California 67 is the Ramona Freeway from El Cajon into Santee and Lakeside. From Lakeside north to the unincorporated community of Ramona, California 67 is mostly a two-lane, somewhat mountainous route with occasional passing lanes and expressway segments. Proposals have been floated for converting California 67 between Lakeside and Ramona into an expressway for its entire length, and some have advocated merging California 67 and 125 into a single north-south freeway corridor north to California 78 west of Ramona, with a possible extension north to Interstate 15 near Rainbow or even to Interstate 10 near Redlands. However, any expansion or extension of California 67 is very controversial and is many years away from construction.
This freeway proposal for California 67 was publicly announced by Caltrans in May 2000. This bypass would go due north from California 67 at Archie Moore Road to California 78 near Bandy Canyon Road (about four miles east of the San Diego Wild Animal Park). This highway would be planned for sometime in the next 20 years, and it has not previously been in the San Diego Association of Governments (local planning agency) roads/highways plan. Many recent reports on the 67 corridor are now titled as 67/125, especially since the northerly extension of California 125 north through Poway is considered unlikely. A combined California 67/125 corridor would also serve as a trade route, providing another route to the international border that avoids most of metropolitan San Diego. It remains to be seen whether this proposal is accepted by the communities along the route.
Northbound California 67
Northbound Magnolia Street where it becomes California 67 at the Interstate 8 Junction. The first ramp is to Interstate 8 eastbound, following by a cloverleaf ramp onto Interstate 8 westbound. For a long time, this intersection was only a cloverleaf, but the later addition flyover ramps from eastbound Interstate 8 to Northbound California 67 and from southbound California 67 to westbound Interstate 8 changed the dynamic of the interchange. Photo taken 10/12/03.
After Magnolia changes into California 67, the second ramp of the cloverleaf interchange connects to Interstate 8 westbound. Photo taken 10/12/03.
Northbound California 67 at Junction Interstate 8 westbound. California 67 continues north to Santee, Lakeside, and Ramona, while Interstate 8 west leads to La Mesa and San Diego. Photo taken 10/12/03.
California 67 leaves Santee and enters unincorporated Lakeside before reaching Exit 4. Photo taken 10/12/03.
Northbound California 67 at Exit 4, Riverford Road. The Riverford Road exit is the first Lakeside exit. Photo taken 10/12/03.
The next exit along northbound is Exit 5, Wintergardens Boulevard, 0.75 mile. Photo taken 10/12/03.
Northbound California 67 reassurance shield between Exits 4 and 5. Photo taken 10/12/03.
Northbound California 67 at Exit 5, Lakeside/Winter Gardens. The sign was replaced in the early 2000s. Photo taken 10/12/03.
After passing Exit 5, the California 67 freeway prepares to convert to a conventional, two-lane highway for the remainder of its journey to Ramona. This yellow warning sign advises that the freeway ends in 0.75 mile; what it does not tell you is that the end features a traffic light at Mapleview Street that may cause back-ups onto the freeway. Photo taken 10/12/03.
Northbound California 67 approaching Exit 6, Mapleview Street. Okay, this is not really an interchange, and this "exit" marks the northern end of the freeway section. Photo taken 10/12/03.
Northbound California 67 at the end of the freeway section in Lakeside. This traffic signal is for Mapleview Street, Main Street, and Lake Jennings Park Road. Taking Lake Jennings Park Road east from here is a quick route to Interstate 8 eastbound. Photo taken 10/12/03.
Now a few miles north, this photo shows San Diego County Route S-4 (Poway Road) approach signage along Northbound California 67. County Route S-4 leads west and north into the city of Poway. Also at this intersection is a parking area for those who wish to climb Iron Mountain. A trail begins eastward along the same trajectory as County Route S-4, and it ascends the mountain in a somewhat circuitous manner. The view from the top of the mountain is fantastic, and one can see much of central San Diego from this vantage point. As for California 67 through this area, the highway frequently widens to include a passing lane, and at certain locations, the highway becomes an expressway, complete with jersey barrier separation and two lanes in each direction. Plans call for additional passing lanes and widening to occur along this stretch of California 67. Designated a safety corridor by Caltrans, California 67 has frequent collisions, some of them head-on, as a result of the frequent curves, heavy traffic, and high speeds. Some of the additional traffic may be attributed to the new backcountry Indian casinos that have been added to the landscape since the late 1990s. Photos taken 12/05/01.
Northbound California 67 ends at its junction with California 78 in Ramona. California 78 west leads toward San Pasqual Valley, the Wild Animal Park, and Escondido. Continuing straight, traffic is defaulted onto California 78 eastbound, which leads to Santa Ysabel (home of Dudley's Bakery) and Julian (known for its apple pie). Turning left at this intersection leads to southbound San Vicente Road, which is the original alignment of California 67. Although the road goes for several miles southbound, it ends at a private residence just north of San Vicente Reservoir. The rest of the original route was flooded over by the reservoir. Once the reservoir was complete, California 67 has to be realigned westward to its current path. Photo taken 06/06/99.
Southbound California 67
First mileage along Southbound California 67 in Ramona after the intersection with California 78. Photo taken 06/06/99.
First reassurance shield along Southbound California 67 in Ramona. Note the Lucky's grocery store sign partially obscured by a tree. This grocery chain was acquired by Albertson's around 2000. Photo taken 06/06/99.
Other California 67 Pictures
Begin Southbound California 67 trailblazer shield mounted on a signal mast arm as seen from northbound San Vicente Road at the California 67-California 78 intersection in Ramona. (This intersection is a bit skewed because California 67 actually leads due west from here, then turns south toward El Cajon.) Photo taken 06/06/99.
