Musings of Fellow Travellers

Posted by cahwyguy

https://cahighways.org/wordpress/?p=17754

And with the flipping of the page, the Lusty Month of May is over. What lusty thing did you do in May? Me, I went to St. Louis. But more on that later. We’re also near the end of the primary political season here in California. If you want to see my deep-dive ballot analysis and recommendations, you can find the posts here. Feel free to disagree with me and to comment on the posts, but note I’ve already cast my ballot. You might convince someone else, tho…

Going back to St. Louis. During the election season, I’ve seen loads of folks (especially on Nextdoor) complaining about the conditions of our city streets here in Los Angeles. Having driven in St. Louis for a week, we have it great in Los Angeles. Trotting down Gravois or Market or Grand or other streets within the city, we were rattling so much I thought I would lose a filling. No city is perfect, but LA streets are great compared to places that have freeze cycles.

Turning to the California Highways: Route by Route podcast: Tom and I are finishing up recording Season 4 (we have 2 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’m continuing the research for Season 5, which in may has meant looking into US 91, US 95, Sign Route 195, and some digressions into US 399 and US 466. Zencaster is working well for recording the podcast, although Tom had some microphone trouble in the last episode. As a reminder: 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:

• May | CA RxR 4.11: Route 13: Oakland and Berkeley. With Episode 4.11, our attention turns to Route 13. In this episode, we look at LRN 13, Sign Route 13, and Route 13. LRN 13 was the Sonora and Mono Wagon Road, which became today’s Route 219 and Route 108. Sign Route 13 was short-lived, quickly being renumbered as Sign Route 17 and Route 17, and is today’s Route 17, I-880, and I-580 N of the Bay Bridge. The post-1964 Route 13 of today runs from Route 61 to Route 61 through Oakland and Berkeley, and is best known as the Warren Freeway and Ashby Blvd. As for Route 61, you’ll just have to listen to the episode. Next time: In Ep 4.12, we’ll look at Route 14 and the unbuilt freeways of the San Fernando Valley. Lastly, note that in this episode Tom was having microphone trouble, so his sound is a bit off (and I don’t know Audacity well enough to fix it). (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 May 2026, which was a pretty light much for highway headlines of interest.

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

• State Route 41 Expressway Project (FB/Caltrans District 6). Caltrans was honored to be part of Madera County’s official groundbreaking ceremony today on their new State Route 41 Expressway Project! The project will widen State Route 41, in both directions, from a two-lane highway to a four-lane expressway. The project is scheduled to be completed in May of 2028
• ＄ Highway 101 offramp closure planned in San Rafael (Marin I-J). The northbound Highway 101 offramp onto Manuel T. Freitas Parkway in San Rafael will be closed from 11 p.m. Monday through 5 a.m. Friday. The closure will allow Caltrans to perform drainage improvements related to the construction of an $11.5 million traffic roundabout at the intersection of Freitas Parkway at Civic Center Drive and Redwood Highway on the east side of the highway. The intersection, which closed in February, will remain closed through June for construction. The project is expected to be completed this fall.
• Embarcadero road improvements in Palo Alto scheduled for summer (San José Spotlight). Amid concerns about traffic congestion and emergency response times, one glaring issue that could arise if Palo Alto leaders decide to close the Churchill Avenue train crossing is the lack of an adequate detour for cyclists and pedestrians. For Palo Alto High School students trying to get to class, their most likely route would follow Embarcadero Road to get on the other side of the Caltrain tracks. But as students and residents have testified, walking or biking along the street feels dangerous due to the lack of pedestrian infrastructure and the speed of passing vehicles. Some residents have suggested that closing Churchill in an attempt to prevent youth suicides could have the unintended effect of causing injury or death to rerouted high schoolers attempting to traverse Embarcadero on the way to school.
• Half Moon Bay to host workshops on Highway 1 traffic, safety (Local News Matters). Half Moon Bay city officials are inviting residents to share feedback on traffic and safety concerns along Highway 1 during a series of community workshops this week.  The city will host a public “Discovery Workshop” and multiple open studio sessions to gather input on daily travel experiences and potential improvements to the highway corridor, according to city officials.  An in-person workshop is scheduled for May 6 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Half Moon Bay Library, along with a drop-in session earlier that day from 3 to 7 p.m. at the same location. Additional open studio sessions will be held May 7 and May 8 at the city’s Emergency Operations Center.
• $3M secured for ‘deck park’ over Interstate 5 in downtown Sacramento. How much more is needed? (Fox 40 Sacramento). More than $3 million in federal funding has been secured to help kickstart a long-discussed project aimed at reconnecting downtown Sacramento with the riverfront. But is it enough? The $3.15 million in funding would support planning for a proposed “deck park” over Interstate 5 between Capitol Mall and O Street, near the Crocker Art Museum. City leaders said the project would help address the divide created when Interstate 5 was built through Sacramento, separating downtown from the riverfront and displacing what was once part of the city’s Japantown.
• How this new ‘crisscross’ interchange will improve Vallejo traffic (KTVU FOX 2). More than $3 million in federal funding has been secured to help kickstart a long-discussed project aimed at reconnecting downtown Sacramento with the riverfront. But is it  enough? The $3.15 million in funding would support planning for a proposed “deck park” over Interstate 5 between Capitol Mall and O Street, near the Crocker Art Museum. City leaders said the project would help address the divide created when Interstate 5 was built through Sacramento, separating downtown from the riverfront and displacing what was once part of the city’s Japantown.

• Indianola Interchange Open by May 29 (FB/Caltrans District 1). NEW U.S. 101 INTERCHANGE AT INDIANOLA EXPECTED TO FULLY OPEN BY MAY 29: A major safety upgrade along Humboldt County’s most traveled stretch of roadway between Eureka and Arcata is expected to fully open by May 29. U.S. 101 traffic is already using the new elevated alignment at Indianola, with northbound access available. But by May 29, the full interchange is expected to open, including southbound access beneath the highway.
• Crossover In Effect Along Westbound Interstate 80 Near Yuba Gap (Caltrans). Caltrans is reminding motorists the traffic shift along westbound Interstate 80 (I-80) near the junction with State Route 20 (SR 20) is now in effect, as part of the $112 million Yuba Pass Separation Overhead Bridge Project. About 2 miles west of Eagle Lakes Road, motorists will use the two left lanes and veer left to utilize the crossover and remain on westbound I-80. Motorists will cross back over to the westbound side of the highway just past the exit to Yuba Gap. Motorists exiting westbound I-80 to State Route 20 will use the far-right lane and veer to the right to access the off-ramp.
• SR-20 closure underway this week at I-80 junction, more May shutdowns ahead (ABC 10 Sacramento). Drivers in the Sierra are already seeing impacts this week as Caltrans begins a series of State Route 20 closures tied to a major bridge project at Interstate 80. Eastbound SR-20 at the I-80 junction is closing in phases throughout May while crews demolish part of an overcrossing as part of the $112 million Yuba Pass Separation Overhead Bridge Project. The first closure began Sunday night and continues this week, with two additional closures scheduled.
• California is painting highway stripes orange and white in construction zones, and the strange color change is already making drivers slow down almost without realizing it (Econews). Have you seen the orange stripes on the freeway yet? If you drive on Interstate 5 in northern San Diego County, you may have spotted lane lines that look like they were traced with an orange highlighter. Caltrans and SANDAG are piloting temporary orange contrast striping so drivers instantly register that a construction zone has different rules. The stakes are not abstract. In 2023, work-zone crashes killed 899 people in the United States, including 40 pedestrians listed as “at work,” and that toll has stayed high for years. A few inches of bright color will not fix everything, but it can still save lives.
• Drivers react as Caltrans rolls out AI-controlled traffic lights along Highway 68 corridor (KSBW 8). Caltrans has implemented adaptive artificial intelligence technology to control traffic lights at nine intersections along Highway 68, aiming to reduce congestion and improve travel times. The installation, which began wrapping up in January, spans from Josselyn Canyon Road to San Benancio Road and is part of a five-year, $500,000 pilot project. “This is actually the first full corridor utilizing AI adaptive traffic signal control on any state highway system in California,” said Kevin Drabinski, Public Information Officer for Caltrans District 5.
• The heavily congested Calif. highway now controlled by AI (MSN/SFGate). Visitors to the Monterey Peninsula this summer may be unwittingly participating in an AI experiment to determine how fast or slow they arrive at their destination. It is a big bet that county transportation officials, in conjunction with Caltrans, are making: an AI signal system pilot program that could eliminate the need for roundabouts along the same corridor. This week, Caltrans launched the AI signal program along the storied Highway 68 corridor, which connects the farmlands of Salinas to the ocean shores of Monterey and acts as the main feeder into the area from Highway 101. Adaptive traffic signals are now live between the heavily trafficked 9-mile stretch from San Benancio Road to Josselyn Canyon Road.
• Flatiron Said Disputed Concrete Mix Cost Millions on Large Caltrans Project (Engineering News-Record). For awhile in 2023, part of the California Dept. of Transportation’s (Caltrans) Fix 50 HOV lane and resurfacing project in Sacramento itself needed to be fixed. Flatiron Dragados West, the design-build contractor for the $511-million project, which broke ground in 2021 along U.S. Highway 50 in the state capitol, had to demolish and rebuild parts of a concrete viaduct along the route after learning that the concrete failed to meet its design strength.
• Stretch of I-80 in San Francisco named in honor of Willie Mays (NBC Bay Area). In celebration of what would have been Willie Mays’ 95th birthday, Caltrans has named a stretch of Interstate 80 in San Francisco in honor of the baseball legend. The portion of I-80 near Oracle Park now features the name Willie Mays Highway. “Willie’s talent, joy, and connection to the San Francisco Giants shaped a baseball culture that still defines the Bay Area,” Caltrans said in a statement. “Caltrans is honored to highlight his story on our highways and recognize a legend who has meant so much to generations of Bay Area fans.”
• ‘Willie Mays Highway’ officially designated along I-80 in SF to honor Giants legend (Local News Matters). A portion of Interstate Highway 80 in San Francisco has officially been renamed to honor the legacy of baseball legend Willie Mays, the San Francisco Giants announced Wednesday. State Sens. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, and Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, introduced Senate Concurrent Resolution 169, designating a stretch of I-80 extending from the Bay Bridge near Treasure Island to the Giants’ ballpark Oracle Park as the Willie Mays Highway.
• ＄ San Mateo weighs in on 101/92 connector project: Controversial project won’t take homes but concerns remain over congestion claims (SM Daily Journal). Transit officials are soliciting feedback from San Mateo over a once-controversial 101/92 interchange project, which alleviated some concerns after confirming it would not involve acquiring private property. The project, which would add a connecting lane between State Route 92 and Highway 101, has been a discussion topic for years, with transit agencies such as the San Mateo County Transportation Authority stating it could reduce congestion and improve safety by using a new ramp connector to get from one freeway to another. The lane would be similar to the current Highway 101 express lanes, which employ a demand pricing model, however, high-occupancy vehicles would be exempt or receive a discount.
• Two Sierra Passes Are Now Open Before Memorial Day for the First Time in Years (Active NorCal). Ebbetts Pass opened for the season on Wednesday, making it the second major Sierra Nevada pass to reopen ahead of the typical Memorial Day target this spring. Caltrans announced that State Route 4 over Ebbetts Pass will formally reopen at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, May 6. Maintenance crews from the Woodfords and Camp Connell stations completed snow removal operations ahead of schedule despite dealing with downed trees, debris and significant snowpack along some of the route’s narrow one-lane corridors. The pass was closed for the winter in late December, with gates remaining at Lake Alpine and Raymond Meadows for most of the season. Ebbetts Pass sits at 8,730 feet and connects the Central Valley to the Eastern Sierra through Alpine County, offering access to popular destinations like Lake Alpine, Mosquito Lake and the Pacific Crest Trail.
• Caltrans just debuted the state’s first-ever AI-controlled highway system — it covers 9-miles of one of California’s most congested roads (Secret Los Angeles). Artificial intelligence has rapidly carved out a central role in everyday life, from workplaces and the entertainment industry to science and even interpersonal relationships. Now, the technology is entering largely uncharted territory in California. Caltrans has just implemented the state’s first-ever AI-controlled highway system on one of its most congested roadways. According to the agency’s recent announcement, nine traffic signals along Highway 68, across the 9-mile stretch between San Benancio Road and Josselyn Canyon Road, will now operate under Adaptive Traffic Signal Control (ATSC), an AI-powered technology designed to adjust traffic flow in real time.
• Tioga Pass Reopens (FB/Mono County Economic Development). Tioga Pass reopens Friday, May 15 at 8:00 AM! Great news for Mono County and the Eastern Sierra: all three major passes are expected to be open for Memorial Day weekend (Tioga, Sonora, and Monitor).  Local businesses: now’s the time to update your hours, post on social media, and help spread the word!
• San Francisco to see overnight closures of U.S. 101; Vallejo interchange to open May 16 (Local News Matters). Caltrans will begin overnight lane closures next week on U.S. Highway 101 in San Francisco as crews continue rehabilitation work, transportation officials said. From next Tuesday through May 15, crews will remove sections of the Highway 101 median barrier between Bacon and Cesar Chavez streets during overnight work scheduled from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., Caltrans said in a statement. The far-left lanes in both northbound and southbound directions of Highway 101 will be closed during the operation, which requires cutting and replacing existing concrete barriers.
• ＄ Highway 37 project wins permit from regional agency (Marin I-J). A multimillion-dollar project to reduce gridlock and protect against flooding on Highway 37 between Marin and Solano counties has secured a key approval after more than 10 years of regional planning. The San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission voted unanimously to authorize a permit for the first leg of a three-phase construction project on a 10-mile segment of the highway from Sears Point to Mare Island. The project, which also is intended to fortify a portion of the San Pablo Baylands, is an interim solution while planners work toward what they call the “ultimate project” to raise the entire 21-mile corridor. The undertaking is years away and expected to cost billions of dollars.
• 5 more wildlife crossings planned across Southern California (KTLA 5 Los Angeles). In the foothills northwest of Los Angeles, work is nearing completion on what will soon be the world’s largest wildlife crossing, a $114 million project to restore biodiversity in the region, particularly among the threatened mountain lion population. Roughly 150 miles to the east, in the Mojave Desert near Joshua Tree National Park, planning is underway for not just one but two similar, though smaller, crossings. And north of that, state transportation officials have proposed three more structures spanning Interstate 15. What’s becoming clear is that conservationists and policy leaders are aligning around a proven strategy that protects animals and drivers alike, while addressing the damage a century of expanding highway travel has inflicted on native wildlife.
• ＄ How damaged is Angeles Crest Highway? I hiked it to find out (Los Angeles Times). I stood last week in the middle of a highway, marveling as construction workers used large excavators to repair the collapsed roadway. I was walking a segment of Angeles Crest Highway that closed about five months ago when winter storms pummeled the roadway, ripping off hunks of pavement and collapsing large sections of the road. I wanted to survey the damage and also enjoy a car-free highway in the beautiful backcountry.
• Route 199/197 Improvements (FB/Caltrans District 1). (REMINDER) DEL NORTE 199/197 SHORTER DELAYS HAVE BEGUN, FULL CLOSURES LATER THIS SUMMER: Travelers on U.S. 199 and Route 197 northeast of Crescent City should plan for shorter traffic delays now that work began earlier this month. Expect 10-minute delays at work locations, which will be listed in the weekly Road Information Bulletin at tinyurl.com/d1roads, typically refreshed Thursday afternoons.
• The Loneliest Road in America might not be so lonely (Deseret News). The asphalt stretches in a straight line for so long that the road seems to melt into the Nevada horizon, sun-bleached boulders and gnarled sagebrush blurring by at more than 70 mph. A road sign warns that the next gas station is 167 miles away. Another sign soon explains why that is. This is U.S. Highway 50, “The Loneliest Road in America.” You can drive for hours on this blacktop connecting Nevada to California and Utah on either side and never see another car. But it was a 1986 Life magazine article that gave this arid stretch its superlative name. In it, a AAA spokesperson describes the road as something akin to a wasteland. “There are no points of interest,” the spokesperson said. “We don’t recommend it. … We warn all motorists not to drive there unless they’re confident of their survival skills.” The piece featured a long shot of the highway. Its caption, the same five words that eventually made their way onto that sign.
• ＄ Officials plan parking restrictions around Big Sur’s Bixby Bridge (Los Angeles Times). Parking at one of California’s most iconic stops on Highway 1 could be closed after a vote by the Board of Supervisors in Monterey County. The board this week voted to move forward with a plan to restrict parking around Bixby Bridge in Big Sur, which has seen an uptick in traffic after the long-awaited reopening of an uninterrupted drive along California’s coast. The parking moratorium is not yet in effect — and still needs to go through several more reviews — but officials hope it will eventually help ease congestion and safety concerns in the area. Bixby Bridge has long been a well-known tourist destination, but it often experiences surges in popularity, including in 2019 from the show “Big Little Lies.”
• I-105 ExpressLanes Update: Central to Studebaker Rd (LA Metro). As part of the I-105 improvements, work crews anticipate performing minor preconstruction activities for preparation purposes in advance of major construction for the Segments 2 and 3 areas beginning in late April through summer 2026. Construction for Segment 2, between Central Av and I-710, is anticipated to start in fall 2026, while Segment 3, between I-710 and Studebaker Rd, is expected to begin construction in mid-2026. Both Segments 2 and 3 are anticipated to be completed in 2029.
• California’s first rest stop sits abandoned between LA and Las Vegas (SF Gate). Almost everyone who exits Interstate 15 onto Wagon Train Road is heading for the same destination: McDonald’s. The golden arches serve as one of the only respite options in the area for thousands of daily travelers moving between Los Angeles or the Inland Empire up to the high desert and Las Vegas. But just over a quarter mile down the road, where Wagon Train Road dead-ends into the Pacific Crest Trail, sits a mostly forgotten landmark: the rest stop that essentially invented the idea of rest stops.
• ＄Ħ MAP 80,000 MILES OF NATIONAL HIGHWAYS; Federal and State Officials Approve the Final Location of Unified Routes (The New York Times). Approval of the final location of the United States system of highways by the Federal Government and by all of the States was announced today by the Bureau of Public Roads. It consists of about 80,000 miles of the most important roads and embraces ten transcontinental routes east and west and as many through routes north and south. The work has been under way for a year. The purpose of designating the final location was to establish a main system of highways for the nation, the unimproved sections of which would be given priority in improvement, and to eliminate confusion as to route designation, marking and safety signs.
• High Desert Corridor (FB/Supervisor Paul Cook). The High Desert Corridor Joint Powers Agency is inviting the community to attend upcoming meetings to learn more about the High Desert Corridor project. An in-person meeting will take place from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, June 3 at Victorville City Hall, located at 14343 Civic Drive, followed by a virtual meeting from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, June 10.
• ＄ San Rafael approves $1.8M for Canal bridge design, study (Marin I-J). San Rafael officials have taken another step to advance a long-planned bridge linking the Canal neighborhood to transit and destinations to the north. The City Council has authorized a $1.8 million contract with Mark Thomas and Co. Inc. for a preliminary design, a feasibility study and environmental analysis. The agreement includes a $181,500 contingency for unexpected costs. A grant will cover about $1.57 million of the cost, and gas tax revenue the rest. “This feasibility and environmental phase is an important next step in determining what it would take to make the Canal crossing project reality,” Mayor Kate Colin said. “The vision of a more connected community has been part of our planning efforts for years and this work will help us better understand the opportunities, challenges and long-term path forward.”
• San Bernardino County fire chief calls for I-15 upgrades near Nevada state line (Fox 5 Las Vegas). The head of San Bernardino County Fire is calling for infrastructure upgrades and more first responders on a stretch of Interstate 15 beyond the Nevada state line. Traffic cameras in Primm showed traffic crawling along around noon Monday as the Memorial Day holiday came to an end. Three lanes from Nevada bottlenecking into two in California. Two years ago, driving on the shoulder became legal at peak times to alleviate bumper-to-bumper traffic that backs up for miles at the end of holiday weekends, as Californians head home, or anytime there is a major traffic incident. Dan Munsey, fire chief for San Bernardino County Fire, said there needs to be a more permanent solution.
• Indianola Undercrossing (FB/Caltrans District 1). Thursday we celebrated a major safety milestone on U.S. 101 between Eureka and Arcata with a ribbon cutting for the new Indianola Undercrossing and the dedication of the Brad Mettam Memorial Interchange. This project has been decades in the making, and the need was clear. The old Indianola intersection historically had collision rates well above the state average for similar facilities. On Humboldt County’s most traveled stretch of roadway between its two most populated cities, this new undercrossing separates Indianola Cutoff traffic from U.S. 101 traffic, reduces crossing movements, improves access to the Humboldt Bay Trail, and helps create a safer corridor for drivers, bicyclists, pedestrians, freight, emergency responders and local communities.
• Temecula Smart Freeway (FB/SanDiegoHumor). California has launched its first ‘smart freeway’ on I-15 in Temecula, aiming to reduce traffic congestion leading to Murrieta. This $33 million pilot project will use ramp meters and digital messages to improve traffic flow over the next two years. Officials hope the project will enhance safety and travel times, potentially expanding to other areas if successful.

Gribblenation Blog (Tom Fearer)

• Madera County Roda 820 and Oak Grove Road. The combined ten-mile corridor of Madera County Road 820 and Oak Grove Road is located in the Sierra Nevada foothills north of the community of Raymond. Madera County Road 820 begins northbound at Road 800 and becomes Oak Grove Road at the Mariposa County line. The mostly dirt surfaced Oak Grove Road continues to a terminus at Indian Peak Road.
• Petroleum Club Road (former California State Route 33 and US Route 399 past the Lakeview Gusher). Petroleum Club Road is an approximately 5.3-mile rural highway located in the Sunset Oil Field of western Kern County. This corridor was constructed as a frontage road of the Sunset Railroad and would be the site of the Lakeview Gusher in 1910. Petroleum Club Road was the original alignment of California State Route 33 and US Route 399 between 1934-1938. In 1938 the West Side Highway was constructed west of Lakeview Gusher and still serves as the current alignment of California State Route 33.
• Midoil Road (Kern County). Midoil Road is an approximately 5-mile rural highway which traverses the oilfields of western Kern County. This highway begins at A Street in Taft and extends northwest to Midway Road in Fellows.
• Jerseydale Road (Mariposa County). Jerseydale Road is an approximately six-mile-long rural highway in Mariposa County. As presently configured Jerseydale Road begins at the intersection of Darrah Road/Triangle Road and terminates at the site of the Sweetwater Mine in Sierra National Forest.
• Darrah Road (Mariposa County). Darrah Road is an approximately five-mile rural highway corridor located in the Sierra Nevada foothills of Mariposa County. As presently configured Darrah Road begins at the terminus of Jerseydale Road and extends south to California State Route 49 at the community of Bootjack.
• Silver Bar Road (Mariposa County). Silver Bar Road is seven-mile loop of Ben Hur Road in the Sierra Nevada foothills southern Mariposa County. This mostly dirt surface rural corridor is named after the Silver Bar Mine which once located in the vicinity of Lookout Mountain. John Hite was known to have petitioned the Mariposa County Board of Supervisors to construct a roadway local silver mines in 1885 but was met with rejection. Nonetheless modern Silver Bar Road appears on maps shortly after Hite’s petition.
• Devils Den Road (Kings County). Devils Den Road is an approximately 6.2-mile dirt highway corridor which exists in the Kettleman Hills of rural Kings County. The Devils Den Road corridor begins as a continuation of Barker Road at the Kern County/Kings County line and extends northeast to 25th Avenue via Avenal Gap.
• Hites Cove Road and the Hites Cove ghost town site. Hites Cove Road is an approximately seven-mile rural highway corridor located in the Sierra Nevada range of Mariposa County. As presently configured Hites Cove Road begins as a paved roadway at Double Eagle Road in the neighborhood of Mariposa Pines. Hites Cove Road north of Mariposa Pines becomes Sierra National Forest Road 03S002 for approximately two miles and Off Highway Vehicle trail 19E200 for another four miles to the town site of Hites Cove.
• Cuddy Valley Road. Cuddy Valley Road is an approximately 5.1-mile-long rural highway located in the Transverse Ranges of Kern County. This corridor begins at the junction of Frazier Mountain Park Road and Lockwood Valley Road in the small community of Lake of the Woods. Cuddy Valley Road passes through the namesake Cuddy Valley where it has a western terminus at the junction of Mount Pinos Highway and Mil Potrero Highway. Cuddy Valley Road is presently maintained as Kern County Mountain Road 364. Cuddy Valley Road essentially is a modernization of El Camino Viejo which had been in common use as early as 1780.
• Elkhorn Road (Monterey County). Elkhorn Road is an eight-mile rural highway fronting Elkhorn Slough in Monterey County. This highway was developed during the early 1870s as a frontage Southern Pacific Railroad when the line was extended south of Pajaro to Salinas. The Elkhorn Road corridor would act as the primary highway between Pajaro and Castroville until a bridge over Elkhorn Slough replaced the Moss Landing ferry in 1884.
• Santa Fe Grade Road (Fresno County). Santa Fe Grade Road near Firebaugh in Fresno County is an approximately 0.3-mile rural roadway built on a repurposed railroad grade. Santa Fe Grade Road begins at Shaw Avenue and continues northwest as a public highway to the end of the asphalt. The grade was constructed by the San Francisco & San Joaquin Railroad during the 1880s but was found to be consistently flood prone. The grade was later sold to the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad in 1898 which later abandoned it to Fresno County.
• Former US Route 91 and US Route 466 in Baker. Baker is a former siding of the Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad located in the Mojave Desert of northern San Bernardino County, California. Former US Route 91 and US Route 466 originally were aligned through the community of Baker via Baker Boulevard. Following the construction of Interstate 15 the terminus of US Route 91 and US Route 466 were shifted around Baker for several years. This blog examines the history of US Route 91 and US Route 466 within the community Baker.
• The Vague Original Southern Terminus of US Route 91 in the Californian Mojave Desert. From a modern standpoint, the routing of Interstate 15 between Barstow to the Nevada state line is very clear. Historically regarding US Route 91 this wasn’t the case as the hostile and barren parts of the Mojave Desert in San Bernardino County had few good roadways.
• Buckeye Road (Mariposa County). Buckeye Road is an approximately three-mile rural highway corridor located in the Sierra Nevada foothills of Mariposa County. Buckeye Road begins at Ben Hur Road and extends west to the intersection of Old Highway/Yaqui Gulch Road near the ghost town of Bridgeport.

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