question on I-10/CA-62 interchange

[agentsteel53]

I drove this interchange yesterday, and noticed that the eastbound I-10 sign, on 62 south, was once a westbound, with remnants of "WEST" and "Los Angeles" visibly having been demounted.

was this interchange rebuilt at one point?  if so, when, and what was the original interchange configuration?  

a look at the satellite image shows what may be the remnants of an at-grade T-junction, so my guess is at one point the freeway ended at CA-62, and there was a single high-speed ramp from 62 south to 10 west.  that ramp was then later reconfigured to become the eastbound lanes, and a new westbound ramp was squeezed in, resulting in a) the odd ramp set where, from a southbound road, the east ramp is to the right of the west ramp, in contradiction to intuition - and b) the sign rearrangement.  

any actual data to illuminate this, and either confirm or disprove my hypothesis?

[NE2]

The bridges date from 1962, and in 1957 there was a T-intersection but with no ramps. SR 62 didn't pass under the current overheads either.

[agentsteel53]

The bridges date from 1962, and in 1957 there was a T-intersection but with no ramps. SR 62 didn't pass under the current overheads either.

that "1957" link does not appear to be working for me.

and what do you mean that it didn't pass under the current overheads? 

the overheads are button copy and if I had to make a guess I'd say they're early 70s.

[NE2]

that "1957" link does not appear to be working for me.

Does http://cartweb.geography.ua.edu/lizardtech/iserv/getimage?cat=North%20America%20and%20United%20States&item=States/California/Topos/15%20min/Palm%20Springs%201957.sid&wid=1200&hei=800&rgn=0.4551807229,0.2588913654,0.7443373494,0.4139451497&oif=jpeg&page=0 work?

The Caltrans bridge log has all the bridges at the interchange as 1962.

[agentsteel53]

yes, got the map.  interesting that they were built at the same time with that kinda funky "crossover" design.

it is plausible, but not likely, that the guide signs are 1962 as well.  I did not stop for a close look, but I did not see any glue remnants for US shields - no 70/99 and not even a 60.  I might have to stop and take good photos the next time I am there, including the date code on the back.

[Interstate Trav]

yes, got the map.  interesting that they were built at the same time with that kinda funky "crossover" design.

it is plausible, but not likely, that the guide signs are 1962 as well.  I did not stop for a close look, but I did not see any glue remnants for US shields - no 70/99 and not even a 60.  I might have to stop and take good photos the next time I am there, including the date code on the back.

If your refering to the sign I think you are, during 1999-2000 they replaced the signs along 62 Southbound.  That sign was compeltetly changed, as both lanes on 62 used to default onto 10 West, but they made the right lane an exit only lane for 10 East.  So they took down that sign and glued different cities on it.   I live only 14 minutes from there so I get to look at the sign often.   So if that makes any sense, they took down the sign and used it as an exit only sign for 10 East.  Hope that helped.

[agentsteel53]

If your refering to the sign I think you are, during 1999-2000 they replaced the signs along 62 Southbound.  That sign was compeltetly changed, as both lanes on 62 used to default onto 10 West, but they made the right lane an exit only lane for 10 East.  So they took down that sign and glued different cities on it.   I live only 14 minutes from there so I get to look at the sign often.   So if that makes any sense, they took down the sign and used it as an exit only sign for 10 East.  Hope that helped.

thank you; that explains everything!

those signs look to be much older than 1999-2000.  I think they're 70s or maybe early 80s vintage: they have the older-style layout with the button border at the extreme edge, as opposed to the 90s button copy which has an extra green margin, and the color fading is consistent with the older style as well.

so I would imagine the signs all just got rearranged but they remain 70s vintage originally.  would be interesting to look at the date stamps.

[The High Plains Traveler]

The sign at the exit on WB I-10 looks like it could be an edited original as well. As that interchange was built in 1962 and CA-62 wasn't designated until 1964, the original exit would have just read "29 Palms/Yucca Valley". The sign at the exit has an obvious 62 overlay, and the exit arrow does too, suggesting the arrow was moved right to make room for the 62. Surprisingly, the sign had to have been wide enough from the beginning to accommodate the addition.

[myosh_tino]

The sign at the exit on WB I-10 looks like it could be an edited original as well. As that interchange was built in 1962 and CA-62 wasn't designated until 1964, the original exit would have just read "29 Palms/Yucca Valley". The sign at the exit has an obvious 62 overlay, and the exit arrow does too, suggesting the arrow was moved right to make room for the 62. Surprisingly, the sign had to have been wide enough from the beginning to accommodate the addition.

I believe this is the sign you are referring to...

From the AARoads Gallery

Interestingly enough, the AARoads caption says there's a white CA-62 shield under the overlayed green CA-62 shield.  If you look closely, it appears the capital letters (P, Y, V) are also overlays.

[The High Plains Traveler]

The sign at the exit on WB I-10 looks like it could be an edited original as well. As that interchange was built in 1962 and CA-62 wasn't designated until 1964, the original exit would have just read "29 Palms/Yucca Valley". The sign at the exit has an obvious 62 overlay, and the exit arrow does too, suggesting the arrow was moved right to make room for the 62. Surprisingly, the sign had to have been wide enough from the beginning to accommodate the addition.

I believe this is the sign you are referring to...
see photo above
Interestingly enough, the AARoads caption says there's a white CA-62 shield under the overlayed green CA-62 shield.  If you look closely, it appears the capital letters (P, Y, V) are also overlays.

So... it's most likely this is not the original sign at this exit but rather a 1970s replacement that has been crudely repaired. I thought it odd the original sign would have been made wide enough for the route marker for an as-yet undesignated route, even though it was an unposted state highway at the time the original interchange was bult.

[Interstate Trav]

If your refering to the sign I think you are, during 1999-2000 they replaced the signs along 62 Southbound.  That sign was compeltetly changed, as both lanes on 62 used to default onto 10 West, but they made the right lane an exit only lane for 10 East.  So they took down that sign and glued different cities on it.   I live only 14 minutes from there so I get to look at the sign often.   So if that makes any sense, they took down the sign and used it as an exit only sign for 10 East.  Hope that helped.

thank you; that explains everything!

those signs look to be much older than 1999-2000.  I think they're 70s or maybe early 80s vintage: they have the older-style layout with the button border at the extreme edge, as opposed to the 90s button copy which has an extra green margin, and the color fading is consistent with the older style as well.

so I would imagine the signs all just got rearranged but they remain 70s vintage originally.  would be interesting to look at the date stamps.

I would definitely agree with you that they are older signs, and I remember looking at the sign when they it was on the ground and they were re arranging it, well for the 4 seconds I would see it driving by.  The date stamps would be cool to see definitely. 

If I'm not mistaken the 62 or Twentynine Palms Highway was orignally on the street just east of the current Expressway, Worsley Road before the Expressway segment was built.

Oh on a sidenote, I also remember in Morongo Valley when I first came up, in 1999 the sign on Hess blvd and 62 that had a sign for US 60, and plenty of room for US70 and US 99.

[agentsteel53]

Oh on a sidenote, I also remember in Morongo Valley when I first came up, in 1999 the sign on Hess blvd and 62 that had a sign for US 60, and plenty of room for US70 and US 99.

yep, that sign disappeared sometime between Dec '04 and Feb '05.  At one point it had "70 99" on there, but the legend was demounted.  It was a 1962 sign.

[Interstate Trav]

yep, that sign disappeared sometime between Dec '04 and Feb '05.  At one point it had "70 99" on there, but the legend was demounted.  It was a 1962 sign.

I remember when they replaced, it, I literally used to live down the street from it.  Now it just says Rte 10.  Sometimes it can be sad to see signs with such history dissapear.