Regional Boards > Pacific Southwest

Pacific Coast Highway (or similar) as a touring route

(1/3) > >>

mrsman:
Copied from another thread:



--- Quote from: DTComposer on August 25, 2023, 03:08:58 PM ---Drifting off-topic, but I would love to see the name PCH be reassigned as a touring route, independent of actual street names and/or route designations. Start at the border, hew as close to the coast as reasonable, really pick up more of the feel of the California coast. For example, use Silver Strand Blvd., historic US-101 in San Diego County, 2nd Street/Ocean Blvd. in Long Beach, the Vincent Thomas Bridge, Palos Verdes Drive, etc., etc. Guide signs to connect drivers to and from freeways.

--- End quote ---

DTComposer has a great idea of a touring route for Coast travel along the entire California coast.  In many cases, there are significant roadways that are closer to the actual coast than CA-1.  The idea isn't that the road would change maintenance (some sections would be Caltrans controlled and some would be local control), it is the idea of providing a scenic coastal drive that stays as close to the coast as practical, without burdening small residential streets or going down streets that don't go through.  Ideally, it provides little backtracking.

I generally like DTC's routing approach.  The routing signage starts at I-5/CA-75 and follows CA-75 and then National Ave, C Chavez, Harbor Dr, Nimitz, Mission Bay, Mission Blvd, Torrey Pines, Camino Del Mar, Old Coast Hwy, (I-5 as necessary near Camp Pendleton), El Camino Real.

CA-1 through most of OC, 2nd and Ocean through Long Beach.  CA-47, Gaffey, 25th in San Pedro, Palos Verdes Dr.  Catalina Ave, Hermosa Ave, Manhattan Ave, Highland, Vista Del Mar, Culver, Lincoln, Fiji, Admiralty, Via Marina, Washington, Pacific Ave. (Venice), Nielsen Way, Ocean Ave., and then rejoining CA-1 in Santa Monica.

In Oxnard area, follow Hueneme, Ventura, Channel Islands, and Harbor and rejoin US 101 in Ventura.

Through much of the area north of there, it seems as though CA-1 or US 101 is pretty close to the coast.  But I can definitely see the possibilities of coastal routings in Santa Barbara, Monterey, and San Francisco.  Follow CA-255 in Arcata.

Max Rockatansky:
So essentially a realigned Pacific Highway Auto Trail which accounts for roads that didn’t exist prior to the 1930s?

The problem with touring routes is that while neat in concept they generally aren’t signed well.  The Great Lakes touring routes are probably the best signed example whereas as stuff like the De Anza Trail being more poorly signed is more the norm.

Ted$8roadFan:
Does California have any specific designations for scenic routes?

Max Rockatansky:
It does and it sorely needs some additions.  They are covered by State Highway Code 263, here is a random sample:

https://casetext.com/statute/california-codes/california-streets-and-highways-code/division-1-state-highways/chapter-2-the-state-highway-system/article-25-state-scenic-highways/section-2637-additional-routes-included-in-state-scenic-highway-system

RZF:
Here in Port Hueneme we have the "Pacific Coast Bike Route" signed everywhere along Hueneme/Ventura/Channel Islands. Makes sense because it hugs the coast the best way possible a few miles west of CA-1. The whole route stretches from Imperial Beach up to Crescent City and beyond, so it might be a great reference point for a possible touring route.

GSV: https://www.google.com/maps/@34.1478581,-119.1947007,3a,36.6y,281.15h,87.62t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sYDFcSPr9nfv-qSfrYdPNAw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page