U.S. Route 101 Turns One Hundred

Route 101 Joined the 1926 Highway System 🛣️

On 11 November 1926, AASHO approved the U.S. numbered highway system. Route 101 became the principal north–south U.S. route along the Pacific side of California, Oregon and Washington.

California’s Alignment Carries Historic Names 🌴

In Southern and Central California, sections follow or parallel historic corridors including El Camino Real. The highway reaches San Francisco and crosses the Golden Gate Bridge before continuing toward the redwood coast.

Redwoods and Olympic Landscapes Frame the Road 🌲

U.S. 101 serves areas around Redwood National and State Parks and loops around Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, where it is a main artery between communities and park destinations.

Interstate Five Took the Faster Inland Role 🧭

The route does not enter the largest cities in Oregon or Washington; Interstate 5 handles the more direct inland metropolitan corridor. Route 101 keeps the coast, forests and curves—proof that a centenarian road can still decline the shortest itinerary.

Sources

• Wikipedia featured-article feed
• Federal Highway Administration timeline
• National Park Service: Redwood Highway

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