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.
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.
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).
1953 aerial view of the Camino Del Rio (later US 80) / US 395 interchange, looking south. Courtesy – Caltrans
San Diego’s Mission Valley has changed quite a bit over the last century. It has gone from farms to condos. Dairys to grocery stores. Dirt roads to major freeways. In 1947, the first iteration of the current State 163 / I-8 interchange was completed as shown here. Left on and offramps were the order of the day. Challenge Dairy’s San Diego headquarters can be seen in the upper left corner of the interchange. Additional changes to the junction took place in 1959, 1978, and 1991. All of these bridges have been replaced but their legacy remains today with the outer ramps on either side of the 8.
Shown here, I-805 (upper) crosses the 52 freeway (lower) at San Clemente Canyon. Built in 1972, it formed the eastern terminus of the 52 for many years. In 1987, was extended to Convoy St. I-805 also follows the former boundary between the San Diego Mission Lands (east) and San Diego Pueblo Lands (west). This becomes quite evident in the North Park area where Boundary Street runs quite close to the freeway.
If you missed my presentation on September 13 on the history of the Ridge Route Alternate, you can see it on YouTube on the Historic Highway 99 Association of California’s channel. Come take a look!
