Observations from Farad, CA

[Carl Rogers]

En route from Reno to Sacramento, I took a short stop in Farad.
Farad is an isolated location along the Truckee River in Sierra County, CA,
and is only accessible via I-80.

Here were some interesting notes from the stop:

-The exit's signage did not carry an exit-number, unlike most I-80 exits in
the Sierra & Nevada County regions.
-From I-80 west, Farad's exit-sign features a "straight-right" arrow. The
exit-ramp advises 15 mph.
-The road leading into the Farad-region is closed to traffic, with some
sections of the roadway cracked and missing.
-Beyond the closed-gates, there was a yellow train-building--which appears
to be an abandoned maintenance station.

The connector between Farad and Floriston was once US-40, and closely hugs
the Truckee River. I-80 is the freeway bypass, and lies just uphill and
north.

In ideal conditions, Farad should connect with Floriston. But with Farad's
access-road closed, the only way out of the region is via I-80 east. Thus,
there is no onramp onto I-80 west (Sacramento). Since I originally took the
I-80 west exit into Farad, I had to get back on I-80 east, crossing
state-line into Verdi, and then re-access I-80 west via BL-80. ...Very
scenic drive, and worth the detour.


Cheers,

Carl Rogers
-----------------
Calrog.com Highway-Shield page: http://hwy-shields.calrog.com
Highway Enthusiast forum: http://forums.calrog.com

[Larry Scholnick]

Post by Carl Rogers
En route from Reno to Sacramento, I took a short stop in Farad.
Farad is an isolated location along the Truckee River in Sierra County, CA,
and is only accessible via I-80.
-The exit's signage did not carry an exit-number, unlike most I-80 exits in
the Sierra & Nevada County regions.

This is exit 201, the first exit on I-80 in California.
http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/traffops/signtech/calnexus/reports/eightywest.htm

[Jason of ORoads]

Post by Carl Rogers
In ideal conditions, Farad should connect with Floriston. But with Farad's
access-road closed, the only way out of the region is via I-80 east.

Thus,

Post by Carl Rogers
there is no onramp onto I-80 west (Sacramento). Since I originally took the
I-80 west exit into Farad, I had to get back on I-80 east, crossing
state-line into Verdi, and then re-access I-80 west via BL-80.

...Very

Post by Carl Rogers
scenic drive, and worth the detour.

Actually, the onramp to I-80 West is also the *offramp* itself. Just
yesterday I was driving from Reno to Truckee along I-80 West and
noticed a stop sign on the Farad ramp westbound. I'd say that would
add another interesting observation to your others: One of the few
freeway interchanges that has a stop sign on the onramp.

--------------------------------------------------
Jason of ORoads - posted 12.23.2004 9:46am
ORoads - The Roads of Oregon
http://www.angelfire.com/or3/oroads/

[John David Galt]

Post by Jason of ORoads
Actually, the onramp to I-80 West is also the *offramp* itself. Just
yesterday I was driving from Reno to Truckee along I-80 West and
noticed a stop sign on the Farad ramp westbound. I'd say that would
add another interesting observation to your others: One of the few
freeway interchanges that has a stop sign on the onramp.

Understandably so. The only way to install a longer on-ramp there would
be to carve space for it out of a huge cliff face (or move the freeway
farther out from the cliff; I'm fairly sure the right two eastbound lanes
already hang out over the river on a bridge structure at that point).

[Joe Rouse]

Post by Carl Rogers
En route from Reno to Sacramento, I took a short stop in Farad.
Farad is an isolated location along the Truckee River in Sierra County, CA,
and is only accessible via I-80.
-The exit's signage did not carry an exit-number, unlike most I-80 exits in
the Sierra & Nevada County regions.
-From I-80 west, Farad's exit-sign features a "straight-right" arrow. The
exit-ramp advises 15 mph.
-The road leading into the Farad-region is closed to traffic, with some
sections of the roadway cracked and missing.
-Beyond the closed-gates, there was a yellow train-building--which appears
to be an abandoned maintenance station.
The connector between Farad and Floriston was once US-40, and closely hugs
the Truckee River. I-80 is the freeway bypass, and lies just uphill and
north.
In ideal conditions, Farad should connect with Floriston. But with Farad's
access-road closed, the only way out of the region is via I-80 east.

Thus,

Post by Carl Rogers
there is no onramp onto I-80 west (Sacramento). Since I originally took the
I-80 west exit into Farad, I had to get back on I-80 east, crossing
state-line into Verdi, and then re-access I-80 west via BL-80.

...Very

Post by Carl Rogers
scenic drive, and worth the detour.
Cheers,
Carl Rogers
-----------------
Calrog.com Highway-Shield page: http://hwy-shields.calrog.com
Highway Enthusiast forum: http://forums.calrog.com

FYI...that yellow warehouse building you saw is actually the Farad
Powerhouse, operated by Sierra Pacific Power Company. There was a dam
on the Truckee River down at Floriston where water was diverted into a
wooden flume that runs along the river between there and Farad. The
dam was destroyed in a 1997 flood. There were plans to replace it; I
don't know the current status.

As for the lack of exit numbers, it's probably because the signs are
still in decent enough condition to not warrant replacement with
numbered exit signs. It would be nice if they were numbered because
that would mean continuous exit numbering from Truckee all the way up
to the state line.