This last Friday I was traveling out of town to go to Calico Ghost Mine for a weekend of camping with my daughter. As I approached the I 15 and Highway 40 Interchange northbound, I could not help but think and remind myself why this is considered one of the most dangerous locations in southern California.
We were traveling at 70 mph when we approached the interchange. Highway 40 splits off from the Interstate15 in a V fashion, but the four lane freeway narrows to two lanes for each freeway as you approach. Many people traveling fast and confused, unsure where they belong, merge in and out of lanes. Traffic, congested on a Friday, slows severely. As we near the actual splitting of lanes, a car accident has already occurred and the parties are to the right. That causes even more slowing and yet the 40 Interchange is not as busy so speeds of cars and trucks continue to be more than triple the speeds of lanes to the left.
As I passed by the accident location, three other cars noticeably had to swerve and stop behind me sending up pillars of smoke from skidding tires. I also notice that there are several cars ahead of me that had to move into the center shoulder to avoid some calamity. It is a very uneasy situation.
Suddenly to my right, I hear a big rig horn. A car in the lane to my right decided to merger into the Highway 40 traffic. Because his Subaru is traveling at 20 MPH and the truck is barreling at 55 or 60, the truck almost rear ends the car. Trucks continuing on with the intent of going onto the 40 freeway, are passing stopped traffic at close to 55 mph.
The design of the roadway seems defective given the speed as you enter this interchange, he speed of vehicles traveling onto highway 40 from the I 15, and volume of slow traffic as people head towards Las Vegas on the weekend.
Unlike other areas in California, this is a must travel through interchange if you are heading to Nevada or parts close to there. Something should be done to accommodate the traffic congestion and design here.
Drive safe and give yourself plenty of distance at this interchange.