06/21/2025
Los Gatos Town History… Remember when…
“LOS GATOS TO SANTA CRUZ 1950's.
In 1940, Highway 17 opened and gave drivers a more direct route between San Jose and the beach. Before that, cars used the old Soquel San Jose Road, and tourists took a train that ran near Highway 17’s current path, through a series of tunnels.
SR 17's combination of narrow shoulders, dense traffic, sharp turns, blind curves, wandering fauna such as deer and mountain lions, and sudden changes in traffic speeds have led to driving conditions that result in a number of accidents and fatalities, leading to the reputation of SR 17 as one of the most dangerous highways in the state, often referring to as "Blood Alley."
In the winter months, because SR 17 crosses a high precipitation area in the Santa Cruz Mountains, the roadway can become slippery from rain, snow or ice, especially at the summit.
Some sections of SR 17 are so dangerous that they have been nicknamed. The first long sweeping turn North of Summit Road with its sharp angle and steep entering downhill slope is called "The Valley Surprise" for the fact that so many strike the median shortly after having entered the Santa Clara Valley.
The most infamous is called "Big Moody Curve". This curve is named after Big Moody Creek below, slightly greater than a 180-degree turn, and bracketed by additional 90-degree turns. The inside surfaces of the median barriers in both of these turns are normally chipped up and black with tire rubber.”
Posted by San Jose Valley of Heart’s Delight
