California

[pderocco]

I don't know if this was ever brought up in the Pacific Southwest thread, but I've seen this erroneous sign for quite some time now. In Newbury Park, on Borchard Rd going NB right at the junction with US-101, the street sign shows a CA spade with a 101 inside instead of the US route shield:

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.1827868,-118.926352,3a,38.1y,37.89h,104.12t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s7KnNJMhP39e98uEnp3KHvg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Oh neat, I got to that area a ton but I've never seen that. First time I've ever seen CA-101.

Makes me wonder about the logistics of making road signs. You'd think whoever actually designs the sign in a CAD system, would have a basic understanding of the types of roads, and in this case would know what most idiot drivers manage to learn, that 101 is a US route. And you'd think that as the sign was being made, someone involved in the process would notice the error. I remember when there was an I-52 sign in La Jolla, which should have been CA-52. Are they all morons?

[Quillz]

I don't know if this was ever brought up in the Pacific Southwest thread, but I've seen this erroneous sign for quite some time now. In Newbury Park, on Borchard Rd going NB right at the junction with US-101, the street sign shows a CA spade with a 101 inside instead of the US route shield:

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.1827868,-118.926352,3a,38.1y,37.89h,104.12t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s7KnNJMhP39e98uEnp3KHvg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Oh neat, I got to that area a ton but I've never seen that. First time I've ever seen CA-101.

Makes me wonder about the logistics of making road signs. You'd think whoever actually designs the sign in a CAD system, would have a basic understanding of the types of roads, and in this case would know what most idiot drivers manage to learn, that 101 is a US route. And you'd think that as the sign was being made, someone involved in the process would notice the error. I remember when there was an I-52 sign in La Jolla, which should have been CA-52. Are they all morons?

I've always wondered if it's a case of specs have to be followed, even if it's known there is an error. I remember seeing a giant Alabama shield in Texas, and it's like... Surely they can recognize Texas isn't shaped like Alabama?

I will say error shields like this are pretty rare in California. The most common one I see is applying the interstate shield to state or federal highways.

[pderocco]

I've always wondered if it's a case of specs have to be followed, even if it's known there is an error. I remember seeing a giant Alabama shield in Texas, and it's like... Surely they can recognize Texas isn't shaped like Alabama?

I think it's a case of specs have to be worn.

[jdbx]

I don't know if this was ever brought up in the Pacific Southwest thread, but I've seen this erroneous sign for quite some time now. In Newbury Park, on Borchard Rd going NB right at the junction with US-101, the street sign shows a CA spade with a 101 inside instead of the US route shield:

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.1827868,-118.926352,3a,38.1y,37.89h,104.12t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s7KnNJMhP39e98uEnp3KHvg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Oh neat, I got to that area a ton but I've never seen that. First time I've ever seen CA-101.

Makes me wonder about the logistics of making road signs. You'd think whoever actually designs the sign in a CAD system, would have a basic understanding of the types of roads, and in this case would know what most idiot drivers manage to learn, that 101 is a US route. And you'd think that as the sign was being made, someone involved in the process would notice the error. I remember when there was an I-52 sign in La Jolla, which should have been CA-52. Are they all morons?

I've always wondered if it's a case of specs have to be followed, even if it's known there is an error. I remember seeing a giant Alabama shield in Texas, and it's like... Surely they can recognize Texas isn't shaped like Alabama?

That was always my thoughts about why there are so many signs being newly installed out there with the 3/4 text sizing error.  My city has recently put up quite a few of them, and I have a hard time believing that nobody involved in the sign-making process realizes just how wrong and bad these signs look. They probably are just blindly following what is probably a poorly-worded standard.

[kernals12]

Groundbreaking was held for a project that will convert the intersection in SLO County where James Dean was killed in 1955 into a grade separated interchange

[Max Rockatansky]

Much of the new alignment being built in Cholame strays north of the existing highway.  I was out there last week, looked like most of the grade work was already nearing completion.

[The Ghostbuster]

Will the new interchange be named the James Dean Memorial Interchange, in honor of him?

[SeriesE]

I'm surprised Caltrans didn't at least put a traffic signal there during the past 50+ years

[Max Rockatansky]

Way too busy of an intersection, the backups would be massive with a traffic light.  The only really difficult movement is the left hand turn from eastbound CA 46 to continue on northbound CA 41.  The trouble tends to be that the area gets a lot of winter fog which contributes to low visibility borne crashes.  Trying to turn left from any of the local properties is way worse from the two two lane segments of CA 41/CA 46.

[pderocco]

Much of the new alignment being built in Cholame strays north of the existing highway.  I was out there last week, looked like most of the grade work was already nearing completion.

Funny you'd mention that, and also that Concrete Bob would mention CA-65 in Porterville in another thread. I drove through both those stretches last Saturday. I had no idea that 46 would have a new alignment until I saw it with my own eyes. Then I looked online and found the map. However, I couldn't find any map showing the arrangement for the 41/46 split. Does anyone have a link to that? The maps in EIRs are usually the best.

[Quillz]

Groundbreaking was held for a project that will convert the intersection in SLO County where James Dean was killed in 1955 into a grade separated interchange

Wasn't the actual intersection not in use anymore? I think the modern highway (and the named intersection) is a little north of where it used to be.

[Quillz]

Also, some brand new signage just went up on US-101 through the valley! The Ventura Freeway between CA-27 and I-405, specifically. Couldn't get any pics, one sign is being worked on right now. However, already saw a design error: too much spacing between "White Oak" and "Avenue." Looks like someone hit the space bar twice.

[pderocco]

Groundbreaking was held for a project that will convert the intersection in SLO County where James Dean was killed in 1955 into a grade separated interchange

Wasn't the actual intersection not in use anymore? I think the modern highway (and the named intersection) is a little north of where it used to be.

I don't think so, because even after all those decades there would be visible scars on the landscape.

[Max Rockatansky]

Groundbreaking was held for a project that will convert the intersection in SLO County where James Dean was killed in 1955 into a grade separated interchange

Wasn't the actual intersection not in use anymore? I think the modern highway (and the named intersection) is a little north of where it used to be.

I don't think so, because even after all those decades there would be visible scars on the landscape.

It's the same as it was when it was the junction of US 466 and CA 41.

[TheStranger]

It's the same as it was when it was the junction of US 466 and CA 41.

To clarify for other folks:

The 41/46 east junction is the one that hasn't changed much in decades, the one in Cholame.  This is where James Dean's accident occurred.

The west junction is what has been realigned, with Shandon now bypassed to the north on 41/46.  41/US 466 used to continue through town to where 41 continues south (then originally 466 followed 41, 229, and the Rocky Canyon Trail to Atascadero).

[Max Rockatansky]

Rocky Canyon being the last segment of dirt US Route in California.  It was never actually paved and US 466 was realigned west of Shandon along CA 41 to Paso Robles.  Rocky Canyon is heavily eroded but can still be hiked:

https://www.gribblenation.org/2018/12/legacy-of-us-route-466-part-3-morro-bay.html?m=1

[TheStranger]

Years ago, Elkhorn Boulevard in Sacramento was realigned to head southwest from its former direct alignment to Power Line Road.

Now I see the culmination of this: a new entrance to Sacramento International Airport!
https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento/smf-breaks-ground-extension-project/103-148720ab-3a4b-4043-93c7-94e0cea9cac8?utm_campaign=snd-autopilot&tag1=kxtvshare&fbclid=IwAR0aeWp1mi4RAbQaA1oyFvh4yTbPCKjr0pASbBd3GAPU1SZR_OCaff8pi6M

[Occidental Tourist]

I'm trying to figure out the need for this other than creating a shorter route to the airport for that Amazon hub. It seems like the airport is equally accessible from the 99 using the 5 as it is in getting off the 99 an exit before the 5 and using Elkhorn.

[gonealookin]

I'm trying to figure out the need for this other than creating a shorter route to the airport for that Amazon hub. It seems like the airport is equally accessible from the 99 using the 5 as it is in getting off the 99 an exit before the 5 and using Elkhorn.

Here's the stated "need" from a Sacramento Bee article:

Airport officials characterized the second direct connection to the airport as an alternative entrance if travel backs up on I-5. Motorists on State Highway 99 could get off at the Elkhorn Boulevard exit and take that road right to the airport, they said.

The connector would also serve as a direct link for traffic between a proposed airport cargo station in Metro Air Park and the airport.

"Our goal has always been to have secondary access to the airport,"  TJ Chen, deputy director of airport planning and development said at the groundbreaking ceremony.

[kernals12]

Apparently, in the late 60s, there were plans for a Hwy 9 Freeway/Expressway (start at 0:55) in the San Lorenzo Valley going from Scotts Valley to Boulder Creek.

[Quillz]

It seems in the 50s and 60s there were plans to make absolutely everything a freeway. CA-23 was envisioned as the Decker Freeway, all the way from CA-1 to Fillmore. There was the CA-64 freeway through the San Fernando Valley. The CA-14 extension was going to be a freeway to CA-1. I think this was still part of that "we can build anything, anywhere" mentality that defined most of the first half of the 20th century, and before there was a large environmental movement.

[Max Rockatansky]

Must've never got much beyond the concept phase.  I don't see that segment of CA 9 referenced as part of the Freeway & Expressway System.  But to Quillz point, probably over 95% of urban state highways were added to the Freeway & Expressway system at some point.  It would be fair to say that most state highways in big cities were at least conceptually planned to have limited access elements.  That's not to say every planned freeway and expressway had a formal alignment adoption by the CHC. 

[kernals12]

It seems in the 50s and 60s there were plans to make absolutely everything a freeway. CA-23 was envisioned as the Decker Freeway, all the way from CA-1 to Fillmore. There was the CA-64 freeway through the San Fernando Valley. The CA-14 extension was going to be a freeway to CA-1. I think this was still part of that "we can build anything, anywhere" mentality that defined most of the first half of the 20th century, and before there was a large environmental movement.

Don't forget the plans to make CA 1 a freeway from Oxnard to San Luis Capistrano, including an offshore causeway between Malibu and Santa Monica

[RZF]

Drove through Glendale the other day. Caltrans put up a new I-5 shield at the Victory Blvd exit. No more US-99.

[roadman65]

Is the Sierra Highway that parallels the southern CA 14 freeway the Historic US 6 alignment into the LA area?