The current iteration of California State Route 11 is a planned tolled freeway known as the Otay Mesa Freeway Extension. The alignment of California State Route 11 is planned to originate from the Otay Mesa East Port of Entry and terminate to the west at California State Route 905/California State Route 125 interchange in San Diego. In current form only a mile of California State Route 11 from Enrico Fermi Drive west to the California State Route 905/California State Route 125 interchange has been opened to traffic.
Part 1; the history of modern California State Route 11
The current corridor of California State Route 11 ("CA 11") is second highway to use the number. The original CA 11 corridor was found in the Los Angeles Area and was one of the original Sign State Routes announced during August 1934. The original CA 11 featured numerous notable segments of highway such as the Arroyo Seco Parkway and Harbor Freeway. The original CA 11 featured multiplexes with US Route 66, US Route 6 and US Route 99. More regarding the original CA 11 can be found below:
The current CA 11 was designated via 1994 Legislative Chapter 409. Upon being designated during 1994 the current CA 11 was not given a specific route description. CA 11 was intended to terminate a new Mexican Port of Entry where it would connect with an unconstructed Mexican Freeway then known as Tijuanna 2000. CA 11 appears on the 2005 Caltrans Map with the following Legislative Description:
The generalized planned routing of CA 11 appears on the 2005 Caltrans Map.
According to CAhighways.org during June 2012 the California Transportation Commission approved CA 11 for consideration of future funding after a finalized Environmental Impact Report was submitted. During December 2012 the California Transportation Commission approved a route adoption of a new 2.8 mile tolled freeway from the CA 905/CA 125 interchange east to the proposed Otay Mesa East Port of Entry. The initial segment of CA 11 east of CA 905/CA 125 to Enrico Fermi Drive opened to traffic on March 19th, 2016 according to Caltrans District 11.
On July 7th, 2016 the San Diego Union Tribune announced that Caltrans and the San Diego Associations of Government ("SANDAG") had received $49.3 in Federal Funding for construction of CA 11. The Federal Funding was earmarked to constructed southbound ramp connectors between CA 11, CA 125 and CA 905.
During August 2019 the Los Angeles Tribune reported that construction of the second segment of CA 11 from Enrico Fermi Drive to the Otay Mesa East Port of Entry had begun and was expected to be complete during 2021. Construction of the Otay Mesa East Port of Entry is stated to have a projected beginning in 2021 with a completion target of 2023.
The San Diego Union Tribune reported during October 2024 that the Otay Mesa East Port of Entry was anticipated to be completed by 2024 due to COVID-19 pandemic related delays. The second segment of CA 11 was stated in the article to have an anticipated completion to the Otay Mesa East Port of Entry sometime during late 2021. During September of 2021 it was reported on the AAroads forum that the first Diverging Diamond Interchange in San Diego was opened at CA 11 and Enrico Fermi Drive. As of the publishing date of this blog (12/2/21) the second segment of CA 11 has not yet opened.
Part 2; Roadwaywiz features California State Route 11
During October 2020 Dan Murphy of the Roadwaywiz Youtube Channel (and Gribblenation) featured real-time drives on CA 11. Below eastbound CA 11 from CA 905 on the Otay Mesa Freeway Extension to Enrico Fermi Drive can be observed.
Below westbound CA 11 on the Otay Mesa Freeway Extension from Enrico Fermi Drive to CA 905 can be observed.
CA 11 and the Otay Mesa Freeway Extension were featured on the Roadwaywiz San Diego area webinar on April 18th, 2020. The panel (Dan Murphy, Tom Fearer and Scott Onson) discuss CA 11 and the Otay Mesa Freeway Extension at time stamp 51:28-55:56.
After leaving Barstow via Old Highway 58 my next destination was in Death Valley. To access Death Valley from rural San Bernardino County required a trek on north on Interstate 15 to California State Route 127 which becomes Nevada State Route 373 at the state line. Along I-15 I encountered the road sign oddity that is Zzyzx Road about eight miles south of Baker. Zzyzx Road is a four mile road that used to go to the Zzyzx Mineral Springs and Health Spa. The spa was founded in the 1940s and the owner made up the name "Zzyzx" to claim it was the last word in the English Language. The spa has been shut down since the 1970s and is now part of a Desert Studies Center for California State University. The southern terminus of CA 127 in Baker is located at I-15 exit 246. CA 127 is a 91 mile north/south highway which runs to the Nevada State Line in Inyo County. CA 127 is called Death Valley Road from I-15 northward. South of CA 127 ...
The Pre-Emption Road (or rather a series of roads named Pre-Emption Road) follows a survey line called the Pre-Emption Line, drawn in the early days of the United States. The story begins with Massachusetts and New York having competing land claims to modern day Western New York State that have their roots in colonial charters granted by the British. After the Revolutionary War ended, this land became the frontier of the nation and its settlement became a priority for the new American government. During this era, there were a lot of competing land claims that needed to be settled. It was no different with the land claims between New York State and Massachusetts. On November 30, 1786, Massachusetts and New York sent representatives to Hartford, Connecticut to resolve their competing land claims. In less than three weeks, the representatives had reached a compromise. Massachusetts would receive pre-emption rights, meaning the right to sell the land after the Indian title ...
Our tagline on the Gribblenation blog is "because every road tells a story". Some roads tell different stories than others. Along our travels, we may see historic markers that tell us a little story about the roads we travel or the places we pass by. Some historic markers are more general, as to telling us who lived where or what old trail traversed between two towns. During my travels across New York State and other states or provinces, I pass by many historic markers, some with interesting or amusing references to roads. I wanted to highlight a few of the markers I've seen along my travels around the Empire State and help tell their stories. Those stories may be as specific as explaining the tales of a tree that was used to help measure a distance of eight miles from Bath to Avoca in Steuben County, as referenced on the Eight Mile Tree historical marker above. They may also help point the way along historical roads first used centuries ago, or may help tell a local l...
Comments