I drove to Las Vegas and back over the holiday, the California agricultural inspection station on I-15 has finally moved operations to the new station just south of Primm, NV. Last time I went through there, only the truck portion was in operation, and the one in Yermo was still operating.
Looks like this isn't something trivial if they ever want to bypass the inspection station, here's the diversion from the old alignment:
(https://i.imgur.com/OEKlbUF.jpg)
The new inspection station has six lanes for autos, trucks have their own inspection area:
(https://i.imgur.com/dOFeHvc.jpg)
The old station in Yermo has been demolished:
(https://i.imgur.com/oLwtUxt.jpg)
I drove back to Southern California on Thursday afternoon and was surprised I still had a lot of traffic. Jams were at the usual spots:
-Coming into Primm, due to the loss of the third lane at the CA border. Wish they would extend that lane at least to the inspection station.
-North of Barstow, between the old CA 58 exit and a mile or so north of the I-40 junction. One of the truck climb lanes ends in that area, but that wasn't a problem in the three other places where that happens (Mountain Pass, bottom of Baker grade, and north of Afton Rd). And how about this for a misleading sign, wonder if many think this is where to exit for 58?
https://goo.gl/maps/HpZjrZSsEPw
-Huge jam through the Cajon Pass, starting a couple of miles south of the US 395 junction, to a couple of miles north of the I-215 junction. I would have thought that the work completed in that area a couple of years ago would have made things a lot better through here.
So much for my Yermo Road bypass of the agricultural station. I guess that I'll have to stick to CA 190, CA 127 and Stateline Road...oh wait I do anyways since I-15 sucks.
That Old 58 BGS is a hoot, it's a well know odd sign from the Barstow Area. Before the Hinkley Bypass was completed it would indeed eventually take you to 58 West, now I'm not so sure.
What is the point of the inspection station for autos? I've driven that stretch probably over a hundred times and not once have they ever stopped me or anyone else, they just wave everyone through.
A third lane would be really nice to have a constant 6 lane freeway between Bartsow and Primm. I really don't usually experience traffic jams, but traffic would flow smoother if it was at least 6 lanes all the way and made 8 lanes for truck climbing lanes.
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on December 29, 2018, 03:58:36 PM
What is the point of the inspection station for autos? I've driven that stretch probably over a hundred times and not once have they ever stopped me or anyone else, they just wave everyone through.
A third lane would be really nice to have a constant 6 lane freeway between Bartsow and Primm. I really don't usually experience traffic jams, but traffic would flow smoother if it was at least 6 lanes all the way and made 8 lanes for truck climbing lanes.
Hell they used to stop me every time. It was around 2012 they started to get more lax with passenger vehicles. The I-15 station near Yermo was usually backed up a couple miles heading southbound. I wish things were like Florida where agriculture inspections were limited to commercial vehicles out of the traffic lanes.
Probably the most vicious of all the stations was on CA 62 at Vidal Junction. I was part of an 89 Car cruise that took US 95 to Needles. They made a point to stop every single one of us to ask for produce.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on December 29, 2018, 05:09:21 PM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on December 29, 2018, 03:58:36 PM
What is the point of the inspection station for autos? I've driven that stretch probably over a hundred times and not once have they ever stopped me or anyone else, they just wave everyone through.
A third lane would be really nice to have a constant 6 lane freeway between Bartsow and Primm. I really don't usually experience traffic jams, but traffic would flow smoother if it was at least 6 lanes all the way and made 8 lanes for truck climbing lanes.
Hell they used to stop me every time. It was around 2012 they started to get more lax with passenger vehicles. The I-15 station near Yermo was usually backed up a couple miles heading southbound. I wish things were like Florida where agriculture inspections were limited to commercial vehicles out of the traffic lanes.
Probably the most vicious of all the stations was on CA 62 at Vidal Junction. I was part of an 89 Car cruise that took US 95 to Needles. They made a point to stop every single one of us to ask for produce.
Hmmmm. My travels on the freeway first began in 2015. I have not ever been stopped.
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on December 29, 2018, 07:22:13 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on December 29, 2018, 05:09:21 PM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on December 29, 2018, 03:58:36 PM
What is the point of the inspection station for autos? I've driven that stretch probably over a hundred times and not once have they ever stopped me or anyone else, they just wave everyone through.
A third lane would be really nice to have a constant 6 lane freeway between Bartsow and Primm. I really don't usually experience traffic jams, but traffic would flow smoother if it was at least 6 lanes all the way and made 8 lanes for truck climbing lanes.
Hell they used to stop me every time. It was around 2012 they started to get more lax with passenger vehicles. The I-15 station near Yermo was usually backed up a couple miles heading southbound. I wish things were like Florida where agriculture inspections were limited to commercial vehicles out of the traffic lanes.
Probably the most vicious of all the stations was on CA 62 at Vidal Junction. I was part of an 89 Car cruise that took US 95 to Needles. They made a point to stop every single one of us to ask for produce.
Hmmmm. My travels on the freeway first began in 2015. I have not ever been stopped.
I think something changed with their policies. Since 2016 I've crossed the State Line on I-10, I-15, and I-40 each once but got the wave through. On CA 62 I was stopped both times for whatever reason. The station on US 199 was closed the last time I passed it. Beyond that most of entires into California lately have been on desert roadways with no checkpoints.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on December 29, 2018, 07:30:30 PM
I think something changed with their policies. Since 2016 I've crossed the State Line on I-10, I-15, and I-40 each once but got the wave through. On CA 62 I was stopped both times for whatever reason. The station on US 199 was closed the last time I passed it. Beyond that most of entires into California lately have been on desert roadways with no checkpoints.
In the 25+ years I've been driving, I've never been stopped at an Agricultural Inspection station. I've been making annual trips to Reno and Las Vegas on I-80 and I-15 respectively since 2005 and have yet to be stopped.
Quote from: myosh_tino on December 29, 2018, 11:33:24 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on December 29, 2018, 07:30:30 PM
I think something changed with their policies. Since 2016 I've crossed the State Line on I-10, I-15, and I-40 each once but got the wave through. On CA 62 I was stopped both times for whatever reason. The station on US 199 was closed the last time I passed it. Beyond that most of entires into California lately have been on desert roadways with no checkpoints.
In the 25+ years I've been driving, I've never been stopped at an Agricultural Inspection station. I've been making annual trips to Reno and Las Vegas on I-80 and I-15 respectively since 2005 and have yet to be stopped.
Was it always with a California tag? The overwhelming majority of times I've been stopped where when I was working out of Arizona and was carrying out of state tags. Between 2010 and 2013 I usually had about 40-50 over night stays in Southern California either coming Phoenix or Las Vegas.
The last time I was stopped was in the 90s, I think. They asked where I was coming from, seemed like they weren't worried about ones coming from Arizona or Nevada. I do recall coming in to Arizona during the California fruit fly epidemic of the late 70s and I had to open my trunk at the Arizona inspection station on I-10 in Ehrenberg, AZ.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on December 30, 2018, 12:05:52 AM
Was it always with a California tag?
Yes it was with California plates.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on December 30, 2018, 12:05:52 AM
The overwhelming majority of times I've been stopped where when I was working out of Arizona and was carrying out of state tags. Between 2010 and 2013 I usually had about 40-50 over night stays in Southern California either coming Phoenix or Las Vegas.
That makes sense for the Ag inspectors to target out-of-state vehicles over ones with California plates. I guess they assume we (California residents) should know better than to try to bring in stuff that might be carrying some harmful "pests".
Quote from: myosh_tino on December 29, 2018, 11:33:24 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on December 29, 2018, 07:30:30 PM
I think something changed with their policies. Since 2016 I've crossed the State Line on I-10, I-15, and I-40 each once but got the wave through. On CA 62 I was stopped both times for whatever reason. The station on US 199 was closed the last time I passed it. Beyond that most of entires into California lately have been on desert roadways with no checkpoints.
In the 25+ years I've been driving, I've never been stopped at an Agricultural Inspection station. I've been making annual trips to Reno and Las Vegas on I-80 and I-15 respectively since 2005 and have yet to be stopped.
Lucky you. I've never been waved through, got stopped (but not searched) most recently in 2015 at Yermo. Was driving a Chrysler with CA plates at the time.
I drove through there this morning. It is so much better near Primm and not that slowdown near Yermo a couple of hours into the long ride home. Caltrans should take the signs down on I-15 near Yermo warning of the ag station 2 miles ahead.
Here's a video of my trip home from Vegas last Thursday (12/27/18):
https://youtu.be/5g_G3fClcbw
I've always thought those stations made California a little bit like a country, trying to quarantine the Valley and protect its huge GDP by inspecting for harmful bugs way out in California's harsh border regions. California's a little bit like a coconut
Quote from: AMLNet49 on January 02, 2019, 05:25:58 PM
I've always thought those stations made California a little bit like a country, trying to quarantine the Valley and protect its huge GDP by inspecting for harmful bugs way out in California's harsh border regions. California's a little bit like a coconut
Well they want to become their own country so if they do they already have a border inspections in place.
I went through the inspection point in Yermo in 2016 when I was with some friends and we were coming home from Zion. I told my driver, "The fruit Gestapo...only in California."
Quote from: theroadwayone on January 02, 2019, 06:20:48 PM
I went through the inspection point in Yermo in 2016 when I was with some friends and we were coming home from Zion. I told my driver, "The fruit Gestapo...only in California."
You are aware that Florida has a similar set up, right? To be fair, the ag inspections in FL are mainly limited to the commercial vehicle classes, but it's still a "fruit Gestapo."
Quote from: brad2971 on January 02, 2019, 06:30:10 PM
Quote from: theroadwayone on January 02, 2019, 06:20:48 PM
I went through the inspection point in Yermo in 2016 when I was with some friends and we were coming home from Zion. I told my driver, "The fruit Gestapo...only in California."
You are aware that Florida has a similar set up, right? To be fair, the ag inspections in FL are mainly limited to the commercial vehicle classes, but it's still a "fruit Gestapo."
Yes but they are at least to the side of the road instead of in the middle of the travel lanes.
Ag inspection at state lines is pretty common in Mexico, for what it's worth.
Always had good luck with the Yermo station; the only time I was stopped was coming back from the Consumer Electronic Show in LV back in '99. Had a rented van chock full of electronics and speakers, and the inspector had me open the back so he could take a quick look. I showed him my CES exhibitor tag and he immediately told me to go on through after seeing nothing but piles of boxes.
The only time an inspection station got a little pissy with me was late at night at Dorris on US 97 back about the summer of 1994 on my way down to CA when I was living in PDX -- but to be fair, I did have Oregon plates at the time and was driving a truck with camper shell with numerous boxes in the back. Inspector had me open a couple of them and was pretty rude about it (must have gotten stuck with the overnight shift!) -- and was not at all happy to find mostly books and papers. Luckily he didn't bother with the cooler on the cab floor -- it was full of black raspberries from a farmers' market in Woodburn (you generally can't find those things around L.A.).
Quote from: MarkF on January 02, 2019, 02:38:05 AM
Here's a video of my trip home from Vegas last Thursday (12/27/18):
https://youtu.be/5g_G3fClcbw
Wow, so now Thursday afternoon traffic from Vegas sucks, too?
Quote from: Occidental Tourist on January 03, 2019, 11:11:44 AM
Quote from: MarkF on January 02, 2019, 02:38:05 AM
Here's a video of my trip home from Vegas last Thursday (12/27/18):
https://youtu.be/5g_G3fClcbw
Wow, so now Thursday afternoon traffic from Vegas sucks, too?
Is there any time now I-15 where it doesn't now?
I have been stopped on the majority of my trips into California. I think there was only one where I wasn't and it was a very rural crossing from Nevada when I was headed to Mammoth Lakes.
Never really saw the point for stopping me just to ask me about produce. Seems like an expensive operation that would not be very effective for actually obtaining the goal of protecting local crops.
Does anyone know if there is some sort of probhibition that only allows the state to put up stations only state maintained roadways? There are several county or local roadways into California which don't have agricultural inspection stations or one by proxy on an adjoining highway. The crossing over the Colorado River into Needles on N Street comes to mind off the top of my head.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on January 03, 2019, 12:06:15 PM
Does anyone know if there is some sort of probhibition that only allows the state to put up stations only state maintained roadways? There are several county or local roadways into California which don't have agricultural inspection stations or one by proxy on an adjoining highway. The crossing over the Colorado River into Needles on N Street comes to mind off the top of my head.
It's probably a budgetary issue more than a legislated or administrative edict that has limited inspection stations to state highways; constructing
and manning them, while certainly with considerable Caltrans input, is the parvenu of the state ag department, which conceivably could locate them on local roads as well. The Yermo station was located to not only address inbound I-15 traffic but also that of CA 127, Nipton Road/NV 164, and anything else "funneling" onto the freeway. Now that the I-15 station has been moved to near the state line, I wouldn't be surprised to see some sort of inspection station -- even a "roadblock" setup manned during daylight hours only (similar to smaller stations statewide like those on CA 88) -- likely some "minimalist" approach on CA 127 or other less-trafficked area highways. But the previous configurations like Yermo seemed more aimed at stopping "tainted" fruit and veggies from reaching the main areas of agricultural production rather than simply functioning as a border-bound entry facility -- fruit flies et. al weren't considered a danger to much of the Mojave Desert!
Quote from: sparker on January 03, 2019, 12:39:33 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on January 03, 2019, 12:06:15 PM
Does anyone know if there is some sort of probhibition that only allows the state to put up stations only state maintained roadways? There are several county or local roadways into California which don't have agricultural inspection stations or one by proxy on an adjoining highway. The crossing over the Colorado River into Needles on N Street comes to mind off the top of my head.
It's probably a budgetary issue more than a legislated or administrative edict that has limited inspection stations to state highways; constructing and manning them, while certainly with considerable Caltrans input, is the parvenu of the state ag department, which conceivably could locate them on local roads as well. The Yermo station was located to not only address inbound I-15 traffic but also that of CA 127, Nipton Road/NV 164, and anything else "funneling" onto the freeway. Now that the I-15 station has been moved to near the state line, I wouldn't be surprised to see some sort of inspection station -- even a "roadblock" setup manned during daylight hours only (similar to smaller stations statewide like those on CA 88) -- likely some "minimalist" approach on CA 127 or other less-trafficked area highways. But the previous configurations like Yermo seemed more aimed at stopping "tainted" fruit and veggies from reaching the main areas of agricultural production rather than simply functioning as a border-bound entry facility -- fruit flies et. al weren't considered a danger to much of the Mojave Desert!
I wouldn't surprise me if 127 doesn't get anything considering 190 already doesn't and neither does the much more busy US 95 out of Nevada.
Last drove to California Thanksgiving weekend 2017. Got stopped at Yermo. In fact, EVERYONE got stopped at Yermo. It was a damn traffic jam.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on January 03, 2019, 12:53:56 PM
It wouldn't surprise me if 127 doesn't get anything considering 190 already doesn't and neither does the much more busy US 95 out of Nevada.
Since 190 terminates at 127 and the "extension" east toward Pahrump is a county road, I wouldn't expect to find any facilities there. But if the Ag Dept. gets anal about things, they can put a prefab next to 127 at the border with a flashing red along the road, man it sporadically (likely daylight only) and that'll be it -- sort of like what the Border Patrol does with their advance checkpoints along CA 86 and 111 near the Salton Sea. But the traffic on 127 is sparse enough that they may just "shine it on".
Originally the checkpoint on I-40 was near Daggett, due south of the I-15 Yermo installation. But I haven't been WB on 40 in decades, so I have no idea where that station is currently located. As far as US 95 goes, NB it's dealt with along with I-10 at the inspection station just west of the Colorado River bridge, while there's nothing SB unless the Vidal Jct. station elects to stop traffic on that highway as well as CA 62.
Quote from: sparker on January 03, 2019, 07:13:01 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on January 03, 2019, 12:53:56 PM
It wouldn't surprise me if 127 doesn't get anything considering 190 already doesn't and neither does the much more busy US 95 out of Nevada.
Since 190 terminates at 127 and the "extension" east toward Pahrump is a county road, I wouldn't expect to find any facilities there. But if the Ag Dept. gets anal about things, they can put a prefab next to 127 at the border with a flashing red along the road, man it sporadically (likely daylight only) and that'll be it -- sort of like what the Border Patrol does with their advance checkpoints along CA 86 and 111 near the Salton Sea. But the traffic on 127 is sparse enough that they may just "shine it on".
Originally the checkpoint on I-40 was near Daggett, due south of the I-15 Yermo installation. But I haven't been WB on 40 in decades, so I have no idea where that station is currently located. As far as US 95 goes, NB it's dealt with along with I-10 at the inspection station just west of the Colorado River bridge, while there's nothing SB unless the Vidal Jct. station elects to stop traffic on that highway as well as CA 62.
With I-40 it's now a couple miles west of the Colorado River. The Vidal Junction checkpoint on CA 62 is immediately east of US 95 and doesn't directly interact with the Highway.
^^^^^^^^
Guessing that the I-40 inspection station is well before the multiplex with US 95 (which wouldn't handle SB 95 in any case!).
Quote from: sparker on January 03, 2019, 07:32:10 PM
^^^^^^^^
Guessing that the I-40 inspection station is well before the multiplex with US 95 (which wouldn't handle SB 95 in any case!).
Correct, it is east of the split in US 95 and I-40.
I've always joked with my friends that when you cross into Mexico they are likely to stop you and ask you "Do you have any firearms?" . But when you cross back into California (or at any US Int'l airport) they ask you "Do you have any fruit?"
Quote from: AndyMax25 on January 04, 2019, 01:22:55 AM
I've always joked with my friends that when you cross into Mexico they are likely to stop you and ask you "Do you have any firearms?" . But when you cross back into California (or at any US Int'l airport) they ask you "Do you have any fruit?"
Fruit is also contraband heading south, but they usually have more important things to worry about. I personally know someone who had a customs agent in Mexico say he could technically fine him quite a bit of money for the apple sitting on the dashboard; he instead opted to just throw it away.
How do you now get into CA without going through one of those inspection stations?
Quote from: theroadwayone on January 09, 2019, 11:36:31 PM
How do you now get into CA without going through one of those inspection stations?
State Line Road or CA 127 in Inyo County come to mind off the top of my head. I mentioned taking AZ 95 into Needles but you can also get in via the Needles Highway with no inspection station and US 95. NV 164 to Nipton Road also works if you're willing to go through a really haggard trip in the Mojave Preserve to avoid I-15. I don't think there is an inspection station on Agnes Wilson Road near the US 95/CA 62 junction.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on January 10, 2019, 12:06:42 AM
Quote from: theroadwayone on January 09, 2019, 11:36:31 PM
How do you now get into CA without going through one of those inspection stations?
State Line Road or CA 127 in Inyo County come to mind off the top of my head. I mentioned taking AZ 95 into Needles but you can also get in via the Needles Highway with no inspection station and US 95. NV 164 to Nipton Road also works if you're willing to go through a really haggard trip in the Mojave Preserve to avoid I-15. I don't think there is an inspection station on Agnes Wilson Road near the US 95/CA 62 junction.
164/Nipton Road isn't the worst option if your car is in good shape. When I used to live in Palm Springs, everyone who drove to and from Vegas always took what we called the back way: Hwy 62 to 29 Palms, then Amboy Road, National Trails Highway (SB County 66), Interstate 40, and US-95 into the city. It's a much more traveled route these days, but as little as a decade ago it could be a mind-numbingly boring drive for the sole purpose of avoiding I-15 traffic.
Quote from: djsekani on January 10, 2019, 12:02:08 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on January 10, 2019, 12:06:42 AM
Quote from: theroadwayone on January 09, 2019, 11:36:31 PM
How do you now get into CA without going through one of those inspection stations?
State Line Road or CA 127 in Inyo County come to mind off the top of my head. I mentioned taking AZ 95 into Needles but you can also get in via the Needles Highway with no inspection station and US 95. NV 164 to Nipton Road also works if you're willing to go through a really haggard trip in the Mojave Preserve to avoid I-15. I don't think there is an inspection station on Agnes Wilson Road near the US 95/CA 62 junction.
164/Nipton Road isn't the worst option if your car is in good shape. When I used to live in Palm Springs, everyone who drove to and from Vegas always took what we called the back way: Hwy 62 to 29 Palms, then Amboy Road, National Trails Highway (SB County 66), Interstate 40, and US-95 into the city. It's a much more traveled route these days, but as little as a decade ago it could be a mind-numbingly boring drive for the sole purpose of avoiding I-15 traffic.
It's not too bad if you want some remote terrain and some cool places to see like Kelso or the Kelso Dunes. I used Nipton Road and Kelbaker Road a lot back in my Arizona days to short cut up to Death Valley National Park.
Quote from: djsekani on January 10, 2019, 12:02:08 PM
National Trails Highway (SB County 66)
Unfortunately, the long-term closure of 66 east of Amboy is still in effect due to the 2014 and 2017 floods:
http://cms.sbcounty.gov/Portals/50/transportation/Temporary%20Road%20Closure%20121918.2.pdf?ver=2018-12-19-113107-167
It's still open to Kelbaker Road, but from there you have to move up to I-40 -- or go through Kelso, where you can either go to I-15 at Cima Road or over to Nipton.
Quote from: djsekani on January 10, 2019, 12:02:08 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on January 10, 2019, 12:06:42 AM
Quote from: theroadwayone on January 09, 2019, 11:36:31 PM
How do you now get into CA without going through one of those inspection stations?
State Line Road or CA 127 in Inyo County come to mind off the top of my head. I mentioned taking AZ 95 into Needles but you can also get in via the Needles Highway with no inspection station and US 95. NV 164 to Nipton Road also works if you're willing to go through a really haggard trip in the Mojave Preserve to avoid I-15. I don't think there is an inspection station on Agnes Wilson Road near the US 95/CA 62 junction.
164/Nipton Road isn't the worst option if your car is in good shape. When I used to live in Palm Springs, everyone who drove to and from Vegas always took what we called the back way: Hwy 62 to 29 Palms, then Amboy Road, National Trails Highway (SB County 66), Interstate 40, and US-95 into the city. It's a much more traveled route these days, but as little as a decade ago it could be a mind-numbingly boring drive for the sole purpose of avoiding I-15 traffic.
If you're located considerably farther east in Coachella Valley (La Quinta, Indio, etc.) an alternate way to Vegas was east on I-10, north on CA 177 then east on CA 62, and finally north on US 95 via Needles up to LV. This avoided backtracking through Yucca Valley, which in itself can be a bit of a slog. Not much scenery on this route either, but it tended to get one to NV quickly & easily.
Quote from: Kniwt on January 10, 2019, 12:27:00 PM
Quote from: djsekani on January 10, 2019, 12:02:08 PM
National Trails Highway (SB County 66)
Unfortunately, the long-term closure of 66 east of Amboy is still in effect due to the 2014 and 2017 floods:
http://cms.sbcounty.gov/Portals/50/transportation/Temporary%20Road%20Closure%20121918.2.pdf?ver=2018-12-19-113107-167
It's still open to Kelbaker Road, but from there you have to move up to I-40 -- or go through Kelso, where you can either go to I-15 at Cima Road or over to Nipton.
Wow. Last time I drove this route was in Spring of 2015, when we actually did detour onto I-40 between 66 and Kelbaker Road so my wife could make a phone call (the interstate always has better cell service). Didn't even know about the closure.
Quote from: sparker on January 10, 2019, 12:31:50 PM
north on US 95 via Needles up to LV.
Having just driven that section of 95 again yesterday, I can't find enough evil words to say about the California section. The truck traffic (and the RVs-towing-giant-SUVs at 44mph traffic) continues to increase, and the backups and resulting high-speed passers make for a white-knuckle experience, especially when passing one yourself.
It's an interesting road only to see a stretch of basically unimproved 1930s-era highway engineering trying to carry 21st-century traffic.
On the Nevada side, however, the reconstruction between the state line and Searchlight is now complete, and the road is nice, smooth, and
fast.
Quote from: Kniwt on January 10, 2019, 12:46:45 PM
Quote from: sparker on January 10, 2019, 12:31:50 PM
north on US 95 via Needles up to LV.
Having just driven that section of 95 again yesterday, I can't find enough evil words to say about the California section. The truck traffic (and the RVs-towing-giant-SUVs at 44mph traffic) continues to increase, and the backups and resulting high-speed passers make for a white-knuckle experience, especially when passing one yourself.
It's an interesting road only to see a stretch of basically unimproved 1930s-era highway engineering trying to carry 21st-century traffic.
On the Nevada side, however, the reconstruction between the state line and Searchlight is now complete, and the road is nice, smooth, and fast.
For some reason, CA surface highways (both US and state) that cross state lines tend to contain at least a significant length of original 1920's-30's alignment that hasn't been altered except for the occasional repave job; US 97 between Macdoel and Dorris a bit south of the OR state line is a prime example; used by lumber and agricultural trucks that barely fit into the lanes, it's one of the more harrowing but well-trafficked segments of highway in the state. CA 127 in the desert is another "oldie", but with considerably lighter traffic. Regardless of Caltrans district, surface routes well away from populated areas and on the "margins" tend not to draw upgrade $$; since US 95 is more of a truck "alternate" to and from Vegas and not a direct connector from there to anything significant that can't utilize a different corridor (I'm guessing there's not a hell of a lot of Yuma-Vegas traffic!), there's not a lot of pressure on CA to do anything about the status or condition of the highway. And remember that NV has less road mileage to maintain -- and that much of US 95 in the southern tip of the state was improved when Laughlin/Bullhead became a prime recreational destination. In short, CA has little incentive to pour money into a road that in reality has little in-state benefit.
Quote from: Kniwt on January 10, 2019, 12:27:00 PM
Quote from: djsekani on January 10, 2019, 12:02:08 PM
National Trails Highway (SB County 66)
Unfortunately, the long-term closure of 66 east of Amboy is still in effect due to the 2014 and 2017 floods:
http://cms.sbcounty.gov/Portals/50/transportation/Temporary%20Road%20Closure%20121918.2.pdf?ver=2018-12-19-113107-167
It's still open to Kelbaker Road, but from there you have to move up to I-40 -- or go through Kelso, where you can either go to I-15 at Cima Road or over to Nipton.
Any news on when/if they plan on fixing the damage?
Quote from: AndyMax25 on January 04, 2019, 01:22:55 AM
I've always joked with my friends that when you cross into Mexico they are likely to stop you and ask you "Do you have any firearms?" . But when you cross back into California (or at any US Int'l airport) they ask you "Do you have any fruit?"
Our good friends who have been living in Mexico until recently told us that, last year, they crossed the border northbound into McAllen (TX) with three bags of pecans. At first I thought they meant little grocery store bags, but no: more like four-foot-tall bags, the kind you'd fill up at harvest time. The customs agent at the border asked if they had any fruits or vegetables. "Just a whole bunch of pecans!" was our friend's response, pointing to back of the SUV. The agent didn't even bat an eye and waved them through. :thumbsup: