State Route 283 / U.S. 101 Business
Looking south from Downtown Rio Dell at the Eagle Prairie Bridge spanning the Eel River. - 05/29/2006
California State Route 283 is the old U.S. 101 bridge over the Eel River between Scotia and Rio Dell in Humboldt County. It is also designated as part of Business U.S. 101 through Rio Dell. With a distance of approximately a third of a mile, According to signs on SR 153, the honors for shortest state route go to SR 153 at Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park. However, SR 283 may be shorter than SR 153. Perhaps SR 153 is the shortest signed state route? There is at least one shield for SR 153, but there are none for SR 283 (except one bridge identification sign at the south end of the Eagle Prairie Bridge).
North
Leading away from U.S. 101 (Redwood Highway) at Exit 679, U.S. 101 Business and SR 283 travel north toward the Prairie Eagle Bridge over the Eel River.
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Continuing north along Main Street north of Scotia, the road narrows substantially to cross the 1940-built span across the Eel River.
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The only reference for SR 283 is this bridge identification marker at post mile 0.12.
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The Eagle Prairie Bridge over the Eel River survived the devastating floods of 1964. A small plaque identifies the manufacturer of Judson Pacific Co.
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Views from the pedestrian walkway along the east side of the Eagle Prairie Bridge.
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The city of Rio Dell, known as the "Warm Hearted City," sits on a bend of the Eel River adjacent to the Scotia Bluffs. The estimated 2016 population of Rio Dell is 3,408 people.
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SR 283 concludes where the painted center line ends on Wildwood Avenue. Unsigned U.S. 101 Business continues north into Downtown Rio Dell and back to U.S. 101 at Exit 681.
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South
U.S. 101 Business departs from U.S. 101 at Exit 681 and follows Wildwood Avenue as an unsigned route into Rio Dell.
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Rio Dell welcome sign posted along Wildwood Avenue south of U.S. 101. First settled by Lorenzo Painter in the 1870s, the city of Rio Dell was incorporated in 1965.
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Downtown Rio Dell comes into view as Wildwood Avenue continues south. The city of Rio Dell consists of three main communities: Belleview to the northwest, Eagle Prairie west of Downtown, and Wildwood at Downtown.
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U.S. 101 Business (Wildwood Avenue) approaches the Eagle Prairie Bridge over the Eel River. State maintenance begins at the painted center line.
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South
The Eagle Prairie Bridge carried U.S. 101 through Rio Dell until the bridge was bypassed with the modern freeway alignment in 1976. Today the bridge carries a fraction of the traffic, but it remains of importance for connecting Rio Dell with Scotia to the south.
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Built in 1940, the Eagle Prairie bridge over the Eel River survived the catastrophic floods of 1964.
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Looking west from the Eagle Prairie Bridge, the scenic Eel River finds its way between Rio Dell and Scotia.
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Pedestrian walkways parallel both sides of the steel truss bridge over the Eel River.
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The two lane northern approach features sidewalks on both sides of SR 283.
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Main Street extends south from the Eagle Prairie Bridge alongside the diamond interchange (Exit 679) linking SR 283 and U.S. 101 Business with the U.S. 101 freeway.
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SR 283 ends via the access road linking Main Street (old U.S. 101) with the adjacent freeway. U.S. 101 travels north to Eureka and south to Ukiah and San Francisco. Main Street continues into the company town of Scotia, which is privately owned.
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Photo Credits:
- Andy Field: 05/29/06
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Page Updated Tuesday June 06, 2017.