California

[ClassicHasClass]

bug station

I'm stealing that. 

[cl94]

I mean, it's the colloquial government term in California for those things. And a succint description of what they're mostly looking for.

[FredAkbar]

Is it even legal to require people to stop and let their car be searched at these checkpoints? The California legal code talks about the requirement to stop at these stations (you can't just blow through it), example (5344), but I don't see anything about allowing a search (granted I did not read everything thoroughly).

The CFDA website says "Although submitting to inspection is voluntary, vehicle and commodities are not allowed to enter until released by an inspector." but it's unclear how "voluntary" it is if they won't let you enter the state without assuaging their suspicions.

[heynow415]

Whoops.  This happened Friday.  https://x.com/ChpUkiah/status/2065836630519456113

Officers responded to a solo-vehicle traffic collision on Hill Rd. at Eel River Ranch Rd. near Covelo after a bridge completely collapsed while a vehicle was crossing it.  The driver sustained only minor injuries.  Motorists are asked to avoid the area and seek alternate routes.

Location:  https://maps.app.goo.gl/zQAkNEDBtmfQ7xPR8

"Motorists are asked to avoid the area and seek alternate routes."  Totally unacceptable. They need to put that bridge back up right away - most of that stuff will buff right out.

Glad that the motorist was not injured and it's interesting that it collapsed given the circumstances.  Obviously structural failure had begun before this guy showed up.  However, the advisory post, I got a chuckle out of.  Assuming that picture is included with the advisory, I would hope that folks have a pretty good idea it's gonna be a while...   

[Max Rockatansky]

Whoops.  This happened Friday.  https://x.com/ChpUkiah/status/2065836630519456113

Officers responded to a solo-vehicle traffic collision on Hill Rd. at Eel River Ranch Rd. near Covelo after a bridge completely collapsed while a vehicle was crossing it.  The driver sustained only minor injuries.  Motorists are asked to avoid the area and seek alternate routes.

Location:  https://maps.app.goo.gl/zQAkNEDBtmfQ7xPR8

"Motorists are asked to avoid the area and seek alternate routes."  Totally unacceptable. They need to put that bridge back up right away - most of that stuff will buff right out.

Glad that the motorist was not injured and it's interesting that it collapsed given the circumstances.  Obviously structural failure had begun before this guy showed up.  However, the advisory post, I got a chuckle out of.  Assuming that picture is included with the advisory, I would hope that folks have a pretty good idea it's gonna be a while...   

Maybe?  Seems like the perfect spot to install a modern Bailey span.  That's how Indian Gulch Road in Mariposa County reopened so quickly after a similarly aged bridge collapsed.

[pderocco]

"Motorists are asked to avoid the area and seek alternate routes."

It's always nice that they remind us to do that. Otherwise, we might try driving over the bridge again.

[FredAkbar]

"Motorists are asked to avoid the area and seek alternate routes."

It's always nice that they remind us to do that. Otherwise, we might try driving over the bridge again.

I've always hated when those electronic road work signs with the series of text chunks have one chunk that says whatever road is closed (fine) but then a whole other chunk is wasted on "USE ALT ROUTE". Like, no shit, and if your timing is unlucky you'll only see that useless piece of info instead of whatever the actual road closure is.

[Tendies]

If there was any political will, the loophole would be to construct additional lanes as HOV/HOT, which are exempt from the VMT reduction policy and would be eligible for expedited CEQA if within current ROW. This is what was done for the Yolo Causeway widening (much to the ire of certain groups).

(Personal opinion strongly emphasized)

Left lane carpools only Wednesdays 2am-3am
Problem technically solved

[moabdave]

Some photos and dashcam footage of a trans-Sierra Nevada road trip. I took the Oroville-Quincy Highway, which originates from a lesser used branch of the California Trail, and arguably should be part of CA-162, and took the very photogenic CA-70 back. https://www.flickr.com/photos/moabdave/albums/72177720334229574 In there is dashcam footage of the Pulga bridge, Tobin Bridge and Grizzly Creek Tunnel. Direct links to some:
Bidwell Bar Bridge, along CA-162 IMGP9775 by David from Moab, on Flickr

Newly constructed half viaduct to repair washout damage from (I think 2023, maybe 2024) flooding IMGP9779 by David from Moab, on Flickr

Dascam footage of the Pulga bridge along CA-70 CA70 Pulga Bridge by David from Moab, on Flickr

Cudos to Caltrans for preserving the orignal rock guardrails. I'm sure the FWHA isn't happy about that, but I think it was the right thing to do.

[Plutonic Panda]

A genius proposal to tear out part of interstate 10 in Santa Monica

https://nypost.com/2026/06/20/us-news/environmental-study-plans-to-spend-2m-to-consider-10-freeway-removal/?utm_campaign=capost&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

[Max Rockatansky]

That segment between 11th and 20th isn't exactly the longest thing ever.  I'm not sure what a boulevard would accomplish given that particular section of I-10 is trenched below the street level.  The freeway removal idea reads like someone trying to gain political points with constituents versus being realistic.

[Plutonic Panda]

That segment between 11th and 20th isn't exactly the longest thing ever.  I'm not sure what a boulevard would accomplish given that particular section of I-10 is trenched below the street level.  The freeway removal idea reads like someone trying to gain political points with constituents versus being realistic.

I don't think it's gonna happen. I'd really be surprised if anything happens other than maybe some expanded bridges. I mean is the city of Santa Monica gonna wanna pay for this?

[FredAkbar]

A Southern California city is facing backlash after it accepted a $2 million grant to study whether a major stretch of the 10 should be covered with a giant park — or eventually ripped out altogether.

Well, even if they don't end up doing anything, they already accomplished their real goal, which was to find a way to pay some environmental consultants $2,000,000 in order to feel good about themselves.

[pderocco]

A Southern California city is facing backlash after it accepted a $2 million grant to study whether a major stretch of the 10 should be covered with a giant park — or eventually ripped out altogether.

Well, even if they don't end up doing anything, they already accomplished their real goal, which was to find a way to pay some environmental consultants $2,000,000 in order to feel good about themselves.

Gee, I would have been willing to tell them that for $1,900,000.

[The Ghostbuster]

Tearing down any portion of Interstate 10 in California would be ludicrous. I strongly oppose freeway-to-boulevard conversions. Its unfortunate that there aren't any parallel freeways to relieve congestion on the Santa Monica Freeway portion of Interstate 10.

[Plutonic Panda]

Tearing down any portion of Interstate 10 in California would be ludicrous. I strongly oppose freeway-to-boulevard conversions. Its unfortunate that there aren't any parallel freeways to relieve congestion on the Santa Monica Freeway portion of Interstate 10.

I really wish this state would do what other cities could do and build tunnels and rebuild the Beverly Hills Freeway with a tunnel. It is very much needed as a freeway that was gonna follow La Cienega up to Laurel Canyon.

[SeriesE]

While I oppose tearing down I-10, if they choose to do so, the new logical end is at I-405.

I really wish this state would do what other cities could do and build tunnels and rebuild the Beverly Hills Freeway with a tunnel. It is very much needed as a freeway that was gonna follow La Cienega up to Laurel Canyon.

Isn't that the Laurel Canyon Freeway?

[Plutonic Panda]

While I oppose tearing down I-10, if they choose to do so, the new logical end is at I-405.

I really wish this state would do what other cities could do and build tunnels and rebuild the Beverly Hills Freeway with a tunnel. It is very much needed as a freeway that was gonna follow La Cienega up to Laurel Canyon.

Isn't that the Laurel Canyon Freeway?

I'm gonna have to go back and look at what exactly that proposal was but I think it was supposed to be a freeway. I love Laurel Canyon, but it sure would've been nice if that would've been built.

[cahwyguy]

Actually, it was covered in the most recent episode of our podcast: https://caroutebyroute.org/2026/06/10/ca-rxr-4-12-route-14-route-64-lrn-290-the-valley-freeways-that-never-happened/

Episode 4.12 starts our exploration of the last route of this season: Route 14. Segment (a) of Route 14 is the unbuilt "Reseda to the Sea" freeway, so we take this opportunity to discuss the unbuilt freeways of the San Fernando Valley: the Reseda Freeway (Route 14), the Whitnall Freeway (Route 64), the Laurel Canyon Freeway (Route 170), and the freeway plans for Sunland Tujunga, the Angeles National Forest (Route 118, Route 122, Route 249), and the plan for the Mulholland Expressway (Route 268). We also discuss LRN 14 (part of US 40) and Sign Route 14 (which became Route 91). We'll discuss the built portion of Route 14 between I-5 and US 395 in the last official season 4 episode. With respect to Tom's sound quality: It's better. Daniel's mic has an occasional "pop" or "thump" problems; we'll hopefully fix that in Ep 4.13. We're also working to line up 2-3 bonus episodes during the season break.

[roadman65]

Is there a specific reason why both I-5 and CA 99 run so close to each other between Stockton and Sacramento?

I would figure that its as redundant as it was to run both Interstate and US routes statewide within the same corridor especially that both routes are freeways.

[Max Rockatansky]

Is there a specific reason why both I-5 and CA 99 run so close to each other between Stockton and Sacramento?

I would figure that its as redundant as it was to run both Interstate and US routes statewide within the same corridor especially that both routes are freeways.

The Sacramento River Delta.  There plenty of traffic for both freeways.

[Plutonic Panda]

More so I think the Beverly Hills freeway and the PCH freeway connecting with a Topanga Canyon freeway would be by far the most impressive and beneficial.

[The Ghostbuster]

Unfortunately, as with all other inner-city freeway projects, the number of homes and businesses that would've had to be destroyed would've been too great. If only it weren't so expensive to build tunnels, then some underground freeways maybe could've been constructed.

[Plutonic Panda]

Unfortunately, as with all other inner-city freeway projects, the number of homes and businesses that would've had to be destroyed would've been too great. If only it weren't so expensive to build tunnels, then some underground freeways maybe could've been constructed.

That happened with a lot of highway projects though. It seems like it was just the rich areas that stopped this stuff.