California 166

California 166, along with 46, is a major truck route between the Central Coast and the Central Valley. It starts in Guadalupe, passes through Santa Maria, follows the Cuyama River, then is multiplexed with California 33 before crossing the Valley at the base of the Tehachapi Mountains.

The section between US 101 and California 33 has been designated the Irvine and Stovall Memorial Highway. CHP Officers Britt Irvine and Rick Stovall were killed in the line of duty when the Cuyama River washed out a section of 166 and their CHP cruiser plunged into the river and was buried in mud. They were responding to a motorist in distress. Two other cars and a semi truck also drove off the pavement and into the river. This section of highway has also been designated as a daylight headlight road.

These are a few photos of the old 166 alignment that was still being used into the 1970s. It made for a dangerous road with so much truck traffic.
      Interesting was the multiple striping still visible, especially the center white line
 
 

Outside the Maricopa Fire station, where 33 and 166 split.

Sign on 166 and north 33. 33 goes north through the Valley and 166 goes straight until ending at California 99.

West 166 and south 33 in Maricopa. Almost all signs along the 166/33 multiplex show only 33, probably dating back to when 33 was US 399.