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Archiver > NORCAL > 2002-06 > 1024928676


From: "Edrie Broughton" <>
Subject: I-5 and the old 99
Date: Mon, 24 Jun 2002 07:26:12 -0700
References: <20020624135542.28329.qmail@web20807.mail.yahoo.com>


I don't know about the dirt part because it was paved when we started using
it. Grandparents lived in San Jose and we lived in LA for almost ten years.
We drove that way many times. We always asked Dad, "Are we going the pretty
way or the oleander way?" He usually picked the oleander way (99). Even
that was not fast considering today's roads. It was a simple four lane road
divided by oleanders. You had to slow down and stop in almost every small
town. From north of Sacramento to almost LA the roads are quite separate
and sometimes as much as 30-40 miles apart. The old 99 traveled the center
of the valley and was prone to spot flooding and winter fog. They hoped
putting I-5 on the western slopes would help avoid flooding and fog...they
were wrong. The last time I remember I-5 being closed for flooding was in
1998 when my father was dying. You couldn't get through Sacramento to
Stockton on either road though.
EdrieAnne

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