As I write this, we’re in the middle of a heat wave in Southern California. The heat, summer weather, and monsoon season has caused all sorts of problems in the southern part of the state, including significant road washouts in Death Valley, along I-15, and along I-10. But through it all… I’ve been collecting headlines.
I’ve also been working on the California Highways Route by Route podcast. Episodes 1.01 and 1.02 are up. Ep 1.01 covers the state highway system before 1920, and features an interview with Adam Prince. Ep 1.02 discussed the highway system in the 1920s, and features an interview with Joel Windmiller of the Lincoln Highway Association. Both are available through the podcast’s home page, our page on anchor.fm, or through your favorite podcaster. Please spread the word on the podcast, write a review, and like it in your favorite podcaster. I’d like to see the listenership grow: as I write this, we have (through anchor.fm) 57 listens to the sample episode, 58 listens to ep 1.01, but only 32 to episode 1.02. So keep spreading the word. I’ve got 1.03, which features a long interview with the archivist of the Auto Club of Southern California, edited. I’ll upload it in mid-September.
I’m still looking for folks to interview for upcoming episodes. If you can help us find people to talk to, that would be great. Just let me know (comment here, or email daniel -at caroutebyroute -dot org. Here’s the list for the rest of the first season in terms of what I’m wanting in regard to interviews: 🎙 1.04: Someone to talk on the 1956 Interstate Highway Bill 🎙 1.05: Someone to talk on the impact of Pat Brown on highway construction in California and/or the impact of the great renumbering 🎙 1.06: Someone to talk on the impact of the California EQA act on highway construction 🎙 1.07: Someone to talk on how the state numbers state highways — in particular, anything official on numbering patterns, or the rules for signing things 🎙 1.08: Here I’d like someone to talk on the role of AASHTO on numbering US highways 🎙 1.09: This is Interstate numbering, so again an expert on Interstates — either numbering, the federal aid highway acts, or the chargeable/non-chargeable distinction 🎙 1.10: This is numbering of county highways, so anyone from a county public works department on the signed route system 🎙 1.11: A state legislator on highway naming resolutions 🎙 1.12: Someone from the California Transportation Commission on the role of the commission. We’re also looking for a better theme song, so if you know of someone willing to write some short pieces for the show that we can use for free, that would be great.
With respect to the main highway pages: I should start work on the August / September / October updates shortly after the headlines are up. I’ll feel better about starting those updates once I have some of the podcast interviews lined up (podcast scripts are written through 1.09).
Enough of this shameless self-promotion. Here are the headlines that I found about California’s highways for August:
Key
[Ħ Historical information | ＄ Paywalls, ＄＄ really obnoxious paywalls, and ∅ other annoying restrictions. I’m no longer going to list the paper names, as I’m including them in the headlines now. Note: For ＄ paywalls, sometimes the only way is incognito mode, grabbing the text before the paywall shows, and pasting into an editor.]
Highway Headlines
- Caltrans looking for feedback on Highway 46 widening project (KSBY NBC 6). Caltrans is continuing work to widen Highway 46, and they’re asking for the public’s input. The agency wants to hear from drivers, businesses, and people who live in Shandon and surrounding areas. The feedback will be used in the next phase of widening work. “Currently, we’re in the final phases of design for the Antelope Grade segment and what we’re trying to do is compile information from travelers and people in the area,” said Alexa Bertola, public information officer for Caltrans District 5.
- Multiple Closures, Including Last U.S. Exit, on Eastbound SR-905 to Close Monday Night (Caltrans District 11). Caltrans crews will close Britannia Blvd off-ramp on Monday, August 8, from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. In addition, connectors from southbound SR-125 to eastbound SR-11 and eastbound SR-905 to eastbound SR-11 will close from August 9-11 from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. In addition, southbound SR-125 to eastbound SR-11 and eastbound SR-905 to eastbound SR-11 will close from August 9-11 from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. The project includes asphalt and pavement micro-surfacing, new thermoplastic striping, and upgraded wrong-way driver striping enhancements, at all ramps along SR-905 from San Ysidro to Otay Mesa, and will continue thru late September
- Caltrans begins southbound expansion of Highway 99 (Turlock Journal). Caltrans District 10 has officially began the process of widening State Route 99 (SR-99) going southbound between Turlock and Livingston, adding a third lane for a nine-mile stretch. The southbound expansion is the second phase of a greater project that saw a similar highway widening going northbound from Livingston to Turlock, which took place from November 2019 to April 2021. The southbound widening will be completed within a similar timeframe, beginning this week with an expected finish in January 2024. Funds for the southbound project construction were designated in the 2018 State Transportation Improvement Program.
- Upcoming construction work on SR-1 between Ledroit St. and Cajon St. (Orange County Breeze). The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is scheduled to resume work on Coast Highway (SR-1) between Ledroit St. and Cajon St. in the City of Laguna Beach. Construction is expected to begin Wednesday, August 10, 2022, through Thursday, September 1, 2022. The work will take place Monday through Friday nightly from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Changeable Message Signs will be in place to notify motorists and residents of the upcoming work. Please note that noise from construction equipment during concrete pours or asphalt paving should be expected. This work, which started last Fall, is part of the Coast Highway ADA Sidewalk Improvement Project that will make the pedestrian routes along Coast Highway within the project limits ADA compliant. Construction will continue in the City of Laguna Beach at various locations between Ledroit St. and Ruby St.
- Officials celebrate new freeway sound walls on 170 for NoHo and nearby neighborhoods (Metro – The Source). Metro today joined the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and other local and state officials to announce the completion of 5.4 miles of new sound walls along State Route 170 and Interstate 405 in the North Hollywood area of Los Angeles. The new $103-million sound wall project will bring freeway noise relief to the residents of North Hollywood, Valley Glen and Valley Village. Sound walls were completed specifically along State Route 170, from US 101 to Sherman Way, and along Interstate 405 from Saticoy Avenue to Roscoe Boulevard. The project also included the widening of eight bridges to support the sound walls without widening the lanes.
- ＄Safety a concern on American Canyon’s Highway 29, Napa County’s southern gateway (Napa Valley Register). Highway 29 through American Canyon has been a rear-end hot spot over the last five years, and the city wants to end such unwanted bumper-car incidents. The busy, four-lane highway — two lanes in each direction — runs for 3.5 miles through city limits. Along the way, it passes through five intersections with traffic signals. From 2017 to 2021, the highway segment had 359 collisions. Of those, 219 were rear-end accidents. “A lot of those were due to unsafe speeds,” Kathryn Kleinschmidt of the GHD consultancy said. American Canyon is working on a local roadway safety plan that is scheduled to go before the City Council on Aug. 16 for approval. The Planning Commission recently received a preview.
- Petaluma section of Highway 101 widening project celebrated (The Bay Link Blog). A celebration of the opening of the southbound carpool lane on Highway 101 in Petaluma was held Friday. The lane is the final milestone on the Petaluma Widening Project that adds north and southbound carpool lanes between Corona Road and Lakeville Highway (State Route 116.) The project was led by Caltrans and the Sonoma County Transportation Authority. The three-year, $122 million project includes $85 million in funding from Senate Bill (SB) 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, and $37 million in funding from Sonoma County’s Measure M.
- State Route 36 Dales Corner overlay project to begin (Corning Observer/Appeal Democrat). Caltrans District 2 and Knife River Construction are preparing to begin work on the Dales Corner Overlay Project on State Route 36 in Tehama County. Construction activities are currently planned to start on Aug. 15. The $1.6 million project will replace asphalt concrete surfacing and place a thin hot mix asphalt overlay on State Route 36 approximately 13 miles east of Red Bluff, from 0.7 mile east of Manton Road to 2.4 miles east of Paynes Creek Bridge. Also included in the project are shoulder backing operations, upgrading guardrail to meet current standards, and striping. Motorists will encounter one-way traffic control with up to 15-minute delays, Monday through Friday during daytime hours.
- Permanent off-ramp closure from HWY 99 to Stockdale HWY (KGET). The southbound Highway 99 off-ramp to Stockdale Highway will be permanently closed, according to the Thomas Roads Improvement Program. The program said the permanent closure is to begin Aug. 11 at 8 p.m. Motorists traveling southbound are detoured to use the Highway 99 off-ramps at California Avenue or White Lane, according to the program. UPDATE: Caltrans said the offramp from Highway 99 to Stockdale Highway will not close as scheduled Thursday night. The permanent closure will take place, but it has been pushed back. A reason for the delay was not provided.
- ＄Plans progressing for South City 101 overpass | Local News | smdailyjournal.com (San Mateo Daily Journal). Plans for a new Highway 101 overcrossing for cars, bikes and pedestrians near the Produce Avenue exit in South San Francisco cleared a major hurdle last month with the release of the project’s draft environmental impact report. The $111 million project, first proposed in 2012, aims to improve access to the industrial area east of Highway 101, which continues to see new developments. It would be the city’s fourth east-west crossing of the highway, and the only with dedicated bicycle lanes. If all goes to plan, construction will begin in 2025 and wrap up in 2027. The bridge would extend from the intersection of South Airport Boulevard and Utah Avenue over the highway to reach San Mateo Avenue, creating a new three-way intersection.
- Feinstein, Padilla announce more than $119 Million in RAISE grants for state transportation projects (The Bay Link Blog). Senators Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla (both D-Calif.) announced Wednesday that eight local governments, transit agencies and tribes in California will receive more than $119 million in grants from the Department of Transportation (DOT). The funding comes from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that the senators voted to pass last year increased the funding available for the RAISE program, which will help communities modernize transportation infrastructure. California projects awarded RAISE Grants:
- Caltrans steers toward Highway 1 project (Half Moon Bay Review). Caltrans is making headway on a proposed $45 million investment along a segment of High-way 1 from Moss Beach to Half Moon Bay. The state is planning to finalize the design and permits by spring 2024, but won’t break ground until that fall with a phased construction ap-proach that likely won’t be done until fall 2026. Last month Caltrans District 4 office held a public presentation on the latest draft of the State Route 1 Multi-Asset Roadway Rehabilitation Project. Caltrans believes the roadway is in poor condition and lacks traffic monitoring systems that can be used to collect data on traffic flow.
- ＄Bay Area transit bill stalls in legislature (San Mateo Daily Journal). A proposed state bill requiring greater regional transportation cooperation between Bay Area transit agencies has stalled after failing to get out of the Assembly Appropriations Committee Thursday. Introduced by state Sen. Josh Becker, D-San Mateo, Senate Bill 917 failed to make it by the Assembly Appropriations Committee at its Aug. 11 meeting and will not come to the Assembly for a vote. Becker said Thursday he was unsure how and why it did not get out of the committee but would continue to look at legislative and non-legislative options to ensure a better passenger and transit experience.
- ＄Work continues on Highway 17 animal undercrossing (Mercury News). Crews are six months into construction on an expansive Highway 17 undercrossing project meant to provide safe passage to human and wildlife commuters alike. The project is located along the so-called Laurel Curve, which is an especially accident-prone bend on the notoriously dangerous highway. Collisions at this curve frequently involve Santa Cruz wildlife including mountain lions, deer, foxes and badgers, among others. The 90-foot underpass will stretch beneath all four lanes of north and southbound traffic, providing space for animals to move across the rich mountain habitat while avoiding treacherous and often deadly highway crossings.
- Corte Madera paving project delayed, split into phases (Marin I-J). A project to repave and make safety improvements on 24 roads in east Corte Madera has been delayed because contractor bids came in too high. Officials have rejected the bids and split the project into two phases in the hopes of saving money, said Mayor Fred Casissa. “The bids were almost double what we expected,” Casissa said. The high bids are believed to be due to cost increases for materials as a result of inflation and supply chain issues, he said.
- Caltrans begins southbound expansion of Highway 99 (Westside Connect). Caltrans District 10 has officially began the process of widening State Route 99 (SR-99) going southbound between Turlock and Livingston, adding a third lane for a nine-mile stretch. The southbound expansion is the second phase of a greater project that saw a similar highway widening going northbound from Livingston to Turlock, which took place from November 2019 to April 2021. The southbound widening will be completed within a similar timeframe, beginning last week with an expected finish in January 2024. Funds for the southbound project construction were designated in the 2018 State Transportation Improvement Program. The Caltrans said the project is necessary to address freeway capacity restrictions, which is anticipated to reach or exceed existing capacity on or before 2030. Additionally, Caltrans has viewed the nine mile stretch as a bottleneck for drivers as it is the only stretch of freeway between Turlock and Livingston that is currently two lanes wide.
- Wildlife crossings make roads safer for animals and humans (CalMatters). Many of us have never seen a mountain lion up close and personal, yet lions have a distinct presence among us. From security camera footage to social media posts of P-22 — the famed mountain lion in Southern California — you might think mountain lions are thriving. You’d be wrong. Scientists fear that as their turf and their gene pool continue to shrink, cougars (as they sometimes are called) could go extinct within decades in regions where they now roam. Fast cars, rat poison and a fragmented habitat are just some of the deadly challenges faced by mountain lions and other imperiled species. When a lion known to biologists as P-54 was struck by a car and killed in June, her death marked three generations of mountain lions lost on dangerous roads in the Santa Monica Mountains. Her son had died months earlier and her mother died in 2018. A month later, P-89 died on the 101 Freeway in Los Angeles, becoming the fourth cougar in the area to die by car strikes in five months.
- ＄Caltrans picks route for next leg of Highway 132 bypass (Modesto Bee). The next new segment planned for Highway 132 would run directly west from the project nearing completion in and near Modesto. The California Department of Transportation chose that option rather than widening the current alignment on Maze Boulevard. The new route is half a mile north of Maze, a mostly two-lane road that has long raised safety concerns. The first leg stretches three miles from Highway 99 to Dakota Avenue. It is scheduled to open Sept. 15 after nearly three years of construction.
- Date set for Hwy 156 construction (BenitoLink). The San Benito Route 156 Improvement Project, which adds five new miles of four-lane expressway along Hwy 156 between The Alameda in San Juan Bautista and Hollister, will begin construction on Aug. 22. “We’ll provide updates in advance of that week,” Caltrans Public Information Officer Kevin Drabinski said. These updates are sent to everyone signed up for their press release distribution list, and shared on the Caltrans Twitter page. Drabinski added that an artistic map of the highway expansion project has been ordered and will be available in time for a groundbreaking ceremony that is planned for September but could be moved to a later date.
- ＄Supervisors vote 4-1 to approve $125K for next step towards Greenley extension (Union Democrat). The Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors voted four in favor with one abstention to approve a $125,000 project initiating document for Phase 1 of a Greenley Road extension intended to reduce traffic congestion in downtown Sonora if the decades-old idea is finally built out to completion. Supervisors David Goldemberg, 1st District, Ryan Campbell, 2nd District, Anaiah Kirk, 3rd District, and Kathleen Haff, 4th District, voted yes on the step forward for the Greenley Road extension. Jaron Brandon, 5th District, abstained from the vote after he raised concerns that other alternatives would not be thoroughly re-addressed and updated in the $125,000 project initiating document.
- California Allocates More Than $2.2 Billion for Transportation Infrastructure – $21.5 Million Allocated for State Route 41 in Madera County Roadway Rehabilitation Project (Gold Rush Cam). The California Transportation Commission (CTC) allocated more than $2.2 billion to repair and improve transportation infrastructure throughout the state at its August meeting. caltrans logoThe allocation includes more than $1.6 billion in funding from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA) and nearly $336 million in funding from Senate Bill (SB) 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017. “Thanks to a historic influx of federal funding and our ongoing investments powered by SB 1, California continues to make major progress in rebuilding, revitalizing and reimagining our infrastructure to support a cleaner, safer and more equitable transportation system,” said Caltrans Director Tony Tavares. Projects approved [in Madera County and vicinity] this week include:
- U.S., Mexican Officials Break Ground on New Otay East Port of Entry (Times of San Diego). U.S. officials and Mexican dignitaries gathered Monday to commemorate a groundbreaking of the new port of entry for the California-Baja California region, Otay Mesa East, expected to open in 2024. The project aims to reduce wait times, increase economic efficiencies, cut emissions and ensure the region has the infrastructure it needs to continue growing, according to Caltrans.
- USDOT awards $3.25 million to three mobility focused Regional Infrastructure Accelerators (Mass Transit). Five additional Regional Infrastructure Accelerators (RIA) have received funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation to accelerate the development and delivery of critical infrastructure projects. The five recipients will join five previous awarded RIA program recipients, which brings the program to 10 regions in the U.S. The RIA program through the Build America Bureau was launched in December 2020 and is intended to be a bridge between the bureau and local stakeholders to expedite the delivery of transportation infrastructure projects through innovative finance and delivery methods. Of the five recipients, three have a mobility focus and include:
- Crews start work on Highway 156 expressway (SanBenito.Com). A project to build a new four-lane expressway adjacent to Highway 156 between San Juan Bautista and Hollister is set to begin, resulting in traffic delays for commuters and other travelers over the coming months, according to Caltrans. The San Benito Route 156 Improvement Project will be located immediately south of the existing Highway 156 alignment, says a press release from the California Department of Transportation. The 5.2-mile project will begin at The Alameda in San Juan Bautista and continue to the east side of Fourth Street in Hollister. The project is expected to be completed in fall of 2024, according to Caltrans. Initial construction work will consist of overnight activity to apply new striping and install k-rail along segments of Highway 156 just off the shoulder.
- Culvert work to begin on 147 later this month (Plumas News). Caltrans plans o begin work Aug. 29 on a project to improve water drainage along State Route 147 in Plumas County. The $432,000 project includes $297,000 in funding from Senate Bill (SB) 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017. “Drainage systems are a vital component of state highway infrastructure,” said Caltrans District 2 Director Dave Moore. “Thanks to funding from SB 1, this drainage system improvement project is moving forward along State Route 147 to help ensure its proper functionality for years to come.”
- ＄Flash flooding washes out eastbound Interstate 10 near California-Arizona border (Los Angeles Times). One eastbound lane on Interstate 10 reopened Thursday morning following flash flooding from intense storms from the night before that washed out part of the freeway near the California-Arizona border. The damaged road near Desert Center was a detour lane created because of ongoing construction, said Emily Lenien, a spokesperson for the California Department of Transportation. Images posted on Twitter showed a portion of the road had been washed away. The eastbound lane that opened Thursday morning was one of the regular I-10 lanes that was part of the construction, Lenien said. Commuters were still warned to expect delays.
- Caltrans to improve frequently flooded section of Highway 70 (Oroville Mercury-Register). Caltrans announced a project Wednesday that will improve flood resistance on a one mile stretch of Highway 70 near Pulga by the Shady Rest Area. Caltrans Public Information Officer Gilbert Mohtes-Chan said the area of Highway 70 marked for improvement often floods during the winter which causes long term road closures. “It starts dropping into a low point and the Feather River is next to it … during big rain events it’s prone to flooding and when you get those high waters it can start eroding the highway,” Mohtes-Chan. said “That pretty much isn’t passable during the wintertime.”
- CTC allocates more than $327 million for Bay Area transportation projects (The Bay Link Blog). The California Transportation Commission has allocated more than $327 million to repair and improve transportation infrastructure throughout the Bay Area. Overall, more than $2.2 billion was sent to projects throughout the state. The allocation includes more than $1.6 billion in funding from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA) and nearly $336 million in funding from Senate Bill (SB) 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017. […] In the Bay Area portion includes more than $98 million for projects in Contra Costa County, over $92 million for projects in Alameda County, and more than $77 million for projects in Santa Clara County […] Among the Bay Area projects funded this week include:
- Express lanes on Bay Area highways cost more than you think (SF Gate). Commuters on Highway 101 in the Bay Area on Thursday morning spotted a shocking toll to drive southbound down the Peninsula in the express lane: $11 at 9:12 a.m. Just five minutes later, the price went up to $12. The exorbitant toll was the result of new dynamic pricing for a pair of recently installed express lanes, which fluctuates by the minute and automatically adjusts depending on the number of drivers using the lane. Data obtained by SFGATE from the Bay Area Infrastructure Financing Authority’s first quarterly report of 2022 for Interstate Highway 880 indicates express lanes have reached as high as $15 during peak usage. Express lane data for Highway 101 is not yet available, as the system is even newer.
- It’s official: State approves ‘Long Beach International Gateway Bridge’ moniker (Long Beach Business Journal). The massive new bridge connecting Terminal Island and Downtown Long Beach at the city’s port complex was officially named the Long Beach International Gateway Bridge today after receiving approval from the state Senate. “Since our new bridge officially opened in 2020, it has been a bright new landmark for our city—welcoming visitors from close to home and around the world,” Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia said in a statement. “The approval of its official name as the Long Beach International Gateway Bridge perfectly fits all that it represents, and we are excited to have it serve our community and our great port for generations to come.” The span opened to traffic in October 2020 as a replacement for the 1960s-vintage Gerald Desmond Bridge, which was replaced to allow passage of larger cargo ships beneath. The original bridge was 155 feet above the water, but its replacement is 205 feet high.
- Cones under California freeways: What are they and what they do (ABC 10). Have you ever seen what appears to be upside-down cones underneath Sacramento freeways? They’re called exclusion devices. According to Caltrans, these cheap tools keep birds and bats safe during road construction. The exclusion devices first went up in Aug. 2020 in Sacramento and were originally used by Caltrans in Fresno a few years ago before coming north.
- Weekend closure to impact Stockton’s crosstown freeway, I5 and 99 (ABC 10). Weekend freeway onramp closings in Stockton are expected to impact thousands of drivers on Interstate 5, Highway 99 and the city’s arterial crosstown freeway, also known as State Route 4. From 10 p.m. Thursday through 5 a.m. Monday, connector ramps from both north and southbound I-5 to and from the crosstown freeway will be closed for construction, Caltrans officials say. At the same time, all onramps from both northbound and southbound Highway 99 to and from Stockton’s crosstown freeway are also being closed.
- Caltrans earmarks funds to improve roadway projects in the Cajon Pass (Victor Valley Daily Press). About $24 million in roadway improvements projects are coming to the Cajon Pass area south of the Victor Valley, part of more than $2.2 billion in projects announced this week by the California Department of Transportation, also known as Caltrans. The allocation includes more than $1.6 billion in funding from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 and nearly $336 million in funding from Senate Bill 1, which passed in 2017 and set aside gas taxes and vehicle fees for road improvements. […] One Cajon Pass project included $23.86 million to construct a new weigh station and truck safety inspection facility on southbound Interstate 15.
- S.R. 135 to be Shut During Demolition of Bridge at U.S. 101 in Los Alamos (Noozhawk). A project to reconstruct the bridges on Highway 101 at the interchange with State Route 135 in Los Alamos will continue with the demolition of the northbound bridge beginning Tuesday, Sept. 6. This roadwork will result in a 24-hour closure of State Route 135 between Bell/Main Street to San Antonio Boulevard, 7 a.m. Sept. 6 to 7 a.m. Sept. Sept. 7.
- I-15 southbound in California to be reduced to 1 lane at Nipton (Fox 5 Las Vegas). If you’re heading to California be prepared to face longer than normal travel times as road repairs will reduce lanes. Nevada State Police said I-15 southbound at Mile Marker 174 is currently reduced to one lane for a bridge repair. The area is in California near Nipton Road and was damaged after flash flooding in the area last week. NDOT said it is unclear how long the repairs are expected to take but construction will halt over the Labor Day weekend and resume following the holiday.
- ＄The freeway that never was: How a four-lane highway would have transformed St. Helena (Napa Valley Register/St. Helena Star). The beloved elm tunnel would be in the middle of a four-lane highway. Mills Lane could have had an interchange in the middle of vineyards. Local streets would dead-end. A highway bridge would take over the Paulson farm on Pope Street. Virgil Galleron would lose his water supply. Visitors might not stop in town. Wide swaths of vineyard would be condemned and torn out. Charles Krug Winery’s vineyard would be cut in two. Three highways might have bisected our narrow valley. These would have been the consequences had a four-lane highway been built up the Napa Valley, bypassing St. Helena to the east of Main Street. That is exactly what was proposed in October 1958.
- Interstate 10 fully reopened east of Desert Center at Corn Springs Road (Desert Sun). The eastbound Interstate 10 freeway has been completely re-opened at Corn Springs Road, with both lanes open to traffic as of mid-day Sunday. Crews from CalTrans and the California Highway Patrol worked throughout the weekend to repair major damage after storm-related floodwaters washed out lanes and a truck overturned on Wednesday. Construction is still ongoing in this location, so drivers are asked to watch their speed and be aware of CalTrans workers.
- Highway 101 at MPC (Montecito Journal). In a six-hour meeting last week, the Montecito Planning Commission (MPC) completed their review of the 101 Highway project through Montecito, sending their recommendations and comments to the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission (SBPC). This was the final hearing in a series of three conceptual reviews at MPC. SBPC will consider the project at two hearings scheduled for both November and December of this year. The Montecito segment of the project (called 4D) includes widening 1.4 miles of both directions of the freeway, from just before the Romero Creek bridge to Olive Mill Road to accommodate a part-time High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane. The existing roadway pavement on the freeway will be replaced with 40-year concrete pavement, and the project includes the installation of median barriers, guardrails, fencing, retaining walls, and new landscaping, reconstruction of the freeway bridges over Cabrillo Boulevard plus a new southbound on-ramp, and replacement of the bridges over Romero Creek, San Ysidro Creek, and Oak Creek. The project also includes the removal of 158 oak trees (to be replaced at a 3:1 or 2:1 ratio) and 20 other native trees (to be replaced at a 1:1 ratio). Safety improvements of the project include increased stopping sight distance, exterior shoulders for disabled and emergency vehicles, new safety barriers, enhanced pavement markings and signs, and safety lighting at ramps. New components of the project will result in reduced maintenance, according to project reps.
- Metro Looks To Widen the 14 Freeway In North Los Angeles County (Streetsblog LA). Last week the Metro board approved a motion that directed Metro staff to work with Caltrans “to correct sub-standard configurations” on the 14 Freeway in North L.A. County. In L.A. freeway-speak, “correcting sub-standard conditions” pretty much always means widening the freeway. The motion pretty much confirms this, noting that “the [SR-14’s] sub-standard lane drop configuration creates bottlenecks.” How have Metro and Caltrans dealt with lane drops and bottlenecks in the past? They have added more lanes.
- Rio Vista Bridge out of service after getting stuck in upright position (KXTV-TV Sacramento). The Rio Vista bridge is closed due to being stuck in the upright position, according to Caltrans. There is no current estimated time of reopening. Officials are asking drivers to use alternate routes since delays are expected on Highway 12 and Highway 160.
Gribblenation Blog (Tom Fearer)
- Former California State Route 106. California State Route 106 was a short lived post-1964 Sign State Route. California State Route 106 was defined over what had been Legislative Route Number 190 between California State Route 38 near Redlands to California State Route 30 near Highland via Boulder Avenue and Orange Street. California State Route 106 was consolidated into California State Route 30 via 1972 Legislative Chapter 1216.
- Unbuilt California State Route 256. California State Route 256 was a never constructed western bypass of downtown Roseville of Placer County. California State Route 256 was created via 1965 Legislative Chapter 1372 and appears to have been a conceptual replacement for what was US Route 99E. The adopted routing of California State Route 256 was dropped in 1976 and it was deleted by the State Legislature during 1994.
- Pardee Dam Road. Pardee Dam is a 358-foot-high concrete structure located near Campo Seco at the Calaveras County and Amador County Line. Pardee Dam impounds the Mokelumne River which forms the namesake Pardee Reservoir. Pardee Dam was completed during 1929 and is part of the East Bay Municipal Utility District. Pardee Dam is accessed by the namesake Pardee Dam Road which crosses the structure via the one-lane road seen as the blog cover photo.
- The Middle Bar Bridge over Mokelumne River (Middle Bar Road and Gwin Mine Road). The Middle Bar Bridge is an iron truss span located on Mokelumne River in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The Middle Bar Bridge is one of the oldest highway corridors in California having originated as the connecting road between Jackson to Paloma. The Middle Bar Bridge sits at the location of what was the placer mining town of Middle Bar. The current Middle Bar Bridge is the fourth structure to span the Mokelumne River and was constructed during 1912. The Middle Bar Bridge presently connects Middle Bar Road of Amador County to that of Gwin Mine Road of Calaveras County.
- Former US Route 101 on El Camino Real in Greenfield. Greenfield is a city located in Salinas Valley of Monterey County, California. Modern US Route 101 is aligned through Greenfield via a freeway bypass which opened during 1961. The original alignment of US Route 101 in Greenfield was aligned directly through the community on El Camino Real. Above the cover photo of this blog features a view of former US Route 101 in Greenfield facing north on El Camino Real. Below Greenfield can be seen along US Route 101 on the 1935 Division of Highways Map of Monterey County
- US Route 101. Welcome to the Gribblenation US Route 101 Page, your destination to find all things US Route 101. US Route 101 was one of the original US Routes created in 1926 alongside the US Route System. US Route 101 as presently configured begins in downtown Los Angeles, California and terminates in Turnwater near Olympia, Washington. At its peak US Route 101 terminated at the Mexican border near San Ysidro, California. US Route 101 is known for being one of the most scenic highways in the US Route inventory as it includes notable segments such as the Redwood Highway, Oregon Coast and Golden Gate Bridge. This page is meant to serve as compellation of all Gribblenation blogs and media pertaining to the US Route 101.
- California State Route 1. California State Route 1 ranks amongst the most scenic highways in the world and is frequently featured on Gribblenation. As currently configured California State Route 1 follows a largely coastal alignment between San Juan Capistrano to Leggett. California State Route 1 contains notable segments such as the Pacific Coast Highway through Malibu, Rincon Causeway, Cabrillo Highway through Big Sur, the San Francisco Peninsula, the Golden Gate Bridge and North Shore Highway. Below is a compellation of all Gribblenation blog materials on California State Route 1 along with a brief history of major events along the classic scenic highway.
- Aptos Creek Road to the Loma Prieta ghost town site\. Aptos Creek Road is a roadway in Santa Cruz County, California which connects the community of Aptos north to The Forest of Nisene Marks State Parks. Aptos Creek Road north of Aptos is largely unpaved and is where the town site of Loma Prieta can be located. Loma Prieta was a sawmill community which operated from 1883-1923 and reached a peak population of approximately three hundred. Loma Prieta included a railroad which is now occupied by Aptos Creek Road along with a spur to Bridge Creek which now the Loma Prieta Grade Trail. The site of the Loma Prieta Mill and company town burned in 1942.
