San Diego has a somewhat unique distinction compared to other California cities. You cannot travel north from San Diego, by freeway, without going underneath an arch bridge. I-5 has one at Gilman Dr, I-805 at Eastgate Mall. I-15 has the one pictured near Pala with West Lilac Road crossing over. Now I-8 needs one, somewhere to make it complete.
From the Archives –
This map of the Lake Elsinore area comes to us from San Diego County dating from November 1883. At the time, Elsinore was a part of San Diego County. In 1893, this area became a part of Riverside County.
This photo shows the I-10 / I-215 interchange in San Bernardino, California as it existed in 1958. At the time, those numbers didn’t quite exist. Back then, this was the junction of US 70, US 91, US 99, US 395, and State 18. The view is looking south along what is now I-215 with the Santa Ana River bridges in the foreground. The bridge to the left was US 99 until the 1930’s. The two bridges to the right are still around, though widened.
Today’s featured image is a video. This was taken just a few days ago on the Old Ridge Route near Swede’s Cut. A rockfall in January 2021 has partially blocked the roadway with more material coming down in the near future. The rock, located in the Ridge Route member of the Ridge Basin Group, isn’t all that stable. Landslides still plague I-5 despite more modern construction methods.
For additional information check out the
Ridge Route Preservation Organization
Five miles east of Santa Margarita, State 58 crosses the Salinas River. Until 1996, the highway crossed via this 1914 Parker truss span. From 1934 to 1964, the bridge was crossed by State 178, which became State 58 in 1964. The approach to the old bridge included two sharp curves at either end, which the new concrete bridge (49-0237) and alignment eliminated. Today, it is closed to motor vehicle traffic and marked as a Historic Bridge. The new bridge is to the north of this at SLO-58-R4.8.