U.S. Route 466 (US 466) was an east–west United States highway. Though it reached a length of around 500 miles (805 km), the route was co-signed with other US routes for much of its length. When California deleted most of its U.S. Highways in the mid-1960s, including US 466 in 1964, there was no longer a need for the designation.
The route is known for being the highway on which actor James Dean died in a car accident on September 30, 1955, at the intersection of CA 41 near Cholame, California.
Route description
California
US 466 shield in California
US 466 began in Morro Bay, continuing to US 101 before turning north and following the path of today's SR 41 to Shandon in San Luis Obispo County. From there, US 466 followed the path of today's SR 46 east. At Famoso, US 466 joined US 99 and ran south to Bakersfield. From Bakersfield, U.S. Route 466 generally followed what is now the alignment of SR 58. Between Barstow, California and the Nevada line, the route followed the path of today's Interstate 15 and was co-signed with U.S. Route 91.
Directional colored shields found on US 466 in Arizona during the 1950s.
From the Nevada state line on Hoover Dam, U.S. Route 466 remained co-signed with US 93 as it headed southeast. At Grasshopper Junction, US 66 / US 466 served the western terminus of Arizona State Route 62 (SR 62), which was the main route connecting Chloride to the rest of the state highway system. The highway was also the eastern terminus of SR 68 at Coyote Pass, which headed west towards Bullhead City and Laughlin, Nevada. The highway reached its eastern terminus in Kingman, entering town on Beale Street, where it connected to U.S. Route 66 at Front Street (now Andy Devine Boulevard). US 93 continued past the terminus of US 466, running concurrent with US 66 east out of Kingman.[1]
On June 17, 1935, US 93 was extended from its southern terminus at US 91 north of Las Vegas to US 66 in Barstow, being co-signed with US 466 from its eastern terminus at Kingman, Arizona to the US 91 junction in Las Vegas, Nevada. This left the California segment of US 466 as the only section of the route not co-signed with another route.[6]
California decommissioned its section of US 466 during the 1964 state highway renumbering.[7] The California state legislature re-designated the stand alone section of US 466 between Morro Bay and Barstow as California State Route 46 (SR 46), SR 99 and SR 58 respectively.[8] On December 3, 1971, AASHTO approved a request from Arizona and Nevada to remove the US 466 entirely from both states, after which, the US 466 designation ceased to exist.[9]
^U.S. Route Numbering Committee (1933). [Report of the U.S. Route Numbering Committee to the Executive Committee](PDF) (Report). Washington, DC: American Association of State Highway Officials. p. 33. Retrieved June 20, 2023 – via Wikimedia Commons. U.S. 466, California. Beginning at an intersection with U.S. 66 at Barstow, via Majave (sic), Tehachapi, Bakersfield, Famosa, Wasco, Atascadero to Morro.
^U.S. Route Numbering Committee (1933). [Report of the U.S. Route Numbering Committee to the Executive Committee](PDF) (Report). Washington, DC: American Association of State Highway Officials. p. 34. Retrieved June 20, 2023 – via Wikimedia Commons. ARIZONA-NEVADA-CALIFORNIA. U.S. No. 466. ARIZONA, beginning at Kingman, via State Route 69 to Boulder Dam. NEVADA, beginning at Boulder Dam via State Route 26 west to a junction with U.S. Route 91 in Las Vegas, then via U.S. 91 to the California state line. CALIFORNIA, from the California state line on U.S. 91 thence over U.S. 91 to Barstow, thence via Mojave, Tehachapi, Bakersfield, Famosa, Wasco, Atascadero to Morro.
^"Hoover Dam". Bureau of Reclaimation. March 12, 2015. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
^U.S. Route Numbering Committee (1935). [Report of the U.S. Route Numbering Committee to the Executive Committee](PDF) (Report). Washington, DC: American Association of State Highway Officials. p. 39. Retrieved June 20, 2023 – via Wikimedia Commons. U.S. Route 93, Arizona. Paragraph 39 should be changed to read as follows: The request for an extension of U.S. 93 to Kingman, Arizona, was approved – it being the understanding that this route would be developed southeastward at the earliest opportunity. (Agenda to the Minutes of Executive Committee; June 17, 1935)
^U.S. Route Numbering Subcommittee (December 3, 1971). "U.S. Route Numbering Subcommittee Agenda" (Report). Washington, DC: American Association of State Highway Officials. p. 419. Retrieved June 20, 2023 – via Wikisource. Eliminate the U.S. 466 designation between the intersection of US 66 in Kingman, Arizona to the intersection of I-15 in Baker, California.
^"California, Nevada, and Arizona" (Map). Road Reference and Atlas (1947 ed.). Chicago: Rand McNally. pp. 20, 25, 60.
SR 1 in Morro Bay, CA (1935-1965)
US 66 in Kingman, AZ (1935-1969).svg)
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