The Militant Angeleno linked to this groovy post, on the FHA website. Published in 1901, in Good Roads magazine, the article heralds a bike highway, before the term “freeway” was invented. The article mentions some 5,000 “inventors” of bicycles among the 30,000 who have gotten in on the cycling “enthusiasm.” You had to pony up a ten-cent toll for a one-way ride, or a bargain fifteen for the round trip price-performer.
The South California towns, Los Angeles and Pasadena, are now connected by the strangest and most interesting of links-a magnificent, elevated cycle-way, with a smooth surface of wood, running for nine miles through beautiful country, flanked by green hills, and affording views at every point of the snow-clad Sierras.
On this splendid track cyclists may now enjoy the very poetry of wheeling. At Pasadena they may mount their cycles and sail down to Los Angeles without so much as touching the pedals, even though the gradient is extremely slight. The way lies for the most part along the east bank of the Arroyo Seco, giving a fine view of this wooded stream, and skirting the foot of the neighboring oak-covered hills.The surface is perfectly free from all dust and mud, and nervous cyclists find the track safer than the widest roads, for there are no horses to avoid, no trains or trolley-cars, no stray dogs or wandering children
The funny thing is that you now get on to the 110 around Pasadena on ramps literally designed for the Model T Ford, infra that stayed.
