Video

Fred Fazzio loves Windsor, but the town is growing, while Highway Route 101 stays small. U.S. Route 101, or U.S. Highway 101 (often just ... all » US 101), is a north-south highway that runs parallel to the West Coast of the United States. It should not be confused with California's own State Route 1, also known as the Pacific Coast Highway. U.S. Route 101 is often referred to as the Oregon Coast Highway in Oregon, and as the Pacific Highway in parts of Washington and California. Colloquially, the highway is also referred to as The 101 by residents of Southern California or simply 101 by residents of Northern California and Oregon. Through much of California, the road is also known as El Camino Real (The Royal Road), as its route along the southern and central California coast approximates the old trail which linked the Spanish missions, pueblos and presidios. The route number is a "violation" of the usual AASHTO numbering scheme for U.S. Highways, by which 3-digit route numbers are generally subsidiaries of 2-digit routes. Rather than being a "child" of U.S. 1, U.S. 101 is considered a primary (2-digit) route, with the first digit being ten. It is U.S. 101, rather than U.S. 99, that is the westernmost north-south route in the U.S. Highway system. U.S. Route 101 was once the major north-south link along the Pacific coast. It has been replaced in importance by the highways of the Interstate Highway System, specifically Interstate 5, which is more modern in its physical design. Route 101 is still in use as an alternative to the Interstate for most of its length. A notable exception is where the alignment is shared with that of I-5 and the route number U.S. Route 101 has been changed to I-5, beginning about one mile (1.6 km) east of downtown Los Angeles and continuing south to San Diego.  «