California State Route 76
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| State Route 76 |
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| (CS&HC Section 376) | |||||||||||||
| Length: | 53 mi[1] (85 km) | ||||||||||||
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| Major junctions: |
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I-5  |
SD 0.00 | ||||||||||||
US-395  |
SD 17.0(?) | ||||||||||||
I-15  |
SD 17.26 | ||||||||||||
SR-79  |
SD 52.32 | ||||||||||||
| Major cities: | Oceanside, CA Bonsall, CA Pala, CA Pauma Valley, CA Henshaw, CA |
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State Route 76 is a 53 mile highway through northern San Diego County, California; the western eight miles are alternatively known as the "San Luis Rey Mission Expressway". State Route 76 begins at Interstate 5 in Oceanside, California. It quickly has an interchange with Interstate 5, then becomes a 4-lane expressway. For the next 7.7 miles to Melrose Drive it remains this way, much of this expressway having been built in 1996 and 1998. From Melrose Drive to Jeffries Ranch Road, a distance of 0.25 miles, the expressway narrows to two lanes. From Jeffries Ranch Road eastward CA-76 is a two-lane conventional highway; however, plans have been developed to expand CA-76 east of Jeffries Ranch Road as well as the tapered section between Melrose Drive and Jeffries Ranch Road.
CA-76 goes through Bonsall and intersects former U.S. Highway 395 and Interstate 15. CA-76 then goes through Pauma Valley and intersects San Diego County Route S16, the turnoff to the Pala Mission and Temecula; the south leg of San Diego County Route S6, the turnoff to Valley Center and Escondido; the north leg of San Diego County Route S6, the west approach to the Palomar Observatory and Palomar Mountain State Park; and San Diego County Route S7, the east approach to Palomar Mountain near the west end of Lake Henshaw. From San Diego County Route S7, Route 76 continues southeast 4.5 miles to State Route 79 at Morettis Junction, southeast of Lake Henshaw.
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[edit] History
Before 1994 all of CA-76 was a two-lane highway, running on Mission Avenue in Oceanside. A four lane expressway bypass of Oceanside was constructed beginning in 1994. The first four miles (from Interstate 5 to Mission Avenue east of Foussat Road) opened to traffic in 1996. The next stretch (from Mission Avenue to College Blvd.) opened in early 1999. The final stretch between College Blvd. and Jefferies Ranch Road was opened in late 1999. Because the expressway was constructed on top of Mission Avenue east of Old Grove Road, Mission Avenue was rerouted onto a new alignment that connected to Frazee Road. However, Mission Avenue is still fragmented today, and does not exist between Frazee Road and Jefferies Ranch Road, where the expressway ends.
CA-76 used to connect to US-395; however, the latter was decommissioned.
[edit] Future aspirations
There are plans to extend the expressway all the way to I-15; however, this may not happen until the late 2000's. The road east of Mission Road may be rerouted onto a new alignment. Because of the high level of traffic that goes between the 5 and the 15 (since the next major east-west route north of the 76 is State Route 74, and it is not suitable for trucks; the next route north is the very congested State Route 91), the expansion of CA-76 is badly needed. It is unlikely that the routing of CA-76 east of I-15 will be widened until 2020 or later.
[edit] State law
Legal Definition of Route 76: California Streets and Highways Code, Chapter 2, Article 3, Section 376
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Route 76 is part of the Freeway and Expressway System, as stated by section 253.5 of the California State Highway Code. |
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Route 76 is part of the Scenic Highway System, as stated by section 263.1 of the California State Highway Code. |
[edit] Notes
Lately this expressway has become dangerous, with signs being placed saying "Safe Driving on 76 Is No Accident".
The expressway part of this highway is also named for Tony Zeppetella, an Oceanside police officer killed in the line of duty.
