Construction, or replacement, of bridges during WWII was not without its problems. As most materials were set aside for the war effort, highway departments had to get creative. In California, one of the materials chosen was salvaged railroad rails. This style of rail was in use mostly during the mid-late 1940’s. I haven’t seen it used after 1950, at least not yet. Other state highways in San Diego County have similar bridges, such as State 79 near Santa Ysabel. Most have been replaced or upgraded since construction. This bridge, along State 76 near Bonsall, is slated to be removed when the highway is upgraded to expressway standards on a new alignment in the next couple years.
Live Oak Creek Bridge (57-0070) looking west.1948 date stampDetail of the salvaged railroad rail.
The last large Pacific Electric railroad grade separation, located in the El Sereno area of Los Angeles, is scheduled for removal in the near future. Last week, I took the opportunity to take photos of this structure while I still could.
[ready_google_map id=’1′]
Located at the flag on the map.
View from the eastern side. Steps lead to the passenger platform for northbound trains.
The structure is located along the former PE Northern District’s main line. The rail line here had four tracks. Outer tracks for local trains, inner tracks for express trains. Trains passed through here bound for downtown Los Angeles, Pasadena, Monrovia, and Alhambra. It was built in 1936 as an upgrade to alleviate traffic congestion along busy Mission St. Passenger platforms were constructed at both ends of the structure, both of which exist today.
Passenger platform on the northbound side.Former catenary poles and rail used as a light pole and barrier.Deck view showing the twin steel spans.Concrete approaches with a painted clearance sign.1936 bridge plaque. Visible in the top left side of the steel girder.Closeup of the steel spans crossing Mission / Huntington.
After the tracks were removed in the 1960’s, the bridge was rehabilitated for highway use. The fill at both ends was partially removed and the bridge deck was paved. The former catenary poles remain as light posts.
Slowly, the remnants of the Pacific Electric in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area are going away. While it is a loss of history, Los Angeles is working toward a future with more rail lines. It won’t ever be the “PE”, but it will go a long way toward a better future.
Sharrows. I’m sure you’ve seen them. Perhaps you’ve even heard about them. What do they mean? A “sharrow” or Shared Lane Marking is a newer addition to roadway striping. They are designed to be along major bicycle routes where a bicycle lane is impractical. The markings show that motorists should not only expect to see cyclists but they should also be further out in the lane.
Sharrows on Howard Ave near 30th St.
The rules behind these markings are fairly simple. They must be 13′ from the curb and beyond the “door zone”. These sharrows cannot be on roadways with a speed limit greater than 35 mph, though there are some exceptions such as Park Blvd through Balboa Park, which is signed as 40 mph. When a roadway is not marked with sharrows, the rules are still the same. According to the California Vehicle Code (CVC 21202(a)), a cyclist doesn’t always have to ride to the right side of the roadway. The term used is “as far right as practicable”. This means that if roadway conditions warrant, a cyclist may travel away from the right side. When a roadway is marked with sharrows, cyclists should ride with the tires lining up with the arrows.
So, Sharrow or no, a roadway must be shared with cyclists.
Long before the Isabella Reservoir was built in the 1950’s, State Highway 178 passed through the Kern River Valley on an alignment much different than it is today.
With the current drought, Lake Isabella is a puddle of what it used to be…but it’s amazing what the lake has hidden all these years. The lake has not been this low since 1977 and is the second lowest level since the dams were finished in 1953.
In April, I took two trips back to the areas near where the original towns of Isabella and Kernville stood before the lake covered them and their history. Unfortunately during my visit, the actual townsite of Isabella was still under several feet of water but the remains of the trees that use to shade the town are clearly visable sticking out of the lake in several photos.
Map to April 2014 photos
location 1
Location 1
Location 2 – Notice the high water mark
location 3
Location 4 – Kissack Cove
Location 5
Location 6
Location 7 – 1940
Location 7 – 2014
Location 8 – 1940
Location 8 – 2014
Location 8 -2014
A sign of the times…very dry indeed.
Isabella Auxiliary Dam 2014. Eerie to drive at the base of the dam when there should be 50 feet deep water here!
Thanks to Joel Windmiller for his assistance and historical photos of Old Isabella.
On Tuesday, May 13, 2014, I took the opportunity to ride up to Burbank and get some videos of the North Burbank UP with my GoPro camera. Despite the extreme heat, I managed to at least get some good video. These videos show the North Burbank Underpass and ancillary structures from all directions. They were taken to show what they were like before the closure and removal.
Northbound along San Fernando Blvd
Southbound along San Fernando Blvd
Southbound from San Fernando Blvd to Victory Place (Future San Fernando Blvd)
Northbound Victory Place to San Fernando Blvd
Southbound from I-5 at Buena Vista St to San Fernando Blvd
