cahwyguy | Headlines About California Highways

Ah, December. The last month of the year. Elections are past us, and whether you like the results or not, at least you can like the fact that you’re getting less texts and emails begging for political donations. Medicare benefits open enrollment, well that’s a different story.

For me, the end of November means it is only about a week until the Annual Computer Security Applications Conference. I’ve been crazy dealing with conference logistics and registrations for the last month, but all boxes are shipped, all printing is submitted, and the event orders are all but signed. We now have a quiet week before the conference: time to work on highway pages (and hopefully record one more episode of the podcast (on the former US 101 portion of I-5)). Last month, I was worried about the attendance; I can now report that this looks to be the best attended conference since I started working on this conference back in 1989: Over 300 attendees, combining the workshops and technical portion. It should be an interesting week in Waikiki.

On the theatre front, there were a few interesting shows in November: the Deaf-West/CTG American Idiot; Back to the Future – The Musical; Groundhog Day – The Musical; and La Cage Aux Folles. Of these, I think I liked the revised La Cage the best. I love the music of the show, and the interpretation of Jean-Michel as differently-abled, and as the nightclub as much more low-rent, worked well. American Idiot was also strong, and had extra meaning given the election results. BTTF and Groundhog Day were really unnecessary: not bad, but not particularly memorable or likely to be long-lasting in the musical theatre canon.

I have been working on the highway pages: As I write up these headlines, I have just finished incorporating the results of the October CTC minutes. As the December meeting is next week, I’m going to wait until after that meeting to finish up those pages. I’ll incorporate those results, this headline post, and legislative updates, and be done for 2024. I’ll include the December headlines in the first set of 2025 updates. As for this post: It is about California’s Highways, and the headlines thereabout. As a reminder, this post focuses on 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.

The podcast continues apace. I’m finishing writing Season 3; all that is left are the episodes on US 6 and Route 7. 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 , the show’s page on Spotify for Creators, 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 3.03: Route 4: Stockton. In this episode, we continue our a 3-part exploration of Route 4. This episode focused on the Stockton Crosstown Freeway: A short freeway segment of Route 4 that bisects the city of Stockton, essentially running from I-5 to Route 99. We talk about the LRNs that made up this segment: LRN 75, and LRN 24. We spend much of the episode talking about the impact the construction of the route had on Stockton, including an interview with Dr. Paul Ong of UCLA, lead author of a paper (“Stockton’s Crosstown Freeway, Urban Renewal, and Asian Americans: Systemic Causes and Impacts“) that explored the impact of the construction of the Stockton Crosstown Freeway on the Asian-American community. We also talk about the project to complete this freeway, and the names given to the freeway. Our last episode on Route 4 will focus on the segment of Route 4 from Stockton to near Markleeville, including the segment through Ebbetts Pass. (Spotify for Creators)
CA RxR 3.04: Route 4: The Sierras. In this episode, we complete our exploration of Route 4, covering the segments from Stockton and Route 99 through Angels Camp, and then on over the Sierras to Route 89 near Markleville. This includes segments that go through Gold Country, as well as the Ebbetts Pass segment that includes some very steep grades. Along the way, we look at the history of the route in these areas, projects along the way, and naming of the route. As always, we conclude with a discussion of this segment of the route after the credits. Next up: The first of six episodes (some with two parts, making it really eight episodes) covering Interstate 5. Episode 3.05 looks at the former US 101 portion from the Mexico border to downtown Los Angeles. (Spotify for Creators)

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

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. ↈ indicates a primarily video article. ]

Highway Headlines

＄Harbor residents fear a 16-month bridge closure will clog port communities (Los Angeles Times). Caltrans is slated to fully close the cracked and spalling 61-year-old Vincent Thomas Bridge connecting San Pedro to Terminal Island as soon as next year — stirring fear of traffic nightmares for nearby neighborhoods that breathe some of the region’s most polluted air. Once a tollway, the iconic mile-long suspension bridge — a crucial artery in the nation’s busiest port complex — has been deteriorating for years. Tests show that the concrete deck is failing, and engineers warned it needs to be fixed before it falls into further disrepair and forces the state to close it altogether.
Caltrans closing part of state Route 52 this weekend to ‘work on the dips’ (NBC 7 San Diego). Up until 2020, people driving state Route 52 between SR-163 and Interstate 805 had the unnerving sensation of riding a roller coaster. That year, workers tried to flatten SR-52 with holes, and lots of them. “Nearly 30 highway workers are working this area each night, most on foot, to drill more than 4,000 holes into the pavement, then filling the holes with a slurry mix to flatten the pavement,” Caltrans reported at the time.
Caltrans begins Red Bluff bridges seismic retrofit project (Red Bluff Daily News via MSN). Caltrans has begun work on the seismic retrofit of three bridges on State Route 36 between Interstate 5 and Damon Avenue in Red Bluff. The bridges include East Sand Slough, Samson Slough, and Paynes Creek Slough. Caltrans said the project’s purpose is to preserve the structural integrity of the bridges and ensure public safety in the event of a significant earthquake. It includes installing hinge seat extenders between abutting sections of the bridge deck. These extenders will support the bridge deck in the event of a failure. Work will be performed both above and below the bridge deck simultaneously.
＄San Franciscans Are ‘Fighting for Their Lives’ Over One Great Highway (The New York Times). Forget the mayor’s race. Forget ballot measures about crime and schools. For many San Franciscans, short of the presidency, the most important contest on Tuesday will determine the future of one short road. It is not just any road. It is a quintessential California stretch — so magnificent, it is named the Great Highway — that hugs the city’s westernmost edge, offering sweeping views of pelicans swooping over the Pacific Ocean and of surfers tackling its mighty waves. Proposition K on the San Francisco ballot would permanently close the flat, two-mile stretch of pavement to cars. The measure would turn it over to cyclists, pedestrians, roller skaters and dogs, charting a path, backers promise, to create the city’s next great park. Think the High Line or Hudson River Park in New York City, they say.
Caltrans schedules meetings on improving AV Freeway safety (Antelope Valley Press). Antelope Valley residents who drive the Antelope Valley Freeway through Santa Clarita are being urged to provide comments to Caltrans about how to improve traffic safety on the freeway. Comments on the SR-14 North Los Angeles County Safety and Mobility Improvement Project can be submitted to: sr14@metro.net. Comments must be submitted by Dec. 4. Motorists are urged to emphasize the risk of crashes and the unreliability for timely transportation because of the traffic jams that occur where lanes end and the freeway narrows. More information is available at https://www.metro.net/projects/14safety/.
Traffic Shift for Lone Star Road Connection to State Route 49 (Caltrans). Caltrans is alerting motorists about a traffic shift along the west side of Lone Star Road, connecting to State Route 49 (SR-49) as work continues on a $38 million roundabout and safety barrier project. Motorists turning onto or from the west side of Lone Star Road will now use the temporary access point just south of the original intersection. This work is necessary to maintain access to the neighborhood while crews construct the new roundabout. Additional work is anticipated for roadway excavation and drainage.

New intersection project is the first of its kind in the Bay Area (SF Gate). Caltrans and the Solano Transportation Authority broke ground Friday on a unique highway improvement for the Bay Area: Its first “diverging diamond interchange.” The $25 million project linking Highway 37 and Fairgrounds Drive in Vallejo will “significantly improve traffic flow and safety, while reducing congestion and greenhouse gas emissions,” according to a news release from the STA. The diverging diamond interchange is credited to Gilbert Chlewicki, who became interested in different ways to design an intersection as a graduate student studying transportation engineering in 2000. He found that by “untangling” an intersection, he could guarantee green lights throughout the design.
Temporary roundabout on highways 121, 116 set to open (The Sonoma Index-Tribune). Caltrans District 4 has announced the opening of a new temporary roundabout on highways 116 and 121 at the junction by Bonneau Road to replace the existing four-way stop beginning at 5 a.m. Tuesday Nov. 12. After six months of construction, the new roundabout will help improve traffic flow and reduce congestion in the area. The project will be completed by the end of 2025. In preparation for the new temporary roundabout, single-lane closures on the highways will be in effect on Monday night from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. At least one lane will stay open in each direction with all work proceeding if the weather permits.
Traffic to Shift onto Temporary Roundabout on the State Route 116/121 Roundabout Project in Sonoma County (Caltrans). After six months of construction on the State Route 116/121 Roundabout Project, Caltrans is ready to eliminate the current four-way stop intersection and replace it with a temporary roundabout by 5:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 12, 2024. The temporary roundabout will handle traffic in various configurations as construction continues on the project, which is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2025. Single nighttime lane closures from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. will be in effect on the nights of Friday November 8, and Monday November 11 in preparation. At least one traffic lane will remain open in each direction at all times. All work is weather dependent.
Isleton Bridge Scheduled for Daily Closures (Caltrans). Caltrans is alerting motorists that beginning next week the Isleton bridge on State Route 160 near the city of Isleton will be closed to all motorists during daytime hours into the early evening. The bridge is scheduled for ongoing parts replacements, mechanical and electrical control system upgrades.
Agencies host groundbreaking for Route 37/Fairgrounds Drive Interchange Improvement Project (Vallejo Times Herald via MSN). In an effort to widen and improve 1.5 miles of Fairgrounds Drive, the Solano Transportation Authority, City of Vallejo, Caltrans and Solano County hosted a Friday morning groundbreaking event for the State Route 37/Fairgrounds Drive Interchange Improvement Project. The one-year, $25 million project aims to create roadway improvements along portions of Fairgrounds Drive and Redwood Parkway/Redwood Street, as well as several nearby intersections and interchanges within the city of Vallejo. The widening will extend from the State Route interchange to the Redwood Parkway/I-80 interchange. “Together we’re advancing initiatives focused on creating safer, more efficient travel options for all modes of transportation, from vehicles to bicycles to pedestrians,” said Dave Ambuehl, Caltrans Chief Deputy District Director.
Virtual Public Information Meeting For Santa Barbara Highway 101 Corridor Improvements Project (Edhat). Caltrans invites the public to attend a virtual information meeting for the Santa Barbara Highway 101 Corridor Improvements Project on Wednesday, November 13 at 6:00 pm. The purpose of the project is to extend the service life and improve the ride quality of just over ten miles of existing pavement from just south of the Milpas Street undercrossing to the Fairview Avenue overcrossing. The Caltrans project team will make a presentation and answer any questions from the public. This project will provide better facilities for non-motorized traffic, improve drainage facilities, rehabilitate roadside planting, provide better roadside safety elements for maintenance personnel, improve trash capture facilities, and improve traffic management safety facilities.
＄Napa Valley’s new Soscol Junction gateway praised and panned (Napa Valley Register). The brand-new $57 million Soscol Junction at the southern entrance to the world-famous Napa Valley is beloved by some drivers while posing challenges to others — at least on first impression. Cars move through the new Soscol Junction in south Napa on Tuesday, Oct. 29. The flyover and roundabout combination replaces traffic signals that had regulated Highways 12/29 and 221 for four decades. Soscol Junction is where Highway 29 converges with Highway 221 and Soscol Ferry Road, near the Grape Crusher statue. Traffic signals installed at the intersection more than 40 years ago eventually came to create rush-hour traffic tie-ups. The new interchange removes the stoplights and elevates Highway 29 on an overpass. Below, two roundabouts regulate traffic on Highway 221 and Soscol Ferry Road.
Contra Costa Transportation Authority’s INNOVATE 680 Program to receive over $166 million mega-boost (Contra Costa Herald). Yesterday, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, U.S. Representatives Mark DeSaulnier and Nancy Pelosi joined regional transportation officials from Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) to announce CCTA will receive over $166 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding to improve mobility along the Interstate 680 (I-680) corridor. This mega-boost is the largest 2024 transportation award earmarked for California. The funds will upgrade I-680, which is critical to the region’s economy and prosperity—providing for the movement of goods, services, and people throughout northern California and beyond. The federal investments to CCTA’s INNOVATE 680 project were made through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (US DOT) National Infrastructure Project Assistance (Mega) Program.
How steel from the old Bay Bridge ended up all across California (SF Gate). When the eastern span of the Bay Bridge was deemed seismically unsafe after the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989, its fate was certain. Demolition crews tore it down, and a construction team replaced it with the lighted white suspension bridge we see today. But when a group of residents heard that the iconic steel that had helped shuttle people across the bay since 1936 would be recycled like any other material, they saw an opportunity. That opportunity morphed into public art and park benches in the Bay Area, an elaborate gate in the desert, and even a train platform in a small mountain town. And even more of the distinctive steel may be up for grabs — and a new life.
＄Highway 12 interchanges nearing completion in Fairfield (Daily Republic). The city Public Works Department and contractor Marina Landscape Inc. are close to wrapping up construction on a project aimed to enhance and beautify the Highway 12 interchanges at Webster Street, Jackson Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. The contractor has installed all landscaping with recycled water irrigation, inert groundcover and community identification for the project. In October, crews had a small punch list to work through, replacing plant material and wood mulch that was damaged during construction. The contractor will maintain the areas for three years after the project is completed. It’s estimated at 90% completion.
Marin supervisors back Richmond-San Rafael Bridge bike-lane experiment (Marin I-J). Marin County supervisors are supporting a plan to remove the bike lane on the Richmond-San Rafael bridge four days a week on a trial basis. The supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to write a letter to the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission urging that a pilot study be initiated to evaluate the effects of such a change. The Bay Area Toll Authority’s commissioners voted to move ahead with the plan on May 8. The multiuse lane on the westbound shoulder of the bridge would be opened to motor vehicles Monday through Thursday during the morning.
After years of congestion, California set to begin improvement project of vital state highway (Newsbreak). Caltrans District 5, in collaboration with Caltrans Bay Area (District 4) and Caltrans HQ, is set to hold public scoping meetings for the State Route 25 (SR-25) Corridor Improvement Project. This project aims to enhance safety, reduce travel times, and promote sustainable transportation options along SR-25, a vital connector between Hollister and Gilroy in San Benito and Santa Clara counties. The proposed improvements target reducing traffic collisions, easing congestion, and lessening the burden on local roads. During the meetings, the Caltrans team will present project details, discuss alternative plans, and answer questions from the public. Community members can also learn about the draft environmental report, project timeline, and future engagement opportunities.
Caltrans to present Highway 101 Corridor Improvements Project to the public (KSBY NBC 6). A virtual public information meeting will be taking place today at 6 p.m. to discuss the Highway 101 Corridor Improvements Project. Caltrans will present its plans for the ten miles of pavement, starting just south of Milpas Street to Fairview Avenue overcrossing in Santa Barbara. Afterwards, attendees will be allowed to ask questions. The project aims to improve traffic and safety for drivers, bikers and pedestrians while rehabilitating roadside planting and improving trash capture facilities.
What are next steps for Great Highway after Prop. K passage (SF Examiner). San Francisco parks officials say they will apply early next year for a state permit to convert a soon-to-close portion of Great Highway into a promenade, and, perhaps someday, a coastal park. Following the passage of Proposition K by a majority of San Francisco voters Nov. 5, the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department in collaboration with the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency will apply for a permit with the California Coastal Commission early next year. Daniel Montes, a Rec and Park spokesperson, said the next Coastal Commission meeting is slated for December. “We expect the Great Highway to become a full-time promenade in early 2025 and include temporary art installations, murals, seating, and events,” he said in a written statement. “We will continue to keep the public posted.”
Drainage Improvements Planned for Santa Barbara’s Perennially Soggy Castillo Street Undercrossing (The Santa Barbara Independent). One of the more stubborn consequences of a city on the sea is the interplay between the water underground and the highway underpasses. Castillo Street, where it leads from the residential Westside toward Santa Barbara City College overlooking the Pacific Ocean, must be the high-water mark of repeat engineering challenges for Caltrans. The Castillo roadway under Highway 101 was built in 1961 and has resisted all attempts to dry it out ever since. Digitally recorded history notes the past three fixes attempted — one was an underground “electro-osmosis system” in 2006 to move the water away from the surface of the underpass, according to The Channels, plus a cement slab seven feet in thickness. Other experiments utilized pavers — which flipped around, became slippery, and captured bicycle wheels — and a “geo-synthetic drain” and floating underground slab.
The Only Decent Places to Stop on an I-5 Road Trip Between SF and LA (Thrillist via MSN). Everybody in Southern California has an internal ranking of freeways, based mostly on where they live and their regular commutes (even those intrepid public transit users). To wit: the 2 is lovely, the 210 and 134 have good and bad stretches, and the 405 is pure garbage no matter how many lanes they add. But perhaps no piece of road is as broadly reviled state-wide as the 200-ish mile stretch of highway 5 through the Central Valley. It is flat and dull, full of big rigs, and prone to congestion and construction. But it is a necessary evil, the fastest and most direct route between LA and points north, and despite the drabness of the drive itself there are in fact several worthwhile places to stop along the 5 freeway.
‘Harbor-geddon?’ Vincent Thomas Bridge to close for 16 months, prompting traffic concerns (ABC7 Los Angeles). Is Southern California prepared for “Harbor-geddon?” The Vincent Thomas Bridge, which connects San Pedro with Terminal Island, is expected to be closed for 16 months in “late 2025 or early 2026” for what’s being described as a much-needed construction project. So what does that mean for drivers? According to a Caltrans environmental report, the project focuses on replacing the bridge’s deteriorating deck. It will also upgrade the bridge’s seismic sensors, and improve the existing median barrier and railings. “We are doing a lot of repairs on there constantly, which creates, at times, full closures of the bridge and can be very inconsistent for motorists,” said Eric Menjivar with Caltrans. “But now, we are coming in with the project to replace that bridge deck.”
U.S. 395 Near Mammoth Lakes Renamed Dave McCoy Memorial Highway (Caltrans). A section of U.S. 395 in Mono County has been renamed for a local resident who helped transform the Eastern Sierra into a tourist destination favorited by people around the world. On Wednesday morning, Caltrans erected two signs denoting U.S. 395 between Convict Lake Road and State Route 203 as the Dave McCoy Memorial Highway. McCoy was the founder of Mammoth Mountain, one of California’s top winter vacation spots, renowned for world-class skiing, idyllic alpine scenery and numerous outdoor recreational activities. Starting off with just a single rope tow in 1942, McCoy worked tirelessly to build the mountain into a world-famous destination that serves as the backbone of Mono County’s economy. After selling the property in 2005, McCoy remained in his Eastern Sierra hometown of Bishop, where he died in 2020 at the age of 104.
Hwy 330 progress (Mountain News). The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) continues the $9.8 million emergency project on State Route 330 (SR-330) to repairs asphalt, slopes, drainage, guardrails, remove damaged trees, and significant structural damage caused by the Line Fire. Contractor and Caltrans crews are continuing to make substantial progress on removing damaged trees, installing new signage, continuation with guardrail installation, and applying hydroseed and fiber rolls for erosion control.
＄Judge dismisses injunction against Caltrans in Richardson Grove highway lawsuit (Times-Standard). On Tuesday, Caltrans achieved a legal victory in the decade-plus-long battle against a highway realignment project on a 1.1-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 101 inside Richardson Grove, clearing a significant hurdle. A judge dismissed the writ of injunction filed by environmental advocacy groups — who accused Caltrans of violating the California Environmental Quality Act when adopting the final impact report for a construction project in Richardson Grove — against the agency. The groups suing Caltrans argued that 109 nearby old-growth redwoods would be harmed by the project, which is meant to allow extra-long commercial hauling trucks to be able to enter Humboldt County through its southern border with Mendocino County.
Judge dismisses injunction against Caltrans in Richardson Grove highway lawsuit (Times Standard via MSN). On Tuesday, Caltrans achieved a legal victory in the decade-plus-long battle against a highway realignment project on a 1.1-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 101 inside Richardson Grove, clearing a significant hurdle. A judge dismissed the writ of injunction filed by environmental advocacy groups — who accused Caltrans of violating the California Environmental Quality Act when adopting the final impact report for a construction project in Richardson Grove — against the agency. The groups suing Caltrans argued that 109 nearby old-growth redwoods would be harmed by the project, which is meant to allow extra-long commercial hauling trucks to be able to enter Humboldt County through its southern border with Mendocino County.
The future of California rest stops is coming for Interstate 5 (SF Gate). Only one of the 28 rest areas on Interstate 5 in California honors the freeway’s godfather, who oversaw the construction of the crucial link connecting San Francisco and Los Angeles. About a quarter of the journey south of the Bay Area on both sides of I-5, the John “Chuck” Erreca Safety Roadside Rest Area stands out — not only for its historical significance, honoring California’s original highway pioneer, but for its promise of a more modernized highway pit stop future following a $34 million replacement project. The sprawling rest stop outside the Central Valley town of Firebaugh closed in 2022 for a massive renovation that one of the project’s contractors called “a model for new Caltrans California highway rest stops.” The reopening was planned for late October.
Highway 101 Home (Don Wilson). Don Wilson’s Highway 101 Project. This project is devoted to the preservation of the history, and memory of the original route of US Highway 101 in the area from San Jose to Santa Barbara, California. One of the first highways designated by the BPR (Bureau of Public Roads) in 1925, U.S. 101 stretches from San Diego, Ca., north up to the Canadian border. The purpose of this project is to locate the original routing of 101 in relation to the current road system, and to photograph and document, wherever possible, the original concrete sections of the old route, and existing structures that were originally businesses that were primarily intended to serve motorists on the 101. These businesses would include gas, and service stations, motels, certain types of restaurants, etc. In many cases, the businesses have changed over the years that use these buildings. Motels become apartment buildings, gas stations turn into muffler shops, etc., and efforts will be made to determine the name and history of the original businsses whenever possible. This isn’t new; in fact, it hasn’t been updated in 20 years. However, I want to make sure it is linked to my California links page.
State panel: Lagunitas Bridge project must consider redwood tree (Marin IJ). The California Coastal Commission approved the replacement of the Lagunitas Creek Bridge on Highway 1 this week — on one condition. The commission specified that before the California Department of Transportation can cut down a redwood tree that stands in the project’s way, it must submit a thorough analysis to the commission’s executive director demonstrating that there are no viable alternatives. Known for its distinctive green side trusses, the bridge crosses Lagunitas Creek just north of the Sir Francis Drake Boulevard turn toward Inverness and the coast. It was built in 1929 and sits near the San Andreas Fault. “The current Lagunitas Creek Bridge is 95 years old, deteriorating, corroding and lacks seismic strength,” Larry Bonner, head of Caltrans’ Office of Environmental Analysis, told commissioners.
Nacimiento-Fergusson Road (FB/U.S. Forest Service – Los Padres National Forest). The Nacimiento-Fergusson Road has reopened to motorized vehicles! The road was severely impacted by winter storms following the devastating Dolan Fire in 2020. Los Padres applied for emergency funding through the Federal Highways Administration for 16 individual repair projects that included culvert replacement, paving and hazardous tree removal. This road is the main east-west corridor between the Big Sur coast and U.S. Highway 101. Please remember there is no roadside camping allowed along Nac-Ferg Road and campfire restrictions remain in place.
Caltrans Releases Draft Environmental Document for Meeks Creek Bridge Replacement Project (Caltrans). Caltrans has released the Draft Environmental Document for a proposed $25 million project on State Route 89 (SR-89) in El Dorado County at Meeks Bay. This project is proposing to replace Meeks Creek Bridge and construct a new bridge on SR-89 to provide a fish and wildlife passage, repair scour damage, provide bicycle and pedestrian access, add a Maintenance Vehicle Pullout, and restore the Meeks Creek channel within Caltrans right of way. Caltrans has released the Draft Environmental Document (DED), referred to as an Initial Study with Proposed Negative Declaration and Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation, for the project. The department welcomes all feedback from the public, partner agencies and stakeholders on the DED during the project’s review period, ending on Friday, December 27.
Mass of bicyclists enjoy Richmond bridge ride but lane access remains at risk (Richmondside). At least 200 cyclists rode across the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Saturday to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the bike lane pilot program and to show their opposition to a proposal that would significantly reduce their access in 2025. Since 2019, Bike East Bay and Rich City have held an annual awareness-raising community cyclist event from Richmond’s BART station, across the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge and into Marin County. This year’s ride included a more pressing goal: to demonstrate to transportation officials their desire to keep the bike and pedestrian lane permanently open.
Californians love to hate I-5 and Highway 101. But which is actually worse? (SF Gate). With the notable exception of “What do you want to do for dinner?” the eternal question Californians ask of one another — especially as the holidays approach — has to be, “Are we taking the 101 or the 5?” And while answers may vary, one thing’s for certain: Californians hate both. But if you’re one of the nearly 10.7 million Californians expected to travel over the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, we’re here to help you find the route that’s just right based on four criteria: safety, ease of travel, attractions and food.
Caltrans’ PCH Master Plan At Public Workshop December 11 (Canyon News). On Wednesday, November 20, the city of Malibu posted on its Facebook page that Caltrans and the city is inviting community members to learn about and give their input on Caltrans’ PCH Master Plan Feasibility Study Wednesday, December 11 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Malibu City Hall. Caltrans HQ is planning to identify and evaluate short-term, medium-term, and long-term potential projects and potential funding sources that could be implemented to improve safety and reduce the rate and severity of collisions within the portion of Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) in Malibu. This is the seventh community outreach and engagement meeting since the project started in July 2024. Some of the key goals include: reduce crashes and crash severity, provide safer accommodations for bicyclists and pedestrians, provide safer and more comfortable accommodations for transit users, improve the character of PCH to better fit into the community, preserve/enhance emergency access, access to beaches and mountains, and access to businesses, preserve evacuation route.
California city forced to reinvent itself after Highway 101 bypass (SF Gate). A surprising presidential election was merely the second major event to rattle the Northern California city of Willits in early November 2016. As many in the state began grappling with a new normal, Willits was already coping with one of its own: the rerouting of Highway 101 to now skip the town. The throughline folded into Main Street to funnel thousands of vehicles per day into the city about 2.5 hours north of San Francisco. For nearly a century, it was a pillar for the local economy, but then suddenly, Willits was a highway town no more. Although it took Caltrans only a few hours to flip the switch on Nov. 3 that year and begin diverting traffic from Main Street, the Willits Bypass followed decades of planning and dramatic setbacks, dividing townsfolk in the process. Some protested how the rerouted highway carved into precious nearby wetlands, while Main Street merchants feared the worst from the loss of what was once thousands of vehicles through the city.
Pacific Coast Highway Construction Proceeds (CEG). California’s State Route 1 (better known as the Pacific Coast Highway) is an internationally renowned north-south arterial that draws millions of tourists annually and provides interregional, recreational, commuter and local travel through both urban and rural corridors. But heavy rains over the past few years have caused landslides, the collapse of road sections along its edges and a weakening of the mountainsides above and below the road, which passes through many tourist meccas, including Monterey, Carmel and Big Sur. Crews from Security Paving Corp. are engaged in drainage improvements and the construction of a fish passage along a section of the PCH in Los Angeles and Malibu from south of the Temescal Canyon to the Ventura County line and in Ventura County from the Los Angeles County line to Tonga Street.
Highway Update: Lighted overhead traffic signs on freeways to improve with ATTAIN program grant (Valley News). Car and truck drivers on our local freeways often see overhead lighted traffic signs telling them how long it might take to travel to their destination or to be aware of current weather conditions in addition to other warnings or information. The California Department of Transportation now will be working to better improve those message signs and other means to aid drivers in the hopes of improving safety and reducing travel times on those freeways that are constantly seeing more traffic congestion.. That 2023 Advanced Transportation Technology and Innovation (ATTAIN) program will now be improved thanks to a $5.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to provide real-time, critical information to drivers by connecting vehicles and roadside equipment with cellular networks.
California Delta river ferry boat that doubles as a state highway suddenly out of service (Newsbreak). Caltrans announced that the State Route 84 (SR-84) “Real McCoy II Ferry” is temporarily out of service due to mechanical issues with its engine. Repairs are underway, and the ferry is expected to resume operations by December 13. Meanwhile, the J-Mack Ferry remains unavailable as it undergoes scheduled dry hull maintenance. The disruptions affect motorists and residents relying on ferry access to Ryer Island and the Sacramento Delta.
＄＄Road linking Hwy 1 in Big Sur CA to Hwy 101 reopens (San Luis Obispo Tribune). A road linking Highway 1 and Highway 101 through the Santa Lucia Range in Big Sur reopened Friday after being closed since January 2021. Nacimiento-Fergusson Road extends about 25 miles from near Mill Creek — about 5 miles south of Lucia — to Fort Hunter Liggett. From there, drivers can connect to Jolon Road to head north or south to Highway 101. “‘Naci-Ferguson’ was devastated at the same time Rat Creek suffered,” Caltrans spokesperson Kevin Drabinski said in 2023. “The January 2021 storms took what was a bad road and made it worse.” Getting the $30 million repairs done on Nacimiento-Fergusson Road took so long because the Los Padres National Forest had to assess the 16 damaged sites, create the work plans and get approval in hopes of getting federal funding, according to Andrew Madsen, Los Padres forest spokesman for the USDA Forest Service. Damage to the 16 sites was diverse, including “washouts, extensive slides, debris flows and road failures,” according to the Forest Service website. “We have thousands of miles of roads in five districts, and about $100,000 a year in our budget to fix them,” Madsen said. “With the help of Rep. Jimmy Panetta, we got the money from the Federal Highways Administration, but it took time. “We’re very grateful for Panetta’s help,” Madsen continued, “and now he’s trying to help us get funding to rebuild the Nacimiento Ranger Station that burned down in the Dolan Fire.” Replacing the station will be a $15 million project, Madsen said. “We’re trying to identify a better location for it,” he said.
＄＄Proposed Richmond Parkway improvements raise questions about project priorities (The Mercury News). The improvements are proposed for Castro Street and the Richmond Parkway, a nine mile connection between Highway 580 and Highway 80 that extends through Richmond and unincorporated Contra Costa County.
＄＄Ceres revises plans for Highway 99 interchange as cost rises (Modesto Bee). The design for a new Highway 99 interchange in south Ceres is being rethought. That plan mainly involves adding ramps to the Service Road bridge, which now crosses the freeway without a direct connection. The current Mitchell Road junction just to the south would become a secondary link to this fast-growing business district.

Gribblenation Blog (Tom Fearer)

Madera County Road 210 to Hildreth. Madera County Road 210 is an approximately twelve-mile loop of Madera County Road 211 located in the Sierra Nevada foothills north of Millerton Lake. Madera County Road 210 loops through townsite of Hildreth which was located on the Fresno Flats stage road during the 1870s. Hildreth declined from the 1890s through the 1920s and is now a ghost town. Pictured as the blog cover is the Fine Gold Gulch Bridge along Road 210 which was constructed in 1920.
Smalley Road and the San Joaquin River footbridge. Smalley Road is an approximately five-mile mountain highway located in the Sierra Nevada foothills of Fresno County. Smalley Road connects Powerhouse Road north of Auberry to the San Joaquin River Gorge Special Recreation area. Smalley Road was completed in 1920 as a means to access the site of Kerckhoff Powerhouse #1. Pictured as the blog cover is the San Joaquin River Gorge footbridge which is accessible from Smalley Road via the Ya-Gub-Weh-Tuh Trail.
San Luis Obispo/Monterey County Route G19. County Route G19 is an approximately eight and half mile long highway signed along Nacimiento Lake Drive which bridges the San Antonio River in Monterey County. The highway begins at County Route G14/Interlake Road in San Luis Obispo County and terminates at County Route G18/Jolon Road near Bradley in Monterey County. County Route G19 most notably was the first roadway in Monterey County which had a bridge constructed over the San Antonio River (constructed in 1921). Pictured as the blog cover is a view of the footing of the 1921 San Antonio River Bridge contrasted to the 2023 span.
Madera County Road 606 to Knowles. Madera County Road 606 is an approximately 4.5-mile rural highway located in the Sierra Nevada foothills near Raymond. The roadway accesses the mining town site of Knowles which was located along Whiskey Creek near the Raymond Granite Quarry. Much of modern Road 606 south of the Knowles town site was constructed over the grade of the Knowles Spur Railroad. Said rail spur operated in the area from 1899 to 1946.

This entry was originally posted on Observations Along the Road as Headlines About California Highways – November 2024 by cahwyguy. Although you can comment on DW, please make comments on original post at the Wordpress blog using the link to the left. You can sign in with your LJ, DW, FB, or a myriad of other accounts. Note: Subsequent changes made to the post on the blog are not propagated by the SNAP Crossposter; please visit the original post to see the latest version. P.S.: If you see share buttons above, note that they do not work outside of the Wordpress blog.