West (or south) end of US highway 6 in Bishop CA
(about 106 k)
Photo credits: Mike
Ballard; Rick
Ehrenberg; Chris
Elbert; Andy
Field; the
Hansens; Alex
Nitzman; Paul
Schlichtman; Michael
Summa
In 1964, when the US 6 designation was truncated to Bishop CA, the west "end"
of the route technically became the point where it crosses the CA/NV line, because
(most) signage on the remaining segment in California was changed to north/south.
Today US 6 is (mostly) signed as east/west in CA, but a few exceptions remain.
The photo below was taken approaching the east (or south) end of US 6, at its
upcoming junction with US 395:
Elbert,
Mar. 2005
A right turn there does not put you on directly on mainline US 395 - that's
actually Wye Road, which connects with 395 after about a tenth-mile. Just ahead
is the sign marking the actual end of the route:
Ehrenburg, 2002
The view there is south on Main Street, just north of where US 395 comes in
from the right and continues straight ahead. That's the Sierra Nevada in the
background (Mt. Whitney, the highest point in the 48 states, is in that range).
Since then, the signage has changed slightly:
Elbert,
Mar. 2005
Your tax dollars at work. Just ahead, as you're waiting for the stoplight at
US 395, the sign shown below is posted across the road:
Field/Nitzman,
Nov. 2008
Until 1964, the US 6 designation used to continue to the left, co-signed with
US 395. Today US 395 heads south from Reno and Carson City NV, and provides
access to California's Mono Lake and Yosemite National Park. From there, it
continues south and east; by the time it reaches Bishop, it is aligned due east.
In town, the road makes a broad curve to southbound Main (to the right of the
gas station shown in the photo below...
Field/Nitzman,
Nov. 2008
...but traffic heading for eastbound US 6 (marked "NORTH" on that
sign) is directed to continue due east on Wye Road (left of the gas station).
After about a tenth-mile, there's a stop sign at Main, and traffic is directed
to make another left turn:
Field/Nitzman,
Nov. 2008
Below we're on northbound 395 at the west beginning of US 6:
Hansens, July 2004
That sign assembly was pretty much the same back in 1983...
Summa, 1983
...but notice the signs in the background that used to be present.
They're shown close-up below:
Summa, 1983
Those were in reference to mountain passes ahead on each route (Deadmans Pass
on 395, and Montgomery Pass on US 6, just across the Nevada line). If you were
to follow the US 6 fork there, you would've soon seen the sign shown below:
Ballard
Note the "North" tab. That mileage sign has since been replaced...
Field/Nitzman, Nov. 2008
...and there is no longer a US 6 confirming assembly there. But you don't have
to go much farther before encountering the really cool sign shown below:
Schlichtman, 2003
Notice that here US 6 is described as going "East" (instead of "North").
Note also the use of a 3-digit shield, which is particularly strange for a 1-digit
route. That's a "Grand Army of the Republic Highway" marker on the left side,
and those are the White Mountains in the background. Just ahead, US 6 turns
east for about two miles, then resumes due north again. That stretch of road
is where the first standard reassurance marker was posted:
Field/Nitzman, Nov. 2008
The White Mountains are again prominent in that striking shot - in the distance
at far left, you can see the northern edge of that range. US 6 runs along the
base of those mountains, so you can see how the road actually runs not only
north, but also slightly west before finally turning eastward into Nevada.
And thus you can see the dilemma Caltrans has faced in terms of which direction
to use in signing their segment of US 6. Onward to Provincetown: 3200 miles
(back to the main
US 6 page).
This page (in its original form) created in 1998; last updated 16
November 2008.
|