California

[jakeroot]

I noticed this flashing yellow arrow-equipped intersection in Burbank just recently:

https://goo.gl/maps/4z6YSWCpmN6PQPUQ7 (only two of the four approaches....quite strange).

Are there any other flashing yellow arrows in the Valley? This one has been in-place for some time, and both replaced protected-only left turns.

EDIT: Found this webpage from the city of Burbank. Looks like the city has quite a few, and the above FYA was the very first.

I was driving once on Ralston Avenue in Belmont in San Mateo county coming from CA 92, and I saw a flashing yellow at an intersection. It's this one in GSV. Here's an article about it from the city website.

Did you mean this intersection? The one you posted doesn't (and never had) a flashing yellow signal, but just up the road, there is a brand-new FYA that was installed at Tahoe Drive (according to your linked article).

[Techknow]

Oops, I didn't double check the GSV link. When I went through there westbound I only noticed the flashing yellow but not the white sign so I thought it was at the next traffic light stop over. Seems weird to me the flashing yellow is at a school entrance, but ofc I'm not used to them

[jakeroot]

Oops, I didn't double check the GSV link. When I went through there westbound I only noticed the flashing yellow but not the white sign so I thought it was at the next traffic light stop over. Seems weird to me the flashing yellow is at a school entrance, but ofc I'm not used to them

No worries. It's quite an unusual setup. The left turn into the school has the FYA, but the actual left turn onto Tahoe Drive appears to use a protected-left. If you're ever in the area again, you'll have to go check it out and see what the setup is. I'm quite curious to know, especially since the article from the city suggests that Tahoe Drive should have an FYA (even though in GSV, it's only the school entrance).

[gonealookin]

Caltrans is closing CA 4 Ebbetts Pass and CA 108 Sonora Pass at noon today, and CA 89 Monitor Pass at 1 PM.  The Tioga Road through Yosemite and the upper part of CA 120 east of the park entrance have been closed for a week or so.  Based on the weather forecast I would say that's it for these roads until spring, though in a dry winter Monitor Pass sometimes reopens, being on the dry side of the Sierra.  Last year's official closing date for these passes was November 28, so about the same.

[Max Rockatansky]

Caltrans is closing CA 4 Ebbetts Pass and CA 108 Sonora Pass at noon today, and CA 89 Monitor Pass at 1 PM.  The Tioga Road through Yosemite and the upper part of CA 120 east of the park entrance have been closed for a week or so.  Based on the weather forecast I would say that's it for these roads until spring, though in a dry winter Monitor Pass sometimes reopens, being on the dry side of the Sierra.  Last year's official closing date for these passes was November 28, so about the same.

Word is even placed like Oakhurst (2,300 feet above sea level) are getting possibly a foot tonight and tomorrow.  I'd say a good couple solid feet of snow is likely at 7,000 feet in the Western Sierras, I suspect you're probably right about 4, 108 and Tioga being done for the year. 

Supposedly the Central Valley is even getting an inch of rain. Good thing I dug up my wet weather running gear. 

[Max Rockatansky]

Heavy snow closed I-5 over Tejon Pass, the signed detour route is CA 58 and CA 14.  CA 58 had a wreck which is causing heavy back ups with the already foul weather.  CA 33 over the Maricopa Highway is closed, I didn't see closures of CA 58 and CA 166 west of I-5.  CA 178 is alternative for those who don't mind chain controls east of Lake Isabella.  Really the only alternated that isn't impacted from the Central Valley is CA 41 to US 101. 

[sparker]

Heavy snow closed I-5 over Tejon Pass, the signed detour route is CA 58 and CA 14.  CA 58 had a wreck which is causing heavy back ups with the already foul weather.  CA 33 over the Maricopa Highway is closed, I didn't see closures of CA 58 and CA 166 west of I-5.  CA 178 is alternative for those who don't mind chain controls east of Lake Isabella.  Really the only alternated that isn't impacted from the Central Valley is CA 41 to US 101. 

Reasons #15-20 inclusive why a CA 14/Antelope Valley freeway extension directly to CA 58 is sorely needed.  But at least SoCal didn't get the "bomb cyclone" that affected the northern reaches of I-5 near Dunsmuir!  Apparently it affected both US 101 and US 199 near the CA/OR state line as well before shooting SE.   I remember back in the late '80's and early '90's when I was making several trips a year from Northern CA to Seattle and/or Portland prior to moving up there in '93, winter conditions on I-5 often prompted me to stay on 101 north until at least OR 126 before turning inland -- but if reports are accurate, just about every CA to OR artery has been affected this time. 

[Max Rockatansky]

Heavy snow closed I-5 over Tejon Pass, the signed detour route is CA 58 and CA 14.  CA 58 had a wreck which is causing heavy back ups with the already foul weather.  CA 33 over the Maricopa Highway is closed, I didn't see closures of CA 58 and CA 166 west of I-5.  CA 178 is alternative for those who don't mind chain controls east of Lake Isabella.  Really the only alternated that isn't impacted from the Central Valley is CA 41 to US 101. 

Reasons #15-20 inclusive why a CA 14/Antelope Valley freeway extension directly to CA 58 is sorely needed.  But at least SoCal didn't get the "bomb cyclone" that affected the northern reaches of I-5 near Dunsmuir!  Apparently it affected both US 101 and US 199 near the CA/OR state line as well before shooting SE.   I remember back in the late '80's and early '90's when I was making several trips a year from Northern CA to Seattle and/or Portland prior to moving up there in '93, winter conditions on I-5 often prompted me to stay on 101 north until at least OR 126 before turning inland -- but if reports are accurate, just about every CA to OR artery has been affected this time.

Yes, I've been trying to explain to my wife why travel on I-5 over US 101 in January isn't the best route to the northern coast near Eureka.  I've run into hellish winter storms from Redding northward.  US 101 on the other hand usually is just rainy at worst but you never really know what is going to happen on 36 or 299. 

Is it just me or does it feel like nobody was paying attention to weather forecasts at all?  These winter storms had been expected for about a week prior but really not a lot of people listened.  I'd be curious to find out what percentage of non-commercials drivers even carry snow chains/cables this time of year. 

[sparker]

Heavy snow closed I-5 over Tejon Pass, the signed detour route is CA 58 and CA 14.  CA 58 had a wreck which is causing heavy back ups with the already foul weather.  CA 33 over the Maricopa Highway is closed, I didn't see closures of CA 58 and CA 166 west of I-5.  CA 178 is alternative for those who don't mind chain controls east of Lake Isabella.  Really the only alternated that isn't impacted from the Central Valley is CA 41 to US 101. 

Reasons #15-20 inclusive why a CA 14/Antelope Valley freeway extension directly to CA 58 is sorely needed.  But at least SoCal didn't get the "bomb cyclone" that affected the northern reaches of I-5 near Dunsmuir!  Apparently it affected both US 101 and US 199 near the CA/OR state line as well before shooting SE.   I remember back in the late '80's and early '90's when I was making several trips a year from Northern CA to Seattle and/or Portland prior to moving up there in '93, winter conditions on I-5 often prompted me to stay on 101 north until at least OR 126 before turning inland -- but if reports are accurate, just about every CA to OR artery has been affected this time.

Yes, I've been trying to explain to my wife why travel on I-5 over US 101 in January isn't the best route to the northern coast near Eureka.  I've run into hellish winter storms from Redding northward.  US 101 on the other hand usually is just rainy at worst but you never really know what is going to happen on 36 or 299. 

Is it just me or does it feel like nobody was paying attention to weather forecasts at all?  These winter storms had been expected for about a week prior but really not a lot of people listened.  I'd be curious to find out what percentage of non-commercials drivers even carry snow chains/cables this time of year. 

Cable chains reside permanently in the back of my Camry; likewise with our 4-runner (residing in a plastic milk carton wedged into the rear corner) -- but those would be heavier chains.  If we're going up into the Sierras or over to visit friends in Reno or Carson City, we generally take the SUV anyway.   If it were me, I'd have the radio tuned to stations with regular weather reports full-time, but she likes keeping the CD tray fed!   I can usually win that conflict if bad weather is readily apparent -- but not without some sort of argument!   Fortunately this Thanksgiving we stayed home and cooked for ourselves and a few friends and didn't have to travel any farther than the local Safeway! 

[ClassicHasClass]

Yep, I'm always crossing passes in winter, so there's chains in the back too. It's among the first things I buy for a new car. Ditto for a spare tire, since you can't count on cars coming with those anymore.

[gonealookin]

The Desert Sun of Palm Springs reports that the Roy's sign in Amboy (Old US 66) will be relit for the first time since the 1980s.
https://www.desertsun.com/story/life/2019/11/14/roys-motel-and-cafe-sign-again-light-up-amboy-off-route-66/2581173001/

The ghost town is anchored by Roy's, a service station for tourists traveling along the highway. After it opened in 1938, owner Roy Crawl teamed up with Herman "Buster" Burris to grow the business to a 24-hour motel with six cottages, a café and a gas station. Amboy grew to 700 with a school and a post office.

But after Interstate 40 opened in 1973, it was the beginning of the end for the small town.

... Albert Okura spent $100,000 to restore the Roy's Motel and Café buildings and reopened the gas station in 2008. Five years later, he began seeking donations through Kickstarter to restore the famous neon sign that lit up the night sky in Amboy for miles.

On Saturday, there will be a relighting celebration for the sign that has not been turned on since the '80s.

While they're at it maybe they can light up that rusting embossed US 66 shield on the white support beam below "Roy's."    

They did at least do a new paint job on that.  I don't think it's lit up though.



East of Amboy, Historic US 66 remains in a long-term closure due to flood damage.  You can only drive east as far as Kelbaker Road, then north from there to I-40.

[Max Rockatansky]

The Desert Sun of Palm Springs reports that the Roy's sign in Amboy (Old US 66) will be relit for the first time since the 1980s.
https://www.desertsun.com/story/life/2019/11/14/roys-motel-and-cafe-sign-again-light-up-amboy-off-route-66/2581173001/

The ghost town is anchored by Roy's, a service station for tourists traveling along the highway. After it opened in 1938, owner Roy Crawl teamed up with Herman "Buster" Burris to grow the business to a 24-hour motel with six cottages, a café and a gas station. Amboy grew to 700 with a school and a post office.

But after Interstate 40 opened in 1973, it was the beginning of the end for the small town.

... Albert Okura spent $100,000 to restore the Roy's Motel and Café buildings and reopened the gas station in 2008. Five years later, he began seeking donations through Kickstarter to restore the famous neon sign that lit up the night sky in Amboy for miles.

On Saturday, there will be a relighting celebration for the sign that has not been turned on since the '80s.

While they're at it maybe they can light up that rusting embossed US 66 shield on the white support beam below "Roy's."    

They did at least do a new paint job on that.  I don't think it's lit up though.



East of Amboy, Historic US 66 remains in a long-term closure due to flood damage.  You can only drive east as far as Kelbaker Road, then north from there to I-40.

Actually that shield is new.  The older shield was an embossed US 66 shield which was probably sourced by CrossRoad Signs out of Oregon.  I took this photo of it in 2016:

4160764910011 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

[Techknow]

Heavy snow closed I-5 over Tejon Pass, the signed detour route is CA 58 and CA 14.

Interestingly enough, Caltrans prepared a traffic turnaround gate near the Lake Hughes Road exit which allows traffic to make a U-Turn on the freeway if closed ahead. According to a news article it was installed last month and used for the first time.

[Max Rockatansky]

Heavy snow closed I-5 over Tejon Pass, the signed detour route is CA 58 and CA 14.

Interestingly enough, Caltrans prepared a traffic turnaround gate near the Lake Hughes Road exit which allows traffic to make a U-Turn on the freeway if closed ahead. According to a news article it was installed last month and used for the first time.

They could have used that during the peroxide spill debacle back in the summer. 

[sparker]

Made a quick trip San Jose-Galt for business purposes yesterday -- and noticed that the "extended" interchange of I-5, I-205, and CA 120 near Manteca now features pavement markings indicated which lane will exit onto another route.  But there was a (assumed) contractor error -- the pavement markings on NB 5 past the I-205 merge show the two right lanes exiting onto "US 120", complete with painted white shields!   SB, there are color-correct I-205 markings on the two right lanes right after the 120 merge point.   It'll be interesting to see if that error is corrected in the near future or simply continues to exist as is.

[ClassicHasClass]

Seems like there was a large resignage project in San Diego. I hadn't been down to visit my folks in a number of months and found that most of I-8, CA 94, CA 125 and I-805 had been replaced. There were also painted shields in the lanes which were new.

[Max Rockatansky]

I visited Los Angeles this weekend, that being the case the somewhat foul weather offered some cool photo opportunities.

I-210 eastbound heading towards La Canada Flintridge

0 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

I-5 northbound descending Grapevine Canyon into San Joaquin Valley

IMG_9420 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

[Kniwt]

The Fresno Bee reports on how, because of the lack of a good east-west route across north Fresno (Herndon now apparently has 22 signals between Cedar and CA 99), Avenue 9 in Madera County has become a busy, high-speed, low-enforcement, and dangerous connection between CA 41 and CA 99.
https://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/marek-warszawski/article238439948.html

Based on traffic studies, interviews with residents, business owners and public officials and my own driving experiences, Avenue 9 is used as a cutoff between Highways 99 and 41 by increasing numbers of Fresno and Clovis residents. (They also use Avenue 12 and, to a lesser extent, Avenue 15.)

"Years ago I'd be the only car out there,"  said Fresno County Supervisor Steve Brandau, who frequently traveled Avenue 9 to service clients of his carpet-cleaning business in Madera. "Now you see Fresnans driving on Avenue 9 all the time."

Unfortunately, many of them don't obey the posted 55 mph speed limit. Increased traffic and excessive speed along the rural two-lane roadway have contributed to crashes resulting in at least eight fatalities since 2018, including a horrific accident in July of that year that resulted in five deaths.

... CHP officers made a concerted effort to enforce speeds on Avenue 9. Except there was so much traffic and roadway conditions so unsafe they quickly cut bait.

... Fresno's freeway system leaves them with little choice. The city has three north-south highways (99, 41, 168) but only one east-west (180) that is inconvenient for anyone living on the north side of town.

[ClassicHasClass]

What Fresno really needs is an outer loop. I don't think anything's even in the planning stages for that.

But meanwhile, HSR! 

[Max Rockatansky]

Herndon Avenue moves plenty fast even with all those lights.  An expressway version of CA 145 west of CA 41 or even part of the unconstructed CA 65 would be way more useful.  Avenue is about the most direct route to/from 99 and 41 north of Fresno to Madera as is.  None of those farm roads are really enforced by anyone aside from stray CHP coverage when there is a problem spot. 

The HSR essentially is going to raze and replace all of North Golden State Boulevard and a good portion downtown and the Warehouse District.  The City essentially bought in big with the concept of the HSR being an urban renewal project, I'm skeptical how much development it will draw. 

[sparker]

What Fresno really needs is an outer loop. I don't think anything's even in the planning stages for that.

But meanwhile, HSR! 

Herndon Avenue moves plenty fast even with all those lights.  An expressway version of CA 145 west of CA 41 or even part of the unconstructed CA 65 would be way more useful.  Avenue is about the most direct route to/from 99 and 41 north of Fresno to Madera as is.  None of those farm roads are really enforced by anyone aside from stray CHP coverage when there is a problem spot. 

The HSR essentially is going to raze and replace all of North Golden State Boulevard and a good portion downtown and the Warehouse District.  The City essentially bought in big with the concept of the HSR being an urban renewal project, I'm skeptical how much development it will draw. 

About 20 years ago a plan featuring the unbuilt (and, actually, unadopted inasmuch as an exact alignment is concerned) CA 65 was run up the flagpole as a functional east/north Fresno bypass.  It used a version of the 65 alignment from CA 198 north to CA 41 about 2-3 miles north of the CA 145 junction, and then the eastward extension of CA 152 shown (since '59) on the projected CA Freeway & Expressway system as the connection back to CA 99.  Of course, like most large-scale Caltrans plans, it got plenty of local support in the Fresno area (and, from what I understand, D6 engineers & managers) -- but the cold shoulder from Sacramento.   Some opposition from the larger orange growers in the Orosi area emerged -- but, as could be expected, housing developers in the eastern Fresno area readily signed on to the initial effort.  IIRC, eventually the concept was cut back to north of CA 180, leaving it as an elongated arc around the northeast side of the city.   But by 2005 the idea had lost legs, largely since without a southward connection it would have limited value except as a developmental tool.  But even if CA 65 is as a whole never developed, a version of that including a connection back to CA 99 near the Kings River crossing might be a future consideration -- especially given the growth of Fresno in the last few decades. 

[Max Rockatansky]

What Fresno really needs is an outer loop. I don't think anything's even in the planning stages for that.

But meanwhile, HSR! 

Herndon Avenue moves plenty fast even with all those lights.  An expressway version of CA 145 west of CA 41 or even part of the unconstructed CA 65 would be way more useful.  Avenue is about the most direct route to/from 99 and 41 north of Fresno to Madera as is.  None of those farm roads are really enforced by anyone aside from stray CHP coverage when there is a problem spot. 

The HSR essentially is going to raze and replace all of North Golden State Boulevard and a good portion downtown and the Warehouse District.  The City essentially bought in big with the concept of the HSR being an urban renewal project, I'm skeptical how much development it will draw. 

About 20 years ago a plan featuring the unbuilt (and, actually, unadopted inasmuch as an exact alignment is concerned) CA 65 was run up the flagpole as a functional east/north Fresno bypass.  It used a version of the 65 alignment from CA 198 north to CA 41 about 2-3 miles north of the CA 145 junction, and then the eastward extension of CA 152 shown (since '59) on the projected CA Freeway & Expressway system as the connection back to CA 99.  Of course, like most large-scale Caltrans plans, it got plenty of local support in the Fresno area (and, from what I understand, D6 engineers & managers) -- but the cold shoulder from Sacramento.   Some opposition from the larger orange growers in the Orosi area emerged -- but, as could be expected, housing developers in the eastern Fresno area readily signed on to the initial effort.  IIRC, eventually the concept was cut back to north of CA 180, leaving it as an elongated arc around the northeast side of the city.   But by 2005 the idea had lost legs, largely since without a southward connection it would have limited value except as a developmental tool.  But even if CA 65 is as a whole never developed, a version of that including a connection back to CA 99 near the Kings River crossing might be a future consideration -- especially given the growth of Fresno in the last few decades.

A connecting leg for CA 43 north of Selma to the corridor of CA 65 would form the optimal route of a bypass since it would shoot the gap between East Fresno/Clovis and Sanger.  Some of the arterial roadways like Jensen Avenue and Academy Avenue have largely been expanded to high speed expressways.  Most of the growth of the Fresno Area seems to be tracking eastward and northward.  The Madera County side of CA 41 is seeing some high level real estate development but the Highway capacity isn't increasing to meet the demand (hence the problem cited with Avenue 9).  If I was allowed a wish list for the Fresno Area it would be as follows:

-  Convert CA 43 to an expressway from CA 198 north to CA 99 with a bypass of Selma.  Continue said expressway via the corridor of McCall Avenue to CA 168. 
-  Build the corridor of CA 65 between CA 168 and CA 145.
-  Build CA 145 from CA 41 west to Madera as an expressway along with a bypass route. 
-  Build CA 41 from the Madera County north to CA 145 to expressway standards.  Continue gradual expressway expansion north to Deadwood Gulch near Oakhurst. 

[sparker]

^^^^^^^^^
In agreement with essentially all of the above -- but would substitute the eastern extension of CA 152 to the CA 65 projected alignment (for all intents and purposes at or near CA 41 at the junction point) for a CA 145 expressway; it would serve as a Madera bypass, since it would parallel 145 about 5-6 miles to the north.  CA 145 will likely be upgraded (5-lane arterial?) in due course because of regional development.  I do like the notion of a CA 43 Selma bypass and extension up to the Clovis area -- with area growth, it's long overdue!

[ClassicHasClass]

I'm skeptical how much development it will draw. 

Going with zilch here. 

[Max Rockatansky]

I'm skeptical how much development it will draw. 

Going with zilch here. 

Even Fulton Street reopening to traffic in downtown really hasn't drawn a ton of interest commercially.  The City doesn't really seem to know how to encourage businesses (or really how incentivize them) to return to older areas.  The China Town district was essentially razed to build the HSR depot in downtown.  What gets me is that some of the oldest segments of what was US 99 like the Belmont Subway and Railroad Avenue are going to be razed.  It's too bad that a historic route was never like it was in Bakersfield, but then again Broadway was gapped was a baseball field and government buildings long ago.