California State Route 72

Route description

Route 72 is defined as follows in section 372 of the California Streets and Highways Code, last amended by the California State Legislature in 2020:

Route 72 is from Route 39 to Route 605 in Whittier

Subdivision (a) of section 372 also states that Route 72 will be deleted from the state highway system upon completed construction of Route 90, also known as the Slauson Freeway, from Route 5 to Route 39, but Caltrans has abandoned all plans to finish the freeway. Subdivision (b) states that the relinquished former northwestern segment of Route 72 through Montebello and Pico Rivera is no longer officially part of the state highway system, but those cities must still "maintain within their respective jurisdictions signs directing motorists to the continuation of Route 72". Subdivision (c) also permit the state to also relinquish the portion of Route 72 located in Whittier and unincorporated Los Angeles County.

The relinquishment in Whittier and unincorporated Los Angeles County was approved in 2025. Prior to, Route 72 officially began at the junction of I-605 in Whittier. The route followed Whittier Boulevard for its entire length, heading southeast through Whittier as a four-lane arterial street. SR 72 crossed with Los Angeles County Route N8 at Colima Road and ended at the intersection of SR 39 (Beach Boulevard) in La Habra. Whittier Boulevard is a major commercial corridor in Whittier, though it does not go through the city center, which is north of the highway. Now with the 2025 relinquishment, Route 72 officially consists of two short segments along Whittier Boulevard: between SR 39 and Valley Home Avenue, and Lockheed Avenue and I-605.

SR 72 however is still defined in the state highway code as a north–south state route. This reflects the original alignment and length of SR 72 before the highway was shortened over the years. From I-605, SR 72 then formerly continued west under a railroad bridge near Pío Pico State Historic Park and then over the San Gabriel River as it entered Pico Rivera and met SR 19 at Rosemead Boulevard. After about a mile and a half, the route crossed a narrow steel bridge over the Rio Hondo into Montebello. There, it continued towards Atlantic Boulevard. From there, it continued further to its end at Downey Road. Whittier Boulevard itself continues past Downey Road towards downtown Los Angeles. Those segments were relinquished back to the cities of Pico Rivera and Montebello by 2010, and are not included in the length of SR 72. And prior to 1981, SR 72 extended further east along Whittier Boulevard to Harbor Boulevard, where it then turned south to meet with I-5 in Anaheim .

SR 72 is part of the National Highway System, a network of highways that are considered essential to the country's economy, defense, and mobility by the Federal Highway Administration.

History

California's historic El Camino Real, which connected the Alta California missions, ran along what was then U.S. Route 101. Before 1964, U.S. Route 101 continued past today's end near the East Los Angeles Interchange east onto Whittier Boulevard and south on Harbor Boulevard until it met its bypass in Anaheim. (What is now Route 5 from Los Angeles to Anaheim was the U.S. Route 101 Bypass.)

In 1964, the U.S. Route 101 designation was removed south of the East L.A. Interchange. Its routing on Whittier and Harbor Boulevards became Route 72 and was initially defined to run from Route 5 (the former bypass) to an unbuilt State Route 245, hence the route's lackluster end at Downey Road. (Route 245 was to have been a bypass connecting Route 5 with Route 60, a function that was eventually assumed by an extended Route 710.)

In 1965, with Route 245 deleted, the definition was clarified to have Route 72 end at Downey Road, which was parallel to the planned Route 245.

In 1981, the portion from Route 5 to Harbor Boulevard (current SR 39) was deleted, and the portion from Harbor Boulevard to Route 39 was transferred to SR 39.

In 1992, the portion from Atlantic Boulevard to Downey Road was deleted.

In 2010, SB-1318 Sec. 20 deleted the segment between I-605 and Atlantic Boulevard. It also states that Route 72 will be deleted when "Route 90 freeway is completed from Route 5 to Route 39."

Cal. S&HC § 635(b) includes unspecified parts of Route 72 in El Camino Real.

On May 15, 2025, the California Transportation Commission (CTC) approved a deal between the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the city Whittier, for Caltrans to relinquish the segment of SR 72 between Lockheed Avenue and Valley Home Avenue to the city.

Major intersections

References

References

1. "Section 372". California Office of Legislative Counsel.
2. {{FHWA NHS map
3. {{FHWA NHS
4. (March 9, 2025). "Whittier will finally own its namesake boulevard. Why didn't it?". Southern California Public Radio.
5. (January 2011)
6. [[California Department of Transportation]], [http://traffic-counts.dot.ca.gov/ All Traffic Volumes on CSHS], 2005 and 2006
7. [[California Department of Transportation]], [http://traffic-counts.dot.ca.gov/2000all.htm All Traffic Volumes on CSHS], 2000
8. The state has relinquished, and turned over various segments of the highway to local control.