U.S. Route 466 (US 466) was an east–west United States highway. Though it reached a length of around 500 miles (805 km), the route was co-signed with other US routes for much of its length. When California deleted most of its U.S. Highways in the mid-1960s, including US 466 in 1964, there was no longer a need for the designation.
The general route between Barstow and Kingman is now more directly served by Interstate 40.
The route is known for being the highway on which actor James Dean died in a car accident on September 30, 1955, at the intersection of CA 41 near Cholame, California.
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US 466 began in Morro Bay, continuing to US 101 before turning north and following the path of today's SR 41 to Shandon in San Luis Obispo County. From there, US 466 followed the path of today's SR 46 east. At Famoso, US 466 joined US 99 and ran south to Bakersfield. From Bakersfield, U.S. Route 466 generally followed what is now the alignment of SR 58. Between Barstow, California and the Nevada line, the route followed the path of today's Interstate 15 and was co-signed with U.S. Route 91.
U.S. Route 466 entered Nevada at Primm. It headed north concurrent with U.S. Route 91 to Las Vegas, where the route followed Las Vegas Boulevard. In downtown Las Vegas, US 466 turned east on Fremont Street with U.S. Route 93 (and later, U.S. Route 95). The two routes followed Fremont Street and Boulder Highway heading southeast through Henderson and Boulder City towards the Arizona state line on Hoover Dam.
From the Nevada state line on Hoover Dam, U.S. Route 466 remained co-signed with US 93 as it headed southeast. At Grasshopper Junction, US 66 / US 466 served the western terminus of Arizona State Route 62 (SR 62), which was the main route connecting Chloride to the rest of the state highway system. The highway was also the eastern terminus of SR 68 at Coyote Pass, which headed west towards Bullhead City and Laughlin, Nevada. The highway reached its eastern terminus in Kingman, entering town on Beale Street, where it connected to U.S. Route 66 at Front Street (now Andy Devine Boulevard). US 93 continued past the terminus of US 466, running concurrent with US 66 east out of Kingman.[1]
U.S. Route 466 (US 466) was originally commissioned on April 25, 1933, extending from U.S. Route 66 in Barstow, California to the Pacific Ocean at Morro Bay, California.[2] On October 9, 1933, the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) approved an extension of US 466 from Barstow to US 66 in Kingman, Arizona. From Kingman to Las Vegas, Nevada, US 466 replaced the original Arizona State Route 69 (SR 69) and Nevada State Route 26 (SR 26). US 466 would use the Boulder Dam to cross the Colorado River over Boulder Canyon between Nevada and Arizona. Between Las Vegas and Barstow, California, the route was co-signed with U.S. Route 91.[3] However, the state of Arizona continued to sign the route between Hoover Dam (formerly Boulder Dam) and Kingman as SR 69, until May 16, 1935.[4] This coincided with the completion of the main dam structure on May 29.[5]
On June 17, 1935, US 93 was extended from its southern terminus at US 91 north of Las Vegas to US 66 in Barstow, being co-signed with US 466 from its eastern terminus at Kingman, Arizona to the US 91 junction in Las Vegas, Nevada. This left the California segment of US 466 as the only section of the route not co-signed with another route.[6]
California decommissioned its section of US 466 during the 1964 state highway renumbering.[7] The California state legislature re-designated the stand alone section of US 466 between Morro Bay and Barstow as California State Route 46 (SR 46), SR 99 and SR 58 respectively.[8] On December 3, 1971, AASHTO approved a request from Arizona and Nevada to remove the US 466 entirely from both states, after which, the US 466 designation ceased to exist.[9]
U.S. 466, California. Beginning at an intersection with U.S. 66 at Barstow, via Majave (sic), Tehachapi, Bakersfield, Famosa, Wasco, Atascadero to Morro.
ARIZONA-NEVADA-CALIFORNIA. U.S. No. 466. ARIZONA, beginning at Kingman, via State Route 69 to Boulder Dam. NEVADA, beginning at Boulder Dam via State Route 26 west to a junction with U.S. Route 91 in Las Vegas, then via U.S. 91 to the California state line. CALIFORNIA, from the California state line on U.S. 91 thence over U.S. 91 to Barstow, thence via Mojave, Tehachapi, Bakersfield, Famosa, Wasco, Atascadero to Morro.
ESTABLISH ROUTE OF HWY FROM LAS VEGAS TO BOULDER, NEVADA, S ON S.R.69 TO U.S. 66 AT KINGMAN
U.S. Route 93, Arizona. Paragraph 39 should be changed to read as follows: The request for an extension of U.S. 93 to Kingman, Arizona, was approved – it being the understanding that this route would be developed southeastward at the earliest opportunity. (Agenda to the Minutes of Executive Committee; June 17, 1935)
Eliminate the U.S. 466 designation between the intersection of US 66 in Kingman, Arizona to the intersection of I-15 in Baker, California.
Media related to U.S. Route 466 at Wikimedia Commons