Other States’ Mile Markers Are Halted at the Border

Dear Street Smart:

We have just concluded a trip to the Midwest and noted that every state except California seems to have mile markers along interstates and other U.S. highways. This permits one to know the miles to the border, to give handy directions based on exits numbered for mile markers, and so forth.

Why does California not provide this service? It would appear to be a normal condition for all U.S. highways--does this state have an exemption?

John R. M. Wilson, Costa Mesa

Well, no one’s ever accused California of being conformist. When it comes to mile markers, California is different because it was first.

When the federal government began building interstate highways throughout the nation in the late 1950s, it specified that mile zero on those highways would begin at their southernmost or westernmost points within a particular state, according to Tom Jasen, a public affairs officer with the Federal Highway Administration.

Some states put up signs to mark the miles, and some also adopted a suggestion to number freeway exits, with exit numbers increasing from the south or the west, Jasen said.

But California, already possessing a well-developed road system when the interstates were being built, chose not to adopt the new mileage system, according to Jim Drago, chief spokesman for the state Department of Transportation.

In fact, the state does have mile markers, or “post miles,” as they are called. They are those little white reflectorized signs that you’ll see along state and federal highways. The signs carry a county abbreviation and what probably seem to be some cryptic numbers.

The numbers are the mileage from the southernmost or westernmost point within a particular county, Drago said. For example, when you cross the Orange County border when driving up the Santa Ana Freeway, the sign numbers reset to zero when you enter Los Angeles County.

To change systems today would require revising decades of state highway data to reflect new mileage points, not to mention replacing all the mile markers themselves, Drago said. Altogether, a conservative cost estimate would be $30 million to $40 million for the undertaking, Drago added.

Of course, changing might make it easier for people to say, get off at “Exit 23,” rather than specifying a street. But Drago says people seem to handle not having exit numbers just fine.

“Our system’s worked pretty well for a long time,” Drago said. “If it isn’t broken, why tinker with it?”

Dear Street Smart:

Every evening, considerable numbers of drivers use the transition ramp from the San Diego Freeway to the Laguna Freeway as a “shortcut” around traffic backed up from the El Toro Y.

The ramp’s purpose is to serve those wishing to get on and off the Laguna Freeway. At the beginning of the ramp, a sign clearly states “Exit Only,” but drivers cut back into freeway traffic anyway. Isn’t this an illegal practice? Why doesn’t the California Highway Patrol enforce the law?

This is an accident waiting to happen. Cars using this “shortcut” typically go 65 to 75 m.p.h., while cars getting off the westbound Laguna Freeway have to “merge” into this flow at a much slower speed.

Arthur R. Petrie II, Laguna Hills

Unfortunately, while it may not be polite, those using that ramp as a “shortcut” are not breaking the law. The “Exit Only” on the ramp’s sign is only an advisory notice, not a regulation that must be obeyed, according to the CHP.

“It’s not very courteous,” Officer Juan Alfaro said, “but as far as enforcement, there’s not a lot we can do.”

If it’s any consolation, Alfaro said he has never heard a complaint from an officer that the ramp causes accidents.

The ramp cannot be altered to prevent through traffic because of the way it is designed to feed traffic onto and off of the Laguna Freeway, according to Caltrans spokesman Steve Saville. And a sign specifically banning through traffic would be difficult to enforce, as an officer would have to follow cars to prove that they used the ramp as a bypass, Saville said.

Both Saville and Alfaro said that motorists who use the ramp as a shortcut are probably saving themselves little time. And Saville noted that such drivers only add to congestion when they try to merge back onto the San Diego Freeway.

“It’s things like that which ultimately cause a system to break down,” Saville said.

Dear Street Smart:

Traveling south on Newport Boulevard past Fair Drive in Costa Mesa, three lanes are forced to merge into two just past the church. Then, a right-turn-only lane appears before Vanguard Way. Why not keep three lanes down to Vanguard and merge the through traffic into two lanes at that intersection, rather than earlier?

Bill Boyd, Costa Mesa

By putting an early squeeze on drivers on Newport Boulevard, Caltrans hopes to prevent confusion and traffic jams farther down the road, according to spokesman Steve Saville.

The merge forces through traffic into two lanes well before it reaches Vanguard, where the roadway narrows and a merge could cause a backup, Saville said.

“Rather than bottleneck right there at the intersection,” Saville said, “we start that process farther up.”

The early merge also makes it easier for drivers to detour around construction via Vanguard. Drivers are alerted that the roadway is narrowing before entering the construction zone, which may encourage them to turn off the boulevard, Saville said.

Also, some drivers may not realize construction is under way, and two lanes makes it easier and safer for them to turn off before entering the area, Saville said. For example, imagine trying to move from the fast lane across two other lanes of traffic so as to make a right turn.

By the way, a bit of good news for those using Newport Boulevard: The road has opened to two lanes between Victoria Street and Harbor Boulevard. It had been restricted to one lane for about a year because of construction, and the second lane has reopened about five months ahead of schedule.