State Route 174 (California)
Encyclopedia
State Route 174 is a state highway
in the U.S. state
of California
. The two-lane 13-mile (21 km) highway, added to the state highway system in 1933, connects Interstate 80 in Colfax
with SR 20/SR 49
in Grass Valley
, crossing the Bear River next to a 1924 concrete arch bridge
. The majority of the highway is eligible for the State Scenic Highway System
, but local residents have blocked its designation due to property rights concerns.
. Immediately after crossing I-80, the route turns right on Auburn Street and right again on Central Street, which bypasses downtown; a business route
follows Auburn Street, Grass Valley Street, and Main Street through downtown. SR 174 follows the old Lincoln Highway
(US 40) north out of downtown to Rollins Lake Road, where the present state highway turns northwest along the Colfax Highway. It then crosses the Bear River from Placer County
into Nevada County
on a 1987 bridge, with the old 1924 bridge preserved for non-motorized traffic. The land flattens out as SR 174 curves north and west through the Empire Mine State Historic Park
into Grass Valley
. Turning west on Colfax Avenue, the state highway passes under the SR 20/SR 49
freeway before ending just beyond at Auburn Street, the former surface routing of SR 49.
on September 29, 1931, and completed the work by mid-September 1932. The state legislature placed it on the state highway system in 1933 as an extension of the existing Nevada City
-Downieville
Route 25. In the 1964 renumbering, the highway received a signed designation, State Route 174.
Local residents created the Colfax Highway Association in 1967 at the Peardale
firehouse, about halfway between the two ends, in order to preserve the rural
nature of the road. When the 21-foot (6.5 m) wide 1924 concrete arch bridge
that took SR 174 across the Bear River on the county line was set for replacement in the late 1980s, the group successfully lobbied
to preserve it for non-motorized traffic. The association also pushed for Nevada County
's Gold Country Stage bus
service to add a route along the highway to Colfax, which was agreed to in late 1998 and still runs as Route 12, connecting downtown Grass Valley with Colfax's Amtrak station
. After a request by Nevada County in 1988, the state legislature designated the part of SR 174 in unincorporated
Nevada County (between the county line and the Grass Valley city limits) as eligible for the State Scenic Highway System
in 1991. In 1999, the Colfax Highway Association attempted to get the route officially declared a State Scenic Highway. They argued that the designation would "protect the scenic character and rural flavor of the highway". A newly-formed group, Concerned Citizens for 174, opposed the designation because it would restrict the property rights of residents along the highway, for instance requiring them to use "natural colors". The opposition was successful, and SR 174 remains eligible for State Scenic Highway status but is not a State Scenic Highway.
{| class=wikitable
!County
!Location
!Postmile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=4|Placer
PLA 0.00-2.88
|rowspan=3|Colfax
|0.00
| – Reno
, Sacramento
|Interchange
|-
|0.14
|
|
|-
|0.73
|
|
|-
|
|1.63
|Rollins Lake Road – Rollins Lake
|Former US 40 (Lincoln Highway
) east
|-
|rowspan=3|Nevada
NEV 0.00-10.22
|
|6.83
|Brunswick Road
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Grass Valley
|10.17
10.22
|
|Interchange; Auburn Street was former SR 49
|-
|10.22
|Neal Street
|Continuation beyond SR 20 / SR 49
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The two-lane 13-mile (21 km) highway, added to the state highway system in 1933, connects Interstate 80 in Colfax
Colfax, California
Colfax is a city in Placer County, California, at the crossroads of Interstate 80 and State Route 174. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,963 at the 2010 census...
with SR 20/SR 49
California State Route 49
State Route 49 is a north–south state highway in the U.S. state of California that passes through many historic mining communities of the 1849 California gold rush. Highway 49 is numbered after the "49ers", the waves of immigrants who swept into the area looking for gold, and a portion of it...
in Grass Valley
Grass Valley, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Grass Valley had a population of 12,860. The population density was 2,711.3 people per square mile . The racial makeup of Grass Valley was 11,493 White, 46 African American, 208 Native American, 188 Asian, 9 Pacific Islander, 419 from other...
, crossing the Bear River next to a 1924 concrete arch bridge
Arch bridge
An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side...
. The majority of the highway is eligible for the State Scenic Highway System
State Scenic Highway System (California)
The State Scenic Highway System is a list of highways, mainly state highways, that have been designated by the California Department of Transportation as scenic highways. The California State Legislature, primarily through Section 263 of the Streets and Highways Code, makes highways eligible for...
, but local residents have blocked its designation due to property rights concerns.
Route description
State Route 174 begins at exit 135 of I-80 in ColfaxColfax, California
Colfax is a city in Placer County, California, at the crossroads of Interstate 80 and State Route 174. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,963 at the 2010 census...
. Immediately after crossing I-80, the route turns right on Auburn Street and right again on Central Street, which bypasses downtown; a business route
Business route
A business route in the United States and Canada is a short special route connected to a parent numbered highway at its beginning, then routed through the central business district of a nearby city or town, and finally reconnecting with the same parent numbered highway again at its...
follows Auburn Street, Grass Valley Street, and Main Street through downtown. SR 174 follows the old Lincoln Highway
Lincoln Highway
The Lincoln Highway was the first road across the United States of America.Conceived and promoted by entrepreneur Carl G. Fisher, the Lincoln Highway spanned coast-to-coast from Times Square in New York City to Lincoln Park in San Francisco, originally through 13 states: New York, New Jersey,...
(US 40) north out of downtown to Rollins Lake Road, where the present state highway turns northwest along the Colfax Highway. It then crosses the Bear River from Placer County
Placer County, California
Placer County is a county located in both the Sacramento Valley and Sierra Nevada regions of the U.S. state of California, in what is known as the Gold Country. It stretches from the suburbs of Sacramento to Lake Tahoe and the Nevada border. Because of the expansion of the Greater Sacramento,...
into Nevada County
Nevada County, California
Nevada County is a county located in the Sierra Nevada of California, in the Mother Lode country. As of 2010 its population was 98,764. The county seat is Nevada City.-History:Nevada County was created in 1851 from parts of Yuba County....
on a 1987 bridge, with the old 1924 bridge preserved for non-motorized traffic. The land flattens out as SR 174 curves north and west through the Empire Mine State Historic Park
Empire Mine State Historic Park
Empire Mine State Historic Park is a state-protected mine and park in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Grass Valley, California. The Empire Mine is on the National Register of Historic Places and a federal Historic District. Since 1975, California State Parks has administered and maintained the mine...
into Grass Valley
Grass Valley, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Grass Valley had a population of 12,860. The population density was 2,711.3 people per square mile . The racial makeup of Grass Valley was 11,493 White, 46 African American, 208 Native American, 188 Asian, 9 Pacific Islander, 419 from other...
. Turning west on Colfax Avenue, the state highway passes under the SR 20/SR 49
California State Route 49
State Route 49 is a north–south state highway in the U.S. state of California that passes through many historic mining communities of the 1849 California gold rush. Highway 49 is numbered after the "49ers", the waves of immigrants who swept into the area looking for gold, and a portion of it...
freeway before ending just beyond at Auburn Street, the former surface routing of SR 49.
History
The Capital Construction Company began improving the county road between Colfax (on Route 37, signed as US 40) and Grass Valley (on Route 17) under contractContract
A contract is an agreement entered into by two parties or more with the intention of creating a legal obligation, which may have elements in writing. Contracts can be made orally. The remedy for breach of contract can be "damages" or compensation of money. In equity, the remedy can be specific...
on September 29, 1931, and completed the work by mid-September 1932. The state legislature placed it on the state highway system in 1933 as an extension of the existing Nevada City
Nevada City, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Nevada City had a population of 3,068. The population density was 1,399.7 people per square mile . The racial makeup of Nevada City was 2,837 White, 26 African American, 28 Native American, 46 Asian, 0 Pacific Islander, 40 from other races,...
-Downieville
Downieville, California
Downieville is a census-designated place in and the county seat of Sierra County, California, United States. Downieville sits at an elevation of...
Route 25. In the 1964 renumbering, the highway received a signed designation, State Route 174.
Local residents created the Colfax Highway Association in 1967 at the Peardale
Peardale, California
Peardale is an unincorporated community in Nevada County, California, United States, along State Route 174, southeast of Cedar Ridge, California and northwest of Chicago Park, California. Its elevation is above sea level....
firehouse, about halfway between the two ends, in order to preserve the rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
nature of the road. When the 21-foot (6.5 m) wide 1924 concrete arch bridge
Arch bridge
An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side...
that took SR 174 across the Bear River on the county line was set for replacement in the late 1980s, the group successfully lobbied
Lobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
to preserve it for non-motorized traffic. The association also pushed for Nevada County
Nevada County, California
Nevada County is a county located in the Sierra Nevada of California, in the Mother Lode country. As of 2010 its population was 98,764. The county seat is Nevada City.-History:Nevada County was created in 1851 from parts of Yuba County....
's Gold Country Stage bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
service to add a route along the highway to Colfax, which was agreed to in late 1998 and still runs as Route 12, connecting downtown Grass Valley with Colfax's Amtrak station
Colfax (Amtrak station)
Amtrak's Colfax Station is in Colfax, California. It is unstaffed. The station was built in 1905 by Southern Pacific Railroad and was restored in the early 21st Century...
. After a request by Nevada County in 1988, the state legislature designated the part of SR 174 in unincorporated
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
Nevada County (between the county line and the Grass Valley city limits) as eligible for the State Scenic Highway System
State Scenic Highway System (California)
The State Scenic Highway System is a list of highways, mainly state highways, that have been designated by the California Department of Transportation as scenic highways. The California State Legislature, primarily through Section 263 of the Streets and Highways Code, makes highways eligible for...
in 1991. In 1999, the Colfax Highway Association attempted to get the route officially declared a State Scenic Highway. They argued that the designation would "protect the scenic character and rural flavor of the highway". A newly-formed group, Concerned Citizens for 174, opposed the designation because it would restrict the property rights of residents along the highway, for instance requiring them to use "natural colors". The opposition was successful, and SR 174 remains eligible for State Scenic Highway status but is not a State Scenic Highway.
Major intersections
- Note: Except where prefixed with a letter, postmilesCalifornia postmileCalifornia uses a postmile system on all of its state highways, including U.S. Routes and Interstate Highways. The postmile markers indicate the distance a route travels through individual counties, as opposed to mile markers that indicate the distance traveled through a state.-Format:A postmile...
were measured in 1964, based on the alignment as it existed at that time, and do not necessarily reflect current mileage. The numbers reset at county lines; the start and end postmiles in each county are given in the county column.
{| class=wikitable
!County
!Location
!Postmile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=4|Placer
Placer County, California
Placer County is a county located in both the Sacramento Valley and Sierra Nevada regions of the U.S. state of California, in what is known as the Gold Country. It stretches from the suburbs of Sacramento to Lake Tahoe and the Nevada border. Because of the expansion of the Greater Sacramento,...
PLA 0.00-2.88
|rowspan=3|Colfax
Colfax, California
Colfax is a city in Placer County, California, at the crossroads of Interstate 80 and State Route 174. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,963 at the 2010 census...
|0.00
| – Reno
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
, Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
|Interchange
|-
|0.14
|
|
|-
|0.73
|
|
|-
|
|1.63
|Rollins Lake Road – Rollins Lake
|Former US 40 (Lincoln Highway
Lincoln Highway
The Lincoln Highway was the first road across the United States of America.Conceived and promoted by entrepreneur Carl G. Fisher, the Lincoln Highway spanned coast-to-coast from Times Square in New York City to Lincoln Park in San Francisco, originally through 13 states: New York, New Jersey,...
) east
|-
|rowspan=3|Nevada
Nevada County, California
Nevada County is a county located in the Sierra Nevada of California, in the Mother Lode country. As of 2010 its population was 98,764. The county seat is Nevada City.-History:Nevada County was created in 1851 from parts of Yuba County....
NEV 0.00-10.22
|
|6.83
|Brunswick Road
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Grass Valley
Grass Valley, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Grass Valley had a population of 12,860. The population density was 2,711.3 people per square mile . The racial makeup of Grass Valley was 11,493 White, 46 African American, 208 Native American, 188 Asian, 9 Pacific Islander, 419 from other...
|10.17
10.22
|
|Interchange; Auburn Street was former SR 49
California State Route 49
State Route 49 is a north–south state highway in the U.S. state of California that passes through many historic mining communities of the 1849 California gold rush. Highway 49 is numbered after the "49ers", the waves of immigrants who swept into the area looking for gold, and a portion of it...
|-
|10.22
|Neal Street
|Continuation beyond SR 20 / SR 49