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County to I-405) Orange County (Interstate 405 to San Clemente) Northern San Diego County Central San Diego County Southern San Diego County Business Loop I-5 Interstate 5/Westside Highway north This mileage sign provides the distance to Junction California 198 (Exit 334), San Francisco, and Sacramento. Photo taken 07/02/04. Northbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 320, Rest Area. Photo taken 07/02/04. Northbound Interstate 5 approaching Exit 325, Jayne Avenue to Coalinga. Westbound Jayne Avenue leads due west to meet California 33, and California 33 takes Jayne Avenue into downtown Coalinga. Coalinga is so named due to its history as a rail stop, and it was known as "Coaling Station A." The name was later shortened to "Coalinga." Photo taken 11/28/02. It is faster to take Exit 325/Jayne Avenue westbound from northbound Interstate 5 to reach California 198 westbound to San Lucas, King City, and Greenfield (via U.S. 101). Believe it or not, those cities are located in Monterey County. Northern California is suddenly within reach for northbound travelers. Photos taken 11/28/02 and 07/02/04. Northbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 325, Jayne Avenue. Photo taken 07/02/04. After mentioning it a couple times on advance mileage signs, northbound Interstate 5 finally approaches California 198 at Exit 334. Westbound California 198 leads southwest to Coalinga, while eastbound California 198 leads to Lemoore and Hanford between meeting California 99 near Visalia. Photo taken 07/02/04. Northbound Interstate 5 approaches Exit 334, Junction California 198, next right. Photo taken 11/28/02. The next services along northbound Interstate 5 is 35 miles ahead, at Exit 368, Panoche Road. Photo taken 11/28/02. Northbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 334, Junction California 198. Photo taken 11/28/02. Mileage sign along northbound Interstate 5 after Exit 334 (Junction California 198). The next exit is Exit 337, Junction Southbound California 33/Northbound California 145. Note that the first signed exit on this mileage sign is for Northbound California 33 (Exit 349), not California 145 (Exit 337). Photo taken 11/28/02. The next exit along northbound Interstate 5 is Exit 337, Junction California 33 south and California 145 north. Photo taken 07/02/04. Northbound Interstate 5 approaches Exit 337, Junction Southbound California 33 and Northbound California 145, next right. Making an appearance in this photo are the two power transmission lines that closely parallel Interstate 5 from Los Angeles north to Tracy. The power lines provide some artificial scenery as they parallel the freeway, usually on the foothills west of the freeway (but the lines occasionally cross the freeway, as they do here). Photo taken 11/28/02. Northbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 337, Junction Southbound California 33 and Northbound California 145. This exit marks the southern terminus of California 145, and northbound California 33 merges onto northbound Interstate 5. Photo taken 07/02/04. A junction California 33 shield assembly is located along the northbound lanes of Interstate 5 as the freeway passes under the overpass that carries California 33 and California 145 over the freeway (at Exit 337). Photo taken 11/28/02. This view of the cattle stockyards looks east from the onramp from California 33-145 onto Interstate 5. This particular facility extends for several miles, and its scent can portend the use of this facility for miles before it is visible. Photo taken 11/22/07. Now looking north down the same onramp, this view shows the Path 15 500kV power lines as they continue their long journey north through the Central Valley. Photo taken 11/22/07. Interstate 5/Westside Highway and California 33 north This reassurance marker for northbound Interstate 5 and California 33 after the Exit 337 interchange. Photo taken 11/22/07. North of the stockyards, Interstate 5 and California 33 again enter undeveloped, rural ranchland. Photo taken 11/22/07. Another Interstate 5 and California 33 reassurance shield assembly is posted midway between Exits 337 and 349. Photo taken 11/22/07. The next exit along northbound Interstate 5/California 33 is Exit 349, Junction Northbound California 33 to Mendota, Firebaugh, and Dos Palos via Derrick Avenue. Fresno County is rather creative with its rural highway names, unlike Tulare County (which uses numbers such as "Avenue 384"). Photo taken 11/22/07. The next gas on the freeway is at Exit 368/Panoche Road, still 20 miles ahead. Photo taken 11/22/07. Northbound Interstate 5/California 33 approaches Exit 349, Junction California 33 north (routes divide). Photo taken 11/22/07. Interstate 5 and California 33 split at Exit 337, Derrick Avenue. California 33 interplays with and parallels Interstate 5 between Coalinga and Tracy, providing an alternate route to the freeway (except for the merged section between Exits 337 and 349). Photo taken 11/22/07. Interstate 5/Westside Highway north A reassurance shield for Interstate 5 is posted after the California 33 north interchange (Exit 349). Photo taken 11/22/07. This mileage sign on Interstate 5 north provides the distance to California 152 (first time it is mentioned) as well as the control cities of San Francisco and Sacramento. Photo taken 11/22/07. Another reassurance shield is posted between Exits 349 and 357. Photo taken 11/22/07. The next exit along northbound Interstate 5 is Exit 357, Kamm Avenue east to California 33. Photo taken 11/22/07. Northbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 357, Kamm Avenue. Photo taken 11/22/07. The gore point signage for Exit 357 shows the exit number. Photo taken 11/22/07. This mileage sign is located next to the Kamm Avenue overpass. It has the same destinations and control cities as the previous sign after Exit 357. From here, California 152 is 43 miles ahead, while San Francisco is 158 miles and Sacramento is 157 miles. Photo taken 11/22/07. The next exit along northbound Interstate 5 is Exit 365, Manning Avenue (one mile). Photo taken 07/02/04. Northbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 365, Manning Avenue. Photo taken 11/22/07. The Manning Avenue overpass is painted green. Photo taken 11/22/07. This mileage sign provides the distance to the next three exits along Interstate 5/Westside Highway north: Exit 368, Panoche Road; Exit 372, Russell Avenue; and Exit 379, Shields Avenue and Little Panoche Road. The Diablo Range, including Ortigalita Peak at an elevation of 3,305 feet, loom in the distance. Photo taken 11/22/07. The next exit along Interstate 5 north is Exit 368, Panoche Road (one mile). Panoche Road leads east to Mendota (Junction California 33-180) and west to the town of Panoche in San Benito County. Photo taken 11/22/07. All motorist services (food, gas, and lodging) are available at Exit 368. This blue services guide sign is the only set of signs (as of Fall 2007) to include the exit number for Panoche Road. Photo taken 11/22/07. Northbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 368, Panoche Road. Photo taken 11/22/07. This Interstate 5 north reassurance shield is posted after the Panoche Road onramp. Photo taken 11/22/07. This mileage sign provides the distance to the California 152 interchange (34 miles), San Francisco (148 miles), and Sacramento (147 miles). Photo taken 11/22/07. The next exit along northbound Interstate 5 is Exit 372, Russell Avenue. Russell Avenue leads north to meet Junction Fresno County Route J-1 and Dos Palos (Junction California 33). Photo taken 11/22/07. Use Exit 372, Russell Avenue north to Dos Palos. Photo taken 11/22/07. Northbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 372, Russell Avenue. Photo taken 11/22/07. View of the overcrossing for Russell Avenue as seen along northbound Interstate 5. The green steel superstructure is a common feature of the bridges along Interstate 5 between Wheeler Ridge (Junction California 99) and Tracy (Junction Interstate 205). Constructed in large segments during the late 1960s and early 1970s, many bridges along Interstate 5 (both overpasses and undercrossings) feature the green metallic superstructure. Photo taken 11/28/02. Shortly after the onramp from Russell Avenue is this reassurance shield for Interstate 5 north. Photo taken 11/22/07. Another steel girder bridge crosses Interstate 5 in remote Fresno County. This overpass carries east-west California Avenue. Photo taken 11/22/07. Farms, orchards, and ranches line both sides of Interstate 5. This region has limited rainfall yet fertile soil. The plants in the center median shows the limited rainfall here. Photo taken 11/22/07. The next exit along northbound Interstate 5 is Exit 379, Junction Fresno County Route J-1/Shields Avenue. Use Shields Avenue west to Little Panoche Road west to Mercey Hot Springs, Panoche, New Idria, and Paicines (Junction California 25). Photo taken 11/22/07. Northbound Interstate 5 approaches Exit 379, Junction Fresno County Route J-1/Shields Avenue. Use Shields Avenue east to Mendota, Kerman, and Fresno. Photo taken 11/22/07. Northbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 379, Junction Fresno County Route J-1/Shields Avenue. This segment of Shields Avenue is on the same trajectory as the Shields Avenue in the city of Fresno, but the roads are discontinuous. This is the approximate location where a future California 180 freeway is proposed to connect Interstate 5 to Fresno, funding permitted. County Route J-1 continues west of here, culminating its journey at Junction California 25 in Paicines via Panoche Road in San Benito County. Photo taken 11/22/07. An exit number for Exit 379 is posted shortly thereafter. Photo taken 11/22/07. This Interstate 5 north reassurance shield is posted after the onramp from Shields Avenue. Photo taken 11/22/07. This mileage sign along northbound Interstate 5 provides the distance to the California 165 interchange at Exit 391 as well as the control cities of Sacramento (136 miles) and San Francisco (137 miles). Photo taken 11/22/07. The next exit along northbound Interstate 5 is Exit 385, Nees Avenue. Photo taken 11/22/07. Use Nees Avenue east to Firebaugh (at Junction California 33). Photo taken 11/22/07. With the advent of exit numbers in California, blue motorist services signs have also started to use the exit numbers. Photo taken 11/22/07. Northbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 385, Nees Avenue. Nees Avenue leads due east to meet California 33 in Firebaugh. Photo taken 11/22/07. The next exit along Interstate 5 north is Exit 386, John "Chuck" Erreca Rest Area (one mile). The Nees Avenue overpass is visible in the background. Photo taken 11/22/07. An Interstate 5 north reassurance shield is posted after the onramp from Nees Avenue. Photo taken 11/22/07. Northbound Interstate 5 leaves Fresno County and entering Merced County near Milepost 386. Photo taken 11/28/02. Page Updated October 11, 2008.