MILEPOSTS #1057

By Bill Pumford, Image from ROWHS Collection

TITLE: THE OLD SWITCHBACK ROAD – PART II: William Van Slyke and W.R. Porter were contracted to build the switchback road and were assisted by project supervisor Jeff Daley whose father built the Daley Road. The road was completed in early 1892 for an estimated cost of $38,000 for the 6-mile stretch. Adolph Wood of the Arrowhead Reservoir Company appeared before the county supervisors to apply for the toll rates for the new road. As an example, a wagon with two teams was charged $3.00 round trip and a horse and rider was charged $.50 for a round trip. Although the numerous switchbacks did reduce much of the steepness there were still a couple of grades more than 20%. Driving the switchbacks could be difficult and many accidents occurred – some fatal because of the steep canyon near the road’s edge. Some people allegedly pushed their cars off the road into the canyon to claim insurance. The steepness could also force drivers to go up the hill in reverse so that the gasoline could properly supply the engine. Also, the trip up the hill caused many boil overs in the early automobiles which resulted in a number of troughs being built and situated along the road for radiator water. The Devil Canyon, Daley, and the Arrowhead Reservoir toll roads were all free by 1905. In the early 1930s the High Gear Road was completed and drastically improved the trips up and down the San Bernardino Mountains. The old switchback road was kept in use for several decades as an emergency exit/fire road and as an alternative way into the mountains for the adventurous drivers who could stop and have a picnic or enjoy the views. The old switchback road is now closed to traffic but on occasion the zig zag of the old road can still be seen from Highway 18 by the passengers of a car — not the driver.

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