Part 5 – Slow Traffic in the 1950s

L252-05-Herrington-Olson Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 132236cv, (Image 1 of 35)

Acknowledgements

L252-10-Acknowledgements, (Image 2 of 35)

This is part 5 of the series that began with four installments in the “Water and Agriculture” tab, and will now focus on roads.

L252-15-R.L. Copeland Photo, from the collection of the Moraga Historical Society, Moraga, CA , (Image 3 of 35)

This roadmap outlines the interdependence of the evolution of water delivery to road and railway creation, and ultimately the impact of population growth in Lamorinda. This update will focus on the increasing gridlock that followed the opening of the Caldecott Tunnel and the initial reconnaissance for a solution.

L252-20-Compiled by Stuart Swiedler, (Image 4 of 35)

This east view down a first road in the early part of the 20th century shows the unmistakeable outline of Mt. Diablo in the background.

L252-25-Eston Cheney Photo C503, Courtesy John Bosko, John Bosko Collection, (Image 5 of 35)

A detail of the previous east view indicates the entry into Lafayette, with the sign across the road indicating W.C. Thompson with the number 126 on the mailbox. That number on Mt. Diablo Blvd. in 2021 would place it between Happy Valley Rd. and Dewing Ave., of interest in an image to be shown later.

L252-30-Eston Cheney Photo C503, Courtesy John Bosko, John Bosko Collection, (Image 6 of 35)

The Nov. 18, 1934 Oakland Tribune reported the promise for growth in Orinda by the plans to complete the Broadway Low-level Tunnel, and the widening and straightening of Tunnel Road from the portal to Orinda Junction. Information related to the June 17, 1934 groundbreaking in Chabot Canyon is shown here from California Highways and Public Works.

L252-35-Copyright California Department of Transportation, (Image 7 of 35)

Completion of the project in the Dec. 1937 California Highways and Public Works is summarized on these panels …

L252-36-Copyright California Department of Transportation , (Image 8 of 35)

… and concluded here. Recommended reading and detailed images of the tunnel construction with explanations and other pertinent history can be found in “Building the Caldecott Tunnel” by Mary Solon and Mary McCosker.

L252-37-Copyright California Department of Transportation , (Image 9 of 35)

For historical context, the addition of the Kennedy Tunnel in 1903, left, provided a less steep and less total climb alternative to the established Telegraph Rd. route, renamed Claremont Ave. in 1913, reaching east via Fish Ranch Rd. and vice versa. The dangers connected with traveling through the tunnel itself were magnified in the pre-auto era, the oral history on the right, but the old tunnel was no match to the new Broadway tunnel in every aspect.

L252-40-Courtesy California Digital Newspaper Collection, l and Lafayette Historical Society, r, (Image 10 of 35)

A southwest view from 1932 of the approach to the old tunnel and Fish Ranch Rd. Several important landmarks will be detailed starting with the next image.

L252-42-Eston Cheney Photo D8945, Courtesy John Bosko, John Bosko Collection, (Image 11 of 35)

A southwest view of the old tunnel portal, yellow arrow, with the Canary Cottage, ex-Tunnel Inn, just to the east, and the location for the new tunnel portal, red arrow. Muir Sorrick wrote in “The History of Orinda, Gateway to Contra Costa County” that the old tunnel bore on the west side took ranch land that William Kennedy leased, the east side from the John Buckley Ranch, Buckley’s home on Fish Ranch Road.

L252-45-Eston Cheney Photo D8943, Courtesy John Bosko, John Bosko Collection, (Image 12 of 35)

A detail from the previous southwest view showing the joining of Tunnel Rd. and Fish Ranch Road, the Richfield gas station, and the Belleshire sign, red arrow.

L252-50-Eston Cheney Photo D8943, Courtesy John Bosko, John Bosko Collection, Detail, (Image 13 of 35)

The planned community of Belleshire on the unincorporated west flank of Orinda never got off the ground. No written histories were found for this project, but the Bancroft Library at UC Berkeley has additional images ca. 1920-1928, see BANC PIC 2006.063—PIC. Sorrick notes Fish Ranch Rd., seen here in a west view, derives its name from Oakland Trout Co.’s claim of 175 acres, there by 1872. A ranch, trout farm, and stage stop, managed by the Winslows.

L252-55-Eston Cheney Photo D8480, Courtesy John Bosko, John Bosko Collection , (Image 14 of 35)

Another west view up Fish Ranch Rd. where it met Tunnel Road from June 12, 1932. Although the eminent domain documents have not been found, all of this would have to be eliminated for the new tunnel portal and road.

L252-60-Eston Cheney Photo, D8965A, Courtesy John Bosko, John Bosko Collection , (Image 15 of 35)

The road up to Walnut Creek seen here in an east view approaching that town ca. 1920 shows a two-lane paved road as well, with the majority of land agricultural in nature.

L252-62-Eston Cheney Photo C511, Courtesy John Bosko, John Bosko Collection, (Image 16 of 35)

Ahead now to Nov. 1, 1943, the new tunnel has been in place since the end of 1937, and the road between Orinda and Lafayette was widened to four lanes.

L252-65-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 945-8 , (Image 17 of 35)

A west view, also from Nov. 1, 1943, of the road in Orinda widened to four lanes.

L252-70-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 945-6, (Image 18 of 35)

Next to the Orinda Crossroads or Bryant Corners, named after SF Mayor Andrew Jackson Bryant, who owned land here, Nov. 1, 1943, east view.

L252-75-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 945 , (Image 19 of 35)

Further east, the repaved road on Nov. 1, 1943.

L252-80-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 945-2, (Image 20 of 35)

The last in this sequence, further east Mt. Diablo is now in view, Nov. 1, 1943.

L252-85-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 945-3 , (Image 21 of 35)

Back to the Orinda Crossroads, ahead to Oct. 1946, for a comparison in the next panel using the enclosed area.

L252-90-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 1175-6 , (Image 22 of 35)

A comparison of 1943 to 1946 at the Crossroads. Muir Sorrick’s comments will be the source of the details that follow.

L252-95-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 1175-6, l , 945, r , (Image 23 of 35)

On the north side, Harry Craviotto set up shop in the late 1930s next to Gus Reuter’s X-Roads restaurant, the latter from 1932. Craviotto’s Market was sold to the Bradley Family in 1943, and it became Bradley’s Cash Market. The building was moved in 1951 to Brookwood Rd. at the little bridge by the Willows Restaurant. The market continued until Aug. 2, 1953, when the Division of Highways took over the property.

L252-100-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 1175-6, l , 945, r , (Image 24 of 35)

On the south side, Fred T. Wood started a home construction business in 1936, and built the Moraga Hills building on the southeast corner next to his office in 1941. After obtaining the property on the southwest side, Anthony Cianciarulo built a building in 1939 where the Casa Orinda Restaurant originally opened. In 1942, Casa Orinda moved to the new building as shown. Their vacated spot became Rambeau’s Hacienda.

L252-105-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 1175-6, l , 945, r , (Image 25 of 35)

In 1953-1954, construction of a six-lane freeway for 1 mile with a cloverleaf interchanges was begun. Moraga Highway would become Moraga Way. Over the next several years all the businesses on the village or north side of the freeway would be gone. The Orinda Crossroads was no more. South view, Jan. 22, 1953

L252-110-R.L. Copeland Photo, from the Collection of the Moraga Historical Society, Moraga, CA, 10, (Image 26 of 35)

Placing a six-lane freeway along the blue line meant dividing Orinda in half and eliminating Tunnel Rd., but owing to its history, the town would flourish. The Orinda Theater, red arrow, was built in 1941 by Donald Rheem, who bought land in area in 1936. A detail of the south view, Jan. 22, 1953.

L252-115-R.L. Copeland Photo, from the Collection of the Moraga Historical Society, Moraga, CA, 10 D, (Image 27 of 35)

Just as all this construction was beginning, the Division of Highways took a number of images on Mar. 25, 1953 during the late afternoon rush hour period between the tunnel and Walnut Creek to illustrate the increase in auto traffic on what was then called Rt. 75. The two views were taken 0.5 miles west of the Orinda Crossroads.

L252-120-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 3334-5, l, 3334-6, r , (Image 28 of 35)

These two views from Mar. 25, 1953 were taken between the Orinda Crossroads and downtown Lafayette.

L252-125-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 3334-2, l, 3334-1, r , (Image 29 of 35)

This image from Mar. 25, 1953 was taken just west of Dewing Ave. based on the location of Lafayette Seafood Grotto at 3338 Mt. Diablo Blvd. Recall the location of the image in L252-30.

L252-130-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 3334-3, (Image 30 of 35)

This image from Mar. 25, 1953 was taken just west of Hampton Rd., based on the location of Valgo Pet Shop and Kennels at 3606 Mt. Diablo Blvd. The sign for that business can be seen in the middle, left or north side of road.

L252-135-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 3334-4, (Image 31 of 35)

This image from Mar. 25, 1953 was taken just east of the Valgo Pet Shop and Kennels sign in the previous image, and shows Wagner and McKay Window Shades at 3330 Mt. Diablo Blvd. After reviewing these several images, it was clear by this time that a larger road was needed to accommodate the significant traffic flow.

L252-140-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 3334-7, (Image 32 of 35)

Unlike Orinda, it was easy to see where a freeway could be placed in Lafayette and retain Mt. Diablo Blvd. based on these two west view oblique aerials. Note the growing town center and the presence of the creek to the left or south of Mt. Diablo Blvd., and the open land to the north or right of the road, the latter still containing agricultural elements on Apr. 9, 1953.

L252-145-Contra Costa County His. Soc., 7349, l, Copyright California Dept. of Transportation 3299-4, (Image 33 of 35)

The approximate placement of the new highway has been added to this panoramic vertical view of central Lafayette from Feb. 7, 1952.

L252-150-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 2477 , (Image 34 of 35)

To realize how much changed from before the time of the freeway construction in the 1950s, a detail from the previous image from Feb. 7, 1952 shows First St. running up and down between Mt. Diablo Blvd., upper road, and Golden Gate Way, lower road. The land to the east or right of First St. is the future site of the Lafayette Library and Lafayette Historical Society.

L252-155-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 2477, detail , (Image 35 of 35)