cahwyguy | 🚘 Headlines About California Highways

Where does the time go? As we enter into May, we’re approaching the half-way mark for the year. It seems to be going by so fast. Here in California, we’re in the middle of the political silly season. I should be receiving my ballot any day now (it has been mailed), and that means folks should be on the lookout for my series of ballot deep dive posts. To keep this highway related, I will remind folks that the whole gas tax debate is a red herring, as the gas tax is a fixed amount per gallon and hasn’t changed recently. It isn’t the reason for the high gas prices — those are to be blamed on the War in Iran (which 47 chose to initiate), on California’s special blend, and the dearth of refineries for the blend which leads to higher prices. I remember the days of heavy smog in Los Angeles and days when it hurt to breathe, so I’m happy to pay a little more for clean air.

Of course, if you want to learn what the Gas Tax pays for, the best place is the Building California website. They have an interactive map that shows all the projects. Many of the projects are also discussed on the California Highways website (which is celebrating its 30^th anniversary this year). April saw the posting of the January-March updates to the California Highways website.

Turning to the California Highways: Route by Route podcast: Tom and I are finishing up recording Season 4 (we have 3 episodes yet to record), and are planning the inter-season bonus episodes. 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. I’ve started the research for Season 5, looking into the history of I-15, which means deep dives into routes such as US 395, Route 103, Route 163, Route 71, I-215, Route 24, Route 70, and others. Season 5 covers Routes 15 through 23, which should keep me busy. Good thing I’m retired! 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 episodes have been posted this month:

April | CA RxR 4.10: Route 12: Into the Sierras. Episode 4.10 concludes our exploration of Route 12 with an exploration of the final section of the route: From Route 99 in Lodi to Route 49 near San Andreas. This is a segment that travels through the foothills of the Sierras, running through Lodi, Lockeford, Clements, Valley Springs, and San Andreas along what was originally LRN 24. We also review LRN 12, which we visited before in our episodes on Route 8, for LRN 12 became I-8 between San Diego and El Centro. In our next episode, our attention turns to Route 13, and includes a discussion of LRN 13, the original Sign Route 13 which was quickly renumbered as Sign Route 17, and today’s Route 13 which runs through Oakland and Berkeley, although the route is unconstructed between the Oakland Airport and I-880. (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 April 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

Bridge to reopen after nearly year-long closure, $11.3M replacement project (Fox 40 News). A bridge in southern Sacramento County that has been closed since May of last year is set to reopen later this month. Franklin Bridge over Lost Slough will reopen on April 10, coinciding with the closure of the New Hope Road Bridge, which is undergoing its own replacement project. The 86-year-old bridge on Franklin Boulevard was replaced after maintenance and other necessary repairs forced several temporary closures, the Sacramento County Department of Transportation announced in a press release.
Calpella Creek Two-Bridges Replacement Project Wins Award (FB/Caltrans District 1). Caltrans District 1 is pleased to share that the Calpella Creek Two-Bridges Replacement Project has received the Caltrans Excellence in Transportation award in the Highway Rural category. This annual awards program highlights and recognizes some of the best work from Caltrans and its partners for outstanding achievements in transportation design, construction, traffic operations, maintenance, planning, and improvements across California.
I-15 Corridor (FB/Rebuild CA). The I-15 corridor is California’s deadliest highway, with over 1000 crashes documented between 2018 and 2024. The I-15 expansion project will reduce congestion, allowing for safer and more efficient travel on the route.
Pasadena Moves Closer to Adopting 710 Stub Vision Plan (Streetsblog Los Angeles). On Monday, the city of Pasadena held the first of two public workshops on the 710 Stub’s vision plan called “Reconnecting Pasadena.” This document outlines an idealized redevelopment of the land where the northern terminus was built for the cancelled 710 Freeway, and acknowledges the painful history behind it.
Construction Begins on Final Segment of Highway 101 Widening in Santa Barbara (edhat Santa Barbara). Construction will officially begin Monday, April 6, on the final segment of the Highway 101 widening project, marking a major milestone toward completing the Highway 101: Carpinteria to Santa Barbara project. Highway 101: Santa Barbara North represents the last segment of the signature Measure A project and will complete 10.9 miles of continuous peak-period carpool lanes, delivering long-awaited congestion relief and updated infrastructure for the South Coast.
＄ Gas is $10 a gallon at a Big Sur station. The owner explains why his prices can’t go higher (Los Angeles Times). The owner of Gorda by the Sea, the lone gas station for several miles in any direction from this remote, scenic hamlet in Big Sur, is charging $9.99 for a gallon of gas because, well, that’s as high as the digital numbers on the gas pumps allow. “The software only goes to $10,” said Leo Flores, owner of the gas station and mini-market. “I know, sometimes someone wants to make a good story because of it, but we have to tell you why.” As the lone gas station for at least 12 miles along Highway 1, the service station often prompts drivers to gasp or clutch their wallets at the sight of a $9.99 price tag for a gallon, but Flores insists he’s not trying to price-gouge his customers. In fact, he’s worried that if gas prices go much higher, it might put him out of business.

Granite Construction to Build Final Segment of Highway 101 Expansion in Santa Barbara Under $114 Million Contract (edhat Santa Barbara). The Highway 101 expansion project has reached a major milestone, with Granite Construction winning the contract for the project’s next mainline segment. Granite Construction, a construction and materials company, announced it had secured Segment 4E North of the Highway 101 Carpinteria to Santa Barbara Construction Manager/General Contractor (CM/GC) project from Caltrans.
＄ Hwy 1 construction: Traffic delays due to bridge work (San Luis Obispo Tribune). Drivers will face traffic delays on a key stretch of Highway 1 due to construction, according to Caltrans. Crews are working to replace a bridge north of Morro Bay, resulting in “long-term traffic control” for travelers and blocking access to a local beach, the California Department of Transportation said in a news release. Travel will be “reduced to a single lane throughout the project area,” Caltrans said.
＄ New study shows Highway 101 express lanes have improved but some transit experts wary (San Mateo Daily Journal). A recent study shows that Highway 101 congestion has improved since the express lanes were implemented, though some leaders and experts cast doubt that the data paints an accurate portrayal of traffic patterns. Securing congestion data pre- and post-express lanes has been a long-awaited request from transit leaders and advocates, given the San Mateo County Transportation Authority is contemplating whether to expand the express lane north of Interstate 380. The current express lanes, which opened several years ago, stretches 22 miles on Highway 101 from the Santa Clara County line to Interstate 380. Starting around 2020, the TA began conducting research on expanding the project, either by converting an existing lane into an express lane or constructing a brand-new one.
Napa County opens new Dry Creek Road bridge, replacing 100-year-old crossing (Local News Matters). Napa County officials last week marked the completion of a new bridge along Dry Creek Road, connecting Oakville and Kenwood with a wider, safer crossing. One lane of the new bridge opened to two-way traffic on Friday, with full two-lane access expected in early May, weather permitting. Federal, state, and county officials marked the $11 million bridge project’s completion with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday. An estimated 800 motorists per day have relied on a 100-year-old, one-lane bridge, said Napa County Supervisor Liz Alessio.
＄ Marin planners embark on Tam Junction improvements (Marin I-J). Marin County’s top planners came to Tamalpais Junction this week seeking input on priorities before embarking on improvements. “We’re here tonight to start this process with you,” said Supervisor Stephanie Moulton-Peters at the event on Wednesday. “To take your comments, your interests, your desires and values in as we start to formulate a scope of work; to work with our county planning department and all of you to create a street and a business area that works for everyone.” “This is really about placemaking, which is a word that we’re starting to use at the county,” said Sarah Jones, head of the Marin County Community Development Agency. “And what it means is the co-creation of a physical place and community environment, community setting, that really supports the kind of lifestyle, the kind of amenities, the kind of togetherness that makes a community great.”
SR-4 Wagon Trail Realignment Project (FB/Caltrans District 10). Caltrans takes the lead for the next phase of the SR-4 Wagon Trail Realignment Project. Join us tomorrow evening at Bret Harte High School in Angels Camp to learn more.
Caltrans starts $5 million Highway 36 project in Tehama County, delays expected (KRCR ABC 7 Redding). Starting April 20, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will begin work on the Horse Gulch Combined Project on State Route 36. The $5 million project will span from about 26 miles west of Red Bluff and just over 5 miles east of Dry Creek Bridge. Caltrans said the project aims to improve safety and ride quality by realigning the highway, widening shoulders, adding rumble strips, replacing culverts and fencing, and improving roadway conditions. Traffic control will be in place beginning April 20, Monday through Thursday, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., then on Friday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Caltrans expects delays of up to 10 minutes for drivers passing through the area.
San Joaquin County road closures planned on Highway 4, I-5 and Highway 99 (ABC 10). The California Department of Transportation is alerting drivers to a series of lane and ramp closures across multiple major highways in San Joaquin County as maintenance and construction work continues through April and beyond. On Highway 4, drivers should expect long-term impacts at the Old River Bridge, where one-way traffic control will be in place 24 hours a day through November. Caltrans is advising vehicles longer than 34 feet to use alternate routes, including Highway 12 or Interstate 205, when traveling between Discovery Bay and Stockton. Several overnight closures are also scheduled on Highway 4 between Monday and Friday. These include full connector ramp closures from both eastbound and westbound Highway 4 to southbound Interstate 5 for striping and bridge work.
Nighttime closure planned for SR-54 to I-805 connector in southern San Diego County (Fox 5 San Diego). A major highway connector in southern San Diego will be closed to traffic for nighttime construction this week. Caltrans is warning drivers ahead of the April 6-9 nighttime closure of highway connector SR-54 to I-805 south. From 10:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday through Thursday, SR-54 west to I-805 south will be closed, along with westbound Telegraph Canyon Road from Nacion Avenue to Halecrest Drive. The planned construction work is part of a $33 million project to improve transportation infrastructure in southern San Diego County, which includes bridge safety improvements, sound walls and auxiliary lanes along a four-mile segment of I-805 from East Palomar Street in Chula Vista to State Route 54 in National City, according to Caltrans.
Highway 50 construction aims for August completion date (Abridged). Three more weekends of lane closures are planned on Highway 50 in Sacramento this month, which Caltrans says should be among the last major disruptions before the Fix50 project wraps up. Construction on Highway 50 has been underway since 2021. Caltrans took on the massive project to rehabilitate aging parts of the highway and add more lanes along a 7-mile stretch through the heart of Sacramento. The project has also gone two years over its initial timeline, and the project budget soared from $394 million to $511 million. An Abridged investigation found one cause — rejected concrete that required pavement redos in several locations.
Caltrans cuts Highway 44 speed limit to 55 mph to improve safety (Action News Now). Caltrans has permanently reduced the speed limit along a stretch of Highway 44 in Shasta County in an effort to reduce collisions and improve driver safety. On April 2, Caltrans lowered the speed limit from 65 to 55 miles per hour on State Route 44 between Airport Road and Millville Plains Road. The stretch of Highway 44 near Silver Bridge Road has been flagged for higher-than-average crash rates, prompting Caltrans to step in and slow drivers down. According to Caltrans, traffic studies show areas with lower speed limits along Highway 44 have significantly fewer crashes.
Caltrans to start work on Horse Gulch Combined Project on Highway 36 in Tehama County (Action News Now). Crews from Caltrans will start construction on the Horse Gulch Combined Project in Tehama County in April. According to Caltrans, the project will completely realign the segment of highway within the project limits, enhance roadway geometrics and improve ride quality on Highway 36 in Tehama County. The combined project, previously known as the Horse Gulch Curve Safety Project and the Horse Gulch Gap Project, includes earthwork, removing existing asphalt concrete, installing 4-foot and 8-foot shoulders and installing centerline and edge line rumble strips. The project will also include crews replacing fencing and culverts.
Caltrans Closes Caldecott Tunnel Bore For Repairs (Lamorinda, CA Patch). Drivers heading through the East Bay this week will need to plan ahead as crews shut down part of a major commuter route overnight for repairs. Caltrans will close Bore 1 of the Caldecott Tunnel on eastbound State Route 24 during two overnight windows to complete lighting upgrades and routine maintenance. Crews will close the bore from 10 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. on Tuesday, and Wednesday. Officials say the schedule could change depending on weather conditions. A shutdown on April 1 was rescheduled.
＄ Caltrans is working to repair 215 Freeway in and near Riverside with $58 million project (San Bernardino Sun). Q: John Lapke of Temecula wants an explanation of what Caltrans is doing on the 215 Freeway near Alessandro Boulevard in Riverside. “They replaced several sections but left some areas that are desperately in need of repair. Why spend the money to repair part of the road and leave other sections with serious deficiencies?” Lapke asked. A: There is a $58.3 million project in the works to repair the section of the 215 Freeway in the Riverside area from just north of the Ramona Expressway to just south of Martin Luther King Boulevard, said Carolina Rojas, manager, project and infrastructure relations for Caltrans District 8. (The project postmile markers are 31.2 to 40.5.)
SR-4 Farmington Hwy Improvement Project (FB/Caltrans District 10). Caltrans will soon begin the SR-4 Farmington Hwy Improvement Project to make upgrades & repairs of 25 miles of existing highway from SR-99 in Stockton to Duntun Road near Stanislaus/Calaveras County line.
Decades-long effort to preserve 103-year-old bridge in rural Bay Area (SF Gate). A piece of living art that doubles as a multispan bridge uniting the Bay Area and Central Valley is closing for six months so that it can outlast a major earthquake and live through another century of adoration. The Stevenson Bridge is a cherished landmark for locals in cities such as Davis, Dixon and Winters, even though the crossing on Putah Creek is in remote farmland. Affectionately dubbed “Graffiti Bridge” for its decades of paint and doodles, the 298-foot-long arched bridge is an important link for Solano and Yolo counties but has started to show its age after 103 years. The creek has eaten into the bridge’s foundation, and there are concerns it would not survive the next big seismic event.
＄ Solano Chronicles: The history behind the Vallejo-Mare Island Ferry (The Vacaville Reporter). With the April 18 “Ferry Fest” coming up, it’s a good time to relate the history of the ferries, ranging from rowboats to large steamers, that ran between Vallejo and Mare Island Naval Shipyard starting in the now-closed shipyard’s earliest days in the 1850s. The 11-to-4 p.m. “Ferry Fest,” hosted by San Francisco Bay Ferry, which makes daily runs between San Francisco, Vallejo, and Mare Island, is being held on the former shipyard that in 1854 became the Navy’s first permanent base on the West Coast. Event details are in a link at the end of this column. Over the years, many passenger vessels operating in the San Francisco Bay Area were based in or made stops in Vallejo — but that’s a column for another day. This one focuses on the boats and ships that for decades hauled millions of workers across the quarter-mile-wide Mare Island Strait separating Vallejo from the shipyard.
＄ Last call in Orange County for freeway call boxes (Orange County Register). When a tire blows out or the engine overheats, fewer than one person a day in the last year has gotten out of their car on the side of the freeway and trudged to a call box. Most people whip out their cellphones to call for help. With the decline in usage and the availability of the 5-1-1 motorist assistance program, the Orange County Transportation Authority board gave its blessing this week to remove the remaining 175 call boxes along local freeways by June 2027. Some might even be surprised to know that call boxes were still around. The emergency phones along freeways started popping up in Los Angeles in the 1960s, but it was years before they were seen much elsewhere. It wasn’t until a $4.6 million contract was awarded in 1987 that a 1,000-box network debuted in Orange County.
Caltrans to close section of I-80 in SF. ‘It’s going to be crazy.’ (SF Gate). As part of the ongoing work to rehabilitate 71-year-old viaducts used for Interstate 80 through downtown San Francisco, Caltrans is fully closing a portion of the freeway for 55 hours, affecting eastbound drivers approaching the Bay Bridge. The agency urges the public to reconsider driving downtown on Saturday and Sunday and, if necessary, use alternate routes or public transportation. Eastbound Interstate 80 is scheduled to fully close for approximately 1.6 miles between 17th and Fourth streets from April 17 at 11 p.m. until April 20 at 6 a.m. For drivers bound for the Bay Bridge from the Peninsula, Caltrans will open a detour starting at the Ninth Street exit that moves them onto Bryant Street before reentering the freeway four blocks later through the Fifth Street onramp.
Caltrans To Begin State Route 4 Farmington Highway Improvement Project From Stockton To Telegraph City (Caltrans). Caltrans will soon begin the State Route 4 (SR-4) Farmington Highway Improvement Project that will make necessary upgrades and repairs of approximately 25 miles of existing highway from State Route 99 in Stockton to Duncan Road in Telegraph City (Stanislaus County.) This $48 million ($5.5 million from SB 1) project will be performed by George Reed, Inc. (Modesto, CA) and is scheduled for 300 working days beginning April 20-27, 2026, with completion expected in August 2027. The purpose of this project is to address pavement, bridge, drainage and warning sign needs on SR-4. Pavement work will include the removal of localized areas of pavement failure and replacement with Rubberized Hot Mix Asphalt overlay.
Caltrans launches 3 California highway technology projects with Quarterhill (Trucking Dive). Now, in California, Quarterhill will collect truck weight and traffic data in San Bernardino and San Diego counties. Meanwhile in Riverside County, the tech company will deploy e-screening technology at the Desert Hills Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Facility to help law enforcement allow compliant trucks to pass through more efficiently. The latest project extends Quarterhill’s long-standing partnership with Caltrans to support commercial vehicle screening and weigh-in-motion data collection programs across key state freight corridors.
CHP OFFICER ERNEST R. FELI MEMORIAL HIGHWAY (FB/Old Highway 101/John Olson). Just north of Humboldt County along Highway 101, and not far from the Oregon border… When we drive up or down the highway and pass those memorial signs, most people don’t think twice. It’s just another name on a green sign. But behind those signs are real stories—moments in history that have slowly faded over time. This is CHP Officer Ernest R. Felio. A man who swore an oath to serve and protect. If you’ve ever wondered why a section of U.S. Highway 101 along the North Coast carries his name—the CHP Officer Ernest R. Felio Memorial Highway—here’s the story.
Work to start on I-580 carpool lane extension in Oakland (The Bay Link Blog). The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) today announced that construction work will begin next week on a six-month project to convert the far-left lane of westbound Interstate 580 to a high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane from just east of the Piedmont Avenue undercrossing in Oakland to the start of the existing westbound carpool lane near the foot of the MacArthur Maze. The 2.3-mile project — undertaken in partnership with Caltrans and the Alameda County Transportation Commission — marks the Bay Area’s first conversion of a general-purpose lane to a carpool lane. This is a key element of MTC’s Bay Bridge Forward initiative to fund comparatively low-cost capital projects to help move more people in fewer cars through the Bay Bridge corridor; speed travel times and improve schedule reliability for bus riders; and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Vision I-980: architects and engineers compete to design the future of the highway (Oaklandside). Today is the last day for architecture and engineering consulting firms to submit proposals for the second phase of the Vision I-980 project, a multiyear effort to reimagine and potentially replace the I-980 highway. The firm chosen this spring by Caltrans, the state’s transportation agency, will develop concrete, actionable ideas for redeveloping the I-980 highway, including detailed design concepts. The first phase of the project, which lasted two years, was led by WSP and Arup, two engineering companies that had previously worked on projects such as the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel in Virginia and the Samuel De Champlain Bridge Corridor in Canada.
I Street Bridge construction delayed as bids exceed city of Sacramento estimates (KCRA 3 Sacramento). The I Street Bridge replacement project, designed to connect West Sacramento and the Sacramento railyards, is facing delays after construction bids exceeded the $300 million estimate. The new bridge will replace the current span, which was built in 1911. Last week, the city received three bids ranging from $398 million to $517 million, far above the anticipated budget, with rising steel costs driving the increase. “The higher-than-expected costs mean the project is no longer on track to begin construction this summer, as previously anticipated,” the city said.
$61.6M Placer Parkway Project gets green light (KCRA 3 Sacramento). The Placer County Board of Supervisors has unanimously approved a $61.6 million contract for the first phase of the long-planned Placer Parkway project, aimed at reducing traffic congestion and improving regional connectivity. The first phase will create a new connection between Highway 65 and North Foothills Boulevard. Plans include building an elevated roadway using more than 400,000 cubic yards of soil, along with a 30-foot bridge over Industrial Avenue, according to last Tuesday’s meeting. “It’s going to really just open up opportunities in West Placer, especially when it comes to things like the regional public safety training center, our forensics crime lab, the CSU Sacramento campus,” Board of Supervisors Chair Shanti Landon said. “All of those things are going to benefit from this Placer Parkway.”
Dr. Fine Bridge on US 101 (FB/Old Highway 101/John Olson). If you’ve ever traveled along Highway 101 just a few miles south of the Oregon–California border, you’ve likely crossed the Smith River without thinking twice. But the bridge has a name — the Dr. Ernest Fine Memorial Bridge — and behind it is a story most people don’t know. Dr. Ernest Maxwell Fine arrived in Crescent City in 1899, when Del Norte County was still remote and medical care was limited. He became the only doctor serving the stretch from Smith River to Orick, making house calls across rough terrain, delivering babies, setting broken bones, and caring for people long before modern hospitals existed here. He was known as the last horse-and-buggy doctor in the county, later transitioning to one of the earliest automobiles in the area. What stood out most wasn’t just the distance he traveled… it was how he treated people. State records note that Dr. Fine was a country doctor who never sent a bill to a patient — something the community never forgot.
I-5 North County Enhancements Project Update (FB/Castaic Area Town Council). Construction Notice Graphic
Route 66, a ‘Linear Museum Stretched Across Eight States,’ Turns 100 (The New York Times). On the roof of the Dog House Drive In, a neon dachshund has been wagging its tail and scarfing sausage links for decades. The classic animated sign — instantly recognizable to fans of the TV series “Breaking Bad” — is a fixture on Central Avenue in Albuquerque, part of old Route 66. This year marks the 100th anniversary of Route 66, which ran for roughly 2,400 miles, from Chicago to Los Angeles (and, later, Santa Monica), and helped define the American road trip along the way.
Pasadena Adopts Most of the 710 Stub Vision Plan (Streetsblog Los Angeles). On Monday, Pasadena City Council voted unanimously to approve the majority of staff recommendations for Reconnecting Pasadena, the 710 Stub’s vision plan. Thus, what began as a two part discussion now becomes at least a three parter. For quick background, Reconnecting Pasadena is a guiding document for the city’s redevelopment of a 50-acre swath of land that was seized in the early 1970’s by Caltrans to complete the 710 Freeway from El Sereno to Pasadena. This part of the Freeway project displaced hundreds of residents, mostly black, but was never actually completed and was finally killed in 2017. What was left behind was a large dirt pit, called the 710 Stub. Read more of SBLA’s coverage of that history.
＄＄ A lane on I-580 will be designated for carpools. Will it ease traffic? (SF Chronicle). Transportation officials are set to transform a far-left lane of westbound Interstate 580 in Oakland into a carpool lane, the first such conversion ever undertaken in the Bay Area. The impetus is simple: to encourage more people to share rides or take buses as they head across the Bay Bridge. “We want to move more people, and fewer cars,” said John Goodwin, a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, which is spearheading the project with Caltrans and the Alameda County Transportation Commission. Construction will begin Monday as crews install K-rail barriers for work that will mostly take place overnight. It will take about six months to build the lane, which is loosely scheduled to open in October, just as a new school year puts more cars on the road.
Long-planned project to improve Alameda-Oakland-I-880 access breaks ground (Local News Matters). A major construction project in Alameda County designed to improve travel between the city of Alameda, Interstate Highway 880 and Oakland broke ground this week. The $175 million transformation, called the Oakland Alameda Access Project, has been inching forward for nearly two decades and will provide a more direct connection to northbound I-880 from Alameda, ease street congestion, and create bike and pedestrian lanes in the Webster Tube and surface streets, according to Caltrans. Conceptions for the street re-configuration date back to 2009, when analysis formally began. The idea advanced to more detailed planning stages with an environmental impact report in 2017, before design work was finalized from 2022 to 2024.
＄ Lane closure on Acalanes Road due to repair works (Mercury News). Those heading towards Acalanes Road in Lafayette on Saturday could face delays due to repair work, Caltrans said. The agency is set to repair a bridge deck near eastbound Highway 24 in Lafayette, resulting in a lane closure and temporary loss of access to the Acalanes Road on-ramp from 7:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. on April 11. Three lanes will remain open to traffic, the agency said. The closure will stretch from the Acalanes Road off-ramp past the El Nido Ranch Undercrossing.
Work begins on Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Open Road Tolling Project (The Bay Link Blog). Changes are coming soon to the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge toll plaza, the first of the Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA)-managed bridges to be transformed as part of a multi-year conversion to Open Road Tolling (ORT). Pre-construction began in late 2025. Work to re-stripe lanes on the bridge approach and to erect a new gantry structure over the westbound lanes to accommodate tolling equipment is now set to begin in late April 2026. Visit the Caltrans District 4 website for additional details on the construction schedule. ORT is the future for all toll bridge plazas in the Bay Area – and the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge will be the first to see the transition to ORT.
End of the road: Orange County to remove freeway call boxes (KTLA). Emergency roadside phones along freeways in Orange County will soon be a thing of the past after the Orange County Transportation Authority approved plans to discontinue the service during a board meeting earlier this month. The county will shift resources to its 511 motorist assistance program, which provides traffic updates, roadside help, construction advisories and other information for drivers. Officials estimate that the emergency roadside phones, first installed in Orange County in 1987, now cost about $1,337 per call.
Metro Still Planning 605 Freeway Widening Mega-Project, Additional $46.9M Slated to be Approved This Week (Streetsblog Los Angeles). Some SBLA readers may remember Metro and Caltrans’ I-605 Corridor Improvement Project that was supposed to demolish more than 300 homes and apartments, mostly along the 5 Freeway in the city of Downey. Despite the current climate crisis, the project is back, zombie-like, on the Metro board agenda this week. The $4+ billion 605 mega-project would widen 15 miles of the 605 Freeway, plus widen interchanges, ramps, and several miles of nearby stretches of the 5, 10, 60, and 105 Freeways.
＄ Pasadena adopts vision plan for redeveloping the 710 stub (Urbanize LA). At a meeting earlier this month, the Pasadena City Council adopted a vision plan to guide future redevelopment of the large swath of land once intended as a launching point for the never-built 710 Freeway extension. The Reconnecting Pasadena vision plan, developed by a consulting group which includes Perkins Eastman, covers an approximately 50-acre area bounded by Union Street to the north, California Boulevard to the south, Pasadena Avenue to the east, and a stretch of St. John Avenue to the west. Rather than directly propose projects, the plan identifies solutions to knit the trenched area back into the street grid, both in terms of circulation and development.
＄ The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing to open this December (Los Angeles Times). Right-wing pundits and politicos recently attacked the gargantuan wildlife crossing being constructed over the 101 Freeway in Agoura Hills over ballooning costs and delays. A March 18 post in an outlet published by a conservative think tank set the outrage in motion, calling the now $114-million project a “bridge to nowhere” and “jobs program for environmentalists.” The Murdoch-owned California Post republished it and social media lit up. In an X post, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy compared it with the state’s long-delayed, budget-busting high-speed train. In short, they painted it as a boondoggle. One that might never get done. But now the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing has a completion date: Dec. 2, announced at an Earth Day news conference held on the structure rising over a 10-lane stretch of the freeway. Cars whizzed by below.
I-215 University Parkway Diverging Diamond Interchange Project (FB/SBCTA). You’re invited! Join SBCTA and Caltrans to celebrate the completion of the I-215 University Parkway Diverging Diamond Interchange Project on Friday, May 1 at 10:00 a.m. at the CSUSB Library Lawn.
I-105 ExpressLanes (LA Metro). Metro’s plan to ease traffic and enhance safety on Interstate 105 (I-105) freeway includes the conversion of the existing High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane, or carpool lane, into two Metro Expresslanes in each direction on the I-105 freeway. Metro ExpressLanes are available for use by all motorists, as a toll-free option to carpools and buses and by paying a toll for single occupant drivers.
🎥 Concrete Lions Saved in Old Highway 99 Bridge Demolition (YouTube). The Seventh Street Bridge in Modesto was opened in 1917 and lasted until March 2026. The structure had become unsafe and did not keep up with traffic demands. Jeff’s episode of History Hunters was shot over multiple months, forever documenting a bridge that is being torn down as of this video’s release date of April 26, 2026.
＄ Tight Curves and Wide Horizons: The Return of Highway 1 (The New York Times). “We got our Big Sur buddies back,” said Brian Flaten, stirring a Negroni beneath a mounted moose head at Legends Bar in Morro Bay, Calif. At midnight on a recent evening, the dimly lit bar where Mr. Flaten is a bartender, beckoned drivers off Highway 1, long after the rest of the world had gone to bed on this lonely stretch. But there was something to celebrate. After three years, Highway 1 was open again. As of Feb. 14, drivers can once again travel the full length of the iconic road — which was included in The New York Times’s “52 Places to Go in 2026” list — after a series of landslides that began in 2023 severed the road 110 miles north of here.
Eastbound State Route 20 Closure Scheduled at Interstate 80 Junction (Caltrans). Caltrans is alerting motorists about an upcoming 11-day closure of eastbound State Route 20 (SR 20) at the junction with Interstate 80 (I-80) as part of the $112 million Yuba Pass Separation Overhead Bridge Project. Crews are scheduled to start demolition of the westbound bridge span along I-80 that crosses directly over SR 20 on Sunday, May 3. For safety reasons, eastbound SR 20 will be closed between the Omega Scenic Overlook and the junction with I-80.
Smoother Ride Coming Soon to State Route 20 in Nevada County (Caltrans). Work is scheduled to start next week on a $34.6 million pavement rehabilitation project along State Route 20 (SR 20) in Nevada County that will extend the service life of the existing pavement and improve ride quality on nearly 26 miles of highway between Nevada City and the junction with Interstate 80. The project was funded in part by $3.6 million from Senate Bill (SB) 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017. Upcoming work includes rehabilitating the pavement and drainage systems, constructing maintenance vehicle pull outs (MVP), and upgrading guardrail, signs and Transportation Management System (TMS) elements.
Caltrans to host Weedpatch Highway rehabilitation meeting on Thursday at Fuller Acres Park (Bakersfield Now). Caltrans will host a public meeting in collaboration with the Leadership Counsel for Justice & Accountability this Thursday evening to discuss the ongoing State Route 184 Weedpatch Highway Rehabilitation Project. The public is invited to attend from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Fuller Acres Park, located at 8321 Hilltop Drive.
Roadway upgrades on Hwy 101 in Buellton begin Monday (Santa Maria Times). Starting on Monday, construction crews will begin a multi-year maintenance project in Buellton which will necessitate lane reductions along northbound and southbound Highway 101. According to information from CalTrans District 5, beginning April 27, travelers through Buellton will be reduced to one-lane in each direction. Starting from the Nojoqui Creek Bridge to just north of Avenue of the Flags and Damassa Road, the No. 1 lane (left lane) will be closed around the clock in both directions, resulting in a reduction to a single lane.
＄ Why do carpool lanes have different markings in different counties? (Orange County Register). Q: Chris Smith of Highland asked why San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties have different lane markings for their carpool lanes. San Bernardino County uses dash lines and Los Angeles County uses solid lines with openings every so often for exiting the freeway or the high-occupancy vehicle, or HOV, lane. “My guess is these are two different Caltrans districts, but shouldn’t all districts have the same lane marking standards in the state?” Smith asked. A: Caltrans is organized into 12 districts around the state. District 8 covers San Bernardino and Riverside counties and District 7 covers Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Monica Ruvalcaba, a spokesperson for Caltrans District 7, explained the variations of carpool lane striping. “HOV lanes use either solid or dashed buffer striping to provide different levels of access. Solid striping limits where drivers can enter and exit, allowing access only at designated locations. Dashed striping allows more continuous entry and exit along the corridor. While there are statewide standards, the type of striping used can vary based on traffic conditions, safety considerations, and how the lane is intended to operate,” she said.
The race to reinvent State Route 37: Marsh revival buys time for future causeway (Local News Matters). MANY, MANY YEARS and billions of dollars in the future, a 21-mile, four-lane causeway will skim above hundreds of acres of restored wetlands at the Bay’s northern edge, replacing traffic-clogged, often water-logged, State Route 37. This spring, despite last minute funding challenges that threatened to derail a key component, the first glimpses of that vision began coming into focus. In April, Caltrans was scheduled to complete the first construction project related to the ultimate alignment of the new SR 37, a diverging diamond interchange at the eastern end of the highway in Vallejo.
Glendale-Hyperion Bridge Renovation Begins After Long Delays (The Eastsider). After nearly 20 years of planning, meetings, revisions, delays, and a pandemic, the overhaul of the Glendale-Hyperion Bridge took another step forward, albeit a ceremonial one, as a ribbon-cutting was held this morning to celebrate the start of construction on the nearly century-old span. Preliminary work on the $229 million project actually began in February, with construction expected to be finished by 2031, according to officials. “I can’t tell you how many times this [bridge project] has come up in neighborhood councils, improvement associations, public comment,” said Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez, whose district includes Atwater Village and part of Silver Lake, at the ceremony. “It always felt like it just simply was not going to happen.”

Gribblenation Blog (Tom Fearer)

The roads of Avalon, California. The city of Avalon is located on Santa Catalina Island in Los Angeles County. Much of the city street grid network was laid out from 1887 through 1929 as the community developed. Modern Avalon is substantially different than mainland California cities given the street network is designed for golf carts and small cars. It isn’t uncommon to see Japanese Kei Car within Avalon and the city allegedly has a twenty year wait list for ownership. This blog explores the most notable roadways in the city of Avalon.
Little Tujunga Canyon Road. Little Tujunga Canyon Road is an approximately 13-mile-long rural highway located in Angeles National Forest in the San Gabriel Mountains of Los Angeles County. As presently configured Little Tujunga Canyon Road begins at Osborne Street near the Los Angeles city limit in Pacoima and terminates at Sand Canyon Road near the city limit of Santa Clarita.
Mount Pinos Highway. Mount Pinos Highway is an approximately 10.2-mile rural corridor located in the Transverse Ranges of Los Padres National Forest. This corridor is named after Mount Pinos which is piece of the Salinian Block located at 8,831 feet above sea level.
Big Tujunga Canyon Road. Big Tujunga Canyon Road is approximately 13-mile-long rural highway located mostly in the San Gabriel Mountains of Los Angeles County. As presently configured Big Tujunga Canyon Road begins at Angeles Forest Highway (County Route N3) and extends west to Oro Vista Avenue in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Sunland.
Mil Potrero Highway (Kern County). Mil Potrero Highway is an approximately 8.2-mile component of Kern County Mountain Road 364 located along the San Andreas Fault Rift Zone in the San Emigdio Mountains. This corridor begins at the junction of Cuddy Valley Road/Mount Pinos Highway and extends westward through the community of Pine Mountain Club to the junction of Cerro Noroeste Road/Hudson Ranch Road at Apache Saddle.
Sand Canyon Road (Los Angeles County). Sand Canyon Road is an approximately six-mile highway mostly located in the city of Santa Clarita. The Sand Canyon Road corridor begins at the terminus of Little Tujunga Canyon which is located in the namesake Sand Canyon. Northbound Sand Canyon Road continues over the Santa Clara River and Antelope Valley Freeway (California State Route 14) to a terminus at Sierra Highway (former US Route 6).
Vasquez Canyon Road (Los Angeles County). Vasquez Canyon Road is a four-mile rural cutoff corridor in Los Angeles County near the city limit of Santa Clarita. This corridor was originally developed as a connection between Sierra Highway (then US Route 6) and Bouquet Canyon Road during the late 1930s. Los Angeles County would modernize, surface and realign the cutoff during the 1970s. Vasquez Canyon Road is named after infamous Gold Rush era bandit Tiburcio Vásquez who was known to have several hideouts in the Santa Clarita area.
Hudson Ranch Road. Hudson Ranch Road is an approximately 21.3-mile rural highway located mostly in the Transverse Ranges of Kern County. This highway begins at Cerro Noroeste Road at Apache Saddle near Pine Mountain Club and extends west to California State Routes 166 and 33 near Soda Lake Road. Despite small portions of Hudson Ranch Road dipping into Ventura County this corridor is fully maintained as Kern County Road 364.
Bouquet Canyon Road (Los Angeles County). Bouquet Canyon Road is an approximately 25-mile-long highway corridor which is located in the city of Santa Clarita and Sierra Pelona Mountains of Los Angeles County. Bouquet Canyon Road begins at Saugus Junction (Magic Mountain Parkway and Railroad Avenue) in Santa Clarita where it serves as a major urban surface highway. Upon departing the city, the corridor of Bouquet Canyon Road ascends into the Sierra Pelona Mountains via the namesake canyon in Angeles National Forest. The mountains part of the highway is known for winding grade through the flood prone canyon floor.
Klipstein Canyon Road (Kern County). Klipstein Canyon Road is an approximately 6.2-mile rural highway located in the San Emigdio Mountains of Kern County. This highway begins at Hudson Ranch Road and travels northward through Cienega Canyon and Devils Gulch to California State Routes 166 and 33 near Maricopa. Klipstein Canyon Road is maintained as Kern County Mountain Road 277.

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