California State Route 78

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State Route 78

(CS&HC Section 378)

Length:

192.46 mi^[1] (309.73 km)

Formed:

1934^[2]

West end:

I-5 in Oceanside

Major
junctions:

I-15 in Escondido

SR-67 in Ramona

SR-79 in Julian

SR-86 in Brawley

SR-111 in Brawley

SR-115 in Imperial

East end:

I-10 in Blythe

Major cities:

Oceanside
Vista
San Marcos
Escondido
Blythe

California State Routes
< SR 77		SR 79 >
Unconstructed - Deleted - Freeway - Scenic

State Route 78 runs from Oceanside to Blythe. Its western terminus is in San Diego County, California and its eastern terminus is in Riverside County, California.

1 Route description
2 History
3 Future aspirations
4 Other facts
5 Other names
6 Control cities
7 State law
8 External links
9 References

[edit] Route description

For the first few miles starting out from Oceanside CA-78 is a freeway. It begins at a nonstandard interchange with Interstate 5 and Vista Way, including a traffic signal. Then Route 78 goes through Vista. The freeway then continues into San Marcos and Escondido and intersects with Interstate 15. After that the freeway abruptly ends at the intersection with Broadway, after the Centre City Parkway interchange (old U.S. Highway 395). Route 78 then snakes through the Escondido city streets and leaves the city on the way to the San Diego Wild Animal Park and Ramona. In Ramona, Route 78 meets State Route 67. 78 then continues on a curvy mountain road to Julian where it meets State Route 79. After that, the highway goes into Imperial County and Brawley, when it is concurrent with State Route 86. The highway goes through the desert into Riverside County where it ends in Blythe at Interstate 10.

[edit] History

A new interchange has been constructed at Las Posas Road in San Marcos, which will aid Palomar College students and hopefully clear up traffic on the Rancho Santa Fe exit.

Before the freeway was built, CA-78 was routed on Vista Way from Oceanside east to downtown Vista. After this, it followed Santa Fe Drive (currently County Route S14) east. Then it followed Mission Road to the current end of the freeway and the current highway routing at Interstate 15. ^[2]

Construction took place in 1998 to add the Vista Village Drive interchange, and another lane was added to the ramp between I-5 NB and CA-78 eastbound to alleviate the congestion at that intersection.

In the 1980's, the section of CA-78 east of Brawley was known as Imperial County Route S78.^[2]

[edit] Future aspirations

There may be another interchange added to CA-78 to meet Rancho Del Oro Road in Oceanside.

The I-5 interchange will be improved to get rid of the traffic signal, although that would involve getting rid of the Park and Ride lot next to the end of the freeway.

In the Imperial and Riverside County portion from Brawley to Blythe, the road goes through several washes. After a rain during the desert monsoon season, these washes can be left with several inches of water, sand, and rock debris. There is a proposal to improve drainage by raising the roadway and installing culverts. ^[3]

[edit] Other facts

In 1999 there was a standoff between an armed woman and the police (CHP). The freeway was stalled for hours.

[edit] Other names

Route 78 has the following names, as designated by various state laws:^[4]

Ben Hulse Highway: From Route 86 near Brawley to Interstate 10 near Blythe.
Ronald Packard Parkway: From Interstate 5 to Interstate 15. Named for retired politician Ron Packard.