Old CA 207 (i) and the Volta alignment of CA 33

[Max Rockatansky]

As I was driving home today I took the opportunity to take some photos of the first CA 207 which ran CA 152 north to CA 33 in Santa Nella.  CA 33 used to go through downtown Los Banos by way of Volta rather than multiplexing CA 152 west of I-5.  The first CA 207 was eventually absorbed into CA 33 when it was realigned on the current route west of Los Banos.

CA 207 (i)

https://flic.kr/s/aHskCV2jyN


Volta alignment of CA 33

https://flic.kr/s/aHsmmyfcEN

[sparker]

As I was driving home today I took the opportunity to take some photos of the first CA 207 which ran CA 152 north to CA 33 in Santa Nella.  CA 33 used to go through downtown Los Banos by way of Volta rather than multiplexing CA 152 west of I-5.  The first CA 207 was eventually absorbed into CA 33 when it was realigned on the current route west of Los Banos.

CA 207 (i)

https://flic.kr/s/aHskCV2jyN


Volta alignment of CA 33

https://flic.kr/s/aHsmmyfcEN

Back in early '69, when I was in college (UC Riverside), the Volta alignment of CA 33 (active at that time) was used on a return trip from taking photographs of the Berkeley Peoples' Park incidents for the UCR newspaper.  At that time I-5 only extended south to CA 152 -- but the section south of Santa Nella was shut down for spot repairs, so all traffic was shunted onto southbound CA 33.  I got to the 33/207 intersection (it was late at night) and decided to take 33 directly into Los Banos.  Very narrow alignment, much of it following the old SP West Valley line.  Was very glad to finally hit 152; 33 made several turns once onto Los Banos streets, with only minimal directional trailblazers.  Certainly not surprised to see it relinquished several years later. 

[Max Rockatansky]

As I was driving home today I took the opportunity to take some photos of the first CA 207 which ran CA 152 north to CA 33 in Santa Nella.  CA 33 used to go through downtown Los Banos by way of Volta rather than multiplexing CA 152 west of I-5.  The first CA 207 was eventually absorbed into CA 33 when it was realigned on the current route west of Los Banos.

CA 207 (i)

https://flic.kr/s/aHskCV2jyN


Volta alignment of CA 33

https://flic.kr/s/aHsmmyfcEN

Back in early '69, when I was in college (UC Riverside), the Volta alignment of CA 33 (active at that time) was used on a return trip from taking photographs of the Berkeley Peoples' Park incidents for the UCR newspaper.  At that time I-5 only extended south to CA 152 -- but the section south of Santa Nella was shut down for spot repairs, so all traffic was shunted onto southbound CA 33.  I got to the 33/207 intersection (it was late at night) and decided to take 33 directly into Los Banos.  Very narrow alignment, much of it following the old SP West Valley line.  Was very glad to finally hit 152; 33 made several turns once onto Los Banos streets, with only minimal directional trailblazers.  Certainly not surprised to see it relinquished several years later.

Those two rail crossing take a sudden 45 degree angle on the approach.  I would imagine in the dark they were definitely obvious points where vehicles would crash.  Really I'm kind of surprised 33 wasn't multiplex onto I-5, it certainly would be a much more direct routing than using the alignment of 207 (i).

[sparker]

Those two rail crossing take a sudden 45 degree angle on the approach.  I would imagine in the dark they were definitely obvious points where vehicles would crash.  Really I'm kind of surprised 33 wasn't multiplex onto I-5, it certainly would be a much more direct routing than using the alignment of 207 (i).

As you've undoubtedly ascertained, Caltrans is very reluctant to deploy multiplexes; the only reason CA 33 multiplexes with I-5 north of Coalinga is that Derrick Road (the old 33 alignment), which weaves around the now-multiplexed portion, was literally falling apart (I drove it back about 1973 or so) -- it was a county facility that wasn't brought into the state system until the late '50's in order to complete the SSR 33 route, and had never been upgraded except for spot fixes.  Seeing as how Derrick Road was essentially a series of I-5 frontage roads, it was decided (in conjunction with the commissioning of the CA 145 extension from Kerman south/southwest) to simply relinquish the Derrick alignment and reroute CA 33 over I-5 for 12 miles.  But farther north, the former CA 207 was viewed as an important cutoff between CA 152 over Pacheco Pass and Santa Nella/Gustine; when the Volta alignment was slated for relinquishment, it was decided to retain that regional "shortcut" within the system and simply reroute CA 33 over it.  Since there already was a relatively long multiplex of CA 33 with CA 152 east of Los Banos, extending it to the former CA 207 wasn't considered terribly out of line (I guess the anti-multiplex "hawks" just had to suck it up on that one!).  I don't see the current arrangement going away anytime soon -- although for all intents and purposes the sections of CA 33 north and south of CA 152 effectively function as two different routes; IMO the northern portion could be renumbered if so desired -- but local officials in Gustine and Patterson would likely object to any alteration of the status quo (especially since Patterson is now growing by leaps and bounds as a Bay Area outer exurb).  Even with the admittedly awkward "partial" mention of CA 33 at the 5/152 interchange, that multiplex will probably last for a long time.

[Max Rockatansky]

Those two rail crossing take a sudden 45 degree angle on the approach.  I would imagine in the dark they were definitely obvious points where vehicles would crash.  Really I'm kind of surprised 33 wasn't multiplex onto I-5, it certainly would be a much more direct routing than using the alignment of 207 (i).

As you've undoubtedly ascertained, Caltrans is very reluctant to deploy multiplexes; the only reason CA 33 multiplexes with I-5 north of Coalinga is that Derrick Road (the old 33 alignment), which weaves around the now-multiplexed portion, was literally falling apart (I drove it back about 1973 or so) -- it was a county facility that wasn't brought into the state system until the late '50's in order to complete the SSR 33 route, and had never been upgraded except for spot fixes.  Seeing as how Derrick Road was essentially a series of I-5 frontage roads, it was decided (in conjunction with the commissioning of the CA 145 extension from Kerman south/southwest) to simply relinquish the Derrick alignment and reroute CA 33 over I-5 for 12 miles.  But farther north, the former CA 207 was viewed as an important cutoff between CA 152 over Pacheco Pass and Santa Nella/Gustine; when the Volta alignment was slated for relinquishment, it was decided to retain that regional "shortcut" within the system and simply reroute CA 33 over it.  Since there already was a relatively long multiplex of CA 33 with CA 152 east of Los Banos, extending it to the former CA 207 wasn't considered terribly out of line (I guess the anti-multiplex "hawks" just had to suck it up on that one!).  I don't see the current arrangement going away anytime soon -- although for all intents and purposes the sections of CA 33 north and south of CA 152 effectively function as two different routes; IMO the northern portion could be renumbered if so desired -- but local officials in Gustine and Patterson would likely object to any alteration of the status quo (especially since Patterson is now growing by leaps and bounds as a Bay Area outer exurb).  Even with the admittedly awkward "partial" mention of CA 33 at the 5/152 interchange, that multiplex will probably last for a long time.

I missed photographing earlier this year but the northbound ramp onto I-5 from CA 33/152 was being repaired.  It led to an odd circumstance where 33 was signed with a detour onto itself on the old 207 alignment.  When I came back the next week the detour signs were covered already, talk about a missed photo opportunity. 

[Max Rockatansky]

Wrote up something about both CA 207s and the old Volta Alignment of CA 33:

http://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2018/06/california-state-route-207-i-ii.html