California Observations

[Occidental Tourist]

How does Caltrans handle the "embedded" exit number tab with a left handed exit? In most states(that I've been to) a left exit number tab is labeled as "left exit" and has a yellow background with black lettering, similar to "exit only" labels.

They rarely put them on the left side of the sign, but when they do, it's exactly the same as if it were on the right.  The only reference to a "left" exit will be on interchange sequence signs, where they will usually include the just the word "left" on a yellow background with black lettering.
http://maps.google.com/?ll=34.231674,-117.418871&spn=0.018095,0.084543&t=m&layer=c&cbll=34.231684,-117.418891&panoid=2J-scv_lzQ5p1xYNz_Qlng&cbp=11,122.44,,0,-9.69&z=14

[myosh_tino]

How does Caltrans handle the "embedded" exit number tab with a left handed exit? In most states(that I've been to) a left exit number tab is labeled as "left exit" and has a yellow background with black lettering, similar to "exit only" labels.
I just joined the forum, hope to learn more about how roads/highways are designed/built etc.

Thanks

Simple... the exit "tab" should goes on the left side of the sign instead of the right (I believe Occidental Tourist pointed that out but is not always the case).  Anyways, there are not that many true left-exits in California although there are situations where a freeway changes route numbers at an interchange (i.e. I-280 & I-680 @ US 101 and I-880 & CA-17 @ I-280 in San Jose).  In the case of I-880 southbound turning into CA-17, technically the mainline freeway becomes an exit (possibly a left exit) as all 4 through lanes "exit" from I-880 to CA-17.  The exit numbering for I-880 south... Bascom Ave is Exit 1D, Stevens Creek Blvd is Exit 1C, I-280 is Exit 1B and the mainline freeway is Exit 1A.  Will this ever be signed as an exit and get an exit number?  I doubt it.

[pctech]

Thanks guys! Here in Louisiana left handed exits abound. LADODT seems to be in love with them. They tend to cause lots of issues too.

[TheStranger]

How does Caltrans handle the "embedded" exit number tab with a left handed exit? In most states(that I've been to) a left exit number tab is labeled as "left exit" and has a yellow background with black lettering, similar to "exit only" labels.
I just joined the forum, hope to learn more about how roads/highways are designed/built etc.

Thanks

Simple... the exit "tab" goes on the left side of the sign instead of the right (I believe Occidental Tourist pointed that out). 

Interestingly, I can already think of one Bay Area example in which this is not correct: the 680/780 split in Benicia, where 780 exits off of the left BUT is given a right-hand tab:

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=benicia,+ca&hl=en&ll=38.04804,-122.125826&spn=0.01215,0.016093&sll=37.769856,-122.417106&sspn=0.001533,0.002012&hnear=Benicia,+Solano,+California&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=38.04826,-122.126&panoid=NYhvwmFi6r8-mY0ON12v3w&cbp=12,330.36,,0,-5.4

While pre-1976, the left hand lanes and 780 were all part of the 680 mainline (while today's 680 was the last remnant of its predecessor route, Route 21)...the ramp and bridge here date to only a few years back, when the new Benicia Bridge was built.

there are situations where a freeway changes route numbers at an interchange (i.e. I-280 & I-680 @ US 101 and I-880 & CA-17 @ I-280 in San Jose).  In the case of I-880 southbound turning into CA-17, technically the mainline freeway becomes an exit (possibly a left exit) as all 4 through lanes "exit" from I-880 to CA-17.  The exit numbering for I-880 south... Bascom Ave is Exit 1D, Stevens Creek Blvd is Exit 1C, I-280 is Exit 1B and the mainline freeway is Exit 1A.  Will this ever be signed as an exit and get an exit number?  I doubt it.

Likewise, in a 2008-era sign installation, the 50/80 split in West Sacramento (where 80 once continued along what is now 50, until 1982) was not given ANY exit numbers; neither was the eastbound 50/Business 80 separation in Sacramento's Oak Park neighborhood.

[pctech]

I've noticed in several Cal. freeway photos and videos that I've viewed of late, that the famous "dot" pavement markings are no longer being used. Are they being phased out? or are budget problems  forcing it?

Mark

[myosh_tino]

I've noticed in several Cal. freeway photos and videos that I've viewed of late, that the famous "dot" pavement markings are no longer being used. Are they being phased out? or are budget problems  forcing it?

Mark

You mean botts dots?

I know they're not being phased out up here in northern California.  Most repaved freeways are getting a combination of botts dots and thermoplastic striping.  I seem to recall that some stretches of I-5 in the central valley have switched to all paint lane markings.

[pctech]

Oops, yeah I should have specified Bott's Dots.  I've seem similar "dots" used in Texas and Alabama.
Here in Louisiana DODT likes the the square type payment reflectors, used with stripping. They will arrange in them 4 or 5 in a row like Bott's Dots on busy sections of freeway. Those dots always made the freeways in CA. stand out.

Mark

[blawp]

The 210 was recently repaved and restriped and botts dots were used. Same with the 101 through west Los Angeles and Ventura County. They ARE NOT being phased out. Whoever told you that sold you a crock of shit.

[nexus73]

Botts Dots caught my attention when I first went to California in 1974.  I wondered why we did not have such a good setup in Oregon, given our wet roads at night had all the visibility of obsidian in a fog a seen by a blind man...LOL!  Nowadays they're on a good part of Oregon roads.

One of my favorite night time things to do was go find a quiet 8-lane freeway (yes, they existed back in the day!) and hit the brights so as many dots as possible would light up.  That was a better visual than any driving video game I have ever seen in my life and it looks even cooler when you're going 80 MPH!

Rick

[myosh_tino]

Botts Dots caught my attention when I first went to California in 1974.  I wondered why we did not have such a good setup in Oregon, given our wet roads at night had all the visibility of obsidian in a fog a seen by a blind man...LOL!  Nowadays they're on a good part of Oregon roads.

One of my favorite night time things to do was go find a quiet 8-lane freeway (yes, they existed back in the day!) and hit the brights so as many dots as possible would light up.  That was a better visual than any driving video game I have ever seen in my life and it looks even cooler when you're going 80 MPH!

Rick

Wouldn't the higher likelihood of snowfall discourage the use of botts dots (they would get scraped off whenever the roads are plowed)?  While California likes it's botts dots, you will not see them on I-80 east of Auburn (about 2000 ft) and on I-5 north of Redding.

[nexus73]

Thanks for the info Myosh.

Rick

[andy3175]

Sometimes Caltrans will place the exit number in the upper left corner even for non-left exits. A good example is at I-5 south at CA 22, where the exit numbers appear in both the left and right corner of the sign, even though both directions to CA 22 exit to the right from the freeway.

Regards,
Andy

[Brandon]

Botts Dots caught my attention when I first went to California in 1974.  I wondered why we did not have such a good setup in Oregon, given our wet roads at night had all the visibility of obsidian in a fog a seen by a blind man...LOL!  Nowadays they're on a good part of Oregon roads.

One of my favorite night time things to do was go find a quiet 8-lane freeway (yes, they existed back in the day!) and hit the brights so as many dots as possible would light up.  That was a better visual than any driving video game I have ever seen in my life and it looks even cooler when you're going 80 MPH!

Rick

Wouldn't the higher likelihood of snowfall discourage the use of botts dots (they would get scraped off whenever the roads are plowed)?  While California likes it's botts dots, you will not see them on I-80 east of Auburn (about 2000 ft) and on I-5 north of Redding.

That would be my thought, and the reason why we don't use Bott's Dots or any other raised pavement reflector in the Upper Midwest.  We do use embedded reflectors a lot.

[mgk920]

Botts Dots caught my attention when I first went to California in 1974.  I wondered why we did not have such a good setup in Oregon, given our wet roads at night had all the visibility of obsidian in a fog a seen by a blind man...LOL!  Nowadays they're on a good part of Oregon roads.

One of my favorite night time things to do was go find a quiet 8-lane freeway (yes, they existed back in the day!) and hit the brights so as many dots as possible would light up.  That was a better visual than any driving video game I have ever seen in my life and it looks even cooler when you're going 80 MPH!

Rick

Wouldn't the higher likelihood of snowfall discourage the use of botts dots (they would get scraped off whenever the roads are plowed)?  While California likes it's botts dots, you will not see them on I-80 east of Auburn (about 2000 ft) and on I-5 north of Redding.

That would be my thought, and the reason why we don't use Bott's Dots or any other raised pavement reflector in the Upper Midwest.  We do use embedded reflectors a lot.

WisDOT *did* make extensive use of embedded reflectors on freeways and 'expressways' about a decade or so ago, but they did not live long in their 'real world' use.  I wish that they would have lived longer because I did like them while they lasted.

Mike

[pctech]

Here in Louisiana we don't have snow issues,(not often anyway) but the reflectors do wear out.
LA DODT never removes the old ones when they replace them, so you are left with strips of "car vibrators" in places.

I've notice in several Calif. freeway videos that I've watched that lots of the freeways seem to be getting pretty rough. We are used to that here as Louisiana is not noted for good roads/highways, I'm guessing that Calif. budget problems are leading to less repairs/maintenance on the freeways there.

Mark

[blawp]

Mark,

Not true. Caltrans is continuously repaving freeways. The budget troubles are overblown.

[myosh_tino]

Mark,

Not true. Caltrans is continuously repaving freeways. The budget troubles are overblown.

No, budget troubles ARE a problem.  On my last trip to L.A., I-5 from the Grapevine to downtown Los Angeles was in pretty rough shape.  Up here in northern California, I-280 was recently rehabilitated (note I said re-habed, NOT repaved) but within a couple of years, the potholes have returned.  CA-85 north of I-280 is finally getting re-habed after almost 50 years.  I-580 over the Altamont Pass is in horrible shape with no current plans for repaving due to lack of funding.

With California facing another $16 billion deficit for next year, I don't know how you can say the poor condition of our roads is not budget-related.

[agentsteel53]

On my last trip to L.A., I-5 from the Grapevine to downtown Los Angeles was in pretty rough shape.

nah, it's in great shape!  new Parkway signs!  fuck yeah!

[andy3175]

For what it's worth, Caltrans District 7 has done some extensive repaving on I-5 between Castaic grade/Violin Summit and the water information center exit; I saw what appeared to be the finished product in April while passing through there. This work was mostly necessitated by efforts to control a landslide issue that was exacerbated in the 2004-5 winter rains. But as a result, this section of 5 is in much better shape than adjacent sections. I'm not sure how this work was funded, possibly locally or maybe by the state. To that area's credit, there are active construction projects elsewhere on the route. To the south, I-5 has major work underway for the 5/14 HOV link (Measure M funding). To the immediate north the road was being worked on/repaved from around the LA-Kern County line north into the Grapevine itself, which is just north of Exit 210 Fort Tejon (not sure who's paying, maybe ARRA?). Further north, more repaving on the flat section of I-5 in Kern County/southern Central Valley was underway when I last went through there in April (around the California 43 interchange; no widening). All of this is significantly more work than I've seen on this stretch in the past 15-20 years.

Andy

[blawp]

Also the widening from the OC line to Commerce.

[hm insulators]

Here in Louisiana we don't have snow issues,(not often anyway) but the reflectors do wear out.
LA DODT never removes the old ones when they replace them, so you are left with strips of "car vibrators" in places.

I've notice in several Calif. freeway videos that I've watched that lots of the freeways seem to be getting pretty rough. We are used to that here as Louisiana is not noted for good roads/highways, I'm guessing that Calif. budget problems are leading to less repairs/maintenance on the freeways there.

Mark

The freeways in southern California have been deteriorating for years and years.

[luokou]

How does Caltrans handle the "embedded" exit number tab with a left handed exit? In most states(that I've been to) a left exit number tab is labeled as "left exit" and has a yellow background with black lettering, similar to "exit only" labels.
I just joined the forum, hope to learn more about how roads/highways are designed/built etc.

Thanks

Simple... the exit "tab" should goes on the left side of the sign instead of the right...

Downtown Los Angeles and vicinity still has a bunch of left exits.  Here's a cool mix of a left-tab and a not-quite-center tab:

Snapped a pic of this yesterday while coming back from Hollywood.  It's in the area where the 1971 exit numbering experiment took place, so while not exactly a carbon-copy, the use of external tabs is highly intriguing (and on old structures, nonetheless!).

[CentralCAroadgeek]

That's a nice gantry on the "Mission Street" sign behind the featured signs. Just like my Valley View pic I posted in the "Best of Road Signs" thread.

Here:

For what it's worth, Caltrans District 7 has done some extensive repaving on I-5 between Castaic grade/Violin Summit and the water information center exit; I saw what appeared to be the finished product in April while passing through there. This work was mostly necessitated by efforts to control a landslide issue that was exacerbated in the 2004-5 winter rains. But as a result, this section of 5 is in much better shape than adjacent sections. I'm not sure how this work was funded, possibly locally or maybe by the state. To that area's credit, there are active construction projects elsewhere on the route. To the south, I-5 has major work underway for the 5/14 HOV link (Measure M funding). To the immediate north the road was being worked on/repaved from around the LA-Kern County line north into the Grapevine itself, which is just north of Exit 210 Fort Tejon (not sure who's paying, maybe ARRA?). Further north, more repaving on the flat section of I-5 in Kern County/southern Central Valley was underway when I last went through there in April (around the California 43 interchange; no widening). All of this is significantly more work than I've seen on this stretch in the past 15-20 years.

Thanks for the explanation, Andy. I wondered why there was so much construction on I-5 on our way to Magic Mountain on Saturday. I-5 in the Central Valley sure is bumpy. It was hard to use the restroom on the bus because of this.

[blawp]

ur supposed to sit down in a bus bathroom. lOl

[agentsteel53]

ur supposed to sit down in a bus bathroom. lOl

dude, in this reality, text-speak kiddies are not viewed as deities.  fuck off.