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State Route 255 (SR 255) is a state highway in the U.S. state of California. It is a loop route of U.S. Route 101 in Humboldt County that runs through the Samoa Peninsula on the western side of Humboldt Bay.
 State Route 255 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Map of Humboldt County in northwestern California with SR 255 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by Caltrans | ||||
| Length | 8.789 mi[1] (14.145 km) | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end |  US 101 in Eureka | |||
| North end | US 101 in Arcata | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | California | |||
| Counties | Humboldt | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
It is a western alternate route of U.S. Route 101 between Eureka and Arcata, routed via the three bridges over Humboldt Bay and Tuluwat Island and Woodley Islands, rather than motorists having to circumvent the entire northern section of the bay (known as Arcata Bay) to the road connecting the Arcata area to the Samoa Peninsula. In literature and locally, the portion of the road crossing Humboldt Bay (on three separate bridges) is known collectively as the "Samoa Bridge", the bridge is considered a freeway.[2]
Highway 255 provides direct access to industrial operations on the Samoa Peninsula and the communities of Samoa, Fairhaven, and Manila, all of which are located on the Samoa Peninsula, with the entire combined area located within Greater Eureka.
SR 255 is part of the National Highway System,[3] a network of highways that are considered essential to the country's economy, defense, and mobility by the Federal Highway Administration.[4]
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Before the Samoa Bridge (actually three spans) was completed in 1971, direct access to Samoa from Eureka was by boat or on a fleet of small ferries constructed on the bay or the original circuitous route. The original alternative was a relatively extensive route which took drivers north to Arcata and then around the bay to the northern peninsula before reaching the heavily industrialized area adjacent to Eureka. Completion of the Samoa Bridge and the creation and designation of Highway 255, completed a circle around Arcata Bay by connecting to the New Navy Base Road (a portion now designated as 255), along the peninsula connecting Samoa to the Eureka shore of the bay. This resulted in making the ferry system obsolete. However, one ferry, the Madaket, continues operating as a tour boat on Humboldt Bay.
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Except where prefixed with a letter, postmiles were measured on the road as it was in 1964, based on the alignment that existed at the time, and do not necessarily reflect current mileage. R reflects a realignment in the route since then, M indicates a second realignment, L refers to an overlap due to a correction or change, and T indicates postmiles classified as temporary ().[1] Segments that remain unconstructed or have been relinquished to local control may be omitted. The entire route is in Humboldt County.
| Location | Postmile [1][5][6] | Destinations | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eureka | 0.00 | Myrtle Avenue | Continuation beyond US 101 | ||
 US 101 north (5th Street) | One-way street; south end of SR 255 | ||||
| 0.05 |  US 101 south (4th Street) | One way street | |||
| | South end of freeway | ||||
| 0.20 | Samoa Bridge (south span) over the Eureka Channel of Humboldt Bay | ||||
| 0.66 | Woodley Island Marina | Interchange | |||
| | 0.67 | Samoa Bridge (middle span) over the Middle Channel of Humboldt Bay | |||
| | 1.37 | Samoa Bridge (north span) over the Samoa Channel of Humboldt Bay | |||
| | | North end of freeway | |||
| | 2.03 | New Navy Base Road – Samoa | |||
| Arcata | 8.80 | US 101 (Redwood Highway) – Crescent City, Eureka | Interchange; north end of SR 255; US 101 exit 713 | ||
| Samoa Boulevard – Sunny Brae | Continuation beyond US 101 | ||||
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||
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