Former California 274 was Balboa Avenue, entirely within the City of San Diego, between Interstate 5 and Interstate 15 through Pacific Beach, Clairemont Mesa, and Kearny Mesa. It was decommissioned in May 2001. As of August 2003, California 274 remained as a signed route, but only a few signs on intersecting freeway routes remained by June 2007. All of the reassurance shields along the route are gone.
History
Around 1971. California 274 commissioned.
February 24, 1998. Parts of the California 274, Interstate 15, and Murphy Canyon Road interchange complex swallowed by an El Ni¤o sinkhole. This sinkhole, which was centered near the ramp from eastbound California 274 to southbound Interstate 15, measured 550 feet long. In addition to highway damage, underground utilities were also ruined. A clogged storm drain during a heavy rainstorm caused the sinkhole. Rushing water from the storm drain undermined the soil beneath the entrance ramp.
May 5, 1998. Balboa Avenue reopened for the first time since February floods, allowing Tierrasanta residents direct access to the Kearny Mesa area.
May 30, 1998. Interchange between Interstate 15 and California 274 reopened.
August 22, 1998. Final utility and interchange repair work completed. Murphy Canyon Road reopened for first time since February, to the delight of San Diego Chargers officials (the practice field for the Chargers lies just south of the interchange). Caltrans announces plans for over $600,000 in landscaping for the interchange and surrounding area.
Summer 1999. California 274 decommissioned in the state legislative books, but route remains signed.
May 2001. The San Diego City Council votes to accept California 274 (and California 209) into the city's street inventory, thus ending California 274 as a state route. However, signs remain as of October 2002 and were largely gone by 2006.
California 274 East
Through Tecolote Canyon, California 274 assumes the appearance of an expressway between Clairemont Drive and Genesee Avenue. This portion of Balboa Avenue is undeveloped, as this canyon is dedicated open space/parkland. The state route was repaved in preparation for the relinquishment of Balboa Avenue to the city. Most streets maintained by the City of San Diego do not use Botts Dots; the use of Botts Dots on the California 274 expressway through Tecolote Canyon clearly shows that the road was built to Caltrans rather than City standards. This section of California 274 was improved in 1998-1999. The California 905 expressway along Otay Mesa Road was also improved to state standards in 1999-2000 even though the road was upgraded by City forces. Now the California 905 expressway is maintained by the state. Photo taken 08/99.
Eastbound California 274 at Junction California 163. From here, California 274 continues along Balboa Avenue, while California 163 provides a freeway connection to the northern reaches of the city of San Diego and to downtown San Diego. Photo taken 09/30/00.
East of California 163, California 274/Balboa Avenue passes through the community of Kearny Mesa, which contains several major business parks and related facilities. Several large employers are housed in the somewhat comparable and similar buildings that are spread for several miles in this area. This picture was taken along eastbound. Photo taken 09/30/00.
The section of California 274 adjacent to Interstate 15 was reconstructed during the late 1990s. Some of this work was required as a result of a failed storm drain that created a sinkhole in the vicinity of the Interstate 15/California 274 interchange, and the other work was performed in preparation for the relinquishment of this route to the city of San Diego. Photo taken 09/30/00.
Eastbound California 274 approaching Junction Interstate 15. This is the last eastbound reassurance shield; the next shield marks the eastern terminus of the state route. Photo taken 09/30/00.
Eastbound California 274 approaching Junction Interstate 15. Although a portion of this interchange was built with clover ramps, a flyover ramp (visible in the background) connects northbound Interstate 15 with westbound California 274. Photo taken 09/30/00.
End California 274 eastbound after the Interstate 15 interchange. Balboa Avenue changes into Tierrasanta Boulevard at this point. Photo taken 09/30/00.
Located along westbound California 274, this milepost marker is located just east of the Viewridge Avenue traffic signal. It is a little less than six miles from this milepost west to the other end of the state route at Junction Interstate 5 in Pacific Beach. Photo taken 09/30/00.
California 274 West
First shield along westbound after the Interstate 15 interchange. Photo taken 09/30/00.
Westbound California 274 transition ramp to southbound Interstate 15. Photo taken 08/99.
Signage for Southbound Interstate 15 from Westbound California 274. The flyover ramp from northbound Interstate 15 to westbound California 274 is visible at the bottom of the picture. The right lane becomes an exit only from California 274 westbound onto Interstate 15 southbound. The voluminous El Nino rains of 1997 backed up a Caltrans storm drain, which in turn caused a sinkhole on the southwest quadrant of this interchange, causing sections of California 274 and ramps connecting it with Interstate 15 to collapse into the saturated ground. The sinkhole and road repair took over six months to complete. Photo taken 09/30/00.
This begin California 274 shield assembly was located just east of the Interstate 15/California 274 interchange. This shield assembly was placed right around the same time that the city of San Diego took over ownership of this route, so it is sad to see a good shield assembly marking the beginning of the route be removed once the conversion from state to city is complete. The signs are now gone. Photos taken 09/30/00.
