Welcome to Del Mar. Motorists are greeted by this red light traffic violation sign, followed by a 1933 bridge that crosses the railroad. Due to a disagreement on how best to maintain this historic bridge, Del Mar bought the bridge from San Diego for $1 in 2000. Photo taken 10/29/05.
Old guardrail still lines the historic railroad bridge. Photo taken 10/29/05.
A more traditional welcome to Del Mar sign is posted on northbound U.S. 101/Camino del Mar. The next traffic signal is with Carmel Valley Road. Photo taken 10/29/05.
Continuing north, U.S. 101 follows an old expressway alignment. In spite of the two-lane bridges over Los Peñasquitos Creek and the railroad tracks, both approaches to the bridges are four-lane, divided expressways. Before Interstate 5 was constructed in the mid-1960s, U.S. 101 was the main route from San Diego north to Los Angeles. While the need for an expressway here may have reduced due to the freeway's construction, there is an upswing in local traffic as Del Mar, Solana Beach, Encinitas, and Carlsbad have continued to grow. Photo taken 10/29/05.
The next traffic signal along northbound U.S. 101/Camino del Mar is with Del Mar Heights Road. Use Del Mar Heights Road east to Interstate 5 and the community of Del Mar. A landscaped median project is proposed along Del Mar Heights Road to increase safety. Photo taken 10/29/05.
Camino del Mar (Southbound)
Approaching the traffic signal for Carmel Valley Road, the Pacific Ocean comes into view along southbound U.S. 101 (Camino del Mar). Photo taken 10/29/05.
Now on the railroad bridge, the 1930s-era concrete guardrails grace U.S. 101 as the former federal highway prepares to leave Del Mar and enter the city of San Diego. Photo taken 10/29/05.
To the east, Los Peñasquitos Lagoon comes into view. This low lying salt water marsh is impacted by the tides that carry ocean water in and out of the lagoon areas. Peñasquitos Creek, which passes through Los Peñasquitos Canyon, empties into this lagoon. Cutting across the lagoon is a railroad that would probably be on a bridge had it been built recently rather than years ago. Photo taken 10/29/05.
Looking south, U.S. 101 hugs the coast near Los Peñasquitos Lagoon. Plans call for this bridge to be repaired and retrofitted to meet current seismic standards. Thus far, that reconstruction has not occurred. Photo taken 10/29/05.
The Peñasquitos Creek outlet into the ocean comes into view, as does the Los Peñasquitos Bridge in San Diego. Photo taken 10/29/05.
At the southern end of the railroad bridge, U.S. 101 leaves the city of Del Mar and enters the city of San Diego. The highway is still officially known as San Diego County Route S-21, but there is only one shield that designates the county highway between here and Interstate 5. That is still one more county shield than U.S. 101 shields, since no historical markers are placed within San Diego for Old U.S. 101. Photo taken 10/29/05.
Torrey Pines Bridge (over the San Diego Northern Railway [SDNR] Tracks) - Scenes Pertaining to U.S. 101
The Torrey Pines bridge, located at the border between the city of San Diego and the city of Del Mar, is owned and maintained by the city of Del Mar. It was constructed in 1933 and is also known as the "Sorrento Overhead." The bridge does not meet current seismic standards, but Del Mar plans some retrofitting upgrades to make the roadway safe. Meanwhile, the bridge is prized by old highway enthusiasts as one of the few remaining old bridges along the coast in San Diego County. Photo taken 10/29/05.
When the highway was downgraded from state to local maintenance, it was maintained jointly by San Diego and Del Mar. During the 1990s, the bridge was identified as a sub-standard bridge that required substantial earthquake retrofitting. The cities of San Diego and Del Mar could not agree on whether to replace the bridge or retrofit it. In addition, they could not agree on the number of lanes on the bridge. After much discussion and public debate, on November 27, 2000, the ownership of the bridge was transferred solely to Del Mar in exchange for $1. The city of Del Mar has been pursuing a retrofit alternative to bring this bridge up to current standards since then. Photo taken 10/29/05.
This suite of pictures shows the understructure of the Torrey Pines bridge, which was uniquely designed to accommodate the odd angles of the road grade and the railroad tracks. Notably, a service road also travels under the bridge, despite nearby warning signs that advise against traveling under the bridge due to the possibility of pieces of the bridge falling onto unsuspecting passers-by. Photos taken 10/29/05.
This suite of pictures shows the Torrey Pines Bridge as seen from the east looking west toward the ocean during the late morning. These pictures were featured on the PBS show, California Connected, when several California road enthusiasts (Joel Windmiller, Mike Ballard, Russ Connelly, Casey Cooper, and Andy Field) were profiled. Photos taken 06/22/02.
Three years and four months later, this is the view during the afternoon of the same bridge, looking east toward the ocean. Photos taken 10/29/05.
The deep blue of the Pacific Ocean lies beyond the Torrey Pines Bridge, looking west. Photo taken 10/29/05.
This suite of photos shows the beautiful Torrey Pines Bridge looking east late in the afternoon. The bridge is truly awesome in late afternoon lighting as evidenced here. Photos taken 10/29/05.
The date stamp in the guardrail indicates the railroad bridge was constructed in 1933. Photo taken 10/29/05.
From the top of the bridge, this picture shows Los Peñasquitos Lagoon to the east. Photo taken 10/29/05.
The SDNR railroad tracks carries the freight train as well as Amtrak passenger rail service and Coaster commuter rail service. The railroad tracks roughly parallel Interstate 5 between San Diego and Los Angeles. The tracks continue north toward downtown Del Mar, then parallel U.S. 101 toward Oceanside. Photo taken 10/29/05.
Disrepair and deferred maintenance is visible on the bridge, including this section of guardrail that has been slowly decomposing due to the relentless assault of sea air. The city of Del Mar plans an improvement project that will fix many aspects of the bridge, including the damaged guardrail. Photo taken 10/29/05.
View of the underside of the U.S. 101 (North Torrey Pines Road/Camino Del Mar) railroad bridge. Note the arches that support the bridge, as well as the corrosion that comes from being so close to the ocean. The city of Del Mar, which owns the span, is currently repairing it. Photo taken 06/22/02.
This sign warns people passing under the bridge that chunks of concrete may fall as a result of cars and trucks crossing overhead. Photo taken 06/22/02.
Looking south at the bridge, Torrey Pines State Reserve and its beach are visible in the background. Photo taken 06/22/02.
View of the northern abutment of the U.S. 101 bridge in Del Mar. Photo taken 06/22/02.
Solana Beach (Southbound)
For a time in the late 1990s, Historic U.S. 101 was signed with this kind of shield through Solana Beach. It has since been replaced with a more standard brown and white historic shield. Photo taken 06/99.
Encinitas (Northbound)
Northbound Historic U.S. 101 enters Cardiff-by-the-Sea in the city of Encinitas. Photo taken 06/22/02.
Northbound Historic U.S. 101 passes under the Encinitas Arch in downtown Encinitas. Photo taken 06/22/02.
Carlsbad (Northbound)
Northbound Historic U.S. 101 follows a short section of original concrete expressway in Carlsbad. Mark Furqueron writes, "It is too bad the old South Carlsbad Freeway section of U.S. 101 south of Palomar Airport Road has been turned back into a city street. There used to be two old interchanges on this section. First the county replaced the freeway-grade signs with tiny ones in the late 1970s, then they ripped out the interchanges and put in traffic lights in the 1980s. I miss the cool old freeway, but that area has grown a lot, so I guess it had to be done." Photo taken 06/22/02.
Northbound Historic U.S. 101 approaches Junction San Diego County Route S-12 (Palomar Airport Road) in Carlsbad. Palomar Airport Road is a major east-west route through Carlsbad, and it meets California 78 in San Marcos (as San Marcos Boulevard). Note these shields only indicate San Diego County Route S-21 and S-12 but ignore the Historic U.S. 101 designation. For a time prior to the completion of Interstate 5, this interchange was the southern end of the U.S. 101 freeway bypass around Carlsbad and Oceanside. Eventually, the U.S. 101 bypass was made part of Interstate 5, and the direct connection between the bypass and Historic U.S. 101 was removed. Traffic must use County Route S-12 instead. Photo taken 06/22/02.
Northbound Historic U.S. 101 passes under the San Diego County Route S-12 (Palomar Airport Road) overpass in Carlsbad. Photo taken 06/22/02.
This photo shows northbound Historic U.S. 101 after its junction with San Diego County Route S-12 (Palomar Airport Road) in Carlsbad. This unusual configuration (where U.S. 101 merges into County Route S-12 rather than the other way around) is a product of this interchange being the former southern terminus of the U.S. 101 bypass. Photo taken 06/22/02.
Here is another segment of original expressway along northbound Historic U.S. 101/Coast Highway 101 in Carlsbad. Photo taken 06/22/02.
Northbound Historic U.S. 101 passes by the Encina natural gas electrical generation facility in Carlsbad. The massive power plant sits on the east; the Pacific Ocean lies to the west. Coast Highway 101 squeezes between these two for a good distance. Note the brown Historic U.S. 101 shield located in the median of the first picture. Photos taken 06/22/02.
Northbound Historic U.S. 101 leaves Carlsbad and enters Oceanside. Photo taken 06/22/02.
Oceanside (Northbound)
Northbound Historic U.S. 101 reaches Junction Business California 76/Mission Avenue (former California 76) in Oceanside. Much of this section of old U.S. 101 has been rehabilitated and improved with streetscaping and landscaping improvements. Photo taken 06/22/02.
Side view of the bridge carrying Historic U.S. 101 over the San Luis Rey River. This steel structure is unlike most older bridges in San Diego County, which are generally made of concrete. Photo taken 06/22/02.
