I thought that we had a thread for this, turns out we don't. Here is the existing conversation from the Gribblenation updates thread:
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on October 01, 2025, 05:07:49 PMQuote from: Voyager on October 01, 2025, 05:02:12 PMQuote from: Max Rockatansky on October 01, 2025, 05:00:47 PMQuote from: Voyager on October 01, 2025, 04:54:36 PMQuote from: Max Rockatansky on October 01, 2025, 08:23:11 AMOctober blogs and media
California
Atwater-Merced Expressway
https://www.gribblenation.org/2025/10/atwater-merced-expressway.html?m=1
This one is kind of crazy, I am always happy to see new alignments but this one...doesn't seem very necessary? Especially when 99 still hasn't even been fully expanded yet through the area. Much rather see the 108 freeway "North County Corridor" get finished.
The problem is the UC Merced campus is way the hell out in the middle of nowhere by Yosemite Lake. The existing Merced city street grid is overwhelmed by school traffic and recent population booms. On the eastern side of the city Campus Parkway is probably a closer analog for how the larger Loop of Merced will eventually look.
Right now the "best" way to get through downtown Merced is on G Street. That corridor has a heavy amount of traffic pretty much of all times of the day.
That's true, isn't that kind of the main reason Santa Barbara/Goleta has the 217 freeway? I know only part of it was ever built, but makes sense in that regard.
Yes, also similar to the concepts for CA 100 in Santa Cruz related to the University of California campus. I think Merced County will get there eventually with the full Campus Loop but will be a slog given it is a local project.
Campus Parkway is another segment of the UC Campus Loop. I posted about it off forum:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid06BKA4vSFejrtMBbToV1LNu1ytpXUxPZDs1fj1hAm3kcJFRTBLYaTQagyd7R5hq14l&id=100063655972258&mibextid=wwXIfr
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on October 01, 2025, 08:23:11 AMOctober blogs and media
California
Atwater-Merced Expressway
https://www.gribblenation.org/2025/10/atwater-merced-expressway.html?m=1
I guess that qualifies as an expressway, if it means you can get to the other end of it really fast.
But who knows, maybe someday it will be I-209.
Quote from: pderocco on October 02, 2025, 06:43:03 PMQuote from: Max Rockatansky on October 01, 2025, 08:23:11 AMOctober blogs and media
California
Atwater-Merced Expressway
https://www.gribblenation.org/2025/10/atwater-merced-expressway.html?m=1
I guess that qualifies as an expressway, if it means you can get to the other end of it really fast.
But who knows, maybe someday it will be I-209.
Hey, driveways directly to homes or businesses seems to be bare minimal qualification. Campus Parkway fits the definition far more closely on the other end of Merced.