Santa Ana Canyon
Encyclopedia
Santa Ana Canyon is where the Santa Ana River
passes between the Santa Ana Mountains
and the Chino Hills
, near the intersection of Orange
, Riverside
, and San Bernardino
Counties. It receives particularly strong Santa Ana winds in comparison to surrounding areas, hence the name.
ran through the canyon; however, it has long since been re-signed or upgraded along the entirety of its former right-of-way in the state
. California State Route 91 - known as "the 91" - is its primary successor.
runs through the canyon. This recreational path was constructed on the bank of the river
and abuts the length of Yorba Regional Park in Anaheim. The bike trail, as it is referred to by locals, roughly parallels the 91 in certain areas, extending all the way to PCH
on the coast
of the Pacific Ocean
. Across SR-1
, Santa Ana River County Beach awaits, which shares a border with Huntington State Beach
.
in Orange
to the 241
in Yorba Linda.
La Palma Avenue is a much longer arterial road than Santa Ana Canyon Road, stretching from West Carson to Yorba Linda uninterrupted. It actually begins in Redondo Beach
, but it does not go through to West Carson. La Palma also terminates just east of the 241
.
itself ends at the 91 as well. As a result of the confluence of these three routes at the 91 in Santa Ana Canyon, there is often a bottleneck of eastbound traffic during evening rush hour
that begins there and continues across the county line
and into Corona
.
Worsening the bottleneck further is the southern terminus of the 71
at the 91 just beyond that.
However, there are numerous projects in the planning stages that are aimed at alleviating traffic through the canyon and into Corona and Riverside. Among them are lane additions and interchange improvements, some of which will not be completed until 2015, and others 2030. One proposal is to entirely bypass the canyon by drilling through the Santa Ana Mountains to connect the Eastern Transportation Corridor directly to the 15.
The 91 Express Lanes is a four-lane, 10-mile toll road built in the median of California's Riverside Freeway (State Route 91) between the Orange/Riverside County line and the Costa Mesa Freeway (State Route 55). The state-of-the-art facility boasts several firsts — the first privately financed toll road in the U.S. in more than 50 years, the world's first fully automated toll facility, and the first application of value pricing in America.
91 Express Lanes customers pay tolls from pre-paid accounts, using a FasTrak transponder — a pocket-sized radio transmission device mounted to the inside of their vehicle's windshield. This breakthrough electronic toll collection technology eliminates the need to stop and pay tolls at traditional tollbooths, thus ensuring the free flow of traffic on the 91 Express Lanes.
The 91 Express Lanes was born from the need for congestion relief on the 91 Freeway when no public funds were available to solve this critical transportation problem. The concept was unique — the private sector would take the risk and the State would get congestion relief at no cost to taxpayers.
Since the 91 Express Lanes carried its first vehicle on December 27, 1995, this world-class transportation facility has logged more than 64 million vehicle trips, saving customers over 32 million hours of commuting time. These time savings have produced measurable benefits including some $480 million in added economic productivity and quality-of-life benefits for commuters, their families and businesses.
On a wider scale, the 91 Express Lanes has contributed to major advances in the toll industry worldwide. The facility has been featured in the national and international media. Since the project opened in 1995, transportation officials from 21 U.S. states and 23 countries have visited the 91 Express Lanes to study its advanced systems and operations. As a result, much of what the 91 Express Lanes has achieved in technology, toll operations and customer service has been exported around the world.
of November 2008 raged through Santa Ana Canyon. It ultimately destroyed hundreds of homes in the area and forced multiple road and school closures. In addition, thousands of residents in the canyon were under mandatory evacuation
orders at one point or another and could not reenter their neighborhoods. This was the largest wildfire
in Santa Ana Canyon since 1969, when not as many people lived there, making the Freeway Complex Fire much more dangerous.
Santa Ana River
The Santa Ana River is the largest river of Southern California in the United States. Its drainage basin spans four counties. It rises in the San Bernardino Mountains and flows past the cities of San Bernardino and Riverside, before cutting through the northern tip of the Santa Ana Mountains and...
passes between the Santa Ana Mountains
Santa Ana Mountains
The Santa Ana Mountains are a short peninsular mountain range along the coast of Southern California in the United States. They extend for approximately 36 mi southeast of the Los Angeles Basin largely along the border between Orange and Riverside counties.- Geography :The range starts in the...
and the Chino Hills
Chino Hills
The Chino Hills are a mountain range on the border of Orange, Los Angeles, and San Bernardino Counties, California, with a small portion in Riverside County...
, near the intersection of Orange
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
, Riverside
Riverside County, California
Riverside County is a county in the U.S. state of California. One of 58 California counties, it covers in the southern part of the state, and stretches from Orange County to the Colorado River, which forms the state border with Arizona. The county derives its name from the city of Riverside,...
, and San Bernardino
San Bernardino County, California
San Bernardino County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 2,035,210, up from 1,709,434 as of the 2000 census...
Counties. It receives particularly strong Santa Ana winds in comparison to surrounding areas, hence the name.
History
Originally, U.S. Route 91U.S. Route 91
U.S. Route 91 is a north–south United States highway. The highway currently serves as a connection between the Cache Valley area of Utah and Idaho to the Salt Lake and Idaho Falls population centers. Prior the mid-1970s, U.S. 91 was an international commerce route from Long Beach, California...
ran through the canyon; however, it has long since been re-signed or upgraded along the entirety of its former right-of-way in the state
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. California State Route 91 - known as "the 91" - is its primary successor.
Recreation
The Santa Ana River bicycle pathSanta Ana River bicycle path
The Santa Ana River Bicycle path is a bicycle Trail in Southern California, stretching 30 miles from the Pacific Ocean at Huntington Beach along the Santa Ana River to the Orange/Riverside county line...
runs through the canyon. This recreational path was constructed on the bank of the river
Santa Ana River
The Santa Ana River is the largest river of Southern California in the United States. Its drainage basin spans four counties. It rises in the San Bernardino Mountains and flows past the cities of San Bernardino and Riverside, before cutting through the northern tip of the Santa Ana Mountains and...
and abuts the length of Yorba Regional Park in Anaheim. The bike trail, as it is referred to by locals, roughly parallels the 91 in certain areas, extending all the way to PCH
California State Route 1
State Route 1 , more often called Highway 1, is a state highway that runs along much of the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California. It is famous for running along some of the most beautiful coastlines in the world, leading to its designation as an All-American Road.Highway 1 does not run...
on the coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
of the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. Across SR-1
California State Route 1
State Route 1 , more often called Highway 1, is a state highway that runs along much of the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California. It is famous for running along some of the most beautiful coastlines in the world, leading to its designation as an All-American Road.Highway 1 does not run...
, Santa Ana River County Beach awaits, which shares a border with Huntington State Beach
Huntington State Beach
Huntington State Beach is a protected beach in Southern California, located in the City of Huntington Beach in Orange County.The California State Park extends two miles from Newport Beach north to Beach Blvd. where the Huntington City Beach begins.This beach is a popular destination for many...
.
Highways
It is the namesake of Santa Ana Canyon Road, which is a thoroughfare that parallels the 91 from approximately the 55California State Route 55
State Route 55 is an 18-mile long north–south highway in the U.S. state of California. The portion of the route built to freeway standards is known as the Costa Mesa Freeway...
in Orange
Orange, California
Southern California is well-known for year-round pleasant weather: - On average, the warmest month is August. - The highest recorded temperature was in 1985. - On average, the coolest month is December. - The lowest recorded temperature was in 1950...
to the 241
California State Route 241
State Route 241 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California. For its entire run, Route 241 is a toll road. Its northern half is part of the Eastern Toll Road while its southern half is part of the Foothill Toll Road....
in Yorba Linda.
La Palma Avenue is a much longer arterial road than Santa Ana Canyon Road, stretching from West Carson to Yorba Linda uninterrupted. It actually begins in Redondo Beach
Redondo Beach, California
Redondo Beach is one of the three Beach Cities located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 66,748 at the 2010 census, up from 63,261 at the 2000 census. The city is located in the South Bay region of the greater Los Angeles area.Redondo Beach was originally part of...
, but it does not go through to West Carson. La Palma also terminates just east of the 241
California State Route 241
State Route 241 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California. For its entire run, Route 241 is a toll road. Its northern half is part of the Eastern Toll Road while its southern half is part of the Foothill Toll Road....
.
Traffic
The Foothill Toll RoadCalifornia State Route 241
State Route 241 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California. For its entire run, Route 241 is a toll road. Its northern half is part of the Eastern Toll Road while its southern half is part of the Foothill Toll Road....
itself ends at the 91 as well. As a result of the confluence of these three routes at the 91 in Santa Ana Canyon, there is often a bottleneck of eastbound traffic during evening rush hour
Rush hour
A rush hour or peak hour is a part of the day during which traffic congestion on roads and crowding on public transport is at its highest. Normally, this happens twice a day—once in the morning and once in the evening, the times during when the most people commute...
that begins there and continues across the county line
Riverside County, California
Riverside County is a county in the U.S. state of California. One of 58 California counties, it covers in the southern part of the state, and stretches from Orange County to the Colorado River, which forms the state border with Arizona. The county derives its name from the city of Riverside,...
and into Corona
Corona, California
Corona is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 152,374, up from 124,966 at the 2000 census...
.
Worsening the bottleneck further is the southern terminus of the 71
California State Route 71
State Route 71 is the Chino Valley Freeway, formerly the Corona Expressway and before then the Temescal Freeway, a freeway/highway of about 15 miles in length located entirely within Southern California, United States...
at the 91 just beyond that.
However, there are numerous projects in the planning stages that are aimed at alleviating traffic through the canyon and into Corona and Riverside. Among them are lane additions and interchange improvements, some of which will not be completed until 2015, and others 2030. One proposal is to entirely bypass the canyon by drilling through the Santa Ana Mountains to connect the Eastern Transportation Corridor directly to the 15.
91 Express Lanes
As seen on their official site, the 91 express lanes pass through the Santa Ana Canyon. Their goal was to relieve some of the traffic that SR-91 carries daily; however, they end at the county line, without continuing into Corona or Riverside. As such, their effectiveness is somewhat limited. Below is their brief history.The 91 Express Lanes is a four-lane, 10-mile toll road built in the median of California's Riverside Freeway (State Route 91) between the Orange/Riverside County line and the Costa Mesa Freeway (State Route 55). The state-of-the-art facility boasts several firsts — the first privately financed toll road in the U.S. in more than 50 years, the world's first fully automated toll facility, and the first application of value pricing in America.
91 Express Lanes customers pay tolls from pre-paid accounts, using a FasTrak transponder — a pocket-sized radio transmission device mounted to the inside of their vehicle's windshield. This breakthrough electronic toll collection technology eliminates the need to stop and pay tolls at traditional tollbooths, thus ensuring the free flow of traffic on the 91 Express Lanes.
The 91 Express Lanes was born from the need for congestion relief on the 91 Freeway when no public funds were available to solve this critical transportation problem. The concept was unique — the private sector would take the risk and the State would get congestion relief at no cost to taxpayers.
Since the 91 Express Lanes carried its first vehicle on December 27, 1995, this world-class transportation facility has logged more than 64 million vehicle trips, saving customers over 32 million hours of commuting time. These time savings have produced measurable benefits including some $480 million in added economic productivity and quality-of-life benefits for commuters, their families and businesses.
On a wider scale, the 91 Express Lanes has contributed to major advances in the toll industry worldwide. The facility has been featured in the national and international media. Since the project opened in 1995, transportation officials from 21 U.S. states and 23 countries have visited the 91 Express Lanes to study its advanced systems and operations. As a result, much of what the 91 Express Lanes has achieved in technology, toll operations and customer service has been exported around the world.
Freeway Complex Fire
The Freeway Complex FireFreeway Complex Fire
The Freeway Complex Fire was a wildfire in the Santa Ana Canyon area of Orange County in the US state of California. The fire is notable for the extensive property damage in Anaheim Hills and Yorba Linda...
of November 2008 raged through Santa Ana Canyon. It ultimately destroyed hundreds of homes in the area and forced multiple road and school closures. In addition, thousands of residents in the canyon were under mandatory evacuation
Emergency evacuation
Emergency evacuation is the immediate and rapid movement of people away from the threat or actual occurrence of a hazard. Examples range from the small scale evacuation of a building due to a bomb threat or fire to the large scale evacuation of a district because of a flood, bombardment or...
orders at one point or another and could not reenter their neighborhoods. This was the largest wildfire
Wildfire
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...
in Santa Ana Canyon since 1969, when not as many people lived there, making the Freeway Complex Fire much more dangerous.
See also
- Freeway Complex FireFreeway Complex FireThe Freeway Complex Fire was a wildfire in the Santa Ana Canyon area of Orange County in the US state of California. The fire is notable for the extensive property damage in Anaheim Hills and Yorba Linda...
- Yorba Linda
- Anaheim
- Anaheim Hills
- Santa Ana River bike trailSanta Ana River bicycle pathThe Santa Ana River Bicycle path is a bicycle Trail in Southern California, stretching 30 miles from the Pacific Ocean at Huntington Beach along the Santa Ana River to the Orange/Riverside county line...
- U.S. Route 91U.S. Route 91U.S. Route 91 is a north–south United States highway. The highway currently serves as a connection between the Cache Valley area of Utah and Idaho to the Salt Lake and Idaho Falls population centers. Prior the mid-1970s, U.S. 91 was an international commerce route from Long Beach, California...