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from the Wir-fahr'n-fahr'n-fahr'n-auf-der-Autobahn dept.
Brought to the floor by Senator John Moorlach of Orange County, SB-319 would direct the state's Department of Transportation to build two unlimited speed lanes on each side of Interstate 5 and State Route 99, the main north-south arteries linking cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Sacramento. The sections of the roadways in question run straight through the supremely flat Central Valley, making for ideal high-speed driving conditions.
Perhaps paradoxically, California's answer to the German autobahn would be paid for by the state's Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. The text of SB-319 points out that the recent collapse of California's ambitious plan for a bullet train between Los Angeles and San Francisco, which was originally intended to trace the same route as the proposed unlimited speed lanes, has left residents without "access to high-speed, unabated transportation across the state."
http://www.thedrive.com/news/26554/california-might-add-lanes-with-no-speed-limits-to-major-highways
(Score: 5, Interesting) by Sulla on Wednesday February 20 2019, @12:29AM (3 children)
It's fuckin' awful thats what it is. Recently had to go down to California from up in Oregon while towing a 20ft trailer. Simple task right? Wrong. California is a hellhole.
The plan was to get to Porterville, the question was how. I didn't want to be taking a trailer through any major cities, so we figured it would be a whole lot easier to peel off from i5 as far north as possible and then take 99. My assumption was that both roads would be pretty good because in Oregon i5 and 99 are good, I made an ass of you and me. Endless construction, endless potholes, areas repaired were worse. It was impossible to merge and impossible to pass. California has a speed limit of 55 when towing, regardless of the vehicle or trailer being towed. Washboard roads the entire way from Chico to Porterville.
On the way back we were considering adding another day to our trip and going East as fast as possible to Nevada, but ended up making it straight for i5 and headed north. As soon as we got to the interstate and found federal funding, we encountered a fairly easy and pleasant trip north with the exception of the cities and their lanes so narrow a trailer barely fits. Anyone who thinks the federal government is inept need consider that California makes the federal government look efficient.
Ceterum censeo Sinae esse delendam
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 20 2019, @01:13AM (1 child)
This is because 99 is a state route that runs through towns. It has the classic look of "freeways 1.0" that were built before the Interstates. In congested areas you've got interchanges that were designed so they wouldn't have to condemn too much land inside a city, and of course it's rather old so as you noticed it's got maintenance issues. What it does have going for it is an extra lane so you're a little less likely to get stuck behind rolling road blocks of people who think that the left lane is for cruising side-by-side with vehicles going slightly under the limit. OTOH, it's got a reputation for being dangerous.
(Score: 1) by Sulla on Wednesday February 20 2019, @05:48AM
My concern was not that it would slow down for towns, this is normal to me as i live in Oregon. I was more bothered by how incredibly terrible the road conditions were.
Ceterum censeo Sinae esse delendam
(Score: 5, Interesting) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday February 20 2019, @03:15AM
As a trucker, I could have told you that staying on the interstates would be better in the long run. Put the rig in gear, settle into the seat, and keep an eye all around at all times. Stop for fuel, rinse and repeat. Even US highways often meander through little hick towns, wearing out your calm and patience, not to mention your clutch leg. Worse, those highways that pass through towns often put signs up that trucks are forbidden, and they shunt you onto even more neglected cow trails, with stop lights or stop signs every 1/4 mile. If an interstate highway runs anywhere close to where you want to go, just stay on it.