Image of the Week – 12/27/2016
Category Archives: Road Signs
Traffic Services Requests – City of San Diego
The City of San Diego has a fairly easy, although somewhat troublesome to find, webpage that allows citizens to make requests for traffic control devices and more. If you’re looking to get a STOP sign installed, red zone added or removed, or most any change to a roadway (not maintenance related), I recommend sending the City a message via their site. The City does take these requests seriously and will investigate them. If, after their survey, the change is indeed warranted, they may make it happen. Keep in mind that these changes will not happen overnight. Some of my requests took months from start to finish. Just by using that page, I’ve had two stop sign requests and trail crossing signs approved. Anyone can make a positive change to their neighborhood. I’m not special, I just made the requests when I felt those changes would help others and improve safety.
US 99 in Indio, CA
Old US 99 still has some gems remaining in the Coachella Valley. On of these is a set of railroad overpasses dating from 1936 and 1956 (56-09R/L). These structures may be replaced in the near future, so I took the opportunity to take some photos of them before they are gone. Each structure is different in type of construction as well as design. The 1936 structure retains its solid concrete railing, something somewhat unique for the period. Most bridges of that era had a more open and arched railing. This bridge has a very much “Art Deco” styling which still looks quite nice today. The bridge carried all US 99 traffic until 1956, when US 99 was upgraded to an expressway through this area. At that time, a second bridge for southbound/eastbound traffic was built. The 1956 span, a steel girder structure, is longer than the 1936 span. This may be due to plans, at that time, to eventually replace the 1936 bridge with a newer and longer span. While these plans may have been initially thwarted by the construction of I-10 on a new alignment east of here, the bridges days are indeed numbered with the reconstruction of the Jefferson St interchange and eventual realignment of roadways in this area.
These bridges are located on Indio Blvd just east of the Jefferson St interchange on I-10 in Indio, CA. Enjoy them while they last.
Image of the Week – 9/20/15
Image of the Week – 3/9/15
March 12, 2015 will mark the 87th anniversary of the collapse of the St Francis Dam in San Francisquito Canyon, Los Angeles County, California. The collapse occurred just before midnight on March 12, 1928. It is still California’s second largest disaster in terms of lives lost. Approximately 500 people died in the ensuing flood which flowed to the ocean near Oxnard, CA along the Santa Clara River Valley. Only the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire exceeds the number.