3 days ago
Stretch of California highway with a bloody history to close for repairs
An infamous 20-mile stretch of Central California highway will close for five days in June for construction, according to the California Department of Transportation.
Caltrans will close Highway 41 between Cholame and Reef Station from June 9-13, Caltrans said. Drivers traveling in either direction on the east-west road can detour on Highways 46 and 33 but should expect delays.
Caltrans said the closure stems from construction of a new highway interchange in Cholame (San Luis Obispo County), roughly 85 miles northwest of Bakersfield. Workers will replace a previously dangerous intersection with a modern, elevated ramp to connect highways 46 and 41, said Jim Shivers, a Caltrans spokesperson.
'There will be some lengthy detours, which we have acknowledged. The flip side of that is we'll have a brand new interchange opening up soon,' Shivers said. 'It's a major upgrade, it's a major safety enhancement.'
The interchange is also known as the James Dean Memorial Junction, a tourist attraction that features a cafe and sculpture in memory of the 24-year-old Hollywood movie star who died in a crash there in 1955.
It was far from the only fatal crash on the treacherous roadway, which reportedly came to be known as 'Blood Alley.' The Chronicle previously reported that dozens of people had died and hundreds more had been injured near the interchange.
For two decades, Caltrans has been working on the State Route 46 Corridor Improvement Project, which aims to minimize fatal accidents, improve safety and reduce congestion between Paso Robles and Cholame, according to the agency.
