California

[Plutonic Panda]

Why do that if it'll just induce more traffic? /s

[Max Rockatansky]

Why do that if it'll just induce more traffic? /s

Caltrans is subtly trying to keep people off the cool Coast Range roads like CA 198 and CA 58. 

[Plutonic Panda]

Why do that if it'll just induce more traffic? /s

Caltrans is subtly trying to keep people off the cool Coast Range roads like CA 198 and CA 58. 

Than that'll induce people like me to those roads instead! In all seriousness I've been slowly but surely clenching most of the highways between the coast and I-5 south of San Francisco. I'm about to turn my attention to the Sierras

[kkt]

Why do that if it'll just induce more traffic? /s

Caltrans is subtly trying to keep people off the cool Coast Range roads like CA 198 and CA 58. 

Than that'll induce people like me to those roads instead! In all seriousness I've been slowly but surely clenching most of the highways between the coast and I-5 south of San Francisco. I'm about to turn my attention to the Sierras

[pderocco]

Caltrans to begin next phase of Hwy 46 widening project

By: Erin FePosted at 1:16 PM, Apr 13, 2022 and last updated 5:46 PM, Apr 13, 2022

Caltrans is about to begin a project that will double lanes along Highway 46 in northern San Luis Obispo County.

A groundbreaking ceremony is set for this Friday.

The project will widen Highway 46 East from Shandon to Cholame.

"What we're doing is we're taking a five-mile stretch starting east of the Shandon rest area to east of the Jack Ranch Café," said Heidi Crawford, Caltrans District 5 PIO.

Construction on this phase is expected to wrap up sometime in 2024.

"We've made places on the road where people can merge on, they can merge off, unlike what it was before. Of course, any time you're taking anything from a two-lane to a four-lane, there's just better flow," Crawford said.

Caltrans say the project's price tag is more than $115 million with the money coming from the State Transportation Improvement Fund.

"it's going to affect commuters, it's going to affect the tourists, it's going to affect the trucking community. people that drive this road on a regular basis,"  Crawford said.

At the end of the project, Highway 46 East will be a four-lane expressway

from Paso Robles to Lost Hills in Kern County.

A project to improve the Highway 46/State Route 41 interchange is expected to begin in 2024.

Link

I think they should have done the James Dean intersection first, since that's a moderately dangerous spot.

[Max Rockatansky]

Caltrans to begin next phase of Hwy 46 widening project

By: Erin FePosted at 1:16 PM, Apr 13, 2022 and last updated 5:46 PM, Apr 13, 2022

Caltrans is about to begin a project that will double lanes along Highway 46 in northern San Luis Obispo County.

A groundbreaking ceremony is set for this Friday.

The project will widen Highway 46 East from Shandon to Cholame.

"What we're doing is we're taking a five-mile stretch starting east of the Shandon rest area to east of the Jack Ranch Café," said Heidi Crawford, Caltrans District 5 PIO.

Construction on this phase is expected to wrap up sometime in 2024.

"We've made places on the road where people can merge on, they can merge off, unlike what it was before. Of course, any time you're taking anything from a two-lane to a four-lane, there's just better flow," Crawford said.

Caltrans say the project's price tag is more than $115 million with the money coming from the State Transportation Improvement Fund.

"it's going to affect commuters, it's going to affect the tourists, it's going to affect the trucking community. people that drive this road on a regular basis,"  Crawford said.

At the end of the project, Highway 46 East will be a four-lane expressway

from Paso Robles to Lost Hills in Kern County.

A project to improve the Highway 46/State Route 41 interchange is expected to begin in 2024.

Link

I think they should have done the James Dean intersection first, since that's a moderately dangerous spot.

Only been known as Bloody Junction since the 1950s.

[M3100]

US 101 in Ventura County has some lane closures in the La Conchita area; article attached.

[Rothman]

US 101 in Ventura County has some lane closures in the La Conchita area; article attached.

A...physical...newspaper?  How 20th Century...

[kkt]

A...physical...newspaper?  How 20th Century...

Or 19th, or even 18th.

[kernals12]

A physical newspaper?
In this day and age?
On this website?
Localized entirely within this thread?

[Concrete Bob]

At least it wasn't a link located behind a pay wall.  I thought seeing the article in print was cool.

[ClassicHasClass]

So, anyway, a La Conchita closure on US 101 is like dog bites man at this point, though at least it's not for a landslide this time.

[Alps]

A physical newspaper?
In this day and age?
On this website?
Localized entirely within this thread?

can I see?

[andy3175]

https://www.escalontimes.com/209-living/freeway-highway-proposals-died-instead-marring-california/

This article describes some highway proposals through the years that have been canceled. The list includes portions of state routes 168, 65, 130, and 1.

Tioga Pass in the 1930s became the highest paved segment of the California highway system.

It holds that honor still today despite attempts by people on both sides of the Sierra – Bishop in the east and Fresno in the west – to extend Highway 168 across Piute Pass at 11,417 feet.

The idea for a southern Sierra highway crossing was born in 1919. There were repeated attempts to get the legislature on board in the 1920s before the idea died in the 1930s. The route that highway would have taken would have sliced through the John Muir Wilderness. Today it is only accessible by foot or horseback.

In the 1950s Madera County boosters set their sights on other nearby trans-Sierra routes via Mammoth Pass or the Minaret Summit.

That idea started was eventually killed by Gov. Ronald Reagan in 1972 when he persuaded the Nixon Administration to kill either route for good.

The end result today is reflected in nearly a 90-mile stretch of the Sierra crest without roads marring the adjoining Ansel Adams and John Muir wildernesses flanking both sides of the mountain range.

The stretch is bookended on the south by Highway 178's Walker Pass at 5,250 feet and on the north by Highway 120 and Tioga Pass. ...

(Highway 65) was part of a freeway system where a Westside Freeway that was eventually built as Interstate 5 and an Eastside Freeway would connect northern and southern California.

Just like Interstate 5 runs along the base of the Coastal foothills, Highway 65 would have run along the base of the Sierra foothills.

You would have been able to merge onto Highway 65 and head north to Yuba City or south to Bakersfield.

Although the freeway was killed, two segments of route already in place were designated as Highway 65. The northern segment runs south out of Olivehurst through Lincoln and ends in Roseville where it connects with Interstate 80.

The southern segment starts from Highway 99 near Bakersfield and ends at Highway 198 near Exeter.

The two segments represent 95 miles of the originally proposed 300-mile route. ....

Congressman Richard Pombo who was from Tracy (proposed a connection between Highway 130 and Interstate 5).

His idea to ease traffic congestion on the Altamont Pass was to construct a freeway up Del Puerto Canyon from Patterson to San Jose where it would enter the Santa Clara Valley near the Mt. Hamilton Road.

The idea picked up support from several cities in the Northern San Joaquin Valley. Major pushback from environmental groups made sure the idea was DOA before it reached consideration in the halls of state and federal power. ...

(I)n the 1950s state highway engineers advanced a plan to replace (Highway 1 between Carmel and San Simeon) with a four-lane freeway. It was proposed at the same time as the Westside and Eastside freeways in the Central Valley. The idea was dead by the early 1960s.

Perhaps the most stunning freeway idea that never got off the ground was for a 36-lane crossing of the San Francisco Bay south of the Bay Bridge.

In 1946 less than a decade after the Bay Bridge opened, people were grumbling about traffic. The push was on for another crossing to the south.

Several were conventional bridges.

But the one advanced by John Reber, who is described as an actor who turned master planner, was for a 36-lane crossing and was anything but conventional. ...

The plan called for a causeway constructed on a giant earthen fill. It was to go from Alameda where it would connect to land via a tunnel before reaching the Oakland estuary to China Basin in San Francisco where the last segment would be via a 2,000-foot-long bridge.

The causeway was envisioned as nearly four-tenths of a mile wide. It called for a freeway in the middle of it 400 feet in width or enough to accommodate 36 lanes.

On both sides of the freeway, it called for 160 feet wide right-of-way for four main lines and 70 miles of sidings.

Those sidings would serve industrial areas that lined the outside of the causeway in parcels of 600 feet in depth and 1,600 feet in width.

[kkt]

https://www.escalontimes.com/209-living/freeway-highway-proposals-died-instead-marring-california/

This article describes some highway proposals through the years that have been canceled. The list includes portions of state routes 168, 65, 130, and 1.

But the one advanced by John Reber, who is described as an actor who turned master planner, was for a 36-lane crossing and was anything but conventional. ...

The plan called for a causeway constructed on a giant earthen fill. It was to go from Alameda where it would connect to land via a tunnel before reaching the Oakland estuary to China Basin in San Francisco where the last segment would be via a 2,000-foot-long bridge.

The causeway was envisioned as nearly four-tenths of a mile wide. It called for a freeway in the middle of it 400 feet in width or enough to accommodate 36 lanes.

On both sides of the freeway, it called for 160 feet wide right-of-way for four main lines and 70 miles of sidings.

Those sidings would serve industrial areas that lined the outside of the causeway in parcels of 600 feet in depth and 1,600 feet in width.

There's deepwater ship channels both up to Alameda and up to the docks on both sides of China Basin.  Blocking ship access to the ports would not be a good idea.  There's more practical ways to build a southern Bay Bridge.

[Max Rockatansky]

Regarding Piute Pass and CA 168 that was way more the expansion of General Grant National Park into that Kings Canyon National Park that killed that.  The northern boundary of Kings Canyon National Park almost aligns exactly with the Piute Pass Highway corridor.  Kings Canyon National Park also killed the Kings Canyon Highway (CA 180) to Kearsarge Pass, but that was a Forest Service initiative from Cedar Grove eastward.

[roadfro]

A physical newspaper?
In this day and age?
On this website?
Localized entirely within this thread?

can I see?

I laughed just a little too loudly in the airport just now. I appreciate the reference!

[dbz77]

Caltrans to begin next phase of Hwy 46 widening project

By: Erin FePosted at 1:16 PM, Apr 13, 2022 and last updated 5:46 PM, Apr 13, 2022

Caltrans is about to begin a project that will double lanes along Highway 46 in northern San Luis Obispo County.

A groundbreaking ceremony is set for this Friday.

The project will widen Highway 46 East from Shandon to Cholame.

"What we're doing is we're taking a five-mile stretch starting east of the Shandon rest area to east of the Jack Ranch Café," said Heidi Crawford, Caltrans District 5 PIO.

Construction on this phase is expected to wrap up sometime in 2024.

"We've made places on the road where people can merge on, they can merge off, unlike what it was before. Of course, any time you're taking anything from a two-lane to a four-lane, there's just better flow," Crawford said.

Caltrans say the project's price tag is more than $115 million with the money coming from the State Transportation Improvement Fund.

"it's going to affect commuters, it's going to affect the tourists, it's going to affect the trucking community. people that drive this road on a regular basis,"  Crawford said.

At the end of the project, Highway 46 East will be a four-lane expressway

from Paso Robles to Lost Hills in Kern County.

A project to improve the Highway 46/State Route 41 interchange is expected to begin in 2024.

Link

I think they should have done the James Dean intersection first, since that's a moderately dangerous spot.

How is it like now as opposed to 1955?

Is there a traffic signal there?

[Max Rockatansky]

Caltrans to begin next phase of Hwy 46 widening project

By: Erin FePosted at 1:16 PM, Apr 13, 2022 and last updated 5:46 PM, Apr 13, 2022

Caltrans is about to begin a project that will double lanes along Highway 46 in northern San Luis Obispo County.

A groundbreaking ceremony is set for this Friday.

The project will widen Highway 46 East from Shandon to Cholame.

"What we're doing is we're taking a five-mile stretch starting east of the Shandon rest area to east of the Jack Ranch Café," said Heidi Crawford, Caltrans District 5 PIO.

Construction on this phase is expected to wrap up sometime in 2024.

"We've made places on the road where people can merge on, they can merge off, unlike what it was before. Of course, any time you're taking anything from a two-lane to a four-lane, there's just better flow," Crawford said.

Caltrans say the project's price tag is more than $115 million with the money coming from the State Transportation Improvement Fund.

"it's going to affect commuters, it's going to affect the tourists, it's going to affect the trucking community. people that drive this road on a regular basis,"  Crawford said.

At the end of the project, Highway 46 East will be a four-lane expressway

from Paso Robles to Lost Hills in Kern County.

A project to improve the Highway 46/State Route 41 interchange is expected to begin in 2024.

Link

I think they should have done the James Dean intersection first, since that's a moderately dangerous spot.

How is it like now as opposed to 1955?

Is there a traffic signal there?

No signal, largely the same as the 1950s.

[pderocco]

https://www.escalontimes.com/209-living/freeway-highway-proposals-died-instead-marring-california/

Tioga Pass in the 1930s became the highest paved segment of the California highway system.

It holds that honor still today despite attempts by people on both sides of the Sierra – Bishop in the east and Fresno in the west – to extend Highway 168 across Piute Pass at 11,417 feet.

The idea for a southern Sierra highway crossing was born in 1919. There were repeated attempts to get the legislature on board in the 1920s before the idea died in the 1930s. The route that highway would have taken would have sliced through the John Muir Wilderness. Today it is only accessible by foot or horseback.

In the 1950s Madera County boosters set their sights on other nearby trans-Sierra routes via Mammoth Pass or the Minaret Summit.

That idea started was eventually killed by Gov. Ronald Reagan in 1972 when he persuaded the Nixon Administration to kill either route for good.

The end result today is reflected in nearly a 90-mile stretch of the Sierra crest without roads marring the adjoining Ansel Adams and John Muir wildernesses flanking both sides of the mountain range.

The stretch is bookended on the south by Highway 178's Walker Pass at 5,250 feet and on the north by Highway 120 and Tioga Pass. ...

Which of these cross-Sierra proposals would have "marred" California? 168 between Huntington Lake and Lake Sabrina? 180 from Kanawyers to Onion Valley? Extending 203 down the San Joaquin River? Does anyone look at any of the existing high pass roads, and think of them as somehow marring the areas they pass through? I think they're all wonderful, especially 120 and 108.

The article speaks of a near 90-mile stretch of the crest without roads. But the gap between through-roads is between 120 over Tioga Pass and Sherman Pass, 140 miles apart. Extending 203 looks to me like a good choice because it's a lower pass that could remain open a little longer.

But the best proposal for another crossing was the later proposal for 190, which could cross near Haiwee Reservoir at a little over 8000 feet, far enough south that it could perhaps be kept open through the winter. That was still shown on the latest Caltrans map that Rumsey has, dated 2005. I'd love to see that built. It could even connect to Sherman Pass Road via FR 21S03. These areas are beautiful, and it would be nice to make them more accessible. To consider that intrinsically "marring" of the environment is pure misanthropy.

[Max Rockatansky]

Every time I mention any unbuilt Trans-Sierra corridor on Gribblenation a large percentage of the commentary is about two things:

-  How they are glad the road wasn't built (I guess people have more time for week/s long hikes and I'm doing something wrong since I don't).
-  How great John Muir is. 

What will really get you is how far CA 190 got before the corridor was shifted.  Horseshoe Meadows Road is higher than Tioga Pass and is built to within sight of where it would have crossed Mulky Pass.

[skluth]

I don't think any of the unbuilt Trans-Sierra corridors need to be built. It's not about the environmental cost; that would be minimal (though not negligible) in the overall impact to the region. I think it's more the economic cost of being built vs the economic benefit. I don't see much economic benefit to building any and maintaining the current Trans-Sierra corridors is costly. Some people drive CA 120 during the summer, but the economic impact is nowhere close to CA 1 between Carmel and San Simeon. Building and maintaining one more Trans-Sierra highway that would hardly be used just isn't worth the cost.

[Max Rockatansky]

I don't think any of the unbuilt Trans-Sierra corridors need to be built. It's not about the environmental cost; that would be minimal (though not negligible) in the overall impact to the region. I think it's more the economic cost of being built vs the economic benefit. I don't see much economic benefit to building any and maintaining the current Trans-Sierra corridors is costly. Some people drive CA 120 during the summer, but the economic impact is nowhere close to CA 1 between Carmel and San Simeon. Building and maintaining one more Trans-Sierra highway that would hardly be used just isn't worth the cost.

FWIW that is what is nice about Sherman Pass, it is on Forest Service dime and seasonal.  180 was intended to be like that, I'm not sure if planned 168 over Piute Pass was also a Forest Service initiative.  I'm fine with Caltrans and CTC balking at projects like this but I'm equally okay with the Forest Service taking them up.

[M3100]

At least it wasn't a link located behind a pay wall.  I thought seeing the article in print was cool.

Thanks.  I support a free press, and that includes 'paper' newspapers, though they have largely disappeared.

Meanwhile, we drove the (outer) southbound lane on US 101 through this segment last Saturday; they did not have any construction equipment staged at that point.

[kkt]

I don't think any of the unbuilt Trans-Sierra corridors need to be built. It's not about the environmental cost; that would be minimal (though not negligible) in the overall impact to the region. I think it's more the economic cost of being built vs the economic benefit. I don't see much economic benefit to building any and maintaining the current Trans-Sierra corridors is costly. Some people drive CA 120 during the summer, but the economic impact is nowhere close to CA 1 between Carmel and San Simeon. Building and maintaining one more Trans-Sierra highway that would hardly be used just isn't worth the cost.

I agree.  The cost of maintaining those high altitude passes is large.  There's lots of work to do every spring as they plow the snow and fix road damage due to rockfalls, meltwater, the freeze-thaw cycle.  The easier passes were made into year-around routes, I-80 and US 50.  The Sierra passes south of Carson Pass are quite a bit higher, have shorter open seasons, take longer to drive over than just going north to I-80 or south to CA 178.

Building additional passes would be for access to timber or other resources along the way, not just to get to the other side.