Favorite Freeway stretch in Northern California

[agentsteel53]

San Luis Obispo to San Francisco is 232 miles.  it can be done in 2 3/4 hours, but that's averaging 84mph.  it basically means skirting the risk of a speeding ticket the whole way (cops enforce ~80 these days), and not stopping for anything. 

no gas stations, no fast food, no pokeys in the left lane, no advisory curves on that dilapidated section of 101 in Prunedale, no shying away from the Steve McQueen impression on Van Ness Ave in downtown San Fran, nothing.

realistically, you're looking at setting your cruise control to 95-97mph, which isn't skirting the risk of a speeding ticket as much as getting on your knees and begging for one.

[Interstatefan78]

San Luis Obispo to San Francisco is 232 miles.  it can be done in 2 3/4 hours, but that's averaging 84mph.  it basically means skirting the risk of a speeding ticket the whole way (cops enforce ~80 these days), and not stopping for anything. 

no gas stations, no fast food, no pokeys in the left lane, no advisory curves on that dilapidated section of 101 in Prunedale, no shying away from the Steve McQueen impression on Van Ness Ave in downtown San Fran, nothing.

realistically, you're looking at setting your cruise control to 95-97mph, which isn't skirting the risk of a speeding ticket as much as getting on your knees and begging for one.

Another thing about El Camino Real or US-101 through Prunedale was a freeway being built to by pass the curves. Seen this april and I think Caltrans is making a Gilroy to Prunedale freeway to by pass the curves at the Monterey/San Benito County line if this was built it would reduce the SLO to SF travel by some 30 min and it will come out as 2/1/2 hours

[CentralCAroadgeek]

Another thing about El Camino Real or US-101 through Prunedale was a freeway being built to by pass the curves. Seen this april and I think Caltrans is making a Gilroy to Prunedale freeway to by pass the curves at the Monterey/San Benito County line if this was built it would reduce the SLO to SF travel by some 30 min and it will come out as 2/1/2 hours

If you're talking about an all-new 101 alignment, then you're wrong. All Caltrans is doing is improving the current alignment by building new exits and overpasses.

[Interstatefan78]

Another thing about El Camino Real or US-101 through Prunedale was a freeway being built to by pass the curves. Seen this april and I think Caltrans is making a Gilroy to Prunedale freeway to by pass the curves at the Monterey/San Benito County line if this was built it would reduce the SLO to SF travel by some 30 min and it will come out as 2/1/2 hours

If you're talking about an all-new 101 alignment, then you're wrong. All Caltrans is doing is improving the current alignment by building new exits and overpasses.

But once the project is done would caltrans raise the Current 55mph speed limit up to a 65 or a 70 mph speed limt in Prundale on the 101

[CentralCAroadgeek]

Another thing about El Camino Real or US-101 through Prunedale was a freeway being built to by pass the curves. Seen this april and I think Caltrans is making a Gilroy to Prunedale freeway to by pass the curves at the Monterey/San Benito County line if this was built it would reduce the SLO to SF travel by some 30 min and it will come out as 2/1/2 hours

If you're talking about an all-new 101 alignment, then you're wrong. All Caltrans is doing is improving the current alignment by building new exits and overpasses.

But once the project is done would caltrans raise the Current 55mph speed limit up to a 65 or a 70 mph speed limt in Prundale on the 101

That unfortunately, I'm not sure about. Maybe they'd consider that within the project's completion in 2014.

[J N Winkler]

The US 101 Prunedale contract (05-315804) is actually a "multiple locations" job, which means that not all of the work is occurring on a single connected length.  Caltrans is stopping up some side accesses (which accounts for some of the locations) and building a grade-separated interchange at San Juan Road (future Exit 342).

Part of US 101 through Prunedale is a designated "Arrive Alive" safety corridor with a 55 MPH speed limit, and the associated signing is being left undisturbed.  However, the improved length around the new interchange will have a 60 MPH speed limit with 55 MPH advisory speed signs for a curve on northbound US 101.

CentralCAroadgeek is correct to say that the improvements are on the existing US 101 alignment.  The typical cross-section sheets for this project are unusually numerous, complex, and difficult to interpret, and the profile sheets do not show the superelevation of the existing road, but from what I can tell by looking at the cross-section sheets, the superelevation in some places will be reduced by applying new pavement that is thicker on one side than on the other in respect to the surface of the existing pavement.  For the most part these differences are slight, but they are especially pronounced at the ramp tie-ins for the new interchange and are probably driven by the exigencies of ensuring proper drainage at the ramp noses.

A reduction in superelevation has a tendency to increase the side friction demand motorists experience negotiating curves at a given speed and therefore militates against an increase in speed limit.