Highway 17 North in California

Highway 17 was closed and impassable right after the Loma Prieta Earthquake. It was reopened about two months later. There was a lot of patching of asphalt, the concrete divider, and tons of earth had to be removed from landslides. These photos are from 12/2/1989. There were many barren hillsides that were regraded to prepare them for the rainy season. Well, 1989 was a drought, so the hills were safer than they would have been in 1993 or 1998. In many areas, the concrete that made up the divider and the highway was seriously buckled and broken. Caltrans worked extremely hard to repair this highway.

This is from 8/4/1988 of 17 North in Scotts Valley.

These first two are from 2/6/1986 and they are scanned from slides. They show the burned out areas from the fire that came through here in 1985.

A landslide must have happened just in front of the 40 MPH curve sign. This is the only picture of this set that seems to show old (undamaged) pavement and an undamaged center divide.

[17 North]

This must have been a landslide that was cleared away. Note the new asphalt. And the new center divide.

[17 North]

This hillside must have given way in the earthquake. Note the steel mesh used to hold down a mulch and grass seed.

[17 North]

The same hillside, farther north.

[17 North]

17 North

Soquel San Jose Road North, Summit Road North, and Old Santa Cruz Highway North

California Index Page

I880 Index

Home