By | Andre Hascall
It’s common knowledge that traveling outside of Humboldt county is a long trip. Plenty of students are getting ready to scurry down south to begin summer vacation, while families and friends of Humboldt State University graduates prepare to make the drive to Humboldt for the graduation ceremony. With the recent storm that has recently hit Humboldt county in the past months, various repairs have been needed along the 101, including a huge rock slide. The usual quickest route back south, Highway 101, may not be such a good choice for students heading home, or families and friends heading to Humboldt..
Eli Shannon, freshman psychology major, is finishing up his first year at HSU. “I was planning on leaving about a week after finals,” Shannon said. “If the 101 is closed I guess I’m taking the 299.” Shannon’s remark may sound similar to other students who are planning on reaching their destinations as fast possible.
Currently US 101 has two locations of 1-way controlled traffic, both being in Mendocino county. One of these locations is 12 miles north of Dora Creek Bridge, and the other being south of Garberville. Around 6 miles of the 101 are being reduced to one lane both ways in southern Humboldt County.
Some students have people coming up to watch the graduation ceremony. One of those graduating students is Araceli Gracia. She is a child development major who will be walking this month.
“I’m planning on telling my family to take the 299 instead,” Gracia said. “It would be better to take the 299 to be safe rather than taking the 101 getting stuck or having to turn around and take longer.”
The inconveniences on the 101 are another worry for students as they prepare for finals. Worrying about passing classes is stressful enough without having to endure a lengthy car ride home. One student who calls San Diego home is Melissa Blanford, a marketing major with a minor in English. “Yeah I guess I’m kinda annoyed that there will be traffic,” Blanford said. “But I’m not really worried about it considering I have finals to worry about.”
