Well, its August 2019. The concrete on the Ridge Route is at or over its 100 year anniversary. For its age and all its gone through, it is still in pretty good shape in many places. Others, not so much. Those, at least south of Reservoir Summit, have been mostly corrected. I haven’t had an opportunity to traverse the roadway from there to the Tumble Inn, but reports from others and a review of aerial and satellite photography seems to give good news on that front.
We are still working with the Angeles National Forest to solve any right-of-way issues and to work toward getting the road opened. One of those items is via volunteer work. When we reach that point and start to plan work parties on the road, we will need your help and support. More information on that work, as well as how to join us, will be posted here when the time comes.
In April, we received the information we had requested from the Forest Service regarding the 2010 paving at the southern end of the roadway. What we got was quite helpful and explained a few things. The paving was done, for better or worse, in an attempt to help preserve the original paving. A long section of concrete was also poured, using the original specifications, to replace a section of roadway that had been lost to landslides in the recent past. While we applaud the Forest Service for doing this, we can only do so with apprehension. The Ridge Route paving is a large part of the historic aspect of the road. Rarely is the roadway itself the piece of history. A wholesale repaving of the roadway would destroy what is there and leave little for the public to enjoy in the future. Repairing and repaving small sections, when necessary, is acceptable to a point. We plan to work more closely with the Forest Service to make sure such paving is done with the proper care and understanding this road needs.
Below are some photos of the road work from 2010, taken by the Forest Service and the contractor. A link to the contract itself can be found here – 2010 Forest Service Rehabilitation Contract.
I saw a decent sized crew of arborists cleaning up trees that overhang the road on the lake Hughes side today. August 7th. I didn’t think it was ridge route related but from a different vantage point I saw a total of I believe 5 trucks stretching up the road a way past the information sign at the junction of N2, and the gulch.
Portions were, but not in its entirety. The old days are still alive and well on the Ridge Route. Miles upon miles of original paving are still there. Only the really bad sections were redone. It is a compromise that we are willing to deal with. Even the Forest Service was impressed with the roadway quality.
The issue with repaving the road would be to really destroy it. It wouldn’t be any different than, say, Lake Hughes Road. The pavement is a part of the history. The fact it was bypassed in 1933 and pretty much abandoned is what makes the road special.
I’d sooner have the roadway repaved and preserved even if the paving materials are not the same as the original materials. As a compromise, we might consider putting up a permanent display at the south end showing the progression of paving materials. Widening the road and allowing local traffic is another issue.
Paving over the 1919 concrete? Kind of sad about that….the old days are gone.