California Roads - CA 163/old US 395/old I-15 - SB

CA 163 (former US 395, former I-15) southbound



Leaving I-15, first photo courtesy Lou Corsaro. I wonder what else could have been on top of the first sign, because it couldn't have been erected until new I-15 was complete, at which point Kearny Villa Rd. would no longer be I-15 to the north. On the newer sign at the next gantry is an example of how not to design an exit tab. Hint: They go on top of the sign, not inside it.


The last photo is on the Exit 8 ramp (obviously pat of a C-D road setup). As I mentioned above, Balboa Ave. is no longer CA 274 - the exact year of decommissioning was 2001.


The last two photos are on the Exit 7B ramp, obviously being for Balboa Ave. The shame here is that the sign at the exit has actually gotten it correct by omitting the CA 274, only to have Caltrans come and tack on a standalone shield just for the sake of being wrong. It looks so easy to just pluck it back off! But what's the rush, it's only 11 years and counting.


The last two photos are on the left and right of the same gantry.


The last photo is on the Exit 4 ramp.


And the last photo is on the Exit 3 ramp. Things get interesting after this, as the last part of the Cabrillo Freeway has recently been designated a historic parkway. Although its official name was never Parkway, the last few miles of what had been I-15 are decidedly more like Arroyo Seco Parkway (always CA 110, never an Interstate) than anything else in southern California. You'll see:


Starting with the Washington St. WB onramp curling overhead, under University Ave., then under the famous El Prado approach to Balboa Park to the east (left). (It doesn't look like much from on top, though.) The I-5 stack interchange towers over the end of the route and historic end of I-15 and US 395.

Over to the northbound lanes
Back to CA 163 main page

Current I-15
Current US 395

Onto CA 52
Onto Kearny Villa Rd.
Onto I-805
Onto I-8
Onto I-5
See more of San Diego
Back to California Roads
Back to Roads