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California

Started by andy3175, July 20, 2016, 12:17:21 AM

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kernals12

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on June 30, 2022, 03:36:53 PM
Quote from: kernals12 on June 30, 2022, 03:13:51 PM
AB 1778 is dead!

https://cal.streetsblog.org/2022/06/29/no-freeway-expansion-bill-dies-in-senate-committee/

Hopefully this year's elections bring a less woke legislature and this is the last we'll ever see of such an asinine idea.

Certainly didn't help that labor unions in the affected communities strongly opposed it.  It read as though nobody even bothered to consult anyone at the community level.

There were so many problems with that bill:
1. It banned all freeway expansion in high poverty areas, even ones that did not require any right of way acquisition
2. It even banned new carpool lanes
3. It didn't consider electric vehicles
4. It applied even to areas, think San Bernardino and the Central Valley, that have no public transit to speak of
5. To define "high poverty", it used an index developed by a private group that, by definition, classifies half the state as disadvantaged. So even if California's housing and air quality issues were solved magically, it would still ban freeway expansion in half the state

I'm definitely sure that the various lobbying groups lining up against the bill made these points clear. The fact that it got as far as it did is scary.


Concrete Bob

That's the best legislative news I have heard in a long time.  I hope that "Clown World" has peaked in California, but I am not for certain.  If municipalities like San Francisco want to prohibit expansion (as I believe they already have), that's their business.  San Francisco and Los Angeles are very different than Bakersfield or areas of the Inland Empire. 

roadfro

Quote from: coldmoney21 on June 30, 2022, 06:06:50 PM
Don't think I've seen anybody else posting this but at least in Los Angeles they're updating some freeway signs again! :D






Unfortunately, it looks like they're updating signs very poorly...

No exit numbers with the Gabe Ave assembly.

And the two signs for James Wood Blvd could've been designed better–less wide, and with external tabs, both of which would've had less wind loading... (The panel is already taller than the truss, which until the last decade or so was a no-no for CalTrans.) I wonder if they just slapped up new panels on top of an existing sign.
Roadfro - AARoads Pacific Southwest moderator since 2010, Nevada roadgeek since 1983.

coldmoney21

Quote from: roadfro on July 01, 2022, 04:15:21 PM
Quote from: coldmoney21 on June 30, 2022, 06:06:50 PM
Don't think I've seen anybody else posting this but at least in Los Angeles they're updating some freeway signs again! :D






Unfortunately, it looks like they're updating signs very poorly...

No exit numbers with the Gabe Ave assembly.

And the two signs for James Wood Blvd could've been designed better–less wide, and with external tabs, both of which would've had less wind loading... (The panel is already taller than the truss, which until the last decade or so was a no-no for CalTrans.) I wonder if they just slapped up new panels on top of an existing sign.

I'm not sure really. I know they want to use the big yellow exit only labels wherever they can. And well they still like the inner exit tab. These are brand new signs so idk what rules they're following haha 😅

myosh_tino

Quote from: roadfro on July 01, 2022, 04:15:21 PM
Unfortunately, it looks like they're updating signs very poorly...

And the two signs for James Wood Blvd could've been designed better–less wide, and with external tabs, both of which would've had less wind loading... (The panel is already taller than the truss, which until the last decade or so was a no-no for CalTrans.) I wonder if they just slapped up new panels on top of an existing sign.

Actually, having 110" and 120" tall sign panels on trusses designed for 100" panels has been standard practice in California for quite sometime.  IINM, Caltrans did have "deeper" trusses (dating back to the 70's) but they phased those out around Y2K in favor of using the "100-inch" truss for 100", 110" and 120" tall panels.
Quote from: golden eagle
If I owned a dam and decided to donate it to charity, would I be giving a dam? I'm sure that might be a first because no one really gives a dam.

TheStranger

Here's another example of the MUTCD standard Exit Only signage in Southern California, along US 101 north (Ventura Freeway westbound)

_DSC8985 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Chris Sampang

coldmoney21

Quote from: TheStranger on July 03, 2022, 01:45:36 PM
Here's another example of the MUTCD standard Exit Only signage in Southern California, along US 101 north (Ventura Freeway westbound)

_DSC8985 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr

I'm guessing this is something new they're implementing in California? I know other states have that kind of signage. It was not something Caltrans used previously.

bing101

Here is a look at the Newhall Interchange in 1992.


skluth

Quote from: kernals12 on June 30, 2022, 09:51:06 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on June 30, 2022, 03:36:53 PM
Quote from: kernals12 on June 30, 2022, 03:13:51 PM
AB 1778 is dead!

https://cal.streetsblog.org/2022/06/29/no-freeway-expansion-bill-dies-in-senate-committee/

Hopefully this year's elections bring a less woke legislature and this is the last we'll ever see of such an asinine idea.

Certainly didn't help that labor unions in the affected communities strongly opposed it.  It read as though nobody even bothered to consult anyone at the community level.

There were so many problems with that bill:
1. It banned all freeway expansion in high poverty areas, even ones that did not require any right of way acquisition
2. It even banned new carpool lanes
3. It didn't consider electric vehicles
4. It applied even to areas, think San Bernardino and the Central Valley, that have no public transit to speak of
5. To define "high poverty", it used an index developed by a private group that, by definition, classifies half the state as disadvantaged. So even if California's housing and air quality issues were solved magically, it would still ban freeway expansion in half the state

I'm definitely sure that the various lobbying groups lining up against the bill made these points clear. The fact that it got as far as it did is scary.

According to the article, the bill's author had agreed to amendments which would have limited some of the above, including one which would have limited the bill's enforcement to LA County. However, being defeated 8-2 in committee is a sign that it was doomed regardless of how many amendments were added to limit the bill's dubious restrictions.

TheStranger

Quote from: coldmoney21 on July 05, 2022, 03:06:35 AM
Quote from: TheStranger on July 03, 2022, 01:45:36 PM
Here's another example of the MUTCD standard Exit Only signage in Southern California, along US 101 north (Ventura Freeway westbound)

_DSC8985 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr

I'm guessing this is something new they're implementing in California? I know other states have that kind of signage. It was not something Caltrans used previously.

Yeah, the classic CalTrans exit only signage was not quite as solidly yellow:

_DSC8984 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr

_DSC8969 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Chris Sampang

skluth

The new Sixth St Bridge opens Monday. It will be open today for nonmotorized traffic.

ixnay

Don't know if this has been discussed before on AARoads (feel free to link) , but...

On another family of mb's, I was reminded of Cali's agricultural checkpoints at the major highway entrances to the Golden State.

My questions are...

Who must stop?

Are they like truck weigh stations - open only at certain hours?  When closed, what can/must transporters of risky commodies do?

How busy are they?
The Washington/Baltimore/Arlington CSA has two Key Bridges, a Minnesota Avenue, and a Mannasota Avenue.

Techknow

Quote from: ixnay on July 11, 2022, 09:50:30 PM
Don't know if this has been discussed before on AARoads (feel free to link) , but...

On another family of mb's, I was reminded of Cali's agricultural checkpoints at the major highway entrances to the Golden State.

My questions are...

Who must stop?

Are they like truck weigh stations - open only at certain hours?  When closed, what can/must transporters of risky commodies do?

How busy are they?
There's this discussion about the state's agricultural stations: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=31044.0

AFAIK, all traffic heading inbound to the state must stop and the stations aren't grade separated so those are the places on the Interstate with stop signs LOL. How long one gets stopped can vary. I think if one is hauling a trailer (either a truck or a pick-up truck with something like a speedboat) they are more likely to be stopped. If one indicates they possess fruit they will get stopped longer.

I believe these checkpoints are open 24/7 and they can get busy in holiday/weekends, especially the checkpoint at I-15 south of Primm, NV.

Plutonic Panda

Question: I've only lived in SoCal for about 7 years so I don't know too much about when these projects underway or soon to be were actually proposed. Is Caltrans still going to plan more projects that include new GP lanes or are they doing away with that entirely? I'm specifically referring to future projects that haven't been approved yet. Not ones already under discussion.

FredAkbar

Quote from: Techknow on July 11, 2022, 10:55:42 PM
I believe these checkpoints are open 24/7 and they can get busy in holiday/weekends, especially the checkpoint at I-15 south of Primm, NV.

They're not (open 24/7, that is), or at least the Primm one isn't. I do that drive several times a year, usually very early Sunday morning (between 2 and 4 AM) and there's never been anyone there, you just drive right through.

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: FredAkbar on July 13, 2022, 02:46:38 AM
Quote from: Techknow on July 11, 2022, 10:55:42 PM
I believe these checkpoints are open 24/7 and they can get busy in holiday/weekends, especially the checkpoint at I-15 south of Primm, NV.

They're not (open 24/7, that is), or at least the Primm one isn't. I do that drive several times a year, usually very early Sunday morning (between 2 and 4 AM) and there's never been anyone there, you just drive right through.

On occasion I've seen the Ag station on US 199 closed during the middle of the day. 

kkt

When they are open, everyone must stop, but the stop may be very brief (waive through) or the officer may ask a brief question ("Are you carrying any fruit?") or more questions or search the car.  For passenger cars it's usually wave through or a single question, trucks probably get more.

mgk920

Quote from: kkt on July 13, 2022, 11:00:32 AM
When they are open, everyone must stop, but the stop may be very brief (waive through) or the officer may ask a brief question ("Are you carrying any fruit?") or more questions or search the car.  For passenger cars it's usually wave through or a single question, trucks probably get more.

That's pretty much the case when Big Rig Steve passes through one (usually I-15 or I-80).  If he's not carrying any sort of fresh veggies, fruits and the like, he'll respond to the state inspector with something like '"razor blades" or "frozen beef", etc, and be waved on through.  Then he might get prePassed through the scale and be on his way.

He's had much longer paperwork delays at the state 'port of entry' inspection stations on I-80 in Wyoming.


Als for the interruption of freeway standards, I look upon them in the same manner as I look upon tollgates.


heynow415

Quote from: kkt on July 13, 2022, 11:00:32 AM
When they are open, everyone must stop, but the stop may be very brief (waive through) or the officer may ask a brief question ("Are you carrying any fruit?") or more questions or search the car.  For passenger cars it's usually wave through or a single question, trucks probably get more.

The one at Meyers on US 50 has had a bypass lane for locals and Tahoe visitors for many years because of the horrendous backups that would occur, particularly on Sunday/end of holiday afternoons with returning-from-Tahoe traffic.  It's at a natural choke point for folks coming into CA but it also snares south Tahoe traffic so they had to do something since moving it closer to the state line wasn't an option.  The one on I-80 in Truckee used to have the same thing before they moved that whole inspection station three miles eastward to be on the Reno side of Truckee/CA267/CA89 to address that same problem.  Way back when (before bypass lanes and station relocations) having skis on the roof rack was a guaranteed pass to get waved through. 

ixnay

#1594
Quote from: Techknow on July 11, 2022, 10:55:42 PM
There's this discussion about the state's agricultural stations: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=31044.0

Which mentions cars entering from NV or returning to CA being waved through.  Are they less lenient with Arizona cars?  Or Oregon cars?
The Washington/Baltimore/Arlington CSA has two Key Bridges, a Minnesota Avenue, and a Mannasota Avenue.

skluth

Quote from: ixnay on July 13, 2022, 08:30:08 PM
Quote from: Techknow on July 11, 2022, 10:55:42 PM
There's this discussion about the state's agricultural stations: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=31044.0

Which mentions cars entering from NV or returning to CA being waved through.  Are they less lenient with Arizona cars?

I've entered CA using I-40 and CA 62 a couple times each and I-10 once. I've always been waved through but I had California plates.

Alps

Quote from: skluth on July 13, 2022, 08:48:59 PM
Quote from: ixnay on July 13, 2022, 08:30:08 PM
Quote from: Techknow on July 11, 2022, 10:55:42 PM
There's this discussion about the state's agricultural stations: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=31044.0

Which mentions cars entering from NV or returning to CA being waved through.  Are they less lenient with Arizona cars?

I've entered CA using I-40 and CA 62 a couple times each and I-10 once. I've always been waved through but I had California plates.
I've been waved through without 'em. They really don't care about passenger cars.

Bruce

On a recent trip to Northern California with Washington plates:

I-5 SB - Stopped, asked a brief question and waved through
US 199 SB - Stopped, asked a brief question and waved through
US 101 SB - Station closed, no stop required

kernals12



This early plan for Irvine Ranch from 1961 (which for some reason includes land that's now part of Newport Beach) shows SR 73 veering Southward to end at the Pacific Coast Highway (which may be upgraded to freeway standards here?)

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: kernals12 on July 22, 2022, 08:32:39 AM


This early plan for Irvine Ranch from 1961 (which for some reason includes land that's now part of Newport Beach) shows SR 73 veering Southward to end at the Pacific Coast Highway (which may be upgraded to freeway standards here?)

I don't believe the Pacific Coast Freeway ever really got too far into the planning stages.  I've seen CHPW references to the facility when I was writing the blogs for CA 22 and CA 107, I'm sure there is lots more.



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