Day, September 3-6,
1954. There was a rodeo and
barbecue Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
The main event Sunday was a horse show at 10 a.m. with children
events following. At
that time there was a rodeo arena
across the road from Barrett Café - on the current Taylor Ranch.
This was used very frequently for rodeo events.
This celebration was
sponsored by the Highway 94 Club. The
main ribbon cutting ceremony was on Monday, Labor Day at 2 pm. with
E. E. Wallace, San Diego district engineer of the State Division of
Highways, doing the honors to open this new section of highway.
The dignitaries in attendance were: (1) Assemblyman Ralph Cloyed (R-Chula Vista);
Frank Jorgensen, assistant district engineer in charge of
operations; Carl
Renuls, resident engineer; Ben
Patterson, foreman of construction;
Edward Leonard, president of the Highway 94 Club;
Cmdr Sam Moore, past president of Highway 94 Club; Don Walker,
president Highway 80 Chamber of Commerce;
John Abbot, president Spring Valley Chamber of Commerce; representatives of San Diego County Highway
Development Associations. From
Baja California were Sosa y Silva, representing Gov. Braulio Maldonado and
Mayor Eufracio Santana
Sandoval of Tecate along with other guests from Mexico.
Jack Schrade, El Cajon, candidate for the 80th Assembly
District, was master of ceremonies. The Chula Vista Mounted
Police Color Guard, led by W. H. Snow, lead a parade from Barrett over the
old section of the road and to the site of the ceremony east of the new
bridge. This was quite a
celebration!! This was a major
undertaking for the time and a great improvement to Highway 94.
It not only improved the safety of the highway, but saved traveling
time and stress. While
driving along this road you can see how much rock and decomposed granite
had to be removed and taken away to canyons that were filled in.
At that time there was not the traffic there is today, even if you
exclude the trucks, and it was the only place safe to pass slow traffic
except for Daley stretch. Picture #34 Barrett Bridge construction #35 Barrett Road
opening. |
|