Part 9 – Highway 77 and the Contra Costa County Entry

Two years after the announcement of the route of Highway 77 through Shepherd Canyon, tentative plans for the continuation through Contra Cost County were revealed.

L257-05-Courtesy Oakland History Room, Oakland Public Library, (Image 1 of 44)

Immediate opposition to the possible routes for this four lane road, with room to expand to six, was mounted by residents and one of the leading developers and landowners, Utah Construction and Mining Co.

L257-10-Courtesy Oakland History Room, Oakland Public Library, (Image 2 of 44)

If history had worked differently based on the previous update, finding a place for the new highway to enter Contra Costa County in Orinda would have been simple, with only the Moraga Adobe Homesite, circled and enlarged right, as a possible obstacle. West view.

L257-15-Alan Kropp and Associates, Inc., Pacific Aerial Surveys, Courtesy East Bay Regional Park Dis, (Image 3 of 44)

The sparsely populated center of Moraga had little in the way of developed areas in 1935 as well. Southwest view.

L257-20-Alan Kropp and Associates, Inc., Pacific Aerial Surveys, Courtesy East Bay Regional Park Dis, (Image 4 of 44)

Ahead to 1965, placing a highway through the area had many obstacles as seen in this mock-up design, and three major land developers who were pushing Moraga’s borders to the water district’s watershed. Southwest view.

L257-25-Herrington-Olson Photo 8-13210, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 132236cv, (Image 5 of 44)

This review will focus on the parcel appraisal process in Orinda-Moraga executed by the State to support eminent domain takings for the new highway. This first of a set of maps from the mid-1960s shows the western most Parcel 19576, enclosed in red, positioned closest to the road’s projected exit via the tunnel through the hills. The map also provides the projected route as far as St. Mary’s College.

L257-30-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6611, (Image 6 of 44)

General information about Parcel 19576 and the recent transfer of the property within the Ready family are presented here. For some reason not explained, the dollar value of the appraisal was not found in the document.

L257-35-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6611, (Image 7 of 44)

The left image shows a southeast view from the west end of the parcel, and the right image a northwest view from the east portion. The colored lines on these prints and those found on subsequent images were added by the Division of Highways. Both images from Aug. 1968.

L257-40-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6611, (Image 8 of 44)

Next a panoramic southwest view on the east side of Moraga Way showing the extent of the property. The Moraga Adobe Homesite can be seen below the highway right-of-way and becomes the subject of the next entry.

L257-45-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6611, (Image 9 of 44)

The adobe’s property is outlined in green in this map from May 1, 1966.

L257-50-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6612, (Image 10 of 44)

As could be deduced from the panoramic view in L257-45, the house was not the subject of this appraisal, only land from the west side of the property, left panel. The recent sale of the property in 1965, right panel, played a role in the final value.

L257-55-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6612, (Image 11 of 44)

The rationale behind the appraisal value is provided here, although the images of comparative dwellings, the “VR” references, are not being provided due to space limitations. It is interesting that damages due to the take are confined to water issues, with no attempt to reconcile living next to a four- to six-lane road.

L257-60-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6612, (Image 12 of 44)

Northwest, upper, and southeast, lower, views from July 1968 of the property, with added ink provided by the Division of Highways to show the right-of-way path. A defunct water storage tank can be appreciated in the lower image along the left or east red line. See the next ground images.

L257-65-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6612, (Image 13 of 44)

Three more images from the property from July 1968 show the defunct water storage tank, left, and the spring with catch basin on excess, center, that were structures to be taken for the freeway. The main house, right, would not be involved.

L257-70-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6612, (Image 14 of 44)

The next set of properties to the southeast involved the three major landowners of the town - Donald Rheem, Russel Bruzzone and Utah Construction and Mining. Given the haphazard order of the properties heading out to the Lafayette border, the presentation will shift to presenting maps and property images first, leaving the collective history-rich documents to the end. The maps provide the next set of images to be presented, along with lot numbers to correlate with the documents at the end.

L257-75-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6553, (Image 15 of 44)

The southwest panoramic view of Parcel 24524-3 from Sullivan Dr. provides the center line as the new highway would proceed to the center of Moraga, and the State’s markings provide landmarks versus the town layout in 2021. Ivy Dr. provides the approximate separation of Orinda from Moraga in 2021.

L257-80-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6553, (Image 16 of 44)

This south view of Parcel 24524-3 from the top of the ridge on Sullivan Dr. on Aug. 25, 1966 marks the approximate highway center line as it crosses Moraga Way, here mislabeled as a highway. This would correspond to the location of the interchange of the latter and the new highway as shown in L257-25.

L257-85-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6553, (Image 17 of 44)

Another panoramic view, this to the east on Aug. 25, 1966 of Parcels 24524-3, -7, and -8, showing the proposed route winding around Miramonte High School.

L257-90-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6553, (Image 18 of 44)

Three ground views follow from Aug. 25, 1966 in the orchards. Two different views are presented of the center line for the new highway at the Moraga Way crossing, top, and then further south where the path crosses Jonas Hill Rd.

L257-95-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6553, (Image 19 of 44)

The last image brings the right-of-way to the second interchange, here with Jonas Hill Rd. as shown on this map from 1966.

L257-100-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6553, (Image 20 of 44)

The Sacramento Northern Railway, SN, yellow line, followed along the east side of Railroad Ave.- St. Mary’s Rd., red line, until 1957. After abandonment, the first section of Jonas Hill Rd., blue arrow, was shifted north to form the present Moraga Rd.-St. Mary’s Rd. intersection. To accommodate the highway, a small curve was cut out of the intersection, insert. The shape of the Moraga Commons in 2021 reflects this initial alteration.

L257-105-Herrington-Olson Photo, from the collection of the Moraga Historical Society, A-2895, (Image 21 of 44)

The property reviewed so far extended to the position of the green arrow in this northwest view from 1962. At that point, the SN headed into St. Mary’s College, yellow line. The map that follows starts back along the red line on the northwest side of St. Mary’s Rd. at the position marked by the green arrow. The orange arrow marks houses on the east side of Rheem Blvd.

L257-110-Herrington-Olson Photo, from the collection of the Moraga Historical Society, A-2895, (Image 22 of 44)

This map from 1957 shows the property to be taken across from the college, Parcels 33004-1, and the small property off Rheem Blvd., 34001-2.

L257-115-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6470, (Image 23 of 44)

A northwest view of both parcels in 1963 from the northwest side of St. Mary’s Rd. is shown here.

L257-120-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6470, (Image 24 of 44)

The land in these two parcels was completely undeveloped. Four images from late 1963 are as follows: A, Looking southeast along Rheem Blvd. at Parcel 2; B, Parcel 2, taken from Rheem Blvd.; C, Northwest corner of subject property; and, D, Parcel 2 of property, no direction provided.

L257-125-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6470, (Image 25 of 44)

Now crossing Rheem Blvd. heading northeast, a set of properties extending north as well as east along Rohrer Dr. is revealed in this mid-1960s map. The first property to be presented will be Parcel 24532, green arrow, positioned on the northeast corner of the intersection of Rheem Blvd. and St. Mary’s Rd., enlarged in the insert shown.

L257-130-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6553, 6462, insert, (Image 26 of 44)

This north view from mid-1963 shows the intersection of St. Mary's Rd. and Rheem Blvd. and Parcel 24523.

L257-135-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6462, (Image 27 of 44)

Further up St. Mary's Rd. just west of Bollinger Canyon Rd., this north view from Aug. 15, 1966 shows how Rheem Blvd. was to be relocated north as the highway swept by the SN abandoned right-of-way, yellow arrow. The lot here is 19650-3. Next across the border with Lafayette.

L257-140-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6553, (Image 28 of 44)

A close up view of the area to be discussed next is shown here.

L257-145-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6553, (Image 29 of 44)

The State’s labeling of this northeast view of Parcel 19650 from Aug. 15, 1966 allows the image to tell the whole story as to the proposed route to the northeast.

L257-150-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6553, (Image 30 of 44)

At this point, the highway’s projected path would curve away from St. Mary’s Rd. to the east and widen for purposes to be explained soon.

L257-155-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6553, (Image 31 of 44)

Top, from Camino Colorados, the proposed route across Parcel 19560 is seen in this northwest view from Aug. 15, 1966. Bottom, left, a more west view of the same parcel, but further west, from Camino Colorados. Further north, lower right, the approximate center line for the highway is shown in red in this west view from the end of Silverado Dr.

L257-161-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6553, (Image 32 of 44)

The widening along Rohrer Dr. at Reed Rd. in Parcel 24524-1 was to accommodate an interchange with the Burton-Alamo Freeway that had been discussed previously. In the left panel, the Burton School parking lot and playground from Aug. 15, 1966 are seen. The upper right image was taken off Rohrer Dr. at the end of Reed Rd. In the bottom right, a west view of the proposed interchange, with Parcel 19560-2 at the extreme left.

L257-165-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6553, (Image 33 of 44)

The rest of the presentation contains the documents corresponding to all the maps and images from L257-75 through L257-165. The parcel summary page reveals they are owned by the three largest landowners and developers in Moraga - Donald Rheem from the 1930s, Utah Construction and Mining from the 1950s, and Russell Bruzzone from the 1960s. The book Moraga’s Pride has much of the history, but the documents that follow provide a different perspective.

L257-170-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6553, (Image 34 of 44)

This text follows the introduction to Parcels 19560, 19574 and 22524, all found north of the Rheem Blvd.-St. Mary’s Rd. intersection as shown in L257-130. Note the statement, boxed in red, revealing that land for the highway project had been kept in reserve, but now, the mid-1960s, was started to be developed due to delays in the project.

L257-175-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6553, (Image 35 of 44)

The property in this discussion, Parcel 24524-1, can be located on the map at L257-145, property between Rohrer Dr. and Las Trampas Creek, east of St. Mary’s Rd. The properties with VR designations were recently sold and were not part of the State’s projected takes, but served for determining market value of the land.

L257-180-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6553, (Image 36 of 44)

More information is provided for 24524-1.

L257-185-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6553, (Image 37 of 44)

The next set of properties 19574-1, -2, were along Somerset Dr. and Las Trampas Creek, and were being developed by Russell Bruzzone. See L257-145 for the exact location.

L257-190-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6553, (Image 38 of 44)

The land along the west side of St. Mary’s Rd. between Rheem Blvd. east to S. Lucille Ln., Parcel 19560, is covered in these two documents, and on the map in L257-30. This would include land that would become part of the Lafayette-Moraga Trail. North of Bollinger Canyon Rd., this land and the eventual trail corresponds to the abandoned right-of-way of the SN.

L257-195-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6553, (Image 39 of 44)

These pages summarize the Parcel 24523, found at the northwest side of the Rheem Blvd.-St. Mary’s Rd. intersection, as indicated on the insert of the map in L257-130. This land sits to the west side of Parcel 19560.

L257-200-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6462, (Image 40 of 44)

Heading back south, Parcel 33004 sits across from St. Mary’s College, as shown on the map in L257-115. The land along St. Mary’s Rd. would become part of the Lafayette-Moraga Trail. The text in the blue box relates to sales between Rheem and the Utah Construction and Mining. Read on …

L257-205-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6470, (Image 41 of 44)

Presented here are the appraisals of the two portions of this parcel, a description of the property, and the related sale between Rheem and Utah Mining and Construction.

L257-210-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6470, (Image 42 of 44)

To understand the analysis that follows, this real estate map circa 1963 is provided to show the position of the comparable properties used for determining the fair market value for the parcels.

L257-215-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6470, (Image 43 of 44)

The final appraisal analysis for Parcel 33004. Next time, the impact of eminent domain in the remainder of Lafayette, and the death of Highway 77.

L257-220-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 6470, (Image 44 of 44)