California

[djsekani]

Do we have a saboteur working at Google? Noticing a lot of made up or just wrong route numbers lately in SoCal, like CA-258 along Western Avenue or CA-164 on Rosemead Blvd.

[TheStranger]

Do we have a saboteur working at Google? Noticing a lot of made up or just wrong route numbers lately in SoCal, like CA-258 along Western Avenue or CA-164 on Rosemead Blvd.

Both numbers are derived from the California legislative route definitions - but are not signed in the field (164 is the official but entirely pointless unsigned designation of 1934-present signed Route 19 north of Pico Rivera, 258 was a planned freeway corridor along Western between US 101 near Koreatown and I-405). 

[gonealookin]

Now that it has (mostly) stopped snowing and we're getting warmer days, it's avalanche season in the Sierra.  I was out the other day and heard the booms as they were trying to control the situation on US 50 east of Echo Summit.  Evidently they reopened the road but didn't realize the job wasn't quite complete.

https://www.tahoedailytribune.com/news/multiple-slides-in-course-of-days-at-lake-tahoe-serve-as-safety-reminder/

Sunday's slide, the second naturally occurring avalanche on U.S. 50 in less than a week, trapped two vehicles in roughly 5 feet of snow.

The snow actually pushed a vehicle traveling westbound, a Nissan Xterra, into the eastbound lane where it collided with a Jeep Grand Cherokee, according to Brown.
...
The avalanche occurred naturally in the area known as Frogs Pond, east of Echo Summit, about 30 minutes after crews had cleaned up snow from avalanche control efforts.

As mentioned in the article, CA 89 at Emerald Bay has a lot of problems with that issue; also CA 88 at Carson Spur, west of the Kirkwood ski area.

[ClassicHasClass]

Always loved the avalanche signs on US 395 after the snows.

https://www.floodgap.com/iv/837

[gonealookin]

Always loved the avalanche signs on US 395 after the snows.

https://www.floodgap.com/iv/837

CA 89 and CA 88 have those signs as well.

Caltrans shoots for opening Ebbetts Pass/CA 4 and Sonora Pass/CA 108 for Memorial Day weekend.  Same with the National Park Service for opening Tioga Pass Road across Yosemite which connects the two segments of CA 120.  It's not just clearing the snow off the roads though.  In addition to mitigating avalanche dangers they have other jobs such as getting rid of damaged trees which are in danger of falling across the road.  Also if they find damage to the road once they've scraped the snow off, it has to be repaired.  A couple years ago there was slide damage on CA 4 east of Ebbetts Pass and it was into the summer before the road was reopened.  With the heavy snow season this year, Memorial Day is a nice target date but maybe mid-June is a better idea of a date when you'd be more certain of them being open.

[ClassicHasClass]

I was hoping to go up to the bristlecone pines this year but that probably won't happen until the summer (CA 168).

[Max Rockatansky]

Drove through the new Minkler/Centerville bypass for CA 180 being currently constructed.  The project is slated to be finished in 2020 and will extend the current 180 expressway slightly east of Frankwood Avenue:

IMG_5191 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Looking east towards the end of the new bypass route:

IMG_5197 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Looking west towards Minkler:

IMG_5200 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

[Max Rockatansky]

I was hoping to go up to the bristlecone pines this year but that probably won't happen until the summer (CA 168).

I'm assuming you meant the western CA 168.  If that's the case send me a PM before you head out, I'm out of the Fresno area.

[ClassicHasClass]

I was hoping to go up to the bristlecone pines this year but that probably won't happen until the summer (CA 168).

I'm assuming you meant the western CA 168.  If that's the case send me a PM before you head out, I'm out of the Fresno area.

Alas, no, the eastern (US 395 is the easier access for me), though I do bip through Fresno quite a bit on my monthly Sacramento run.

[Max Rockatansky]

I was hoping to go up to the bristlecone pines this year but that probably won't happen until the summer (CA 168).

I'm assuming you meant the western CA 168.  If that's the case send me a PM before you head out, I'm out of the Fresno area.

Alas, no, the eastern (US 395 is the easier access for me), though I do bip through Fresno quite a bit on my monthly Sacramento run.

Well if you're ever in town let me know.  I was looking at your website the other day, seems we have featured several of the same highways.

[ClassicHasClass]

^^
Right on, I'll see how the schedule works out

[Max Rockatansky]

Big travel week for me in Southern California.  Had some pretty choice routes on my path:

I-5 Grapevine Grade southbound

https://flic.kr/s/aHskUcgsK3

Drove the entirety of I-405.  I must have hit the Devil's luck since I didn't encounter a single stoppage in traffic

https://flic.kr/s/aHsmD6EBCW

I-805 from I-5 to CA 163

https://flic.kr/s/aHsmD6EPrf

CA 163 (Old US 395) from I-805 to I-5 (yes I got the Cabrillo Bridge)

https://flic.kr/s/aHsmbZUn8i

CA 75 and CA 282

https://flic.kr/s/aHskUcmERY

https://flic.kr/s/aHsmD6GEXY

[nexus73]

The old section of 163 is the most beautiful section of freeway in California IMO.  When I saw it for the first time in 1974, when there still was a US 395, it was like stepping into the Wayback Machine.  Wish you had taken more photos of it than the modern section in that sequence you posted on Flickr.

Rick

[Max Rockatansky]

The old section of 163 is the most beautiful section of freeway in California IMO.  When I saw it for the first time in 1974, when there still was a US 395, it was like stepping into the Wayback Machine.  Wish you had taken more photos of it than the modern section in that sequence you posted on Flickr.

Rick

The oldest part is south of I-8 which is actually very short..  Unfortunately heading into downtown San Diego wasn't an option. 

[nexus73]

Well, I did enjoy seeing the "modern" freeway, I-405, covered so thoroughly.  Feast or famine I guess...LOL!  The OC section that has been modernized sure looks sweet although it probably winds up as congested as the part in LA County.  Like you said, luck was with you that day!

Rick

[Max Rockatansky]

Well, I did enjoy seeing the "modern" freeway, I-405, covered so thoroughly.  Feast or famine I guess...LOL!  The OC section that has been modernized sure looks sweet although it probably winds up as congested as the part in LA County.  Like you said, luck was with you that day!

Rick

It was my first time driving 405 since 2013 suffice to say I feel as though the route has improved substantially.  Granted I'm saying that a couple weeks removed from the Kennedy and Dan Ryan Expressways in Chicago...

[gonealookin]

The project in Tahoe City to build a new bridge to carry CA 89 over the Truckee River has gone much slower than planned.  It's expected that the new bridge and new CA 89 alignment which were supposed to open in 2018 *should* be completed and opened to traffic late this year.  That includes the two roundabouts where the new alignment connects to the existing alignment.  The rebuild of the Fanny Bridge and the construction of the third roundabout, which will be at the current intersection of CA 28 and CA 89, have been pulled from the contract with new bids in 2020 and construction in 2021.  Project information here.

[Verlanka]

The old section of 163 is the most beautiful section of freeway in California IMO.  When I saw it for the first time in 1974, when there still was a US 395, it was like stepping into the Wayback Machine.  Wish you had taken more photos of it than the modern section in that sequence you posted on Flickr.

Rick

The oldest part is south of I-8 which is actually very short..  Unfortunately heading into downtown San Diego wasn't an option.

It's actually 3 miles long, so it's not very short.

[SoCal Kid]

I heard the freeway portion of US 50 in/near Sacramento is also unsigned Interstate 305.

[Max Rockatansky]

I heard the freeway portion of US 50 in/near Sacramento is also unsigned Interstate 305.

Sort of, I-305 is an FHWA designation and not state level legislative one.

[sparker]

I heard the freeway portion of US 50 in/near Sacramento is also unsigned Interstate 305.

Sort of, I-305 is an FHWA designation and not state level legislative one.

I-305 is there because chargeable Interstate funds were used to construct the old I-80 through central Sacramento.  What is now US 50 (and, to Caltrans, CASR 50) between I-80 and CA 99 was the E-W part of that route, while present Biz 80/unsigned CASR 51 from US 50 north to the "C" street overpass, completed in 1967, is the N-S "leg".  CASR 51 northeast of there, which features a multitude of substandard features, was originally "grandfathered" into the Interstate system, having been constructed prior to the beginning of Interstate fund dispersal on 1/1/57.   After the Gianturco administration within Caltrans, in concert with the City of Sacramento, cancelled the I-80 bypass freeway in 1982, I-80 was rerouted over the former 1st iteration of I-880 around the north end of the city; the E-W portion (the old "X-Y" freeway + the Pioneer Bridge and the West Sacramento Freeway) was redesignated as US/CASR 50, while the then-unused CASR 51 number was assigned to the N-S portion.  Since the Interstate-pool-funded portion still retained Federal Interstate status, it remained on the FHWA books and was renumbered I-305.  The whole former I-80 "inner loop" was signed in 1982 as Business Loop 80; lately, that signage primarily pertains to CASR 51; current field reference of the E-W portion is as US 50, although a few Biz 80 green shields remain on that section.   As a state-maintained route, Caltrans does not make any mention of the I-305 status; as far as it's concerned the former I-80 loop is now US 50 and CA 51 -- although there is a codicil in the Caltrans bylaws that states that CA 51 shall be field-signed as Business Loop 80. 

In other words, this is one of the more byzantine situations within the Caltrans compendium.  Whether it'll ever be worked out rationally is yet TBD -- perhaps if & when CA 99 gains Interstate status some changes may occur as a result.  But for the present it is just plain weird. 

[mrsman]

I heard the freeway portion of US 50 in/near Sacramento is also unsigned Interstate 305.

Sort of, I-305 is an FHWA designation and not state level legislative one.

I-305 is there because chargeable Interstate funds were used to construct the old I-80 through central Sacramento.  What is now US 50 (and, to Caltrans, CASR 50) between I-80 and CA 99 was the E-W part of that route, while present Biz 80/unsigned CASR 51 from US 50 north to the "C" street overpass, completed in 1967, is the N-S "leg".  CASR 51 northeast of there, which features a multitude of substandard features, was originally "grandfathered" into the Interstate system, having been constructed prior to the beginning of Interstate fund dispersal on 1/1/57.   After the Gianturco administration within Caltrans, in concert with the City of Sacramento, cancelled the I-80 bypass freeway in 1982, I-80 was rerouted over the former 1st iteration of I-880 around the north end of the city; the E-W portion (the old "X-Y" freeway + the Pioneer Bridge and the West Sacramento Freeway) was redesignated as US/CASR 50, while the then-unused CASR 51 number was assigned to the N-S portion.  Since the Interstate-pool-funded portion still retained Federal Interstate status, it remained on the FHWA books and was renumbered I-305.  The whole former I-80 "inner loop" was signed in 1982 as Business Loop 80; lately, that signage primarily pertains to CASR 51; current field reference of the E-W portion is as US 50, although a few Biz 80 green shields remain on that section.   As a state-maintained route, Caltrans does not make any mention of the I-305 status; as far as it's concerned the former I-80 loop is now US 50 and CA 51 -- although there is a codicil in the Caltrans bylaws that states that CA 51 shall be field-signed as Business Loop 80. 

In other words, this is one of the more byzantine situations within the Caltrans compendium.  Whether it'll ever be worked out rationally is yet TBD -- perhaps if & when CA 99 gains Interstate status some changes may occur as a result.  But for the present it is just plain weird.

Correct and accurate summary as usual sparker.  I  know that many have discussed the Biz-80 situation on this forum before, but I do hope they get rid of it and replace Biz-80 with CA-51 or some other number.  I have to think that the reason for even signing Biz-80 in the first place was to help guide people from the main I-80 into Downtown Sac and then back to I-80, I don't believe the number is helpful.  It's just plain confusing having two 80's.  And, of course, with good use of "Sacramento", "Reno", and "San Francisco" as control cities on US 50 and CA-51 to/from both of the I-80 interchanges, not to mention GPS-based direction systems, I-80 traffic can easily find its way back and forth from Downtown without Biz-80.

[Max Rockatansky]

I heard the freeway portion of US 50 in/near Sacramento is also unsigned Interstate 305.

Sort of, I-305 is an FHWA designation and not state level legislative one.

I-305 is there because chargeable Interstate funds were used to construct the old I-80 through central Sacramento.  What is now US 50 (and, to Caltrans, CASR 50) between I-80 and CA 99 was the E-W part of that route, while present Biz 80/unsigned CASR 51 from US 50 north to the "C" street overpass, completed in 1967, is the N-S "leg".  CASR 51 northeast of there, which features a multitude of substandard features, was originally "grandfathered" into the Interstate system, having been constructed prior to the beginning of Interstate fund dispersal on 1/1/57.   After the Gianturco administration within Caltrans, in concert with the City of Sacramento, cancelled the I-80 bypass freeway in 1982, I-80 was rerouted over the former 1st iteration of I-880 around the north end of the city; the E-W portion (the old "X-Y" freeway + the Pioneer Bridge and the West Sacramento Freeway) was redesignated as US/CASR 50, while the then-unused CASR 51 number was assigned to the N-S portion.  Since the Interstate-pool-funded portion still retained Federal Interstate status, it remained on the FHWA books and was renumbered I-305.  The whole former I-80 "inner loop" was signed in 1982 as Business Loop 80; lately, that signage primarily pertains to CASR 51; current field reference of the E-W portion is as US 50, although a few Biz 80 green shields remain on that section.   As a state-maintained route, Caltrans does not make any mention of the I-305 status; as far as it's concerned the former I-80 loop is now US 50 and CA 51 -- although there is a codicil in the Caltrans bylaws that states that CA 51 shall be field-signed as Business Loop 80. 

In other words, this is one of the more byzantine situations within the Caltrans compendium.  Whether it'll ever be worked out rationally is yet TBD -- perhaps if & when CA 99 gains Interstate status some changes may occur as a result.  But for the present it is just plain weird.

Correct and accurate summary as usual sparker.  I  know that many have discussed the Biz-80 situation on this forum before, but I do hope they get rid of it and replace Biz-80 with CA-51 or some other number.  I have to think that the reason for even signing Biz-80 in the first place was to help guide people from the main I-80 into Downtown Sac and then back to I-80, I don't believe the number is helpful.  It's just plain confusing having two 80's.  And, of course, with good use of "Sacramento", "Reno", and "San Francisco" as control cities on US 50 and CA-51 to/from both of the I-80 interchanges, not to mention GPS-based direction systems, I-80 traffic can easily find its way back and forth from Downtown without Biz-80.

Actually we do have a CA 51 topic thread from last year.   

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=23773.msg2373330#msg2373330

[Techknow]

Pop quiz! Choose all the squares with a car in it

What state was this picture taken at? Bonus points if you can figure out where in the state!

[SoCal Kid]

Pop quiz! Choose all the squares with a car in it

What state was this picture taken at? Bonus points if you can figure out where in the state!

Haha seen that meme before, but not sure about the location of the photo. But cool Dodge Journey