|
Miscellaneous Interstate 8 Pictures
| Scenes Pertaining to Interstate 8: San Diego County |
|---|
 |
 |
 |
In the Mission Valley community of the city of San Diego, these freeway entrance shields sign the route from eastbound Camino del Rio North to Interstate 8 west. Photo taken 07/24/10 and 10/10/05. |
 |
Leaving the Mission Valley Center shopping center at Camino del Rio, this green guide sign shows the direction to the onramp for Interstate 8 and Interstate 15. An angular, state name shield is used for both routes. Photo taken 07/24/10. |
 |
This Caltrans-standard freeway entrance shield assembly marks the way to Interstate 8. Photo taken 03/06/02. |
 |
Close-up of the Interstate 8 button copy shield on a sign located along southbound Second Street (Former California 54/"Business Route 54") in El Cajon. Photo taken 08/00. |
 |
This picture shows another Interstate 8 freeway entrance, this time from Jackson Drive in La Mesa. Photo taken 08/00. |
| Northbound Spring Street at Interstate 8 |
|---|
 |
Northbound Spring Street approaches its interchange with Interstate 8 in La Mesa. The first right turn connects to Interstate 8 east to El Cajon and El Centro. Photo taken 02/21/05. |
 |
Passing under a ramp connecting to Interstate 8, northbound Spring Street splits between Interstate 8 west to San Diego (left lane) and Center Street north to Grossmont (right lane) in La Mesa. Photo taken 02/21/05. |
 |
Soon thereafter, the ramp splits between Interstate 8 west to San Diego (left lane) and Center Street north to Grossmont (right lane). Photo taken 02/21/05. |
| Snow on Interstate 8 |
|---|
 |
 |
 |
 |
In the higher elevations of Interstate 8 (near Pine Valley and Laguna Summit), snow is a rare occurrence in the winter. However, when it snows, it can snow quite a bit as these photos from Winter 2006 attest. Photos taken 03/12/06. |
| Interstate 8 and Pine Valley Road Interchange |
|---|
 |
In the unincorporated community of Pine Valley, this trailblazer sign on northbound Pine Valley Road points the way to Interstate 8 east to El Centro (right turn) and west to San Diego (left turn). These are the control cities for most of Interstate 8 across San Diego and Imperial Counties. Photo taken 04/19/08. |
 |
This view looks west from Pine Valley Road to the wrong way up an offramp from Interstate 8 east to Pine Valley Road. Photo taken 04/19/08. |
 |
Continuing north on Pine Valley Road, the two-lane, rural highway passes under the twin bridges of Interstate 8 east and Interstate 8 west. Photo taken 04/19/08. |
 |
A centerline view of northbound Pine Valley Road shows the Interstate 8 westbound overpass. Photo taken 04/19/08. |
 |
Immediately thereafter, northbound Pine Valley Road intersects with the southern half of the diamond interchange with Interstate 8. This left turn ramp connects to Interstate 8 west to San Diego. Photo taken 04/19/08. |
 |
This view shows the onramp from Pine Valley Road to Interstate 8 west to San Diego, complete with a freeway entrance shield assembly. Photo taken 04/19/08. |
 |
Now traveling southbound on Pine Valley Road, this view shows a freeway entrance shield assembly, followed by trailblazer sign marked with control cities to the east (El Centro) and west (San Diego). A total of five Interstate 8 shields can be seen in this photo, including three freeway entrance shields, the trailblazer sign, and a distant guide sign for Interstate 8 east to El Centro on the far side of the bridges. Photo taken 04/19/08. |
 |
This closer view of the trailblazer guide sign shows an older standard than the one posted on northbound Pine Valley Road. This one was probably placed in the 1990s before the retroreflective sheeting became standard for all new Caltrans signs in 1999. Photo taken 04/19/08. |
| La Posta Road Bridge |
|---|
 |
La Posta Road travels under Interstate 8 near the unincorporated community of Cameron Corners just north of Old U.S. 80. This bridge was constructed along with the Interstate highway on January 23, 1974. Seismic retrofit work was completed on June 16, 1997. This photo shows both the eastbound and westbound bridges. Photo taken 04/19/08. |
 |
Traveling north on La Posta Road, this view shows the west end of the long westbound Interstate 8 bridge over La Posta Road. North of this bridge, La Posta Road changes names to Thing Valley Road. Photo taken 04/19/08. |
 |
Now looking south, this view shows La Posta Road traveling under the eastbound lanes of Interstate 8. The stop sign in the distance is for Old Highway 80 (U.S. 80). Photo taken 04/19/08. |
 |
This photo shows the west end of the eastbound Interstate 8 bridge looking south along La Posta Road. Photo taken 04/19/08. |
 |
From La Posta Road, this view looks at the under structure for the bridge carrying eastbound lanes over La Posta Road. Photo taken 04/19/08. |
| Scenes Pertaining to Interstate 8: Imperial County |
 |
This freeway entrance shield for Interstate 8 east is posted on Imperial County Route S-2 (Imperial Highway) near the unincorporated community of Ocotillo. Photo taken 04/19/08. |
 |
This cylindrical building located near El Centro shows where Sea Level would be if there were enough water in the Imperial Valley. Photo taken 11/00. |
 |
This freeway entrance signage for Interstate 8 is posted on Mountain Springs Road. Mountain Springs Road is the only interchange between In-Ko-Pah Road near the top of the In-Ko-Pah Canyon grade and California 98 at the bottom of the grade. The large fences here are designed to reduce the wind's effects on the highway. Photo taken 04/99. |
 |
This freeway entrance for Interstate 8 at the Ogilby Road (Imperial County Route S-34) overcrossing. Photo taken 11/00. |
| Desert View Tower |
 |
 |
The Desert View Tower looks over the vast desert horizon from its perch above Interstate 8 and the In-Ko-pah Gorge. Built between 1922 and 1928 by Bert Vaughn (who at that time owned the nearby town of Jacumba), the Desert View Tower is a well-known landmark for travelers along Historic U.S. 80, the Boulevard of America. The tower is open for visitors for a nominal fee. Photos taken 01/15/07. |
 |
Built between 1922 and 1928 by Bert Vaughn (who at that time owned the nearby town of Jacumba), the Desert View Tower is a well-known landmark for travelers along Historic U.S. 80, the Boulevard of America. The tower was built to honor the railroad and highway builders who opened this area for travelers. Nearby rock sculptures were carved by W.T. Ratcliffe, an engineer, during the 1930s. Photo taken 01/15/07. |
 |
This view shows the Desert View Tower and some of the nearby buildings adjacent to the tower, looking south. Photo taken 04/19/08. |
 |
 |
The wind was howling on this day in January, after a winter storm passed through the area. The first view looks north at the tower. This resulted in clean air and stellar views of the Imperial Valley. The April 2008 photo was taken on a much calmer day; this view looks south at the tower. Photos taken 01/15/07 and 04/19/08. |
 |
 |
The "desert view" promised by the aptly named Desert View Tower can be seen in nearly all directions from the tower, but the most dramatic and compelling views look east toward In-Ko-Pah Gorge and the Imperial Valley. Since Interstate 8 passes directly below the tower, a fence prevents people from accidentally traveling too far away from the tower and falling to the freeway below. Affixed to one of these safety fences is this old 3,000-foot elevation sign, which was probably located along Old U.S. 80 at some point in the past. Photos taken 04/19/08. |
 |
 |
Looking east from the Desert View Tower, the alignments of Interstate 8 east and west split after the Mountain Springs Road interchange (Exit 80). In the distance is the Salton Sea. Photo taken 01/15/07. |
 |
Now looking north from the Desert View Tower, Interstate 8 west climbs uphill to In-Ko-Pah Park Road, while the eastbound lanes descend toward Mountain Springs. Photo taken 01/15/07. |
 |
This is a close-up of the Mountain Springs Road interchange (Exit 80) as seen from the Desert View Tower overlook. Old alignments of U.S. 80 (single and twin slab concrete) can be found at this interchange, but not all of it runs on public land. Photo taken 01/15/07. |
| Imperial (Algodones) Sand Dunes at Buttercup Valley |
 |
 |
 |
These pictures show the Imperial Sand Dunes, which are located along Interstate 8 near Gray's Well. The dunes are popular with sports enthusiasts and off-road riders. A campground is located near the base of dunes, and it is not uncommon to spot riders of all-terrain vehicles up at daybreak taking their four-wheelers into the dune sea. Photos taken 11/00. |
| Pine Valley Creek Bridge |
 |
 |
The Pine Valley Creek Bridge is 42 miles east of the Interstate 5/8 interchange, and it is between Exits 40 and 45. This suite of pictures shows various pictures of the approach to the bridge along eastbound. The bridge itself is rumored to be among the highest bridges of its type anywhere on the national Interstate Highway System. Closed occasionally by strong winter and summer Santa Ana winds, Pine Valley Creek Bridge rises high above a deep valley carved by the relatively small Pine Valley Creek. Snow had fallen on Interstate 8 on the day before these pictures were taken. All photos taken 01/19/01. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
These views of the Pine Valley Creek Bridge are taken from the eastbound lanes looking west. Photos taken 01/19/01. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| This series of pictures shows the Pine Valley Creek Bridge as seen from various vantage points above, below, and on-grade with the bridge. The pillars that support the bridge rise from the floor of the valley, then separate into a "Y" shape to support the dual carriageways of Interstate 8 over the valley below. Prior to the construction of this bridge, plans had called for Interstate 8 to enter Pine Valley itself via what is now California 79 and Historic U.S. 80. Those plans changed when this bridge was conceived and determined to be feasible for construction. All photos taken 01/19/01. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| All American Canal Bridge near Milepost 153 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
This suite of photos provides views of the All-American Canal Bridge near Milepost 153 just east of Grays Well Road. This bridge features a unique steel superstructure that is only visible to those on foot or using the canal service road. Without water, the Imperial Valley would not be able to produce one-seventh of the nation's table vegetables. The All-American Canal carries water from the Colorado River west into the valley, providing farmers with the resources they need to grow a wide variety of crops in the hot desert. Photos taken 01/19/01. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Abandoned Rest Area near Milepost 79 |
 |
 |
An abandoned rest area is located along Interstate 8 eastbound near this callbox at Milepost 79. The rest area has been closed, but it may be accessed by parking on the shoulder of the road (not recommended) and hiking along an abandoned on-ramp. There even is an old freeway entrance sign that has since been relegated to target practice. There were no facilities to this rest stop, but it has an outstanding view of the In-Ko-Pah Gorge. Photos taken 11/00. |
 |
 |
Page Updated August 27, 2010.
|
