Old Highway 80 Photography Project

Old Highway 80 is a California photo project by T.M. Schultze dedicated to the U.S. Route in California. From 1926 to 1964, U.S. Route 80 was the Broadway of America, stretching from San Diego, California to Tybee Island near Augusta, Georgia.

Old Highway 80 In California

When I moved to San Diego, I discovered this road and learned that much of the road still exists today, even after it was decommissioned officially in 1964 and gradually replaced with the Interstate 8 Freeway.

This is my attempt to photographically chronicle the California section of the old road and some of the best road-based landmarks as they exist today from it’s Western terminus in San Diego to it’s approach into Yuma, Arizona.

I have used a variety of sources to compile my list of information, images, and stories of this historic highway. These include:

Numerous personal auto trips along all sections of the old road.
Google Maps (both standard and satellite views)
Historic Map Collection (mostly via eBay)
The Old US 80 Highway Traveler’s Guide, Phoenix to San Diego, by Eric J. Finley (ISBN 0-9652358-0-7)
The original Old Highway 80 Website, via the WWW Archive.

You can visit my regular website at www.tmschultze.com.

Old Highway 80 Project Pages

Old In-Ko-Pah Road
Photographed: 2017 Location: In-Ko-Pah Park, California This roadway likely pre-dates US Route 80 and may have originally been part of the Bankhead Highway. Old Highway 80 is routed next to this road which basically runs down a drainage bottom. This section collapsed at an old creek bridge. The replacement bridge along Old Highway 80 was built in 1932. Like the Jacumba Railway bridge that was built in 1931, this old section of road appears to have become obsolete through the rainy seasons.

Old Road Split
Photographed: 2013 Location: Mountain Springs, California The original route of Old Highway 80 through In-Ko-Pah Gorge, concrete still intact and looking spectacular. Interstate 8 crosses this road and the East-bound and West-bound lanes continue on either side of the road through separate canyons.

1931 Bridge
Photographed: 2013 Location: Jacumba Hot Springs, California This beautiful bridge was built in 1931 over the original Bankhead Highway bridge that was destroyed. Look in the background, and you will see telephone lines going through the original road that pre-dated US Route 80. The bridge is over the Arizona Eastern San Diego railway.

Old Road New Road
Photographed: 2013 Location: Mountain Springs, California At the cliff where the original US Route 80 roadcut ends with the Eastbound lanes of Interstate 8 heading down Myer Creek Canyon.

Reclaimed

Wildwood
Wildwood by T.M. Schultze Photographed: 2014 Location: Descanso, California

Los Terrinitos Cutoff
Photographed: 2013 Location: Descanso, California Before Old Highway 80 was built to veer north at a larger bridge over the Sweetwater River, this was the original path that probably included the Bankhead Highway. The current asphalt veers to the right to meet Wildwood Glen Lane, the long-time route of US Highway 80. You can still seen the concrete seams over the original road. It's now a driveway through private property, although as you can see, the telephone lines still continue in the original path.

Forgotten Bridge
Forgotten Bridge by T.M. Schultze Photographed: 2015 Location: Gila Bend, Arizona

Old Pine Valley Creek Bridge
Photographed: 2017 Location: Pine Valley, California This is the original U.S. Route 80 bridge over Pine Valley Creek. It was eventually bypassed and the modern Old Highway 80 bridge was recently rebuilt. This bridge appears to be on private property now and has limited access to both sides. It would be nice to get permission from the property owner to photograph it more extensively someday.