Headlines About California Highways – May 2024

[cahwyguy]

It’s been a month, hasn’t it.

The biggest news is that my domain hosting site, Westhost, moved from cpanel to stackCP. In doing so, they broke a number of things. The first problem was with the main site (cahighways.org), which has its DNS records on a different host (because it dates back to before Westhost, when I was on Pacificnet Z”L). After a 5 hour wait on support chat regarding certificate problems for the main site (cahighways.org), they gave me advice to fix it (switch to their name servers)… but that broke things further. I ultimately got that fixed by restoring most settings, and a suitable application of money to buy my own site certificate as opposed to using their free certificate. So cahighways.org seems to be fixed.

The domain for the podcast (caroutebyroute.org) is a different story. That actually has its DNS records at Westhost. I’ve moved it to their name servers, and I thought I set it to the right IP addresses, but clearly didn’t as the site is showing as suspended. I sat in a different chat support queue for 5 hours on Thursday before giving up, and have been sitting in queue today (for over 6 hours, but I’m up to #1 …). I’m not sure if this will be fixed by the time I post this, so links to caroutebyroute.org may not work.

Needless to say, this lack of technical support from a once excellent host has me seriously thinking about jumping ship, once the ship is moving again. Suggestions on suitable hosts are welcome.

In any case, it is the start of a new month, and that means headlines. For those unfamiliar, this post generally contains headlines about California Highways that I’ve seen over the last month. It also serves as fodder for the updates to my California Highways site, so there are also other pages and things I’ve seen that I wanted to remember for the site updates. Lastly, the post also includes some things that I think would be of peripheral interest to my highway-obsessed highway-interested readers. Speaking of updates to the California Highways site: those are mostly done—I just need to incorporate this headline post, and hopefully I can upload to the new Westhost server for the main site (if SFTP works).

So what has happened in May? In terms of shows, we had three: Hands on a Hardbody at Charles Stewart Howard Playhouse; Girl From The North Country at Broadway in Hollywood; and The Play That Goes Wrong at Canyon Theatre Guild. Hardbody is closed. North Country is on tour, and should be avoided at all costs. Goes Wrong is still playing in Saugus until the end of June, and is well worth seeing.

I’m also still looking for opinions on Medicare Advantage plus Medicare Supplement Plans: specifically, the Anthem Medicare Plus PPO with Senior Rx Plus Medicare Advantage Plan (as Implemented for Aerospace Retireees: See (1) Get to Know Your Group Plan; (2) Plan Summary; (3) last year’s Open Enrollment Guide) vs. a Medicare Supplement Plan.

The podcast continues apace. The last episode for Season 2 dropped in May. I’ve started writing Season 3, but it is going slow. Route 3 and the first episode on Route 4 is done. I’ll get back to writing episodes once the highway updates are posted. Episode 2.07 prompted a friend at Caltrans to offer to do an interview to talk about Fastrak and tolling in California; we’ll coordinate that as a bonus episode during the Season 2/3 break. I’m hoping to talk not just about Fastrak and tolling, but all those fake license plates going around, and placement of the transponder (article in the headlines)—however, I’m having trouble getting the recording scheduled. We also hope to do a bonus episode on Auto Trails. Please tell your friends about the podcast, “like”, “♥”, or “favorite” it, and give it a rating in your favorite podcatcher. Yes, the sound quality of the episodes does get better — we were learning. As always, you can keep up with the show at the podcast’s forever home at https://www.caroutebyroute.org (once it comes back) , the show’s page on Spotify for Podcasters, or you can subscribe through your favorite podcatching app or via the RSS feeds (CARxR, Spotify for Podcasters) . The following episodes have been posted this month:

• CA RxR 2.12: Hills and Mountains (Glendale and Angeles National Forest). Episode 2.12 of California Highways: Route by Route is the second of two episodes on Route 2. In this episode, we complete our exploration of Route 2. This time, we focus on the segments in Glendale and through the Angeles National Forest, roughly from US 101 to Route 138. We talk about the pre-freeway routing, the history of the Glendale Freeway, the proposals for an Angeles Forest Freeway, and the history of Angeles Crest Highway. (Spotify for Podcasters)

Well, you should now be up to date. Here are the headlines that I found about California’s highways for May.

Key

[Ħ Historical information | ＄ Paywalls, ＄＄ really obnoxious paywalls, and ∅ other annoying restrictions. I’m no longer going to list the paper names, as I’m including them in the headlines now. Note: For ＄ paywalls, sometimes the only way is incognito mode, grabbing the text before the paywall shows, and pasting into an editor. See this article for more tips on bypassing paywalls. indicates an primarily audio article. indicates a primarily video article. ]

Highway Headlines

• Two new roundabouts finished in the Montecito-Santa Barbara area | News Channel 3-12 (KEYT). Two roundabouts have been finished for commuters in Montecito and Santa Barbara to ease what were often slower travel points where stop signs were in place. One is on Olive Mill Road at Coast Village Road and connects with ramps for Highway 101 and also a link to North Jameson Lane. The other is on San Ysidro Road a block away at North Jameson Lane and Highway 101. The projects have been a joint effort for Cal Trans, the County of Santa Barbara, the City of Santa Barbara and the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments. There were many community meetings prior to the construction and information provided to the community throughout the process.
• ＄＄ Vincent Thomas Bridge project draws subdued response in first public hearing – Daily News (Daily News). Content preview blocked by paywall.
• ＄ Gov. Newsom declares emergency for storm-damaged Topanga Canyon (Los Angeles Times). Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency Friday to help fund badly needed repairs of roads battered during this year’s storms, including scenic Topanga Canyon Boulevard that was blocked by millions of pounds of debris. The governor’s action comes two weeks after California Department of Transportation officials said the massive, 300-foot-tall landslide that covered Topanga Canyon Boulevard in March with mud and rocks would not be cleared until fall, “if all things go well.” The proclamation enables Caltrans to request funding from the Federal Highway Administration’s Emergency Relief Program, which could cover up to 100% of the repairs, according to the governor’s office.
• Gov. Newsom says Highway 1 repairs will be completed by Memorial Day weekend (KSBW). Highway 1 south of Rocky Creek Bridge opened to the public on Friday. The road reopened to all travelers under one-way traffic control at 6:30 a.m. on Friday. The area was closed since the end of March due to a slip-out that sent a chunk of the road into the ocean.  Newsom said that Caltrans crews worked overtime to make reopening on Friday morning possible. This is eight days faster than originally predicted “Crews have been working day and night to quickly repair the damage to Highway 1 caused by recent storms, which has disrupted the lives of individuals living in and around Big Sur – limiting access to the area and hampering tourism. Thanks to the diligent efforts, traffic will resume eight days ahead of schedule – bringing relief and a sense of normalcy back to one of California’s most iconic coastal communities,” Newsom said.
• ＄ Bay Bridge to be relit, with sturdier lights, and twice as many (Los Angeles Times). In the decade after they went up, the 25,000 LED lights illuminating the western side of the Bay Bridge endured a brutal pounding. “It’s the salty air, the wind, the fog, the rain, the 24-7 vibrations on the bridge, lightning strikes, car grit and grime — and more,” said Ben Davis, founder of the San Francisco nonprofit behind the light installation that went up in 2013. With the lights deteriorating faster than they could be fixed, Davis asked to turn them off in 2023, leaving what he calls “a hole in the night sky” for the last year.
• Highway 37-Fairgrounds Drive project start just 2 months away (Daily Republic). The Solano Transportation Authority is expected to begin construction in July on the $22.9 million Highway 37/Fairgrounds Drive Interchange Project. In the meantime, Solano County has paused its discussions with Solano360 master developer, Industrial Realty Group LLC, including talks on possible modifications to its submitted plan that includes a request to increase the number of residential units from 50 to 500. The county noted in an email, citing James Besek, director of the Department of Resource Management and longtime Solano360 planning member, it is still in discussions with the state Department of Housing and Community Development regarding whether the unused areas of the fairgrounds property, minus the actual fair footprint, should be considered surplus property as defined by the Surplus Land Act.
• 55-Hour Ortega Highway Closure Set As Crews Work On Historic Bridge (MSN/Patch). The Ortega Highway (state Route 74) is scheduled for a full closure this weekend as Caltrans contractor crews continue retrofitting the historic Morrill Canyon Bridge in Riverside County. The highway will be closed in both directions near El Cariso, between the Candy Store and Tenaja Truck Trail, from 10 p.m. May 3 to 6 a.m. May 6, according to Caltrans. Drivers heading east from Orange County will not be permitted through the work zone. Residents west of Tenaja Truck Trial, including Ortega Oaks RV Park and Campground and the Candy Store, will have westbound highway access, and residents east of Tenaja Truck Trail will have eastbound access.
• Caltrans: Highway repair project in Kern River Canyon should be done by early August (Yahoo/Bakersfield Californian). Caltrans still refers to it an “emergency repair project.” But nearly a year after cracks in the asphalt were first spotted on Highway 178 in the Kern River Canyon, and five months after a Caltrans contractor began work on the project, the one-way traffic control and heavy equipment operators remain in place even as the completion of the project still appears to be months away. Ahron Hakimi, executive director of Kern Council of Governments, which focuses on countywide transportation matters, is frustrated that the state agency is still slugging away at the repair project, after Caltrans estimated it would be done in April.
• ＄ A Highway Split Their Community. Efforts to Fix That Face Opposition (The New York Times). Around 6:30 every morning, David Richardson is usually awakened by the swelling sound of traffic. Steps from his front yard, thousands of cars rumble past each day as they travel along the Kensington Expressway, an expansive six-lane highway that slices through his neighborhood on Buffalo’s East Side. The expressway, built in the 1950s and ’60s to move cars faster between downtown Buffalo and its suburbs, has long depressed property values and stifled economic development in this low-income and predominantly Black community. It has also posed a physical barrier, making it harder for residents to reach grocery stores and parks.

• Caltrans delays reopening of Highway 70 through Feather River Canyon after rockslide (MSN/KOLO). Caltrans is delaying the reopening of state highway 70 through the Feather River Canyon due to a rockslide. It happened near Cresta on Sunday during rainy weather. The road had originally been scheduled to open with one-way traffic controls Monday night. The highway has been closed since February from Jarbo Gap to the Greenville Wye in Plumas County. There is no estimate for when the highway will reopen.
• Caltrans to add lane to PCH north of Santa Monica to address landslide problems (MSN/KNX). Caltrans is planning to take priority action to fix a persistent landslide problem that’s caused congestion on Pacific Coast Highway north of Santa Monica. KNX News’ Pete Demetriou reported work on the “Tramonto Slide” could begin in about a month. Marc Bischoff, a Caltrans spokesman, explained a director’s order was given to build a second northbound lane. “There’s no room in the median to add the second lane, so we’re gonna have to shift all lanes, including the southbound lanes, toward the shoulder of the southbound lane. So figure toward the ocean, towards the beach side,” Bischoff said.
• ‘Contrast Striping’ Is Helping Drivers Pay Better Attention to the Road (MSN/Motorbuscuit). Starting in late 2021, the California Department of Transportation, or Caltrans, launched a pilot program. In a San Diego construction zone, it painted contrasting orange and white lane stripes. The goal was to increase driver awareness of the construction zone. Not only are drivers more aware, but they seem to be driving more safely. The lane stripes alternate from short white to short orange, then convert to all-white dashes once the construction zone has ended. Steve Welborn is the public affairs manager for Caltrans. “Recent survey data shows that approximately 83.18% of road users who traveled in the orange striping experienced increased awareness of being in a construction zone,” he told KTLA5. Additionally, the survey concluded that 72% of drivers slowed down when they noticed the contrast stripes. Almost 75% found the stripes made the road lanes easier to see after dark.
• ＄ Wonderful Co.’s plans for mega-warehouse would reshape Kern County (Los Angeles Times). California’s wealthiest farming family is proposing an expansion of industrial warehousing in Kern County that would fundamentally reshape the economy in the southern San Joaquin Valley. Outside of Kern, Stewart and Lynda Resnick, the billionaire owners of the Wonderful Co., are better known for pomegranates and pistachios. But for more than a decade, they have also owned a master-planned industrial park in the city of Shafter, northwest of Bakersfield, that is home to distribution centers for Fortune 500 companies like Target, Amazon and Walmart. Now, looking to capitalize on the seismic shift to online shopping, the Resnicks want to position Kern County as a new frontier for the industrial-scale warehousing that is key to connecting customers with their goods. Wonderful is pushing to more than double the size of its industrial park by converting 1,800 acres of its own almond groves into additional warehousing space.
• Golden Gate Bridge district plans for post-pandemic future (Marin I-J). The Golden Gate Bridge district is charting a path to hit sustainability targets and contribute to regional transportation goals while adjusting operations for a post-pandemic environment. District staff has drafted 40 initiatives in a strategic plan that will guide the agency’s activities and finances. The plan is expected to be presented to the district’s board at a public hearing on May 24. According to the district, there are 150,000 fewer people in downtown San Francisco each weekday compared to pre-pandemic levels. Many of those who once packed offices were Marin commuters who battled traffic over the bridge or hopped on a Golden Gate bus or ferry to get to work. Only about 70% of commuter traffic has returned to the Golden Gate Bridge, and bus and ferry ridership is still at about 50%, according to the district.
• ＄ Port of Los Angeles and Caltrans Begin Work on $130-Million State Route 47 Interchange Project (Los Angeles Times). The Port of Los Angeles and California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) have started work on a $130-million transportation project to reconfigure a major interchange at State Route 47 (SR 47)/Vincent Thomas Bridge and Front Street/Harbor Boulevard in San Pedro. The interchange reconfiguration will reduce travel times, alleviate congestion and improve motorist and pedestrian safety at this highly traveled roadway juncture. “We have all experienced a significant increase in trucks interfacing with passenger vehicles at the Harbor Blvd./SR47 Interchange, which is both difficult and dangerous as we work to move cargo and as residents go about their daily commute,” said Los Angeles City Councilmember Tim McOsker last month. “I’m glad that we are breaking ground on this massive project, which will not only help with traffic safety and the movement of goods but also accommodate the exciting redevelopment along the waterfront.”
• Why I-5’s most popular stop is now a ghost town (SF Gate). Dozens of Tesla superchargers stand sentry, ready for an electronic vehicle to give life to. Across the way, a solitary In-N-Out worker walks across the vast, empty parking lot with a single bag of trash. He pauses at the dumpster, swings his arm back and heaves the black object into the air. It lands in the bin and makes an echoey thud. The worker turns back toward the drive-thru lane. It’s deserted. Nearby, a woman walks a pair of little dogs into a designated dog park area in front of Bravo Farms. The parking lot is vacant but for a white wrapper cartwheeling around in the midday breeze. She observes the expanse of the Central Valley before her and snaps a picture of it with her phone.
• Road Repairs (LAist). Topline: California is considering replacing the gas tax, which pays for the lion’s share of road repairs and other transportation projects, with a more sustainable source of funding — and they need your help testing it out. Why it matters: Officials say a new system is needed as more Californians switch to fuel-efficient vehicles, which means lower gas tax revenue at the pump. Drivers of all electric cars don’t pay the tax at all — a budget drain that will grow more serious as more people ditch traditional combustion engines. Why now: “This is a really great opportunity for you to experience and test something out, and then tell decision makers what you think,” Lauren Prehoda, the program manager, told LAist. “Is this a good solution for the state? Is this something that we should be moving forward and considering?”
• Highway 1 To Reopen (LAist). Topline: Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the stretch of Highway 1 closed in Big Sur will reopen Friday at 6:30 a.m.. Caltrans crews have been working overtime to reopen the vital roadway, he said, noting that the project is more than a week ahead of schedule. About the closure: The road has been closed from Limekiln State Park to Palo Colorado in Monterey County and in recent years rains have forced the closure of that particular stretch multiple times because of erosion and rocks washing onto the road. On March 30, a rockslide totally closed the southbound and about 6 feet of pavement and retaining wall fell into the ocean.
• Gov. Newsom says Highway 1 slip-out area will open to public (KSBW). Highway 1 south of Rocky Creek Bridge opened to the public on Friday. The road reopened to all travelers under one-way traffic control at 6:30 a.m. on Friday. The area was closed since the end of March due to a slip-out that sent a chunk of the road into the ocean.  Newsom said that Caltrans crews worked overtime to make reopening on Friday morning possible. This is eight days faster than originally predicted “Crews have been working day and night to quickly repair the damage to Highway 1 caused by recent storms, which has disrupted the lives of individuals living in and around Big Sur – limiting access to the area and hampering tourism. Thanks to the diligent efforts, traffic will resume eight days ahead of schedule – bringing relief and a sense of normalcy back to one of California’s most iconic coastal communities,” Newsom said.
• ＄ Big Sur’s Highway 1 to reopen Friday after chunk fell into the ocean (Los Angeles Times). Along an almost 40-mile stretch of Highway 1, Big Sur has been isolated from the rest of the state for weeks — with limited access for residents and essential workers — after a massive chunk of the roadway fell into the ocean in late March. But on Friday — ahead of schedule — the damaged section of the scenic highway will reopen to the public, via an alternating single lane, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Tuesday at a news conference. The reopening, following major repairs and remediation completed under arduous conditions, restores access to several tourism hot spots along the roadway.
• Flo Engineering Restoring Access to Critical Highway in California (Constr. Eqpt. Guide). The many powerful atmospheric river storms that have struck California since February have taken their toll on several highways and state roads. This has led to major landslides and a small section of an outer lane collapsed along the edge of a cliff in the Big Sur. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is well aware of the impact of these storms, which are increasingly becoming the norm, as these slides are occurring on a more frequent basis. The DOT has been on top of these storms and its emergency teams are rapidly dispatched to various sites, where they are assisted by local emergency services to close roads and protect lives. More recently, a massive landslide at postmile 1.8 on State Route 27 in Topanga Canyon occurred, closing the road in both directions. The closure will be a long one, due to concerns about more landslides at the same location. Should all things go well, Caltrans hopes to reopen the road in the fall after the debris is removed and infrastructure is constructed to prevent future landslides at the same location.
• Mudslide closes Highway 150 north of Santa Paula indefinitely (MSN/VC Star). An active mudslide has fully closed Highway 150 north of Santa Paula to Steckel Park, authorities said Wednesday. There is no estimated day or time the route may reopen, said Michael Comeaux, a spokesman for the California Department of Transportation, or Caltrans, early Wednesday afternoon. Comeaux described the slide as “huge.” When crews haul material away, additional mud comes down the hillside and covers the roadway again, he said. Photos taken overnight show a large mass spreading across both lanes. A daytime shot shows mud and debris fully covering the highway at Bridge Road, north of city limits.
• Caltrans’ Highway 50 project in Sacramento on track to be completed by summer 2025 (MSN/CBS Sacramento). The Fix50 Highway Caltrans project in Sacramento is now 85% complete and on track to be done by the summer of 2025. The area is on Highway 50 roughly 15 miles from the Interstate 5 interchange in downtown to Watt Avenue. People have gotten used to this slowdown during construction with closed lanes and exits, but Caltrans said when the widening is complete, drivers will notice a difference in the time they spend in traffic. “It’s a nightmare,” said Jacquie Weber who travels through the construction two to three times a week. “It’s really, really bad.”
• ＄ New safety campaign for PCH urges drivers to ‘slow the fast down’ (Los Angeles Times). State and local officials trying to reduce the lethality of the Pacific Coast Highway through Malibu launched a public education campaign this week to get drivers to “slow the fast down” — or get pulled over. The message, which Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said will be delivered on billboards, lawn and beach signs, fliers, posters and social media, emphasizes the stepped-up enforcement by the California Highway Patrol in the 21-mile stretch that has claimed 60 lives since 2010. The plan is to educate residents and tourists about the dangers of reckless driving, what’s happened on the highway as a result of it, what is being done to increase safety and how everyone can do their part. State and local leaders convened Wednesday at Malibu’s Ghost Tire Memorial, a tribute to dozens of lives lost on that stretch of PCH, to announce the campaign. Dubbed “Go Safely PCH,” it’s the latest in a series of initiatives to enhance safety, including changes to the highway’s markings and signage.
• Californians can now track cost of improvements, investments in their community. Here’s how (MSN/FOX 40). A new interactive map seeks to enable residents of California to track the impact that community-focused improvements and infrastructure investments have throughout the state. According to Caltrans, the digital map lists 319 projects across the state that Clean California funded with $643 million as a part of the organization’s initiative to “clean up, reclaim, transform, and beautify public spaces in California.  Clean California is a billion-dollar, multiyear effort launched in 2021 by Governor Gavin Newsom that prioritizes removing trash from state highways and city streets, beautifying areas through greening or landscaping, or “using public art to reinforce community cultural connections.”
• Horrendous San Francisco Bay Area intersection gets a major fix (SF Gate). The collective blood pressure in West Berkeley may have lowered significantly in recent days as a new roundabout just opened at one of the most dreaded intersections in the Bay Area. Caltrans announced last week that the Gilman Street interchange, which has made drivers fear for their lives for decades, opened two sections of its multi-year infrastructure project to the public on May 11. These include a bike and pedestrian overpass that travels above Interstate 80 near Gilman Street and a temporary roundabout on the eastern side of the freeway.
• Berkeley I80-Gilman St. pedestrian, bike bridge formally opening (Berkeleyside). Update, May 16: Caltrans has temporarily shut down West Frontage Road at Gilman Street to start construction on one of two roundabouts that will eventually move traffic onto and off of interstates 80 and 580, Eastshore Highway, Gilman Street and the frontage road. Drivers will not be able to reach Gilman Street from West Frontage Road until mid-July, according to an announcement from Caltrans Thursday. The closure comes five days after a bicycle and pedestrian bridge over the freeway opened to the public. Motorists can still head north on West Frontage near Gilman to reach the soccer fields at the Tom Bates Regional Sports Complex, but may not continue past the gravel parking lot at the south end of the complex. Alternatively, those heading to the complex can still access the northern end from Gilman to the east. But access to Gilman from West Frontage will be cut off, according to the announcement.
• Stockton’s Viaduct Replacement Project to Commence in 2026 (Constr. Eqpt. Guide). The Interstate 5 Stockton Channel Viaduct Replacement Project is on schedule to begin construction in 2026 and will represent the largest project investment in Caltrans District 10 history at nearly $1 billion. This project is expected to be completed in 2031. Just ahead of national infrastructure week, Caltrans announced recently that the Interstate 5 Stockton Channel Viaduct Replacement Project is currently in the final planning and design phases, with construction slated to begin in two years.
• Conway Ranch Shoulders Safety Project to Resume in June (Caltrans). The Conway Ranch Shoulders Project will emerge from its winter suspension on Monday, June 10 as construction restarts on U.S. 395. This project, which began construction last spring before going into winter suspension in November, is implementing safety improvements to the highway between State Route 167 and north of Conway Ranch Road. The primary focus of the project is to improve safety for motorists by widening the embankment and shoulders to eight feet and creating more space for drivers on the side of the road. Other safety improvements included in this project:
• Caltrans Left These El Sereno Homes Empty For Decades. Now They’re Being Fixed Up For Low-Income Homeowners (MSN/LAist). After languishing for decades due to a contentious freeway project that never got built, empty homes in El Sereno that were once slated for demolition are now being prepared for new owners. Leaders of San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity announced plans Friday to purchase and rehab some of the vacant properties currently owned by Caltrans. The state’s transportation department originally bought the homes to clear a path for a connection between the 710 and 210 freeways. With those construction plans now officially dead, Caltrans has started putting the homes up for sale in batches. SGV Habitat officials say they’re closing on deals to buy 16 of the vacant properties. They plan to fix them up and sell them to low-income, first-time homebuyers.
• The Precarious Future of Big Sur’s Highway 1 (The New Yorker). Miller Memorial Library, in Big Sur, California, had a plane to catch, the first leg of a long-planned vacation in northern India. Shortly after three o’clock, he and his wife, Mary Lu, left their house in Big Sur and drove north along Highway 1 toward Monterey, where Torén planned to get a bus to San Francisco International Airport. But shortly after crossing Bixby Creek Bridge, the ravine-spanning landmark featured in the opening credits of the HBO series “Big Little Lies,” they saw a truck pulled over with its lights flashing. After a rainy weekend, a piece of the southbound lane of Highway 1 had slid into the sea. “It looked like a big shark had taken a bite out of it,” Torén later recalled.
• I-80 improvement project from West Sacramento and Davis approved (KCRA). The California Transportation Commission approved funding for the first phase of Caltrans’ Yolo 80 Corridor Improvements project, which would add toll lanes to Interstate 80 between Davis and West Sacramento. Officials said one High Occupancy Toll lane would be added to I-80 in each direction, which would expand that portion of the interstate from six lanes to eight lanes total. The new lanes would be free for cars with three or more people inside, but solo drivers and drivers with only one passenger would have to pay a toll fee. The CTC approved $105 million for the first phase of the project, which essentially serves as a green light for Caltrans to begin looking for a contractor to start construction work.
• Part of I-80 expansion from Davis to Sacramento funding approved (ABC 10). The California Transportation Commission (CTC) approved funding for Phase 1 of the Yolo 80 Corridor Improvements project Thursday afternoon. The vote means Caltrans can now put the contract out to bid for construction. Generally, the project would add an additional lane to both sides of the freeway, making it eight lanes instead of six between Davis and Sacramento. The project could improve travel times, reduce emissions, create jobs and improve safety, according to CTC staff. Staff recommended the approval of $105 million for the project’s first phase in Yolo County. Climate advocates are concerned it will cause more pollution and harm to the environment.
• Toll lane project on Interstate 80 between West Sacramento and Davis gets green light (Yahoo/KCRA). The California Transportation Commission approved funding for the first phase of Caltrans’ Yolo 80 Corridor Improvements project, which would add toll lanes to Interstate 80 between Davis and West Sacramento. Officials said one High Occupancy Toll lane would be added to I-80 in each direction, which would expand that portion of the interstate from six lanes to eight lanes total. The new lanes would be free for cars with three or more people inside, but solo drivers and drivers with only one passenger would have to pay a toll fee.
• New plan for Lincoln Boulevard at Ballona Creek includes bike lanes and sidewalks (Urbanize LA). An environmental impact report released by Caltrans sheds new light on plans to rebuild the stretch of Lincoln Boulevard which crosses over Ballona Creek. This .61-mile segment of Lincoln Boulevard, which is a part of Pacific Coast Highway, spans between Fiji Way to the north and Jefferson Boulevard to the south. The project, billed as a means to improve circulation and safety, would involve the construction of an additional southbound travel lane, while also adding sidewalks, protected bicycle lanes, lighting, landscaping, and signage along the length of the corridor. This option would also require the demolition and replacement of the existing Culver Boulevard bridge which crosses Lincoln, as well as a widening of the Lincoln Bridge over Ballona Creek.
• Agency approves $55 million for Hwy 101/25 interchange (BenitoLink). The California Transportation Commission on May 17 approved $55 million for the Hwy 101/25 interchange project in Santa Clara County. Currently during rush hour traffic, many San Benito County residents are stuck on the shoulder of Hwy 101 en route to the Hwy 25 onramp. County resident Bob Tiffany was recently appointed to the commission by Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, also from Hollister. The commission is the state agency responsible for allocating funds for highway, passenger rail and transit improvements. “It will obviously have a tremendously positive impact on those residents that commute out of San Benito County and up into Silicon Valley,” Tiffany said in the commission meeting, which took place over two days in Orange County. He added it also “will deal with that very dangerous situation with people backed up on Highway 101 and help with congestion on the western part of [Hwy] 25.”
• Fix for Calif.’s notorious ‘Blood Alley’ nearly done after 19 years (SF Gate). A fix for the deadly stretch of California highway that claimed James Dean’s life is nearing completion over six decades after his tragic death. On Sept. 30, 1955, Dean hopped in his new Porsche 550 Spyder and headed up to the coast to Salinas for a road race. Around 5:45 p.m., his sports car passed through the intersection of Highways 41 and 46 in the town of Cholame. A Cal Poly student in a Ford Tudor turning onto 41 collided with Dean, and the Porsche crumpled on impact. Dean died of severe crush injuries, including a broken neck. He was 24. Although Dean is the most famous victim of what became known as “Blood Alley,” he’s far from the only one. A 2002 San Francisco Chronicle story reported 54 people had died and another 690 were injured over the last 10 years at that spot. “People still wreck on this corner that same way Dean did all those years ago,” a CHP officer said. “We get about five or six James Dean crashes every year right here.”
• Highway 1 reopened at Rocky Creek Bridge (KSBY). Highway 1 at the Rocky Creek Bridge is back open for drivers. Temporary signals were activated Friday morning for travelers to now have 24/7 access through the Big Sur area. However, the farthest south drivers can go is 40 miles south of Monterey where a full closure of Highway 1 is still in place near Esalen. The portion of the highway near Rocky Creek had been closed since March 30 when a portion of the roadway fell away.
• CTC Lets Flawed Yolo 80 Project Cut the Line (NRDC). On May 16 the California Transportation Commission (CTC) approved $105 million from the State’s Trade Corridor Enhancement Program (TCEP) to widen a stretch of Interstate 80 from Davis to Sacramento. In the room and on the Zoom feed, dozens of Sacramento-area and statewide advocates called in to ask CTC to reject the funding and push Caltrans to provide real congestion relief and reduced environmental impacts. NRDC identified TCEP in a 2023 report, “Closing the Climate Investment Gap,” as the state program that most heavily invests in highway widening in contravention of our state’s climate goals. A study commissioned by the California State Transportation Agency came to a similar conclusion. By NRDC’s latest estimate, CTC has granted over $2 billion total to more than 50 highway expansion projects since the TCEP program was created in 2018, even though the program is able to fund projects that are wins for both goods movement and the environment, like truck and train electrification projects and rail grade separation projects.
• California Road Charge proposal would have motorists pay by miles driven instead of per-gallon gas tax (ABC7 San Francisco). California roads are maintained through gas tax revenue, but that’s dwindling with the increase in the number of electric vehicles. A new pilot program aims to charge drivers for using the roads based on how much they actually drive – removing California’s gas tax and replace it with a mileage tax instead. Caltrans spokesperson Lauren Prehoda said maintaining roadways costs around between $8 billion to $9 billion a year with the vast majority of the funds coming from California’s gas taxes, which are collected every time a driver fills their gas tank. According to Caltrans, California now has more than 1.2 million hybrid or electric vehicles registered in the state, which means gas tax revenues are falling.
• State Route 33 Update (Caltrans). The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) advises emergency repairs and traffic control will continue on State Route 33 (SR-33) between postmile 14.35 (near Cozy Dell Trailhead) and postmile 44.13 (almost two miles north of Pine Mountain summit) in Los Padres National Forest at least through this summer. Approximately 32 miles of highway were closed for emergency repairs from January 10 to December 18, 2023, when one-lane alternating traffic control with solar powered signals was implemented through six construction zones. (More details at State Route 33 Project Page). Outside of those six locations one lane is open to traffic in each direction, as is normal. This section of SR-33 experienced extensive mudslides, rockslides, erosion, and sections of collapsed roadway from extensive storms during the winter of 2022/2023. Additional rain storms this past winter caused intermittent work stoppage. The one-lane alternating traffic control also slows the reconstruction process.
• New toll lanes coming for I-80 en route to Tahoe (MSN/SF Gate). Drivers en route to Tahoe from the Bay Area may soon have the chance to bypass congested traffic on Interstate 80 when traveling through Yolo County but only if they’re willing to pay for it. A controversial freeway widening project to add express lanes in each direction of Interstate 80 between Davis and Sacramento took a step forward last week after the California Transportation Commission approved funding for the initial phase of the Yolo 80 Corridor Improvements project. Caltrans is spearheading the project, which was awarded a $105 million grant by the commission, as well as granted authorization to charge tolls to use the new lanes. The new express lanes will stretch from the county line just outside Davis to West Sacramento and then split to end at either the West El Camino Avenue Exit on I-80 or at the intersection with Interstate 5. These 17 miles of I-80 include a section of elevated freeway called the Yolo Causeway that crosses over the floodplain outside Sacramento.
• Road extension near Sac International Airport opens for travelers (KCRA).  A road extension near the Sacramento International Airport opened on Tuesday, easing access for travelers. The Elkhorn Boulevard extension spans approximately one mile and includes four lanes. SMF officials said the extension connects the airport, metro air park, and Interstate 5 corridor. In addition to the extension, airport officials said a new free waiting lot also opened near the Ampm gas station. Drivers picking someone up are encouraged to wait there instead of circling around the arrivals area. More additions are in store for the airport. A new 5,500 space parking garage is set to break ground in October.
• $15.68M Allocated For Sonoma County Road Improvements: Caltrans (MSN/Patch). The California Transportation Commission awarded nearly $2 billion Friday to support infrastructure projects in Sonoma County, the Bay Area, and throughout the world’s fifth-largest economy: the Golden State. The latest round of allocations taps $430 million in federal funds from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure bill and $740 million from California’s Road Repair and Accountability Act. The funds will boost infrastructure upgrades across the Bay Area, including rebuilding freeway interchanges, completing vital bridge repairs, addressing sea-level rise, and making more electric transit options. In Sonoma County, the California Transportation Commission —CTC — has approved nearly $16.68 million in projects. Here is where the money is headed:
• Caltrans announces new plan to beautify Bakersfield (The Sun). Caltrans is intensifying its efforts in Bakersfield and throughout Kern County to curb litter and beautify the area. Gov. Gavin Newsom and Caltrans announced a new 10-point action plan on Tuesday to beautify Bakersfield. What they’re saying: “Litter eradication restores beauty to our transportation system and reinvigorates community spirit by creating infrastructure that is functional, eco-friendly, and visually appealing,” said Caltrans Director Tony Tavares. “Strategically deploying Caltrans maintenance crews and engaging the public to help prevent littering will work to aggressively clear trash and provide Kern County residents the clean highway roadsides they deserve and expect.”
• California routes $81 million to North Bay to fix damaged, aging infrastructure (Press Democrat). Several big road construction projects across the North Bay now have a green light after the state poured $81 million into local county coffers earlier this month. Sonoma, Solano, Napa, Marin, Lake and Mendocino counties each will get millions from the California Transportation Commission for transportation infrastructure projects, including updates and upgrades for bridges, roadways, public transit and improved facilities for people who walk and bike. “California’s transportation infrastructure is critical to the economic and cultural lifeblood of our state, and this funding provides key support in our mission to provide a safe, equitable and sustainable transportation system for all users,” Caltrans Director Tony Tavares said.
• Lake County highway safety project receives $3 million award (Lake County News). The state has awarded $3 million for a highway project meant to reduce crashes on Highway 29 near Middletown in its latest round of transportation funding. On Monday, the California Transportation Commission allocated $1.9 billion to support transportation infrastructure projects across the state, including the Middletown project. The approved funding provides significant investments for bridges, roadways, transit, and improved facilities for people who walk and bike, the state reported. Also included are projects that will build or renovate shoreline embankments, bus, bicycle, and pedestrian infrastructure, and railroad overcrossings.
• $15.68M Allocated For Sonoma County Road Improvements: Caltrans (Petaluma, CA Patch). The California Transportation Commission awarded nearly $2 billion Friday to support infrastructure projects in Sonoma County, the Bay Area, and throughout the world’s fifth-largest economy: the Golden State. The latest round of allocations taps $430 million in federal funds from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure bill and $740 million from California’s Road Repair and Accountability Act. The funds will boost infrastructure upgrades across the Bay Area, including rebuilding freeway interchanges, completing vital bridge repairs, addressing sea-level rise, and making more electric transit options. In Sonoma County, the California Transportation Commission —CTC — has approved nearly $16.68 million in projects. Here is where the money is headed:
• California Transportation Commission Allocates $1.9 Billion to Bolster State’s Transportation Infrastructure (Redheaded Blackbelt). The California Transportation Commission (CTC) [yesterday] allocated $1.9 billion to support transportation infrastructure projects that play a starring role in powering the world’s fifth largest economy. The approved funding provides significant investments for bridges, roadways, transit, and improved facilities for people who walk and bike. The latest allocations also include nearly $430 million from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA) and $740 million via Senate Bill (SB) 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017. Among the efforts spurred by today’s $1.9 billion commitment include several projects prioritizing the state’s vital bridge network, highlighted by $27.4 million for the Interstate 405 improvement project in Los Angeles County, more than $4 million to repair bridge damage along Interstate 80 in Alameda County, and $600,000 to replace the Ackerman Creek Bridge in Mendocino County.
• Caltrans Opens Key Connecting Bike Path Under Interstate 5 in Carmel Valley (MSN/Times of San Diego). Caltrans and local leaders Thursday officially opened a pathway underneath Interstate 5 in Carmel Valley that connects to already existing trails. The $4 million extension connects to State Route 56 Bike Path, North Coast Bike Trail and Coastal Rail Trail and was funded by the State Highway Operations and Protection  Program. “Our goal is to increase the number of people who use alternative modes of transportation and decrease the number who drive alone in their cars,” Caltrans Director Tony Tavares said. “Projects like this one are helping reshape the state’s transportation system.”
• Consider This: State Route 67 is now in your hands (Ramona Sentinel). It has been five years since the Ramona Community Planning Group first approached SANDAG and Caltrans about widening state Route 67 to accommodate evacuation and improve safety. We made the case and those institutions responded with the State Route 67 Improvement Project and the San Vicente Comprehensive Multimodal Corridor Plan. In 2022, the multimodel corridor plan was released. It is a 174-page draft document that contains 232 proposals including wild animal crossings, equestrian and hiking trails, EV recharging stations, boulder and weed abatement and 84 bicycle enhancements, but scant mention of the widening we requested.
• Major construction on I-5 between Stockton and Sacramento will take years to complete, Caltrans says (FOX 40). A part of Interstate 5 that is traveled by over 100,000 vehicles daily is set to undergo a $123 million improvement that will begin within the next few weeks. According to Caltrans, drivers who frequently travel from Stockton to Sacramento on Interstate 5 will experience numerous lane shifts and road closures as workers seek to improve over 30 miles of existing pavement and shoulders from Hammer Lane in Stockton to the San Joaquin/Sacramento County line. The “I-5 Anchor Pavement Rehabilitation and Improvement Project” will begin the week of June 7, which is a Friday. The project was made possible by over $100 million of federal funding.
• Highway 1 slide repairs make progress (KSBY). Caltrans has released an update on the slide repairs occurring on Highway 1. As of now, except for an 11-mile section where repairs are currently happening, the remainder of the highway is open and unrestricted to the public. According to the press release, travelers from the Cambria, San Simeon area can travel north as far as Limekiln State Park.
• Berkeley I80-Gilman St. footbridge open; West Frontage Rd. closed (Berkeleyside). Update, May 16: Caltrans has temporarily shut down West Frontage Road at Gilman Street to start construction on one of two roundabouts that will eventually move traffic onto and off of interstates 80 and 580, Eastshore Highway, Gilman Street and the frontage road. Drivers will not be able to reach Gilman Street from West Frontage Road until mid-July, according to an announcement from Caltrans Thursday. The closure comes five days after a bicycle and pedestrian bridge over the freeway opened to the public. Motorists can still head north on West Frontage near Gilman to reach the soccer fields at the Tom Bates Regional Sports Complex, but may not continue past the gravel parking lot at the south end of the complex. Alternatively, those heading to the complex can still access the northern end from Gilman to the east. But access to Gilman from West Frontage will be cut off, according to the announcement.
• ＄ Surf City (signage) here we come! Plan to rename 405/39 interchange barrels ahead (Los Angeles Times). As Huntington Beach prepares for the start of the U.S. Open of Surf Saturday, a resolution sponsored by a politician naming a local interchange “Surf City USA” is riding a wave toward adoption by the California Legislature. Introduced by state Assemblyman Tri Ta (R-Westminster) in late May, Assembly Concurrent Resolution 87 asks Caltrans to determine the cost of creating and installing signs bearing the special designation, to be funded by donations from non-state sources. Signage will likely be installed on the northbound and southbound sides of the 405 near its interchange with State Route 39 in Huntington Beach. Assembly members are anticipated to vote on the proposal when the Legislature returns from summer recess in mid-August.
• Marin road repair projects get $6.2M state infusion (Marin I-J). The California Transportation Commission is investing nearly $6.2 million in Marin’s highways, with some projects focused on repairing damage left by winter storms. The commission announced the funding this month as part of a nearly $2 billion allocation across the state. Overall, funds are supporting improvements for roads, transit, bridges and infrastructure for walking and biking. In Marin, six projects are getting a funding boost, including work along rural Highway 1, the Highway 101 corridor and the bayfront Highway 37. “The County of Marin Department of Public Works supports Caltrans’ investments in the state highway system within Marin County,” said Chris Blunk, head of engineering for the county department.
• Clean California Unveils Two Gateway Monuments Celebrating Karuk Heritage on Route 96 in Orleans (Redheaded Blackbelt). In collaboration with the Karuk Tribe, the township of Orleans, and Humboldt County, Caltrans recently completed work on the Orleans Community Enhancement Project, a nearly $500,000 effort that highlights the area’s native culture and promotes safety along State Route 96, the Bigfoot Scenic Byway. The project was made possible by Governor Gavin Newsom’s Clean California initiative – a sweeping, $1.2 billion, multiyear clean-up effort led by Caltrans to remove trash, create thousands of jobs, and join with communities throughout the state to reclaim, transform and beautify public spaces.
• Granite Partners with Caltrans District 1 to Rehabilitate Stretch of Highway 162 (Business Wire). Granite (NYSE:GVA) has been awarded an approximately $36 million contract by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to rehabilitate pavement along Highway 162 in Mendocino County, California. Project funding comes from both federal funds and the California Senate Bill (SB1) and was included in Granite’s first-quarter CAP.  The project will improve 25 miles of roadway, the only highway connection to the Covelo-Round Valley area. Granite will furnish and place 150,000 tons of conventional and rubberized hot mix asphalt to rebuild the structural section of the roadway. The rubberized surface course will utilize recycled tires and provide a smooth, quiet, and safe driving surface. All fine aggregate will come from Granite’s Highway 175 Quarry.
• Caltrans adding toll roads to Tahoe on I-80. Does project undermine climate goals? (MSN/SF Chronicle). When Caltrans engineers wanted to ease bottlenecks on a stretch of Interstate 80 in Yolo County — one that feeds commuters from UC Davis to the state Capitol, links Bay Area drivers to Tahoe and threads through a fragile wetland — they had a simple solution: broaden the highway. Environmentalists balked, viewing the Yolo 80 Corridor Improvements project as a retreat from California’s ambitious climate goals. Many predicted that by adding two lanes to the interstate, Caltrans would lure commuters out of Capitol Corridor trains and into cars. But the California Transportation Commission voted unanimously last week to secure $105 million in state funds for the first phase of the project, all but ensuring construction will break ground.
• Caltrans projects include improvements along interstate system in San Bernardino County (Yahoo/VV Daily Press). The California Transportation Commission recently allocated $1.1 billion to repair and improve the state’s transportation infrastructure, which includes one interstate project in San Bernardino County. The funding includes more than $300 million for projects across the state that will make the system more climate resilient while investing in bicycle and pedestrian pathways, according to Caltrans. The funding is targeted at climate-vulnerable and disadvantaged communities.
• ＄ Why would California rob from clean transportation to fund highways? (Los Angeles Times). California has ambitious climate goals: By 2045, the state wants to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 85%, drop gas consumption 94% and cut air pollution 71%. The largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in California is the transportation sector, with passenger vehicles making up the largest portion of that. Curbing pollution from passenger vehicles won’t be easy. And if the state invests in the wrong infrastructure, those goals could become impossible. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s budget proposal would be a big swerve in the wrong direction.
• Caltrans To Begin Traffic Safety And Drainage Improvement Project On State Route 12/Victor Road Near Lodi (Caltrans). Caltrans is preparing to begin a traffic safety project designed to improve drainage and reduce the potential for storm water pooling on the roadway on State Route 12 (SR-12)/Victor Road between Alpine Road and Cherry Road in the community of Victor, east of the city of Lodi. Work will include the removal and replacement of existing draining inlets, culverts and pavement delineation (traffic stripes and markers) at the intersections of SR-12/Victor Road at Alpine Road and at Cherry Road. Traffic Safety And Drainage Improvement Project On State Route 12/Victor Road Near Lodi This project is scheduled to begin the week of June 9-15, 2024, with completion expected in July 2024. Most work will be performed during night-time hours (7:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m.) on Sundays through Fridays and will require overnight, single-lane closures on SR-12/Victor Road.
• Caltrans revises plans for El Camino bike lanes (Palo Alto Online). After getting mixed reviews for its plan to replace parking spaces with bike lanes all along El Camino Real, the California Department of Transportation submitted fresh plans last week that aim to quell local anxieties about traffic safety. The plans, which Caltrans submitted on May 20, aim to respond to the council’s determination in April that the initial proposal doesn’t go far enough in ensuring bike safety along the busy and car-heavy thoroughfare. While the Caltrans proposal has been embraced by many local bike advocates, others suggested that placing bike lanes on the state route would in fact make conditions more dangerous for cyclists. The Palo Alto City Council shared this view when it voted on April 1 to request a host of additional safety enhancements as part of the El Camino plan. Council member Pat Burt, who made the motion to demand more revisions, was among those who noted that most of the collisions on El Camino take place at intersections and that bike lanes are unlikely to address that problem.
• Caltrans says work on Highway 1 Big Sur slides progress toward fall opening (East Bay Times). With an estimated late autumn full opening of Highway 1 from Carmel to Cambria on the horizon, Caltrans continues to make progress at three repair sites in Monterey County along the Big Sur coast. Even with an 11-mile section of closed roadway in the repair zone where work continues seven days a week, the rest of Highway 1 on the Big Sur coast is open to unrestricted public access. Caltrans reminds travelers to take advantage of all Big Sur has to offer as those coming from the north can travel down as far as Lime Creek just pass Esalen Institute, and people coming from the south can travel up to as far as Limekiln State Park. Though repairs at the northernmost Dolan Point Slide – post mile 29.5 – are expected to be completed by early summer, it will not result in an adjustment to the turnaround point at Lime Creek. The slide, which activated on March 8, has seen a top-down removal of slide material and the reduction of rocks by blasting crews and double twist cable mesh has been installed along the face of the slope, according to Caltrans. Crews are working to connect the seams of dozens of 150-foot lengths of mesh which were lifted in place by helicopter. The mesh will add an additional layer of protection to the highway below the slope.
• Ca. Highway 156 widening project makes progress (KSBW). In San Benito County, construction to turn Highway 156 into a four-lane highway is underway. The new highway will replace the existing Highway 156 and will stretch five miles from San Juan Bautista to Hollister. “We’re very excited about the progress being made. Much of the work taking place at the present time involves the installation of steel rebar, and then on top of that, the rebar will be continuous concrete pavement,” said Jim Shivers, spokesperson for Caltrans District 5. Caltrans added the new design will extend the highway’s lifespan, limit maintenance and repairs and support the heavy semi-truck traffic on the road. The highway will also include a Bixby Road roundabout, connecting neighborhoods and businesses. “We’re building a stronger roadway, one that can withstand vehicular traffic for decades,” Shivers said.
• Should the Vincent Thomas Bridge stay partially open during years-long repairs? Caltrans wants your input (Long Beach Post News). Caltrans is asking the public for their opinions on when and how to close down the Vincent Thomas Bridge so that crews can replace its “rapidly deteriorating” deck that’s been torn up by decades of heavy truck traffic. The $745 million project is expected to take years and requires either the whole bridge or portions of the bridge to be closed for varying lengths of time. Caltrans wants input from commuters and people who live in neighborhoods that will be affected by detours.
• ＄ Topanga Canyon Boulevard to reopen months ahead of schedule (Los Angeles Times). A road closure that cut off Topanga residents from their main route to the coast and forced long detours will reopen Sunday, months ahead of officials’ initial estimate. Gov. Gavin Newsom is set to announce Friday the expedited reopening of a stretch of Topanga Canyon Boulevard that was shut down after a landslide March 9 smothered the roadway with dirt, rocks and a car-sized boulder. That month, storms battered the area, causing widespread damage. “I cannot overstate just how important it has been for the state and everyone involved to see Topanga Canyon Boulevard open as quickly and as safely as possible,” Newsom said in a statement.
• Caltrans, Contra Costa County unveil northbound I-680 Express Lane options (The Bay Link Blog). Caltrans and the Contra Costa Transportation Authority invite members of the public to participate in a pair of early June meetings to learn more about the agencies’ plans to add an Express Lane to northbound Interstate 680(link is external) between Walnut Creek and Martinez, and to weigh in on their newly released Draft Environmental Document(link is external) for the proposed project.
• Bay Area Transit Projects Awarded $18 Million (Planetizen). The San Francisco Bay Area’s Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) approved $18.3 million as part of its Bay Area Transit Transformation Action Plan’s Bus Accelerated Infrastructure Delivery (BusAID) program. As John Goodwin explains the the Contra Costa Herald, “The Action Plan aims to improve the Bay Area’s public transportation network to create a more user-friendly and connected system. It identifies key targets and actions to make this vision a reality.” The funds are targeted to eight ‘near-term’ projects at locations identified as problem hotspots by transit agencies in Concord, Alameda, Oakland, Redwood City, San Francisco, San Jose, and Union City. Each of the projects funded in this round is scheduled for completion within one to three years. Projects include transit speed improvements and signal optimization, bus lane improvements, and new boarding islands, among others. “Each project will include pre- and post-implementation evaluation to quantify project benefits.”
• Sections of SR-2 Could Face Prolonged Repairs Into Summer (KFI AM 640). A section of state Route 2 from Mount Wilson Red Box Road to just west of Upper Big Tujunga Canyon Road could remain closed through July, Caltrans officials said Friday. In addition, SR-2 from Islip Saddle to Vincent Gulch is closed annually during the winter due to hazardous road conditions, and will probably remain closed through the summer for repairs, according to Caltrans. “Relentless storms from the winter of 2022-2023 caused excessive damage to SR-2 that includes sections of collapsed roadway, slope failure, rockslides, drainage and a damaged elevated cable-mesh drapery system that will need to be replaced. Several retaining walls need to be constructed,” Caltrans reported. The areas of reconstruction will be reinforced and stabilized with the intent to prevent future highway, slope and embankment failures in the same locations and maintain a safe travel route, Caltrans said.
• Highway 1 closure to reopen by middle of summer (KSBW). Caltrans has updated the public Friday for when several closures will be reopened on Highway 1. Highway 1 at Paul’s Slide is expected to open by early to mid-July. Paul’s Slide has been closed since Jan. 14, 2023. The southern closure of Highway 1 at Limekiln State Park will move north and open access to Lucia, the Camaldoli Hermitage and area residents. “In part to address slide activity at this location, the roadway has been moved slightly inland and elevated at its south end. The repair will feature an expanded catchment area between the travel lanes and the slope. A concrete protective barrier and fencing will also extend along the northbound shoulder,” Caltrans said.

Gribblenation Blog (Tom Fearer)

• Madera County Road 211. Madera County Road 211 is an approximately eight-mile highway located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains north of Lake Millerton. Road 211 connects the community of O’Neals at Road 200 south to Road 145 near the former Minarets & Western Railway siding of Bellview. What is now Road 211 was constructed as a stage road during the California Gold Rush era which connected the original Fresno County seat of Millerton to the Fine Gold Gulch Mine District.
• Madera County Road 407 and the Stockton-Los Angeles Road. Madera County Road 407 is an approximately 3.8-mile highway located near Hensley Lake in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Road 407 historically was a component of the 1850s era stage route known as the Stockton-Los Angeles Road. The Stockton-Los Angeles Road crossed the Fresno River near the land holdings of John Jackson Hensley. The highway came to be known as Hensley Road and once hosted a bridge at the Fresno River called “Hensley Bridge.” Madera County would redesignate all county highways with numeric designations during mid-twentieth century and the highway would come to be known as “Road 407.” Much of Road 407 was realigned in 1974 to make way for Hidden Dam and the Hensley Lake Reservoir.
• California State Route 178 Spur on 24th Street in Bakersfield. 24th Street was added to the State Highway System in 1934 when Legislative Route Number 58 was realigned in downtown Bakersfield. 24th Street would be assigned as part of California State Route 178 when the Sign Route System was designated during August 1934. As part of the 1964 State Highway Renumbering California State Route 178 and California State Route 58 would begin a brief multiplex from Golden State Avenue west through downtown to US Route 99. The initial segment of the 178 freeway downtown would open east from N Street during 1966. The initial segment of the California State Route178 freeway retained the original alignment along 24th Street in addition to a frontage road from 23rd Street as a spur. The purpose of the spur is to provide continuous connectivity from mainline California State Route 178 and California State Route 204 at Golden State Avenue.
• The Bayshore Freeway (US Route 101). The Bayshore Freeway is a 56.4-mile component of US Route 101 located in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Bayshore Freeway connects the southern extent of San Jose to the Central Freeway in the city of San Francisco. The corridor was originally developed as the Bayshore Highway between 1923 and 1937. The Bayshore Highway would serve briefly as mainline US Route 101 before being reassigned as US Route 101 Bypass in 1938. Conceptually the designs for the Bayshore Freeway originated in 1940 but construction would be delayed until 1947. The Bayshore Freeway was completed by 1962 and became mainline US Route 101 during June 1963.

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