🚘 Headlines About California Highways – February 2026

[cahwyguy]

[As you can see, the SNAP autoposter is working again]

What? February is over already? Seems like it is only been four weeks? Time is going fast in 2026, perhaps because we want it to be over fast. Now that I’m retired, the days are busy in a different sense: working on the highway pages, and working at the gym. Reading the news and looking for articles related to California Highways, saving them away for this headline post. I’m continuing to work on the highway pages: The January headlines are incorporated in the source files, and after this post I’ll start on the February pages and likely work on finishing the update round (unless I wait until the March headlines). Note that 2026 marks the 30^th Anniversary of the California Highways website. The changelog for 1996 shows the first “official” changes in October 1996, although it notes that “Changes before early 1996 were not specifically noted, although this site, in various forms, dates back at least as far as 1992, and possibly as early as 1986. Searching on Google Groups uncovers an early posting of the state highway list in December of 1992 to the Usenet Group ca.driving. In 1995, there was a posting of the highway list in response to a question, showing a last modified date of 1994. By October 1996, postings were being made showing the existence of the California Highways page off of Pacificnet. The earliest capture of the site on the Wayback Machine is in December 1998.” So welcome to the 30^th Anniversary year, or perhaps the 40^th Anniversary year, of California Highways!

With respect to the podcast: Season 4 is written and recording is proceeding apace. We’re planing a few bonus episodes that don’t take as much research and writing; after which I’ll turn my attention to Season 5, covering Routes 15 through 23. I particularly like ep 4.12, which covers the unbuilt freeways of the San Fernando Valley, using the first segment of Route 14 as the starting point. Zencaster is working well for recording the podcast. I think it sounds better, but I would love to hear from the listeners. Let us know what you think. It looks like the regular audience is between 60-80 folks, and I’d love to get that number up, although the numbers don’t included those who listen directly from the CARouteByRoute website (as I don’t know how to get those stats). You can help our listening audience grow. Please tell your friends about the podcast, “like”, “♥”, or “favorite” it, and give it a rating in your favorite podcatcher. Share the podcast on Facebook groups, and in your Bluesky and Mastodon communities. For those that hear the early episodes, the sound quality of the episodes does get better — we were learning. If you know sound editing, feel free to give me advice (I use Audacity to edit). 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 Creators) . The following episode has been posted this month:

• February | CA RxR 4.07: Route 11: From Pasadena to the Border. In Episode 4.07, we examine Route 11.  We’ll start by exploring LRN 11, which was essentially the first state highway, running from Sacramento to Placerville, later extended to run from Antioch to the Nevada State Line near Lake Tahoe. Today, it is primarily US 50 with a bit of Route 160. We then the original Sign Route 11, which was LRN 165 and LRN 205, and is today’s Route 110. It was also US 60, and is perhaps better known as the Harbor Freeway and the Pasadena Freeway / Arroyo Seco Parkway. We explore the history and various routings of Sign Route 11, including the history of the Figueroa Tunnels. Lastly, we explore the current Route 11, which is a short route near the Mexico border that connects the San Diego Freeway System (Route 905/Route 125) to the Otay Mesa East port of entry.
  .
  On deck: In episode 4.08, we start a three-episode group that will cover Route 12. Route 12 runs from Route 1 near Valley Ford to US 101 and thence to Sonoma area. It then runs through Napa to meet I-80 near Cordelia. That part is episode 4.08. Episode 4.09 will cover Route 12 from I-80 near Suisan City through the Sacramento Wetlands to Lodi and Route 99. Lastly, Episode 4.10 will cover Route 12 from Route 99 to the Sierra Foothill and San Andreas, where it meets Route 49. (Spotify for Creators)

As a reminder: One of the sources for the highway page updates (and the raison d’etre for for this post) are headlines about California Highways that I’ve seen over the last month. I collect them in this post, which serves as fodder for the updates to my California Highways site, and 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.

Well, you should now be up to date. Here are the headlines that I found about California’s highways for February 2026.

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. ＄＄ paywalls require the use of archive.ph. ☊ indicates an primarily audio article. 🎥 indicates a primarily video article. 🎩 indicates hat/tip to someone for finding this article. ]

Highway Headlines

• Commission to Hear Status 710 Freeway Stub Redevelopment Report (Pasadena Now). The city’s Human Relations Commission will receive a presentation on the Reconnecting Pasadena 710 project at its Feb. 3 meeting, focusing on social justice considerations and community perspectives. Danny Parker, chair of the Reconnecting Pasadena 710 Advisory Group, will address commissioners at 6:30 p.m. at Jackie Robinson Community Center, at 1020 North Fair Oaks Avenue. The presentation marks the commission’s first formal update on the long-debated freeway stub redevelopment since the project gained renewed attention last fall.
• O’Byrne’s Ferry Bridge (No. 281 California Historical Landmark) (Sierra Nevada Geotourism). O’Byrne’s Ferry Bridge started out as a simple old toll bridge between two counties, and ended its legacy by making a splash! Patrick O. Byrne started construction of a chain cable bridge in 1852 across the Stanislaus River on the line between Calaveras and Tuolumne counties. It soon became a bustling toll bridge since it was on the primary road between Stockton and Sonora.
• ＄ Could part of Highway 1 be moved inland? (San Mateo Daily Journal). A potential long-term suggestion to address erosion along Highway 1 in the Surfers Beach area by elevating the road and moving it inward to the Burnham Strip is generating concern from community leaders, who say the proposal doesn’t adequately address environmental root causes and ignores a park planned for the area. Caltrans will take the plan and deve lop a more detailed feasibility study, beginning a long development process that can take up to five to 10 years, said Joshua Smith, California Coastal Commission spokesperson. The plan, which was submitted to the California Coastal Commission by Caltrans in November, offers long-term alternatives to protect the threatened highway, including various combinations of moving it in by around 200 feet, raising the road with a bridge structure and more nature-based defenses.
• California Invests Nearly 1 Billion Dollars for Safer Highways, Improving Transit and Expanding Walkable Communities (Caltrans). The California Transportation Commission (CTC) this past week allocated nearly $1 billion to expand transit capabilities, add new highway safety features and boost the state’s continued climate action goals. Bolstered by Governor Gavin Newsom’s Build More, Faster – For All infrastructure agenda, these improvements will make California communities safer and more climate resilient. The $988.7 million approved today includes $184 million from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA) and $336 million in support from Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017. The investments made by these two funding sources have created an estimated 684,000 jobs. It has helped Californians, businesses and visitors who rely on the state’s transportation network for employment and educational opportunities, access to goods and services and connection to recreational attractions. […] The list of funded projects includes $96 million to improve travel times and enhance traffic safety between Ventura County and Goleta with high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes, pedestrian and bike paths and transit enhancements.
• City of Malibu announces new safety measures after deadly pedestrian crash on Pacific Coast Highway (ABC7 Los Angeles). Malibu officials are highlighting new safety efforts along Pacific Coast Highway as authorities investigate another deadly crash in which a pedestrian was hit and killed overnight, briefly shutting down portions of the roadway. The incident comes amid long-standing concerns about speeding on the busy coastal stretch. Safety along the highway has been under scrutiny for years, including after a 2023 crash that killed four Pepperdine University students.
• ＄ The breathtaking wonders of California Highway 127 (Los Angeles Times). By midwinter, Los Angeles is defined less by cold than by light. Cool, clear mornings give way to afternoons shaped by the low winter arc of the sun, painting the mountains in long shadows and the sky in improbable color. And as that low light settles in, my whole body shifts in spirit. Somewhere deep in the limbic system, a synapse fires like a flare, tracing the old circuitry of migration and memory — that annual pull toward the wide-open deserts of the American Southwest. I dream of lizards, dark skies, sand dunes and sunsets streaked in rose-mauve and smoky violet, the air heavy with the scent of wet creosote and campfire smoke.
• On Highway 127, I discovered the breathtaking wonders of going the long way (LA Times via MSN). By midwinter, Los Angeles is defined less by cold than by light. Cool, clear mornings give way to afternoons shaped by the low winter arc of the sun, painting the mountains in long shadows and the sky in improbable color. And as that low light settles in, my whole body shifts in spirit. Somewhere d eep in the limbic system, a synapse fires like a flare, tracing the old circuitry of migration and memory — that annual pull toward the wide-open deserts of the American Southwest. I dream of lizards, dark skies, sand dunes and sunsets streaked in rose-mauve and smoky violet, the air heavy with the scent of wet creosote and campfire smoke. But mostly I long for the open road, those forgotten highways where pavement runs through the quaint towns, weathered landmarks and the millions of acres of public land in the desert. It is a nostalgia shared by the chroniclers of the past.
• When will Angeles Crest Highway reopen after Christmas storm damage? Caltrans gives update (ABC7 Los Angeles). A portion of the Angeles Crest Highway has been closed for about a month after the Christmas week storms washed away parts of the road. Repair work is underway, but when exactly will the highway will reopen? Eyewitness News spoke with Monica Ruvalcaba with Caltrans on Wednesday, who said the highway is closed indefinitely for about a 30-mile stretch, starting at Newcomb’s Ranch to Big Pines Highway. The extent of the damage in some areas is so bad, Caltrans crews can’t get to those spots yet.
• Caltrans to Begin SR-4 Old River Bridge Maintenance Project (Contra Costa News). Caltrans will soon begin a bridge maintenance and preservation project that will make necessary upgrades and repairs of the Old River Bridge on State Route 4 (SR-4), located at the San Joaquin/Contra Costa County line, east of Discovery Bay. This project is required to install a new polyester concrete overlay to the bridge deck (roadway) surface, install new guardrail systems located at the approaches of each end of the bridge, and painting of the bridge steel structure with weather-resistant paint and materials to increase the reliability and serviceability of this 100-year-old swing span bridge. Additional in-water work will see the existing timber waling and the fenders on the north side of Pier 3 replaced, while the south side of Pier 2 would be supported with new high-density polyethylene walers mounted to the existing timber piles.

• Riverside County installs cameras to catch carpool lane violators on 91 Freeway (CBS Los Angeles | 🎩 FredAkbar). A new camera system is catching cheaters who are dashing into the 91 Freeway’s carpool lanes without enough passengers. “We’ve seen cheaters use hats on headrests, putting items in baby carseats and even using mannequins to try to get the HOV+ discount,” said Ariel Alcon, spokesperson for the Riverside County Transportation Commission. “The system has been able to catch those folks.” RCTC staff said on average, 25,000 people a month use the HOV 3+ lanes to get a free ride when they shouldn’t. Since last August, the new occupancy detection system installed in the center median of the 91 Freeway has helped the county recover more than $1 million in tolls and fees. The cameras capture several photos of the front and back seats through a car’s windshield. The system software flags violators. Using the photos, RCTC staff verifies that the driver doesn’t qualify for the carpool discount and bills the account a $5 fee.
• Cameras on the 91 Express Lanes now peek inside your car (KNX 1070 | 🎩 FredAkbar). Impatient drivers often leave traffic jams for the HOV lane; some return to traffic, while others stay in the lane until it ends. Either way, the driver is violating the HOV rules – enter Occupancy Detection System, or ODS. The $5 million technology works to photograph the interior of someone’s vehicle as they come to the end of the 91 Expressway in Riverside County.
• ＄ This California bill sparked fears of a mileage tax for drivers (SF Chronicle). The idea of taxing California drivers by the mile has been kicked around for years in transportation circles, and it’s still a long way from being implemented. But try telling that to panicked drivers who are flooding the internet with petitions and sharply worded posts, warning that a “gas mileage tax” is coming. Much of the confusion appears to stem from Assembly Bill 1421, authored by Assembly Member Lori Wilson, D-Suisun City. The legislation, which passed the Assembly on Jan. 29 and now heads to the Senate, would require the state’s Transportation Commission to deliver a report evaluating the possibility of a “road user charge or mileage-based fee system.”
• California to provide $18 million to finish wildlife crossing over 101 Freeway in Agoura Hills (ABC7 Los Angeles). California is providing the final $18 million to complete the world’s largest wildlife crossing in Agoura Hills. Gov. Gavin Newsom this week announced the funding for the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, which aims to provide safe passage for wildlife across the 101 Freeway. “The Annenberg Wildlife Crossing is an ambitious project, one that bridges the gap between conservation and urban development. The crossing will make life safer for both Los Angeles wildlife and drivers frequenting US 101 – and will ensure people and animals can thrive together for generations to come,” he said in a statement. The California Transportation Commission allocated the funds for the crossing from the Environmental Enhancement and Mitigation Program, which was established in 1989 to support projects that mitigate environmental impacts associated with modifying new or existing transportation facilities, according to the governor’s office.
• ＄ Don’t roll over those poles separating the Express Lanes from regular traffic (Orange County Register). Q: Hi Honk: I was driving north on the 405 Freeway early Sunday morning. Right around Harbor Boulevard, traffic suddenly slowed to an almost stop due to a large number of emergency-response vehicles. I was in the fast lane as I drove into this mess. Traffic was quickly diverted into the FasTrak lanes to ease the congestion. I followed, and once it was safe, quickly merged back into the regular lanes. And once I got home a few minutes later, I got the feeling that no one in particular had diverted cars into the Express Lanes, and that I’d possibly followed dozens of scofflaws somewhere I shouldn’t have been. And, yes, I drove under a license-plate reader. So, o wise and wonderful Honk, do the powers that be know when there’s an accident and understand that normal traffic may be in their lanes, or will I be getting a notice with a fine attached?
• I-5 Halsey Exit Closed (FB/CHP Newhall). The I-5 Southbound On Ramp from Hasley Canyon Rd will be closed from February 18th, 2026, through March 2026. I-5 Southbound On Ramp at Sedona Way will remain open as an alternate route.
• Caltrans to designate road in Thousand Palms as priority corridor in safety initiative (MyNewsLA via MSN). Caltrans officials are expected Tuesday to officially designate Varner Road in Thousand Palms a “State Priority Safety Corridor,” targeting the street under a data-driven effort to reduce crashes and fatalities. California Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin, Caltrans Director Dina El-Tawansy, California Highway Patrol Commissioner Sean Duryee and Office of Traffic Safety Director Stephanie Dougherty are among those set to take part in the announcement, which will be made at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at Sunline Transit Agency, 72420 Varner Road. Varner Road will be designated as a priority corridor aimed to test, learn and make visible progress toward road safety in California, officials said.
• California approves nearly $1B for transportation projects (KTLA 5 via MSN). The California Transportation Commission has approved nearly $1 billion for transportation projects across the state, including transit upgrades, highway safety improvements and new infrastructure. The $988.7 million allocation includes $184 million from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and $336 million from Senate Bill 1, the state’s primary transportation funding source. According to the commission, $96 million will go toward improving travel times and traffic safety between Ventura County and Goleta through new high-occupancy vehicle lanes, pedestrian and bicycle paths, and transit enhancements.
• History of NBC Burbank. (FB/Randy West Appreciation Group). That was a wrap for NBC, Burbank. It was a helluva 60 years…  On this date in 2014, with Jay Leno having just hosted his last Tonight Show, NBC started the process of packing to vacate the historic studios in beautiful downtown Burbank for new digs on the Universal lot. While working a handful of series over the years at NBC I took every opportunity to explore the hidden nooks and crannies, and became increasingly fascinated by the facility that had been built a half-century earlier, when network TV was new to the west coast. Now working with the new owners of CBS’ Television City, I’m seeing the similarities and a surprising number of differences between the two lots. They were both built simultaneously, and their first broadcasts were just 24 hours apart – CBS beat NBC by a day. […] Most recently, Warner Bros. sold the lot back to that investment company, The Worthe Group, preferring to rent with a long-term lease instead of owning. There are several high-rise office buildings on much of the previously undeveloped land on the lot, and WB has rebranded most of the entrances. The land that was initially purchased by NBC from WB was exactly one acre larger than it is now. The state of California wanted much of the property for the construction of the 134 Freeway. NBC balked, threatening to leave Burbank.
• State Releases $96 Million in Funding for Final Stretch of Highway 101 Project (Noozhawk). The final phase of the Highway 101 widening project through Santa Barbara is set to break ground this spring. The California Transportation Commission voted in January to release previously approved funding for the project’s Santa Barbara North segment, which runs from Hermosillo Road to Salinas Street. The commission approved the final funding last summer for the estimated $700-million project to add a “peak-period” carpool lane to an 11-mile stretch of Highway 101 between Carpinteria and Santa Barbara. The state’s formal allocation of about $96 million clears the way for construction to begin this spring, as planned, said Santa Barbara County Association of Governments Director of Programming Sarkes Khachek.
• New Express Lanes on I-680 (FB/Caltrans District 4). New Express Lanes on southbound I-680 will open to the traveling public on Friday morning, February 13. The new Express Lanes span approximately 10 miles, from San Ramon Road / Alcosta Boulevard to State Route 84 / I-680 and are designed to improve traffic flow and enhance travel reliability along the corridor.
  No tolls will be charged until the tolling system completes integration and testing. Express lanes north of Alcosta Boulevard and south of SR-84 will continue to operate normally, with toll rates displayed and tolling in effect.
• Highway 101 Construction to Expand Into Santa Barbara North This Spring (edhat Santa Barbara). Construction on Highway 101 is set to expand into Santa Barbara North this spring, as crews continue work in Montecito and Santa Barbara South, according to the latest project update. The Santa Barbara North segment, located between Hermosillo Road and Salinas Street, is scheduled to begin construction this spring, marking the next major phase of work along the Highway 101 corridor. In the Santa Barbara South portion of the corridor, which is located between Olive Mill and Hermosillo Roads, median work extends up to Cabrillo Boulevard, for shifts in traffic lanes, according to the update.
• Bay Area gets millions in state funding for highways, transit and bikeable/walkable communities (The Bay Link Blog). The California Transportation Commission (CTC) last week allocated nearly $1 billion to expand transit capabilities, add new highway safety features and boost the state’s continued climate action goals. Bolstered by Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Build More, Faster – For All infrastructure agenda, these improvements will make California communities safer and more climate resilient. The $988.7 million approved includes $184 million from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA) and $336 million in support from Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017. […] Projects in the Bay Area include:
• Long-term Ramp Closure on State Route 91 in Compton (Caltrans). Caltrans announces a long-term ramp closure on State Route 91 (SR-91) at the Alameda St exit at the Alameda/Santa Fe Ave off-ramp in Compton through September 2026 for a sign rehabilitation project. The long-term ramp closure is necessary for ongoing work to upgrade bridge railings. The following closure is subject to change and are scheduled as follows: February 2026 through September 2026
• ＄ Southern California mountain highways are ‘critical’ transportation arteries prone to closures (San Gabriel Valley Tribune). Southern California mountains are home to some breathtaking highways carved out through dramatic landscapes, but these scenic treasures are at the mercy of extreme weather that can render them impassable for months or longer. Two major roads in Southern California’s mountains are especially prone to damage: Rim of the World Drive in the San Bernardino Mountains and the Angeles Crest Highway in the San Gabriel Mountains. The history of these state highways and the populations they serve provide insight into why they were built and the maintenance challenges they face. Geological conditions are particularly volatile in the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains, where monsoonal downpours can cause the rocky slopes to crumble and wash away, leaving sections of roadway damaged or missing.
• New traffic signal activated along State Route 20 in Yuba County (Lake County News). Caltrans is alerting motorists that the new traffic signal at the intersection of State Route 20 and Kibbe Road in Yuba County is now activated and fully operational. The new signalized intersection is part of a roadway improvement project led by Yuba County in partnership with Teichert Materials. The project creates direct access between Highway 20 and Teichert’s Hallwood Aggregate Plant. With the signal now active, motorists should be prepared to stop and follow posted signage. Drivers are encouraged to slow down and use caution as traffic patterns adjust to the new intersection configuration.
• Caltrans Announces I-405 Reduced to Three Lanes in Each Direction Through the Sepulveda Pass: March 2026 Schedule (Caltrans). Caltrans announces extended weekend lane reductions along Interstate 405 (I-405) through the Sepulveda Pass. The freeway will be reduced to three lanes in each direction and motorists are strongly encouraged to seek alternate routes and explore public transportation options to reach their destinations. Weekend work originally planned for March 13-16 has been rescheduled to March 20-23. Commuters can expect extended weekend lane reductions on the following: 10 p.m. Friday, March 20, through 5 a.m. Monday, March 23 Motorists traveling along I-405 will experience the following lane reductions and ramp closures:
• Caltrans $2.5 Million Drainage Rehabilitation Project to Safeguard Highway Infrastructure in Calaveras & Tuolumne Counties Begins (Gold Rush Cam). The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is preparing to begin a maintenance project that will improve the highway drainage systems along State Routes 12 (SR-12), SR-26, SR-108, and SR-120 in Calaveras and Tuolumne Counties. Work will include the rehabilitation and replacement of 15 culverts in Calaveras County and 23 culverts in Tuolumne County. Alternating lane closures will be required for the safety of motorists, roadway workers and equipment. Beginning Monday, January 26, 2026, crews will primarily work night shifts from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., for approximately 120 working days – Sundays through Fridays – with completion expected in August 2026. Roadside message signs will be placed along the highway to alert motorists of scheduled lane closures.
• California rest stops and what you need to know before you pull over (Redding Record Searchlight via MSN). When millions of American motorists hit the road for spring road trip vacations, some driving on Northern California highways will inevitably grow tired behind the wheel. Drowsy driving is as dangerous as drunk driving, according to the American Automobile Association. While most motorists “would never drink and drive … many push through their trip when” sleepy, an act just as dangerous. “More than 17% of fatal crashes involve driver fatigue,” AAA reported. Rest stops in Shasta, Siskiyou and other California counties offer oases where drivers can catch 40 winks, said Chris Woodward, spokesman for the California Department of Transportation’s District 2. The district includes Shasta, Siskiyou, Trinity and other Northern California counties. Here’s what you can and can’t do at a California safety roadside rest and vista point area, according to state law and CalTrans, barring local ordinances, most of which show up on signs at rest stops.
• ＄ Caltrans to reduce speed limits on portion of Highway 9 from Santa Cruz to Boulder Creek (Santa Cruz Sentinel). Caltrans will soon reduce vehicle speeds along several miles of Highway 9 following a recent traffic analysis and engineering study. The statewide transportation agency studied 11.6 miles of the circuitous two-lane rural highway from just south of Exit Road at Santa Cruz’s city limits to north of Boulder Creek, and its findings prompted the speed adjustments. In order to promote safety and encourage orderly traffic flows, according to a Caltrans release, the speed limit from just south of San Lorenzo Avenue to directly south of Hillside Avenue will be reduced from 35 mph to 30 mph. Similarly, the segment extending through Ben Lomond will be reduced from 30 mph to 25 mph. Lastly, the 0.90-mile segment north of Brookdale will be reduced from 35 mph from 30 mph.
• Caltrans to lower speed limits on stretch of Highway 9 in Santa Cruz County (KSBW Monterey Salinas via MSN). Caltrans has announced a change to speed limits on an 11.63-mile-long segment along Highway 9 in Santa Cruz County. Following a recent engineering and traffic survey of the segment along Highway 9, speed limits will be reduced by 5 mph. The two-lane rural highway from just south of San Lorenzo Avenue to just south of Hillside Avenue will be reduced from 35 mph to 30 mph. The Ben Lomond community segment will be reduced from 30 mph to 25 mph, and the 0.90-mile segment north of Brookdale will be reduced from 35 mph to 30 mph.
• ＄＄ Caltrans begins early work on $50M Highway 108 rehab project (Union Democrat). Caltrans workers were busy last week working next to eastbound Highway 108 between Rawhide Road and Fifth Avenue in Jamestown, with geotechnical engineers overseeing core sampling work in preparation for a future pavement rehabilitation project between Chicken Ranch Road west of Jamestown and Steffen Lane at the Sonora ARCO ampm. The geotechnical work began Tuesday and is expected to continue from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10, through Thursday, Feb. 12. On Thursday, motorists on Highway 108 in Jamestown coped with a lane closure and coned-off portions of the highway, with traffic routed around work sites on the uphill, eastbound side of the highway. Equipment deployed by Caltrans included two truck-mounted drill rigs, flatbed trucks, and support vehicles. San Luis Obispo-based contractors Avila Traffic Safety managed traffic control.
• Carmel Valley Road, Laureles Grade roundabout project moves into phase four (Monterey Daily Herard via MSN). The Carmel Valley Road and Laureles Grade Roundabout project moves into the fourth of five stages this week and motorists can expect up to 30-minute delays due to construction activities, down from the 60-minute delays County of Monterey Public Works, Facilities and Parks previously stated. The Carmel Valley Road and Laureles Grade Roundabout project involves replacing the existing one-way, stop-controlled “T” intersection at Carmel Valley Road and Laureles Grade with a roundabout. The County of Monterey will be constructing stage four of the roundabout project this week on Wednesday and Thursday, though unanticipated rainfall may prompt delays. Work is set to occur from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Up to 30-minute traffic delays are expected during the early commute hours and motorists are encouraged to plan accordingly. Emergency responders will be afforded priority through the work zone when needed. During this time, flaggers will be used to direct traffic. Once complete, temporary traffic signals will direct traffic. County of Monterey Public Works, Facilities and Parks says it will make every effort to minimize the traffic disturbance and expeditiously move to the next phase of construction.
• Ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrated official opening of the new Fanny Bridge in Tahoe City (Sierra Sun). JR De Oliviera has been a Tahoe City local for 15 years and was among the many who attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “I’m happy for the improvements,” said De Oliviera. “It’s great for the community and way better for people who are walking. It’s also helpful to River Grille, Bridgetender and Dam Cafe.” Businesses such as these sit on the North and South ends of the bridge and experienced setbacks in patronage and deliveries due to the construction. Yet despite all of that, they were relieved for the major improvements the new bridge provides. Alex Kanwetz is a business owner in the area, saying “The infrastructure within Tahoe city being exemplified into something modern is a huge step forward for the community. Not only that, it’s the safety of it and everything that needs to be all things sunny Lake Tahoe.”
• LAX officials vote unanimously to build new $1.5 billion road into airport (LAist). The governing board of LAX voted unanimously Thursday to appropriate more than $1 billion to build long-planned elevated roadways officials said will separate airport-bound vehicles from local traffic. Supporters say the roadways will make it safer and more efficient to get in and out of LAX. “We have multiple paths in and out of the airport, and each and one of those creates pinch points and traffic jams, particularly along Sepulveda [Boulevard],” Emery Molnar, an LAX executive, said to the airport Board of Commissioners before the vote.
• Here’s what’s changing around Koreatown and Westlake as LA prepares for the Olympics (LAist | 🎩 Plutonic Panda). Long-discussed improvement projects in and around Koreatown — some first proposed more than a decade ago — are beginning to take shape as L.A. moves closer to hosting the 2028 Summer Olympics. Among them are the Olympic Gateway at Olympic Boulevard and Normandie Avenue, pedestrian improvements near the Koreatown Senior and Community Center and a stormwater capture project connected to MacArthur Park.
• FLAGS Metro’s Short-Range Plan details $220 billion of mobility improvements over the next 15 years (The Source | 🎩 Plutonic Panda). Metro is pleased to release the 2025 Short Range Transportation Plan (SRTP), a roadmap for the next 15 years to expand, improve, and maintain one of the nation’s largest and most complex transportation networks. The plan builds on and updates the goals set out in Metro’s 2020 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). Both short- and long-range plans are legally required documents. Their purpose is simple: to demonstrate to taxpayers and our funding partners at the state and federal levels that we do have a plan!
• I-210 Waterman Ramp Improvements (FB/City of San Bernardino Municipal Government). Improvements Coming to the 210 Freeway Offramp at Waterman Avenue Starting on Wednesday, February 17, Caltrans will begin work on a $7.2 million project to expand the eastbound offramp to the 210 Freeway at Waterman Avenue. When completed,  the project is expected to improve traffic flow, reduce congestion, and improve safety for motorists exiting at Waterman Avenue.
• Exhibit explores 100-year history of Oregon Coast Highway (KATU). As the United States prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, KATU is highlighting moments and milestones that shaped the Pacific Northwest. This week’s “Amazing America” focuses on a defining piece of Oregon infrastructure: U.S. Route 101, better known as the Oregon Coast Highway. Stretching 363 miles along the Pacific, the highway connects dozens of coastal communities and stands as one of the most scenic drives in the state. “It’s the most iconic, picturesque highway in Oregon,” said Kerry Tymchuk, executive director of the Oregon Historical Society.
• Alamo Freeway Scrapped (FB/Mark Harrigan). Do you remember this proposal? Valley Pioneer February 16th 1972, the “proposed freeway” map is dated December 1959 – MSRV and 680/24 archives
• L.A. Seeks Input on Proposed Speed Camera Locations (Streetsblog Los Angeles). The L.A. City Department of Transportation shared proposed locations for the city’s speed camera pilot program, now expected to get underway later this year. For a 30-day period starting today, LADOT is seeking public comment on the locations and the program. 2023 State legislation enabled six California cities to pilot life-saving speed cameras. State law specifies how programs must be tailored for safety, equity, and privacy. San Francisco and Oakland already have camera programs up and running. Long Beach and Glendale have locations finalized, and expect to go live by this fall. Los Angeles City had some program planning underway, but appeared far behind all other programs in the state. Horrific recent traffic violence led to City Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky calling to accelerate the city’s camera timeline.
• Bay Area agency predicts $10B price tag to replace historic bridge (SF Gate). The Benicia-Martinez Railroad Drawbridge, a lofty Bay Area landmark for 95 years, has developed an altitude problem. The structure is too low for the speedier, more frequent trains that the Capitol Corridor intends to run in the future as part of its ambitious plan to boost rail between the Bay Area and Sacramento. The regional passenger service says the solution is to build a new, higher bridge either next to the current one or several miles west, between Crockett and Vallejo. Those plans are underway as the current structure awaits its fate. The problem is due to maritime traffic. The drawbridge’s vertical lift span rises several times a day to allow large ships to pass underneath. The lifts halt rail traffic for 20 minutes or more, according to a consultant’s report for the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority, and “represent the second most significant cause of delays to [corridor] trains.” (No. 1 is people-related — trespassers, vehicles and the like.)
• Route 4 ADA Project (FB/Caltrans District 10). Join Caltrans at an open house for the State Route 4 ADA Improvements Project. Participants will learn more about the project ahead of construction. We look forward to seeing you at Albert Michelson Elementary School on February 25, from 6-8 p.m.
• California’s Orange Highway Stripes Are Already Changing Traffic — Over 80% Of Drivers Notice The Effect (Secret Los Angeles). If you’ve ever taken a road trip down south toward San Diego County, chances are you’ve noticed some glowing orange stripes mixed in with the usual white lane lines on the highway… And no, it wasn’t an illusion. What started back in 2021 is now being implemented more widely. Caltrans’ program involves adding orange tones (the same color used in cones and construction signage) over or alongside the white lane lines, making them a much stronger visual cue than traditional white or yellow lines. These stripes are temporary and only used when drivers need extra alerting for special road rules, like reduced speed in construction zones.
• Several former Caltrans homes in Pasadena sell for thousands above asking (LAist). More than a dozen houses that were slated to be demolished as part of a failed effort to extend the 710 Freeway have sold, and several of them have gone for thousands of dollars above asking price. All net proceeds from the sales will go toward developing affordable housing in the city, according to Pasadena Housing Director Jim Wong. The historic homes, which sat vacant for decades, were put on the market as-is by the city of Pasadena last fall. According to the listings, a few of the homes were uninhabitable.
• ＄ Santa Rosa sacrifices some transportation priorities to close gap on Highway 101 pedestrian bridge as costs soar (Press Democrat). Groundbreaking work on a long-awaited bike and pedestrian bridge over Highway 101 in Santa Rosa could be as little as a month away after the project this past week cleared a critical funding decision at the City Council. Costs to build the 14.5-foot-wide, 1,000-foot-long bridge linking Elliott and Edwards avenue just north of Santa Rosa Junior College have soared nearly 30% above the city’s engineering estimate. But council members, facing a critical deadline, and hearing from top officials that the landmark project would only get more expensive if delayed longer, endorsed reallocating money from various transportation projects to get the project rolling.
• Caltrans closes portion of Highway 1 after rockslides (SF Gate). The rockslides are impacting the roadway between Ragged Point Inn in San Luis Obispo County and a point 1 mile south of Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn in Monterey County. There is no estimated time for reopening. The closure is due to rockslides and debris in the roadway at multiple locations. Crews will reassess the damage at daylight. Highway 1 was fully reopened and reconnected Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties a little over a month ago after three years of multiple closures due to slides at various locations on the road.
• ＄ Fresno County needs another $70M to make ‘blood alley’ safer (Fresno Bee). With thirteen fatal crashes between 2019 and 2025, Millerton Road is one of the deadliest roads to travel in Fresno County. One crash at the intersection of Via Bellagio, situated outside a gated community about three miles west of Table Mountain Casino, resulted in four deaths in 2020. Another person died in a crash at the same site two years later. About six minutes away, five people died in a 2022 crash at Millerton Road and Marina Drive. TOP VIDEOS The winding rural Fresno County road, referred to as “blood alley” by some locals, has been slated to undergo a revamp to help curb deadly crashes on the 5.7-mile stretch of road — but the project has hit a roadblock.
• New southbound I-680 express lane opens between Alameda, Contra Costa counties (Local News Matters). A new express lane on southbound Interstate 680 opened to traffic Friday along 9 miles between Alameda and Contra Costa counties. The new express lane runs from Alcosta Boulevard south to state Highway 84, and won’t have tolls charged until more work on the project is completed later this year, according to the Alameda County Transportation Commission, which serves as the county’s traffic congestion management agency.
• ＄ LA Aims to Beat Freeway Traffic With $25 Billion Subway Project (Bloomberg). Congestion on Interstate 405 in Los Angeles is so bad, it’s a joke. The state of the 405, as locals call it, was a frequent punchline on “The Californians,” the Saturday Night Live soap opera parody featuring vacuous Angelenos obsessed with driving directions and traffic conditions. When those skits aired in the early 2010s, there was hope that help was on the way for the jammed freeway. In 2014, California’s Department of Transportation opened an additional lane in each direction on the section of the 405 over the Sepulveda Pass in the Santa Monica Mountains. The project was intended to provide relief to the commuters trekking from the bedroom communities of the San Fernando Valley to West LA. But relief never came: A year after the $1.1 billion overhaul, the 405’s rush hour drive times were a minute slower than they were before the workers broke ground. Five years later, traffic was worse at all times of day. Expanding the 405 became a canonical example of “induced demand,” illustrating the futility of widening roads to relieve congestion. The 405 currently carries about 400,000 vehicle trips daily, often creeping along at a walking pace.
• 6 miles of Highway 1 south of Big Sur remains closed (KTVU via AOL). A six-mile stretch of Highway 1 in Monterey County near Regent’s Slide remains closed, according to Caltrans. The agency said crews are still working to clear debris from the roadway. Rockslides in multiple locations shut down a 40-mile stretch of the coastal highway on Monday which stretched from Ragged Point Inn in San Luis Obispo County to one mile south of Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn in Monterey County, according to Caltrans Central Coast District 5. This section of Highway 1 had just reopened after multiple closures over the past couple of years due to various landslides.
• ＄ Judge shuts down 2,200 miles of off-road trails in the Mojave (Los Angeles Times). The desert tortoise, a once-resilient reptile, is a keystone species in the Mojave Desert, where other animals depend for their survival on the burrows it digs. But it is imperiled in California thanks in part to an unusual enemy: off-road vehicles that race through thousands of miles of trails — official and unofficial — that crisscross millions of acres of tortoise habitat. A federal judge, Susan Illston, recently ordered the Bureau of Land Management to shut down 2,000 miles of these trails, saying the off-road vehicles — technically called “off-highway vehicles” or “OHVs” — are “a significant ongoing cause of harm” to the tortoise population. Since the 1970s, tortoise populations have fallen by 96% in some plots monitored by biologist Kristin Berry of the U.S. Geological Survey.
• ＄ Eminent domain for 101, Woodside project in Redwood City (San Mateo Daily Journal). The major project extends for 1.9 miles along Highway 101 and 0.4 miles along Woodside Road. It looks to dramatically improve the notoriously congested intersection and promote bicyclist and pedestrian safety. The interchange upgrades include widening Woodside Road to six lanes, three in each direction, with turn pockets. It also will reconstruct all ramp connections between the road and Highway 101, and construct two flyover ramps for Veterans Boulevard for northbound Highway 101 and to southbound Highway 101. The revamp is to eliminate the existing five-legged intersection at Broadway and Woodside Road. Major upgrades to pedestrian and bicycle facilities throughout the project area will also be done. The project is fully funded, including the amounts allotted to acquire properties. Estimated right-of-way acquisitions are anticipated to cost $21.3 million in total. Acquisition offers to purchase have been distributed to property owners, but negotiations remain ongoing for the final three properties. With the City Council’s approval, staff can proceed with pursuing litigation if the issue of just compensation is not resolved in negotiations.
• Route 255 Roundabout Project (FB/Caltrans District 1). Heads up to folks who use Route 255 on the Samoa Peninsula: Caltrans is inviting the public to an in-person open house about the proposed New Navy Base Road Roundabout Project. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 19, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Manila Community Center. The project would add a quick-build, modular roundabout at the New Navy Base Road intersection as part of a safety program aimed at reducing severe crashes while maintaining efficient access for trucks, freight, and local traffic. Construction is currently planned for summer 2027.
• Construction to Begin on Second Phase of US 395 Improvements Between Victorville and Hesperia (Victor Valley News | 🎩 ClassicsHasClass). Construction is set to begin in the coming weeks on a seven-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 395 in the Victor Valley as part of the second phase of a major freight mobility and safety project. Early work will include the removal of brush and debris along the highway shoulders to prepare the roadway for construction. The project, led by the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) and California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), will upgrade the existing two-lane segment of US 395 between State Route 18 in Victorville and Interstate 15 in Hesperia and Oak Hills.
• ＄ Caltrans plans closure for San Rafael traffic roundabout (Press Democrat). Caltrans is preparing for a full closure of a busy San Rafael intersection as part of a roundabout project that is about a year behind schedule. Initially described as a six-month construction job to be completed last year, the project next to Highway 101 is now expected to conclude in the fall. Starting Thursday, the intersection of Civic Center Drive at Redwood Highway will be closed 24 hours a day through at least June, Caltrans said. The intersection is on the east side of Highway 101, where the northbound offramp intersects with Manuel T. Freitas Parkway. “The project was originally scheduled to finish in 2025, however, a utility conflict is the primary factor contributing to delays in the timeline,” said Matt O’Donnell, a spokesperson for the state agency. The utility relocation for the project is also the reason for the upcoming road closure, he said.
• Caltrans to host open house on proposed New Navy Base Road roundabout on Route 255 (KRCR ABC 7). Caltrans is inviting the public to an in-person open house to learn more about a proposed roundabout project at the New Navy Base Road intersection on Route 255 on the Samoa Peninsula. The project would add a modular roundabout at the New Navy Base Road intersection as part of a safety program aimed at reducing severe crashes while maintaining efficient access for trucks, freight, and local traffic. “This is a way to pilot a lower cost roundabout at an intersection that has the existing pavement on to fit that in there, so we’re not going to widen the intersection or anything like that’s how we’re able to do that so quickly, but yea the goal is to improve safety at that intersection,” a Caltrans representative said.
• Expect Road Closures in Goleta in February as Crews Prepare to Open New Roundabouts (edhat Santa Barbara). As part of the City of Goleta’s Project Connect, ramp closures are scheduled along Hollister Avenue and Highway 217 during the last weekend in February as crews prepare to shift traffic into newly constructed roundabouts. Drivers should prepare for closures from 8 p.m. Friday, February 27, through 6 a.m. Monday, March 2, 2026. The temporary closures will allow crews to complete key construction work. The closures will affect the southbound Highway 217 off-ramp at Hollister Avenue and the northbound Highway 217 on-ramp at the same intersection. During the closures, motorists will need to use alternate routes. City officials advise drivers to allow extra travel time, especially during peak hours.
• Caltrans plans closure for San Rafael traffic roundabout (Marin IJ via MSN). Caltrans is preparing for a full closure of a busy San Rafael intersection as part of a roundabout project that is about a year behind schedule. Initially described as a six-month construction job to be completed last year, the project next to Highway 101 is now expected to conclude in the fall. Starting Thursday , the intersection of Civic Center Drive at Redwood Highway will be closed 24 hours a day through at least June, Caltrans said. The intersection is on the east side of Highway 101, where the northbound offramp intersects with Manuel T. Freitas Parkway. “The project was originally scheduled to finish in 2025, however, a utility conflict is the primary factor contributing to delays in the timeline,” said Matt O’Donnell, a spokesperson for the state agency.
• Section of Angeles Crest Highway closed indefinitely for repairs (NBC Los Angeles). A stretch of the Angeles Crest Highway will be closed indefinitely as crews evaluate damage and begin repairs after a period of heavy rain, Caltrans said. The closed section of the highway is approximately 30 miles long and starts 3.3 miles east of Newcomb’s Ranch and ends at Big Pines Highway. The transportation department said the stretch of the highway was closed after the rain earlier in the week caused landslides, rockfalls and slope erosion. Roughly 40 locations along the highway have been marked for repair, Caltrans said. Crews are expected to work on projects such as installing k-rail around washed-out shoulders and roadways, repairing eroded slopes and embankments beneath the roadway and providing appropriate erosion control measures to prevent further damage.
• Metro Committee Approves Additional Early Construction Funding for Union Station Run-Through Tracks (Streetsblog Los Angeles). This week the Metro Construction Committee approved an additional $210 million for early construction work on the long planned Union Station run-through tracks project, called Link US. Metro already had allocated about $300 million for early Link US construction already underway; this ups the “pre-construction” phase to a half-billion dollars. If you’re completely unfamiliar with LinkUS, watch SBLA’s short explainer video. Since opening in 1939, Union Station has operated with inefficient stub-end tracks. Essentially trains nose into the station, then have to reverse to get out. Metro estimates that fixing this will increase Union Station capacity from 180 to 278 trains daily and reduce train dwell times from ~20 minutes to ~5 minutes – greatly benefitting riders on Metrolink, Amtrak, and future CA High-Speed Rail.
• I-215 University Parkway (SBCTA). This project will reconfigure the existing interchange at I-215 and University Parkway to address present congestion and heavy traffic movement to and from the California State University at San Bernardino campus. The new configuration will be a Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) which promotes safety, decreases congestion, and minimizes the cost of new infrastructure.
• Heavy rain washes out multiple sections of Angeles Crest Highway in Angeles National Forest (ABC7 Los Angeles). The recent bad weather has taken a toll on Angeles Crest Highway, with roughly 40 locations identified for repair along State Route 2 in the Angeles National Forest. Multiple sections of the highway have been damaged and washed out, with heavy rain leading to landslides, rockfalls and slope erosion. Caltrans is conducting three emergency repair projects to address the damage, totaling $16.8 million. The highway will remain closed indefinitely as conditions vary along the corridor, and crews continue to evaluate and repair damage. The closure affects nearly 30 miles of SR-2, covering the section from 3.3 miles east of Newcomb’s Ranch to Big Pines Highway.
• Mulholland Highway Switchback (FB/Olivia Davis). Before the freeway, the switchback was legendary for it’s accidents as it climbed (from right of picture to left), extended south about 1/8′ of a mile and switched back on the western slope of the pass, climbing towards the old tunnel below Mulholland Drive. (Image by Gordon Ross)
• ＄ These are L.A.’s worst intersections. Why some might surprise you (Los Angeles Times). Everyone who commutes in L.A. has a traffic choke point that is the very worst part of their drive — where everything stops, time seems to stand still, and you debate how many red-light cycles it’s going to take to get through the intersection. It’s these places where you worry about getting into that fender bender or witnessing an act of road rage that will haunt your nightmares. The Times decided to find out which are truly the worst crossings in the city, based on city data on traffic volumes and accidents.
• Steel Replaces Wood on Eaton Canyon’s Fire-Scarred Bridge (Pasadena Now). The burned wood railing is gone. In its place, heavy-duty galvanized steel spans the Chuck Ballard Memorial Bridge at the mouth of Eaton Canyon — what the city called a significant milestone in its effort to rebuild fire-damaged trail infrastructure more than a year after the Eaton wildfire swept through. The City of Pasadena Department of Public Works announced last week that it had completed the first phase of repairs at the bridge, a landmark familiar to the tens of thousands of hikers who pass over it each year on their way to Eaton Canyon Falls and the historic Mount Wilson Toll Road. The new railing, according to the department, improves public safety, enhances long-term durability, and increases the bridge’s resilience against future wildfires.
• ＄ Bay Bridge lights to return next month (SF Chronicle). The Bay Lights will once again light up the western span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge next month, organizers announced Wednesday. They set a grand relighting for the long-dark installation on March 20. The nonprofit Illuminate, which handles the lights, said the iconic display by artist Leo Villareal will return to the bridge’s northern cable plane after nearly three years of darkness. The original installation, which debuted in 2013, went dark in 2023 after weather, wind and corrosion took a toll on the system.
• Bay Bridge artistic light installation coming back with ‘grand lighting’ event in March (Local News Matters). The popular lighting installation along the western span of the Bay Bridge is coming back, with a “grand lighting” event planned for next month. The lights illuminated the northern side of the span for 10 years until wear-and-tear led to their removal in 2023. The new installation was created by light artist Leo Villareal, organized by San Francisco-based nonprofit Illuminate and engineered and fabricated by Musco Lighting. “The Bay Lights” features 48,000 LEDs built to withstand the bridge’s “demanding marine environment,” according to organizers. “They’re a reminder that beauty can live at the scale of infrastructure — and that awe can be part of a city’s identity,” said Ben Davis, founder of Illuminate.
• Old 101 at SFO (FB/Al Schwoerer). Photo.
• The Building of Highway 140 Merced to Mariposa (FB/Mariposa Pictures & History Page). Photo of article
• Sacramento’s I Street bridge project clears major financial hurdle, bids for construction open in 1 month (CBS Sacramento). Adding to the Sacramento skyline is a $300 million project to replace one of the city’s most prominent landmarks: the I Street bridge. Plans to do so have been underway for more than a decade and have picked up steam over the past year, as CBS Sacramento has reported. As of Friday, Feb. 20, a major financial hurdle was cleared following a vote by the Sacramento Transportation Authority to approve the project’s financing framework for the I Street Bridge Replacement Project. “So this is really just the first step in lining up project financing,” said Philip Vulliet, project manager and an engineer with the Sacramento public works department.
• Caltrans announces closures, parking limits for Route 2 improvements (NBC Los Angeles). Caltrans has announced lane closures and parking restrictions for a pavement project along state Route 2 in West Los Angeles and the Los Angeles community of Echo Park for curb, gutter and sidewalk work. Construction work will happen during overnight hours from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday to Friday, unless noted otherwise, and parking restrictions will be in place 24/7 between March 1 and March 7. The $70.2 million project will take place along state Route 2 from Centinela Avenue in Santa Monica to the route 2 terminus in Echo Park. The multimodal project is comprised of three segments.
• The Development of Foothill Blvd (FB/Mark Waters). During the time when State Route 210 ended in La Verne, city officials encouraged retail development on Foothill Blvd. for commuters heading to the Inland Empire places to shop and eat on their way home. Click the image for a larger view.
• Update on the BIG SIGN on Highway 62 (Z107.7 FM Joshua Tree). If you’ve been wondering what’s going on with that BIG SIGN on Highway 62 near the “Welcome to Joshua Tree” pull-off, you aren’t alone. I think about it every day. The western-facing rectangular black void has sat blank since it’s installation in October of 2025. I’ll be honest, I thought the sign was installed facing the wrong way because it wouldn’t be able to inform visitors of wait times to get into Joshua Tree National Park, for instance. From time to time a smaller portable sign can be seen on the side of Highway 62 if there are abnormally long wait times to get into the National Park, or to alert people that the desert has a “bee season.”
• California approved hidden cameras that let Border Patrol track you (Boing Boing). Federal agents at a California border crossing pulled aside a grandmother and demanded to know why she kept visiting local casinos. She is a lawful permanent resident of the Imperial Valley who’d committed no crime — but her driving habits had been logged by a covert network of over 40 license plate cameras hidden along Southern California’s border highways, a CalMatters investigation by Wendy Fry and Khari Johnson found. The cameras sit inside roadside trailers and construction barrels on back roads near the Mexican border in San Diego and Imperial counties. Caltrans granted eight permits to federal agencies for the devices before Biden left office, and the equipment now pipes plate numbers, vehicle descriptions, GPS coordinates, and sometimes photos of drivers and passengers straight into Trump administration databases.
• ＄ Overnight shutdowns on Highway 29 begin Wednesday (Press Democrat). The California Department of Transportation is planning to close a portion of Highway 29 overnight several days this week to replace a culvert in an area between Oakville and Rutherford in Napa County. The highway shutdowns, in the area between Rutherford Road and Oakville Cross Road, are scheduled to start Wednesday, Feb. 25 — lasting from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. the next morning — and end on Saturday, Feb. 28, according to a Caltrans news release. Those attempting to drive the route when it is closed will be sent on a detour to Silverado Trail. The area since Jan. 22 has seen one-way traffic control while crews worked to stabilize a portion of the road after a sinkhole was discovered near the center of the roadway Sept. 11. Crews will begin to remove the existing culvert and replace it with a cast-in-place box culvert during the upcoming construction phase, according to the release.

Gribblenation Blog (Tom Fearer)

• Redwood Drive (Tulare County Mountain Road 216) to the Stagg Tree. Redwood Drive is an approximately 7.3-mile highway located in the Sierra Nevada range of Tulare County. The highway connects California State Route 190 near Camp Nelson to the Stagg Tree Trail in the Alder Creek Grove of Redwood Sequoias. Much of Redwood Drive is maintained as part of Tulare County Mountain Road 216.
• Graham Hill Road. Graham Hill Road is an approximately six-mile highway corridor located in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The Graham Hill corridor begins at Ocean Street in the city of Santa Cruz and terminates at California State Route 9 near the San Lorenzo River in Felton.
• Western Divide Highway (Tulare County Mountain Road 107). Western Divide Highway is a rural roadway located in the Sierra Nevada and is maintained as Tulare County Mountain Road 107. Western Divide Highway begins at the terminus of California State Route 190 near Quaking Aspen and terminates approximately 15.5 miles to the south at Parker Pass Road (Tulare County Mountain Road 50). The corridor of Western Divide Highway is most famous for providing access to the Trail of 100 Giants in the Long Meadow Grove of Redwood Sequoias.
• Old Control Road (Tulare County Mountain Road 52). Old Control Road is an eleven-mile rural dirt highway located in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Old Control Road is a loop of Hot Springs Drive located north of King George Peak and maintained as Tulare County Mountain Road 52. The Old Control Road corridor was the original highway which served California Hot Springs when the resort was constructed in the 1880s. As the name implies during the automotive era traffic was managed by way of timed alternating one-way traffic. Functionally the Control Road was replaced around 1915 when modern Hot Springs Drive was constructed south of King George Peak.
• Zayante Road and Upper Zayante Road. The combined 11-mile corridor Zayante Road and Upper Zayante Road is located in the Santa Cruz Mountains near Felton in Santa Cruz County. The corridor begins as Zayante Road at Graham Hill Road near the Felton Covered Bridge. Zayante Road passes through the namesake community of Zayante where it becomes Upper Zayante Road upon intersecting Old Mountain Road. Upper Zayante Road makes a final ascent to California State Route 35 at Summit Road via a grade which peaks at an incline of 11%.
• Parker Pass Road (Tulare County Mountain Road 50). Parker Pass Road is a rural highway located in the Sierra Nevada range of Tulare County. As the name suggests, this 19-mile-long corridor crosses the 6,443-foot-high Parker Pass. Parker Pass Road is maintained as Tulare County Mountain Road 50 and begins at Hot Springs Drive (Tulare County Mountain Road 56) in California Hot Springs. The highway crosses a series of switchbacks and terminates near the community of Johnsondale at Kern River Highway (Tulare County Mountain Road 99).
• Bear Creek Road (Santa Cruz Mountains). Bear Creek Road is a 13-mile roadway which crests the Santa Cruz Mountains. The Bear Creek Road corridor begins at California State Route 9 in Boulder Creek of Santa Cruz County and terminates at California State Route 17 near the Lexington Reservoir of Santa Clara County. A small portion of Bear Creek Road between Skyline Boulevard and Summit Road carries California State Route 35.
• Hot Springs Drive (Tulare County Mountain Road 56). Hot Springs Drive is an approximately twenty-mile rural highway in the Sierra Nevada foothills of Tulare County. The Hot Springs Drive corridor begins at Old Stage Road at Fountain Springs and extends eastward to Parker Pass Road near California Hot Springs. Hot Springs Drive is carried by Tulare County Mountain Road 56 and acts as an extension of Avenue 56 (Tulare County Route J22).

This entry was originally posted on Observations Along the Road as 🚘 Headlines About California Highways – February 2026 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.