California 70 is former U.S. 40 Alternate, starting at its junction with California 99 east of Woodland and heading northeast through the Feather River Canyon en route to meeting U.S. 395 at Hallelujah Junction. U.S. 40 Alternate existed between 1954 and 1964.
Southbound California 70
California 70 begins at the Exit 8 diamond interchange with U.S. 395 at Hallelujah Junction. Pictured here is California 70 westbound at the southbound on-ramp to U.S. 395 for Reno, Nevada. A local road (Larder Way) ties into the interchange from the east. Photo taken 09/09/05.
The first California 70 westbound reassurance marker, posted as the highway departs U.S. 395 on the six-mile drive to Chilcoot and junction California 284. Photo taken 09/09/05.
California 70 mileage sign listing the distances to Chilcoot, Quincy, and Oroville. The state highway meets the northern terminus of California 49 seven miles to the west at Vinton. California 49 travels southwest to Loyalton and Sierraville. Photo taken 09/09/05.
California 70 rises to 5,212 feet over Beckwourth Pass between Hallelujah Junction and Reno Junction. A railroad line passes underneath the highway on the incline. Photo taken 09/09/05.
The state highway enters Plumas County at Beckwourth Pass. California 70 reaches the southern terminus of California 284 1.5 miles west of the county line at Chilcoot. Photo taken 09/09/05.
Southbound California 70 approaching Oroville, which is located just over the rise ahead. These power lines transmit electricity from the dam that holds back Lake Oroville, located east of the freeway, to the electricity grid. Photo taken 01/20/03.
Southbound California 70 at Exit 49, Southbound Business California 70/Garden Drive, the first Oroville exit. Photo taken 01/20/03.
Southbound California 70 approaching Exit 48, Nelson Avenue/Grand Avenue, one-half mile. Photo taken 01/20/03.
Southbound California 70 at Exit 48, Nelson Avenue/Grand Avenue in Oroville. Photo taken 01/20/03.
Southbound California 70 approaching Exit 47, Montgomery Street, three-quarters of a mile. This sign should have both the street name and the destination city to make it easier to identify this exit. Photo taken 01/20/03.
Southbound California 70 approaching Exit 47, Montgomery Street, next right. Montgomery Street leads east to Business California 70 and Butte County Route B-2, which follows Oroville Dam Road to the dam impounding Lake Oroville. Photo taken 01/20/03.
Southbound California 70 at Exit 47, Montgomery Street. Photo taken 01/20/03.
Southbound California 70 approaching Exit 46, Junction California 162, Oroville Dam Boulevard. Taking California 162 eastbound will lead through Oroville to connect to Butte County Route B-2 as well as Quincy Highway, which crosses over Lake Oroville on a two-lane suspension bridge! California 162 ends at a point just north of the suspension bridge, but Quincy Highway continues as a county-maintained highway all the way to Quincy (and Junction California 70) via Bucks Lake Road. Photo taken 01/20/03.
Southbound California 70 approaching Exit 46, Junction California 162. California 162 westbound leads to California 99 and Interstate 5 at Willows. Richvale is located just north of California 162 west of California 99 along Richvale Highway. Photo taken 01/20/03.
Finally, an advance sign that includes a California 162 shield! This is on southbound approaching Exit 46, Junction California 162. This is also the southern terminus of the Oroville Business California 70. Photo taken 01/20/03.
The freeway along southbound California 70 ends after Exit 46/California 162, but there is ample room for future expansion of the highway to freeway or expressway standards. The first cross-street along southbound is Georgia Pacific Way/Pacific Heights Road. Photo taken 01/20/03.
Northbound California 70
Northbound California 70 approaching Exit 46, Business California 70 and Junction California 162 in Oroville. California 70 widens into a freeway here. Photo taken 01/20/03.
Northbound California 70 approaching Exit 46, Business California 70 and Junction California 162, next right. According to Warren Jensen on 12/17/03, "CalTrans has replaced all of this signage in town with updated bright green signs, as opposed to the old dull green signs shown. Exit numbers have been included for all exits. The approach to the Oro Dam interchange (California 162) from both directions now includes more advance signs for 162, but the size of the shield compared to the size of the text on these signs is miniscule!" Photo taken 01/20/03.
Northbound California 70 at Exit 46, Business California 70 and Junction California 162 in Oroville. Photo taken 01/20/03.
Northbound California 70 approaching Junction California 149 north. This major exit takes through traffic en route to Red Bluff and Redding to northbound California 99 and ultimately Interstate 5. Motorists en route to the Feather River Canyon and Paradise (via California 191) should continue straight ahead on northbound California 70. Photo taken 01/20/03.
Junction California 149 shield as seen along Northbound California 70. Photo taken 01/20/03.
Northbound California 70 at Junction California 149. Photo taken 01/20/03.
Now on the other side of Feather River Canyon and past Vinton (Junction California 49) way northeast of California 149, this photo shows northbound (eastbound) California 70 approaching Junction California 284, Frenchman Lake Road, in Chilcoot. California 284 leads north to Frenchman Lake; California 284 ends at the access road to the dam holding back the lake. Hooray for sunshine! Photo taken 01/19/03.
Northbound (eastbound) California 70 at Junction California 284, Frenchman Lake Road, in Chilcoot. This is one of only four California 284 shields in existence: one at each end of the highway itself, and one in each direction along California 70 (such as this one). Photo taken 01/19/03.
California 70 eastbound at the Lassen County line east of Chilcoot. The state highway ends 3.9 miles ahead at Hallelujah Junction. Photo taken 09/09/05.
Descending toward Hallelujah Junction from Beckwourth Pass (el. 5,212 ft) on California 70 east. The final reassurance shield lies ahead of the Beckwourth Pass Overhead, an underpass allowing a grade separation between California 70 and an adjacent railroad line. Photos taken 09/09/05.
Northbound (eastbound) California 70 approaching Junction U.S. 395 at Hallelujah Junction, one-quarter mile. California 70 is shielded as an east-west route through here; the transition from north-south to east-west likely occurs Paxton (Junction California 89 north). Photo taken 09/09/05.
Northbound (eastbound) California 70 ends at its junction with U.S. 395. U.S. 395 north leads to Susanville, while U.S. 395 south leads to Bordertown and Reno-Sparks in Nevada. The scenic route ends here as well. Photos taken 09/09/05.
California 70 eastbound enters the diamond interchange with U.S. 395 at Hallelujah Junction. U.S. 395 southbound crosses into Nevada in eight miles and meets junction Interstate 80 in 22 miles. Photo taken 09/09/05.
A button copy overhead directs motorists onto U.S. 395 northbound for Susanville. U.S. 395 skirts the eastern reaches of the state 19 miles north to Doyle before turning northwest to Honey Lake and Susanville. The federal highway travels a total of 197 miles between California 70 and the Oregon state line north of Alturas. Photo taken 09/09/05.
Northbound (eastbound) California 70 ends at the ramp to northbound U.S. 395 as evidenced by this second END shield. It is very uncommon for a route to have two end notifications in California such as the progression of signs along northbound (eastbound) California 70. Larder Way spurs east from the California 70 & U.S. 395 diamond interchange. Photo taken 09/09/05.
Business California 70, Oroville
View of the offramp from northbound California 70 onto Business California 70 and Junction California 162 at Exit 46 in Oroville. Photo taken 01/20/03.
Business California 70 and Junction California 162 shields in Oroville. Photos taken 01/20/03.
This error business loop shield mistakes California 70 for Interstate 70! This shield is located along southbound Business California 70 in downtown Oroville. According to Warren Jensen on 12/17/03, "the famous I-70 business shield in downtown Oroville was vandalized this year and the shield had to be replaced. Did they make a correct business California 70 shield? Nooooo. They ordered a brand new I-70 business shield!" Photo taken 01/20/03.
