State Route 39 (SR 39) is a state highway in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

that travels through

Orange Orange most often refers to: *Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis'' ** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower *Orange (colour), from the color of an orange, occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum * ...

and

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

counties. Its southern terminus is at Pacific Coast Highway ( SR 1), in

Huntington Beach Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County in Southern California, located southeast of Downtown Los Angeles. The city is named after American businessman Henry E. Huntington. The population was 198,711 during the 2020 census, maki ...

. SR 39's northern terminus is at

Islip Saddle Islip Saddle ( ) is a saddle and mountain pass in Los Angeles County, California, United States. It lies just west of Mount Islip in the San Gabriel Mountains at the intersection of State Route 2 and the northern terminus of State Route 39. It ...

Angeles Crest Highway The Angeles Crest Highway is a two-lane (one lane of travel in each direction) highway over the San Gabriel Mountains, in Los Angeles County, California. Its route is to/through the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument and the Angeles Nationa ...

( SR 2) in the

Angeles National Forest The Angeles National Forest (ANF) of the United States Forest Service, U.S. Forest Service is located in the San Gabriel Mountains and Sierra Pelona Mountains, primarily within Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County in southern Calif ...

, but its northernmost segment (including the connection with SR 2) has been closed to the public since 1978 due to a massive mud and rockslide. It would cost a total of $100 million USD to repair the road. Officially, the highway is broken into pieces. Caltrans has not adopted or signed the segment between

La Habra La Habra (archaic spelling of ''La Abra'', ) is a city in the northwestern corner of Orange County, California, United States. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 60,239. A related city, La Habra Heights, is located to the north of ...

and

West Covina West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some R ...

. Caltrans has also relinquished a portion of SR 39 in

Buena Park Buena Park (''Buena'', Spanish for "Good") is a city in Orange County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census its population was 84,034. It is the location of several tourist attractions, namely Knott's Berry Farm. It is about 12 mil ...

from Stanton Avenue in Buena Park to

Interstate 5 Interstate 5 (I-5) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific coast of the contiguous U.S. from Mexico to Canada. It travels through the states of Califor ...

in 2013, as well as those segments within the cities of

Azusa Azusa may refer to: Relating to California From a Native American language, likely Tongva ''Asuksagna:'' *Azusa, California, a city in the United States *Azusa Pacific University, a Christian-based institution in Azusa, California *Azusa Street Rev ...

by 2010,

Covina Covina is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, about east of downtown Los Angeles, in the San Gabriel Valley. The population was 51,268 according to the 2020 census, up from 47,796 at the 2010 census. The city's slogan, "On ...

by 2010, and

by 2013. Since 2001, a portion of SR 39 that runs through the city of Stanton has been considered for relinquishment to the city. If so, the portion that runs through the city of

Anaheim Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orange County, the 10th-most p ...

will still be state controlled. Major places of interest along SR 39 are

Knott's Berry Farm Knott's Berry Farm is a theme park located in Buena Park, California, owned and operated by Cedar Fair. In 2015, it was the twelfth-most-visited theme park in North America and averages approximately 4 million visitors per year. It features 40 ...

, an amusement park,

Adventure City Adventure City is an amusement park in Stanton, California, United States. Occupying an area of over , Adventure City is one of the smallest theme parks in California, and receives an average attendance of between 200,000 and 400,000 per year. ...

, another amusement park targeted for children, Huntington Beach, a local beach, a

Medieval Times In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

location, the Buena Park Auto Center, and the Westridge Golf Course in

Route description

SR 39 begins at SR 1 (Pacific Coast Highway) in

and runs north along Beach Boulevard to Whittier Boulevard in

, with the exception of the segment between the southern city limit of

and

, which was relinquished to the city in 2013. SR 39 then turns east along Whittier Boulevard to Harbor Boulevard, taking over a former segment of SR 72, while the remaining segment SR 72 remains on Whittier Boulevard west of Beach Boulevard. The segment from the Whittier–Harbor intersection to the

San Bernardino Freeway Interstate 10 (I-10) is a transcontinental Interstate Highway in the United States, stretching from Santa Monica, California to Jacksonville, Florida. The segment of I-10 in California runs east from Santa Monica through Los Angeles, San Bernar ...

(

Interstate 10 Interstate 10 (I-10) is the southernmost cross-country highway in the American Interstate Highway System. I-10 is the fourth-longest Interstate in the United States at , following I-90, I-80, and I-40. This freeway is part of the originally pl ...

) in

is not officially designated by Caltrans (as indicated by an "END 39" sign at the Whittier–Harbor intersection). Under California Streets and Highways Code § 339 (d), the traversable route takes SR 39 along Harbor Boulevard north, Fullerton Road north, and then Colima Road west to Azusa Avenue in

Hacienda Heights Hacienda Heights () is an unincorporated suburban community in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, the community had a total population of 54,038, up from 53,122 at the 2000 census. For statistical purposes, the ...

. SR 39 would then continue north on Azusa Avenue through the

City of Industry City of Industry is a city in the San Gabriel Valley, in eastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. The city is almost entirely industrial, containing over 3,000 businesses employing 67,000 people, with only 264 residents as of t ...

to Interstate 10. Adopted SR 39 then resumes and signs for SR 39 appear on Azusa Avenue from its junction with Interstate 10 in West Covina, and through

to First Street in the city of

just north of Interstate 210. The route then runs as a

couplet A couplet is a pair of successive lines of metre in poetry. A couplet usually consists of two successive lines that rhyme and have the same metre. A couplet may be formal (closed) or run-on (open). In a formal (or closed) couplet, each of the ...

(composed of two one-way streets), with northbound traffic on Azusa Avenue, and southbound traffic on San Gabriel Avenue, to Sierra Madre Avenue where the two one-way streets converge to form San Gabriel Canyon Road. Although relinquished in the cities of West Covina, Covina, and Azusa, SR 39 shields remain on this segment of the highway. State maintenance of SR 39 begins again along San Gabriel Canyon Road at the north limit of Azusa. The highway winds through the

San Gabriel Mountains The San Gabriel Mountains ( es, Sierra de San Gabriel) are a mountain range located in northern Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County and western San Bernardino County, California, United States. The mountain range is part of the Tr ...

in the

for until it reaches a gate barring the road north of Crystal Lake Road in the Crystal Lake Recreation Area. The last few miles of the route, including the connection to SR 2, are closed to public highway traffic, as the roadbed has been closed since 1978, due to major rock slides that year and again in 2005 which damaged more of the remaining roadbed. Although

Google Maps Google Maps is a web mapping platform and consumer application offered by Google. It offers satellite imagery, aerial photography, street maps, 360° interactive panoramic views of streets ( Street View), real-time traffic conditions, and rou ...

and other mapping services may list this section of the road as an "available" route to connect to SR 2, this section actually remains closed. A replacement of the section north of

East Fork Road East Fork Road, located in the San Gabriel Mountains above the city of Azusa, California, is a road that gives access from State Route 39 into East Fork and other small townships, including Camp Williams, and Julius Klein Conservation Fire Camp ...

, in the next canyon to the east, was partly built in 1936 and 1961, but was never completed. The section includes one bridge and two tunnels; it was never used by automobile or truck traffic. In one local hiking guide the section is identified as the "Road to Nowhere" and the "Convict Road", although the official name is the Shoemaker Road and was planned to be an escape route in times of nuclear warfare. A ca. 1967 replacement, much closer to the existing alignment, was also stopped prematurely, and so the middle of the segment between East Fork Road and the closure gate, with its many

hairpin curve A hairpin turn (also hairpin bend or hairpin corner) is a bend in a road with a very acute inner angle, making it necessary for an oncoming vehicle to turn about 180° to continue on the road. It is named for its resemblance to a bent metal hai ...

s, still exists. SR 39 is part of the

California Freeway and Expressway System The California Freeway and Expressway System is a system of existing or planned freeways and expressways in the U.S. state of California. It encompasses both State highways and federal highways in California. It is defined by Article 2 (commenci ...

, and the urban portions of SR 39 are part of the National Highway System, a network of highways that are considered essential to the country's economy, defense, and mobility by the

Federal Highway Administration The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two programs, the Federal-aid Highway Program a ...

. SR 39 is eligible for the State Scenic Highway System, but it is not officially designated as a scenic highway by the

California Department of Transportation The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is an executive department of the U.S. state of California. The department is part of the cabinet-level California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA). Caltrans is headquartered in Sacrame ...

History

La Habra to West Covina connection

Although defined to be a continuous route in the California Streets and Highway Code, the segment from Whittier Boulevard in

is not officially adopted or signed by

Caltrans The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is an Executive (government), executive department of the U.S. state of California. The department is part of the Government of California#State agencies, cabinet-level California State Tran ...

. This is indicated at the intersection of Whittier Boulevard and Harbor Boulevard, where an "END 39" sign appears. Prior to the present before reaching Harbor Boulevard, SR 39 continued north from Whittier Boulevard along Hacienda Road to the Los Angeles/Orange County line then north on Hacienda Boulevard and Glendora Avenue to US 60, 70, and 99 (

Garvey Avenue Garvey Avenue is a west-east thoroughfare in the San Gabriel Valley. It is named after Richard Garvey Sr., a former postal horse rider and ranch owner who donated part of his land to create the thoroughfare, which became an important link between L ...

, now

) in West Covina. It then continued east with US 60, 70, and 99 to Azusa Avenue where it turned north to follow the present alignment as described beginning in the fourth paragraph of the preceding section. The Hacienda Glendora segment can still be seen as Route 39 on some maps. Prior to 1991, Harbor Boulevard became Fullerton Road northbound from the Los Angeles/Orange County Line, through the Puente Hills as a one-lane winding road into Rowland Heights. However, due to complaints of nearby residents due to the increased volume of traffic, a straighter, wider stub was built slightly to the east, and was named Harbor Boulevard. This route is under consideration to become part of SR 39 to complete the gap. The new Harbor Boulevard was opened to the public early in 1992, and is now the primary corridor between Orange County and Rowland Heights, although the original winding Fullerton Road segment still exists as a strictly residential street. The definition of Route 39 in the California Streets and Highway Code was thus changed accordingly, and the traversable route to fill the Route 39 gap would be via Harbor Boulevard north, Fullerton Road north, and then Colima Road west to Azusa Avenue in

. Route 39 would then continue north on Azusa Avenue through the

to Interstate 10 in West Covina. This segment however has yet to be officially designated by Caltrans.

Closed northern segment to Islip Saddle

The northernmost stretch of SR 39, from Snow Springs north of

to SR 2 at

, has been closed to public vehicle traffic since 1978 due to a massive mud and rockslide. While the road is passable to emergency vehicles for the entire closed length, sections near reoccurring rock slides have become narrow dirt roads which are not suitable for passenger vehicles. According to

officials, it will take three years to complete the repairs. People heading to nearby

Mount Waterman Mount Waterman is a ski area on Waterman Mountain in the San Gabriel Mountains of the Angeles National Forest in Los Angeles County, California. The area is located on California State Route 2, the Angeles Crest Highway, and reaches a height ...

must instead travel west to

Pasadena Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commercial district. Its ...

and join SR 2 in

La Cañada Flintridge LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note * "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figure ...

- a nearly two-hour trip. Reopening SR 39 would cut the drive-time to the Waterman ski area in half and shorten the trip east to

Wrightwood Wrightwood is a census-designated place in San Bernardino County, California. It sits at an elevation of . The population was 4,525 at the 2010 census, up from the population of 3,837 at the 2000 census. Wrightwood is located northeast of Lo ...

. The segment was opened to emergency crews in February 2003 after a Caltrans study showed reopening it would not harm wetlands, air and water quality, natural vegetation or threatened plants and animals. On July 10, 2006, the ''

Pasadena Star-News The ''Pasadena Star-News'' is a paid local daily newspaper for the greater Pasadena, California area. The Pasadena ''Star-News'' is a member of Southern California News Group (formerly the Los Angeles Newspaper Group), since 1996. It is also part ...

'' reported that the state provided funding for an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) in June 2006 to assess the feasibility of reopening the highway in the

. According to the Caltrans District Seve
"Inside Seven"
newsletter, work was to continue through 2009 and 2010 on reconstruction and installation of features to prevent future slides from damaging the roadway: However, due to budgetary issues, by 2012 Caltrans was instead trying to transfer responsibility for the entirety of SR 39 north of postmile LA 17.81 (including the closed section) to either the

U.S. Forest Service The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands. The Forest Service manages of land. Major divisions of the agency in ...

Los Angeles County Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles, and sometimes abbreviated as L.A. County, is the most populous county in the United States and in the U.S. state of California, with 9,861,224 residents estimated as of 2022. It is the ...

, both of which declined, also for financial reasons, even though both the USFS and the county deem the route "essential". Abandoning the route would also not be cost-effective for Caltrans due, among other reasons, to federal environmental restoration requirements related to the presence of

bighorn sheep The bighorn sheep (''Ovis canadensis'') is a species of sheep native to North America. It is named for its large horns. A pair of horns might weigh up to ; the sheep typically weigh up to . Recent genetic testing indicates three distinct subspec ...

. The proposal was abandoned after opposition by local residents and the county, as well as substantial legal pressure by the Forest Service, who threatened to enforce an old contract that requires Caltrans to completely deconstruct the highway should it refuse to maintain it. There are proposals to move the closed gate north two miles to a popular trailhead. On December 15, 2022, Caltrans held a meeting to consider several proposed plans to reopen SR 39. Proposals include a full restoration, minimal restoration for emergency services, a single-lane road, or recreational use. Under the recreational use proposal, the restored route would be closed to general traffic, but would allow for hiking, biking, and other recreational activities.

Major intersections

References

External links

{{commonscat
California @ AARoads.com - State Route 39

Caltrans: Route 39 highway conditions

Michael Ballard on SR 39

SR 39 EIR

039 39 may refer to: * 39 (number), the natural number following 38 and preceding 40 * one of the years: ** 39 BC ** AD 39 ** 1939 ** 2039 * ''39'' (album), a 2000 studio album by Mikuni Shimokawa * "'39", a 1975 song by Queen * "Thirty Nine", a song ...

State Route 039 State Route 039 Angeles National Forest Anaheim, California Azusa, California Buena Park, California Covina, California Fullerton, California Garden Grove, California Huntington Beach, California La Habra, California La Mirada, California Stanton, California Westminster, California West Covina, California