News releaseĀ
A group of volunteers recently gathered to clear out culverts and drain spouts on the Old Ridge Route.
The historic Old Ridge Route was opened in 1915. It was the first paved road between Los Angeles and Bakersfield and credited for uniting a geologically divided California, the predecessor of todayās Interstate 5.
On Saturday, May 20, volunteers came ready with shovels, picks, shears and brooms to clear out culverts essential to the roadway. Winter storms put the historic road in danger of landslides and washouts. These culverts redirect water to protect the road surface and preserve the hillsides below.
The nonprofit Ridge Route Preservation Organization cleared six culverts in a stretch between Castaic and Gorman, currently closed to motorized vehicles. This stretch is on the National Register of Historic Places and contains experimental paving from the 1920s.
If you are interested in volunteering at a āClean Up the Ridge Routeā event and learning about this part of California history, visit RidgeRoute.org.


