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REALIGNMENT
OF JOE’S CURVE Joe’s Curve, just west
of 188 (the road to Tecate) on Highway 94, was a very severe and dangerous
curve. A Caltrans report
compiled by Graves Engineering in 1991 states 24 accidents occurred
on this curve resulting in one fatality and 33 injuries between
January 1988 and June 1991. (7) This project was top on
their list to correct after the realignment of the curves in Dulzura that
we have talked about. The
Dulzura Schoolhouse Curve project had 38 accidents in that same length of
time resulting in four fatalities and 40 injuries.
The contractor moved to this project after finishing the project at
Schoolhouse Curve in Dulzura . Joe’s Curve was
realigned and eliminated with a pullout lane added for slow traffic.
One side of the mountain was blasted way back and dirt was moved to
widen this section of the highway. This improvement cost 2.5 million
dollars. After the project was
finished in 1996, the surrounding area was landscaped with trees and
planted with wild flowers.
Many trees were planted and only a few have survived, but we must
remember that this area did not have trees before the project was started.
Also the ground is mostly decomposed granite and is not conducive
to growing anything but weeds. Each time an area of
Highway 94 is widened and straightened it makes driving much safer.
Those who drive Highway 94 appreciate all the changes and hope
Caltrans will continue these improvements
due to the additional high volume of traffic on this highway. No pictures |
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