The Redding Area is located in beautiful Northern California. Shasta County has a population of over 177,000 and encompasses approximately 3,775 square miles. The population has grown consistently over the past decade. The majority of the population resides along Interstate 5 (I-5), which bisects the county from north to south. Along the I-5 corridor are the cities of Redding, Anderson and Shasta Lake, as well as numerous smaller unincorporated communities. I-5 links Southern California with the Pacific Northwest (Oregon and Washington States and Canada) and is considered a vital economical north/south roadway link for the Western United States truck commerce. Additional area highways consist of State Routes 299 and 44. Both connect communities in the mountains and the California Coast.
Shasta County is blessed with an abundance of recreational opportunities. As such tourism is a vital part of the economy in this region. The Shasta-Trinity National Forest is the largest national forest in California and is managed by the U.S. Forest Service. The 2,210,485 acre forest encompasses five wilderness areas, hundreds of mountain lakes and 6,278 miles of streams and rivers. Major features include Lake Shasta, the largest man-made lake in California, Whiskeytown Lake and the Sacramento River. All are very popular with fishermen; water sports enthusiasts, campers and hikers. Hundreds of designated bicycle paths intersect the county. Lake Shasta has a large number of houseboats making it even more popular, especially on weekends. During the summer months, the number of visitors to both lakes increases greatly; even more so on the weekends. The Shasta-Trinity National Forest offers a wide range of recreational activities. Some of these include hiking, backpacking, mountain climbing, boating, horseback riding, camping, fishing, hunting, snowmobiling, and sightseeing. As such, the Redding Area is a true year-round destination for those seeking outdoor activity. With the increase in traffic associated with these leisure activities come the propensity of instances of DUI and traffic-related accidents and injuries.
Most of our efforts are geared toward our main thoroughfares and interstate freeways. The efforts have been effective in reducing the accident picture in these areas. Additional efforts in unincorporated areas have also helped greatly reduce the Area’s overall accident numbers.
