Done told ya....I HAVE run across from Reno, via 395/44 into Redding, and across 299 into Eureka. You will not have any problems with a 48 foot trailer.

Here are the CALTRANS truck route maps. Check them out.

http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/traffops/tr...uckmap-d02.pdf

http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/traffops/tr...uckmap-d01.pdf

And the "California Legal" description from CALTRANS,

http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/traffops/tr...uck-legend.pdf

Do not let the "California Legal term scare you when you are pulling a 48 foot trailer.

The easiest way to ease your fears would be to measure the truck and trailer, connected and parked straight line, from the center of the steer axle to the center of the rear axle.

 

Just because there's "Rookie" under my name, doesn't mean I'm a newbie driver, it just means I don't post on here a lot. I usually haul over sized and can take a 65' long load places most drivers wouldn't consider with a legal trailer.

Since I've never been to northern California, I wanted to find the best route. Being over 65' makes me not "California Legal". So, since there's no way to get to Eureka, except on a "Califonia Legal" route, I guess the question I should ask is what's the odds of being stopped?

 

Are you going into Eureka with an "Oversized" load?? If you are not hauling a "Permit-load" the chances of getting stopped are the same as for any other day. If you are hauling a "Permit-load" and are not on the permit route, your chances are still the same...right?

There are more CHP and County units that work Hiway 20, from I-5 west to US101. They especially work the road along Clear Lake, and the Truck Route around Clear Lake, hard. That is because this route sees the most traffic, not just for Eureka and north, but traffic to Ukiah and the casino's south of the 20/101 interchange as well.

Hiway 299 across from Redding see's CHP and County units working as well, but they are watching the chip-haulers, the log trucks and the dump trucks, looking for over weight and mechanical violations, more than OTR trucks.

 

Hey Orangetxguy, please understand he already stated he is over 65' overall and he knows either route is "65' maximum overall length" only. Why must you keep trying to convince him to run illegally to Eureka?
My suggestion would be to call Caltrans or CHP and try to get more info or approval on how to deliver the load and return to a legal route, rather than take a chance on a very expensive ticket. It may only be an oversize permit he needs to travel on the California Legal Truck Routes.

 

Had to hire a daycab a few times to pull a trailer south untill it was legal after delivering in Eureka. Couple hundred dollar ticket. Just build it in your rate. Sometimes they will bother you,most times they won't unless a local complains.

 

I am familiar with both routes into Eureka. I know that there are two spots on US101, where he might have issues with a unit over 65 feet. I know that on CA299, it is a good route, all the way in. He is pulling a 48 foot trailer, not a 53 foot trailer. Unless he has a 275+ inch tractor, he is not going to have "issues" on 299, west of Redding. CHP is not going to bother him, because 299 is an "acceptable" route. I have seen plenty of Gordon Trucking units pulling their 53 foot 3-axle dry vans up and down 299. The same for Interstate Distributing as well as Stidham trucks...Ward trucks....and more.

He asked for the "best route" to get into Eureka. OF the three ways for a truck to get into Eureka....CA299 is the best and safest route for him to take. Since he is arriving from the east....Taking US395 north out of Reno to CA44, then north on CA44 to CA299, then west to Redding and on to Eureka...is his shortest, less congested route. HE can look at a map and determine which way he is going. I frankly don't care. If he wants...he can drive down to Oakland and hire a barge or a ferry to take his truck up to Eureka....again....it is HIS decision. If he wants....he can drive up into Oregon, drive across US 199 to the coast from Rouge River, and then drive south from Crescent City. I would not recommend it though. There are a dozen places along that route that he will find "hairy".

But based on his original question......I agreed with RoadHog, and have voiced MY experiences on that very route. I know how bad it can be crossing CA20...and how congested 101 is.

CHP is aware that there are businesses in Eureka (and Arcata) that need trucks to survive (Saw Mills and Paper Mills specifically). Unless he drives in such a manner as to make an LEO mad, he simply will not have issues. THAT is what I am saying...now. IF he was headed to Crescent City, I would tell him that the safest route for a truck, would be into Oregon, then south on US199.

 

Watch out for stoned drivers up there, that forget to chain their loads.

 

Wicked wicked wicked!!

 

The whole thing was made moot, by a winter storm that dumped 12" of snow on the pass and all around the area. Hwy 44 was buried. Dispatch said take the route through Sacramento.