Category Archives: Caltrans

New Video – Piru Gorge and Pyramid Lake

Former US 99 followed a very scenic path over the mountains north of Los Angeles. Follow the Historic Highway 99 Association of California on a journey through the mountains, down the canyons, and beneath Pyramid Lake. Learn what was there before I-5 and what it took to build both roads.

I-10 Closure Resources

I-10 (Santa Monica Freeway) is closed for an extended period in both directions through Downtown Los Angeles between I-5 and the 110 due to fire damage. To get around, here are some good resources:

Los Angeles Metro – Detours and Transit Options

City of Los Angeles – Emergency Management

Caltrans Quickmap – Real-Time Traffic Updates

Metrolink

10 eastbound at Santa Fe Avenue. Signage here shows both I-5 and I-10 co-signed over the Golden State Freeway.
Oblique aerial view easterly along the mostly-completed I-10 Santa Monica Viaduct. Photo was taken by the Division of Highways on September 16, 1961. Viaduct is still under construction west of Alameda Avenue. Loop ramp visible at center connects eastbound Olympic Blvd to eastbound traffic heading to the East Los Angeles Interchange. Courtesy – Caltrans

Old State 136 near Keeler, CA

Map of Dolomite Loop Road and current State 136. Stars at center mark the former railroad crossing locations. Photos below show the southern crossing.

The Owens Valley in Inyo County, California is home to many fascinating highway relics. One road in particular toward the southern end of the Owens Valley southeast of Lone Pine, State Highway 136, had a very unique and rare feature – old railroad grade crossing markings. Until 1964, it was known as State Highway 190 and was realigned quite a bit between the Owens River and Keeler in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s as travel to Death Valley became more popular. Most of the old alignments are still traversable today, complete with original paving. The longest intact section is known as Dolomite Loop Road and runs between the Owens River bridge to just north of Swansea.

Former SPRR (Carson and Colorado Railway) grade crossing near Dolomite mine. Remains of rails and ties can be seen here at the darker asphalt patch.

These crossings were still in use until the whole line was abandoned in April 1960. The markings themselves likely date to the 1940’s. They are made of a large X and an arrow pointing to the crossing itself.

Looking southerly toward the northern Dolomite mine grade crossing.
Northerly view at the Dolomite mine crossing. The former railroad grade can be seen low berm to the left of the roadway.

Historic Sign Revealed in Los Angeles

Either through heavy wind, corrosion, or a combination of the two, a section of “greenout” fell off a sign on the eastbound Ventura Freeway (State 134) recently at Victory Blvd. This sign, approaching the Golden State Freeway (I-5) has been there since 1961 when the freeway opened. In 1961, the Golden State Freeway was still US Highway 99. In 1965, the sign was covered over with an overlay for I-5. In early 2023, that overlay (“greenout”) fell off, revealing a portion of the original signage. The left side of the sign has a State 134 EAST sign as 134 proceeded east toward Pasadena via the Golden State Freeway and Colorado St until 1968.

For more information about US 99:

Enjoy it while it lasts!

Sign bridge on eastbound 134 showing the US 99 sign.
US 99 revealed! A State 134 EAST sign remains covered on the left side of the sign.

I-5 Grapevine / Ridge Route Conditions

Near Cherry Canyon on “The Grapevine”

I-5 between Santa Clarita and the San Joaquin Valley over Tejon Pass is known as “The Grapevine” and formerly known as “The Ridge Route”. It is an important corridor in California and has been so since 1915. Travel over the route can be quite treacherous in winter due to both rain and snow. Mudslides, rockfalls, and ice can all wreak havoc on travel. Collisions can mar traffic for miles. Caltrans, CHP, and the County of Los Angeles work together to ensure safe travel over the route. Sometimes this can result in a full closure of the pass.

To stay up-to-date on current conditions, we recommend the following sites:

Weather Forecasts from the National Weather Service:

Be safe out there and always use caution during winter months when traveling the “Grapevine”.

STATS:

Highest elevation – 4144′ at Tejon Pass

Normal Closure Points:

  • SOUTHBOUND at Grapevine (Exit 215)
  • NORTHBOUND at Castaic – Lake Hughes Road (Exit 176B)

ALTERNATE ROUTES:

If the 5 is closed, alternate adjacent routes such as Lake Hughes Road are not advisable as they may be in worse condition or be heavily congested. Depending on closures, the best alternative to I-5 is via State 14 (Antelope Valley Freeway) and State 58 over Tehachapi Pass. In times of heavy snow, your only option may well be US 101 to State 46 in Paso Robles. Check with Caltrans and CHP prior to travel to make sure these roads are open. DO NOT ALWAYS TRUST GOOGLE. It can lead you down bad or otherwise unsuitable roadways. In January 2021, multiple people including three big rigs were trapped on the Old Ridge Route during a snowstorm when they attempted to bypass a closed I-5. We don’t want you to end up on the news. Always be safe and always use caution on unfamiliar roads.

SPECIAL NOTE:

The Old Ridge Route (Ridge Route Road / 8N04) is NEVER an alternate to I-5 under any conditions and is not suitable for heavy traffic nor is it open to through traffic. It is closed to through travel from Castaic to Gorman (State 138).