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Westside Parkway & Centennial Corridor (CA 58 realignment, Bakersfield)

Started by bing101, January 07, 2014, 10:51:19 AM

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bing101



NE2

pre-1945 Florida route log

I accept and respect your identity as long as it's not dumb shit like "identifying as a vaccinated attack helicopter".

agentsteel53

I drove it the other day.  given that Truxtun Ave is a pretty good expressway, it will likely figure in to my plans to navigate to certain frequently-visited spots in west Bakersfield.  usually I've taken 5 to Old River Road, but it looks like 99 to Truxtun to Westside will be the way to go.
live from sunny San Diego.

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jake@aaroads.com

NE2

pre-1945 Florida route log

I accept and respect your identity as long as it's not dumb shit like "identifying as a vaccinated attack helicopter".

agentsteel53

Quote from: NE2 on January 07, 2014, 11:14:45 AM
Are there any signs directing traffic between it and SR 99?

not that I saw.  when I went east, I followed Truxtun, which itself has a non-interchange with 99, requiring Oak and California streets at an optimum.  Oak and California are mall hell, but Truxtun is pleasantly free of commercial slog, so it actually went pretty quickly.
live from sunny San Diego.

http://shields.aaroads.com

jake@aaroads.com

agentsteel53

the exit numbers are currently patched over, but I saw what looked to say "44".  did I mistake a "114" (approximate distance to end of CA-58) or is there a truncation planned?
live from sunny San Diego.

http://shields.aaroads.com

jake@aaroads.com

Henry

QuoteIt also is a sign of transportation projects on the move. The parkway's final $30.1 million segment, from Allen Road to the Heath Road and Stockdale Highway intersection, is due to be completed next year, while planning continues for the controversial Centennial Corridor, which will connect the parkway to Highway 58 and, eventually, Interstate 5.
Along with the improvements of CA 58 eastward to Barstow, I don't see why I-40 shouldn't continue further west in the future. It already connects to I-95 in the East, so why not I-5 in the West? (I-10, I-80 and I-90 already connect to both.)
Go Cubs Go! Go Cubs Go! Hey Chicago, what do you say? The Cubs are gonna win today!

kkt

Quote from: Henry on January 07, 2014, 01:44:14 PM
QuoteIt also is a sign of transportation projects on the move. The parkway's final $30.1 million segment, from Allen Road to the Heath Road and Stockdale Highway intersection, is due to be completed next year, while planning continues for the controversial Centennial Corridor, which will connect the parkway to Highway 58 and, eventually, Interstate 5.
Along with the improvements of CA 58 eastward to Barstow, I don't see why I-40 shouldn't continue further west in the future. It already connects to I-95 in the East, so why not I-5 in the West? (I-10, I-80 and I-90 already connect to both.)

It should, not because I-5 is the westernmost 2di, but because I-40 is the best route from California to the southern midwest and southeast.  Produce from California's Central Valley, manufactured goods from S.F.; the quickest route is I-5, cross the southern Central Valley at CA-46 or CA-58 to Bakersfield, than CA-58 to Barstow.  I-80 is possible, but it takes a lot of gas to climb up to Donner Pass, and if continuing east through the Rockies too, and they are both subject to closure in the winter.  Barstow is not the logical west end of the route, I-5 is.

bing101

http://www.scvresources.com/highways/socal_unsigned/alfred_harrell_hwy/

Was Alfred Harrell Highway supposed to be I-40 at one point?

According to the site

"The freeway portion of the Alfred Harrell Highway "Freeway"  extends from China Grade Loop east to Hart Park. It was constructed to freeway standards using FAS money from 1956 to 1958. The reason for the construction of this freeway was to relieve traffic congestion heading to Hart Park. Beyond Hart Park, Alfred Harrel Highway resumes two-lanes. Grading work was done to continue the freeway but was never used. The Alfred Harrel Highway would be a great northern bypass of Bakersfield if it were ever completed as a full freeway from SR-178 to SR-99."

Was this ever supposed to be a state route?

Occidental Tourist

Quote from: bing101 on January 27, 2014, 12:39:02 PM
Was Alfred Harrell Highway supposed to be I-40 at one point?

No, it wouldn't meet interstate standards (curve, grade).

Quote from: bing101 on January 27, 2014, 12:39:02 PM
Was this ever supposed to be a state route?

No, some FAS money went to important local roads that weren't part of the state's highway system. 

Here's an old article:
http://archive.org/stream/cavol3940liforniahigh6061wa00calirich#page/n123/mode/2up

bing101

Quote from: Occidental Tourist on January 29, 2014, 01:06:51 AM
Quote from: bing101 on January 27, 2014, 12:39:02 PM
Was Alfred Harrell Highway supposed to be I-40 at one point?

No, it wouldn't meet interstate standards (curve, grade).

Quote from: bing101 on January 27, 2014, 12:39:02 PM
Was this ever supposed to be a state route?

No, some FAS money went to important local roads that weren't part of the state's highway system. 

Here's an old article:
http://archive.org/stream/cavol3940liforniahigh6061wa00calirich#page/n123/mode/2up

Wow Alfred Harrell Highway is FAS Route 883 according to the link. I will look to FAS Routes.

Moved reply out of quoted material. Please take care to not reply to quotes within other quotes. --roadfro

BakoCondors

Quote from: Occidental Tourist on January 29, 2014, 01:06:51 AM
Here's an old article:
http://archive.org/stream/cavol3940liforniahigh6061wa00calirich#page/n123/mode/2up

Holy Jeebus! That link led to a goldmine (for me anyway). The Beale Library in Bakersfield had volumes of those Division of Highways journals in the third floor stacks. I spent many afternoons reading through them in the late 80s and early 90s.

Removed extra quote tags. --Roadfro

Occidental Tourist

Quote from: BakoCondors on February 16, 2014, 05:14:50 AM
Holy Jeebus! That link led to a goldmine (for me anyway). The Beale Library in Bakersfield had volumes of those Division of Highways journals in the third floor stacks. I spent many afternoons reading through them in the late 80s and early 90s.


Those old California Public Works magazines are great.  I presume reading them evokes a feeling similar to how Fifth Century Romans felt hearing stories about the reign of Augustus while they watched the empire collapse.

mrsman

Caltrans used to be the leader in highway development and planning, but now they are seriously devolving.  Badly maintained roads, getting rid of control cities left and right.

SIGH

andy3175

Quote from: Occidental Tourist on February 17, 2014, 01:21:58 AM
Quote from: BakoCondors on February 16, 2014, 05:14:50 AM
Holy Jeebus! That link led to a goldmine (for me anyway). The Beale Library in Bakersfield had volumes of those Division of Highways journals in the third floor stacks. I spent many afternoons reading through them in the late 80s and early 90s.


Those old California Public Works magazines are great.  I presume reading them evokes a feeling similar to how Fifth Century Romans felt hearing stories about the reign of Augustus while they watched the empire collapse.

Not to get too far off topic, but Caltrans still produces some newsletters and other documents to replace some of the content found in the old CHPW. The most recent effort: http://www.dot.ca.gov/ctjournal/2014-1/TheMileMarker_Jan2014.pdf.

Regards,
Andy
Regards,
Andy

www.aaroads.com

TheStranger

Just discovered this website that covers the Westside Parkway and other relevant Bakersfield freeway projects:

http://www.bakersfieldfreeways.us/

Prep work on the section of 58 between 99 and 204/Business 99 is beginning soon (in anticipation for connecting that existing freeway with the Westside Parkway) -

http://www.bakersfieldfreeways.us/ConstructionActivity.htm
http://www.bakersfieldfreeways.us/documents/TRIPProgramMap-Mar2012.pdf
Chris Sampang

andy3175

http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/x15405380/Westside-Parkway-Highway-58-builds-fall-behind

QuoteTwo major highway improvement projects expected to be finished this year are behind and likely won't be done until early 2015, a city engineer said Tuesday. Phase 6C, the Westside Parkway's two-mile segment from Allen Road to the intersection of Heath Road and Stockdale Highway, is about 60 percent complete, Luis Topete, an engineer for the Thomas Roads Improvement Program, told members of Keep Bakersfield Beautiful.

QuoteImprovements to Highway 58 dubbed the "gap closure," which include widening it from Highway 99 to Cottonwood Road and improving bridges, ramps and retaining walls, are 65 to 70 percent finished. But last week, Topete said, the owner of Security Paving Co., which is building both, called city officials to let them know neither would be done by Dec. 31.
Regards,
Andy

www.aaroads.com

Chris

The next phase of the Westside Parkway from Allen Road to Stockdale Highway opened to traffic yesterday.




The Ghostbuster

Any timelines on when/if the Westside Parkway will connect with Highway 99?

Concrete Bob

The connection between the eastern end of the Westside Parkway at Truxton and the existing freeway section of SR 58 at the SR 99 interchange is known as the Centennial Corridor. 

If Caltrans' Project Fact Sheet for the Centennial Corridor project is adequate, look for the Westside Parkway to be connected to SR 58 and SR 99 by December 2018.

http://dot.ca.gov/dist6/environmental/projects/centennial/docs/centennial_project_fact_sheet.pdf

Once the Centennial Corridor is completed, I would expect the entire corridor (Centennial Corridor, Westside Parkway and Stockdale Highway to SR 43) to be signed as SR 58, and all the exits will be numbered as well. 

andy3175

I believe it's fair to say that the Westside Corridor is complete as noted upthread. There's a "status report" page on the Bakersfield Freeways site that offers the current status of each of the roadway projects in Bakersfield. Here's a snippet for today 4/20/15:

http://www.bakersfieldfreeways.us/ConstructionActivity.htm

Quote
Centennial Corridor
April 17-24, 2015

The consultant for the Centennial Corridor Project's preliminary design is conducting surveys and geotechnical work at various locations along the proposed corridor. This work entails drilling a small diameter hole within the right-of-way, collecting samples, and restoring the surface to pre-existing conditions.




Westside Parkway
April 17-24, 2015

The final phase of the Westside Parkway, between Allen Road and Stockdale Highway/Heath Road, opened to traffic on April 15th.
Regards,
Andy

www.aaroads.com

mgk920

Quote from: Concrete Bob on April 20, 2015, 10:36:18 PM
The connection between the eastern end of the Westside Parkway at Truxton and the existing freeway section of SR 58 at the SR 99 interchange is known as the Centennial Corridor. 

If Caltrans' Project Fact Sheet for the Centennial Corridor project is adequate, look for the Westside Parkway to be connected to SR 58 and SR 99 by December 2018.

http://dot.ca.gov/dist6/environmental/projects/centennial/docs/centennial_project_fact_sheet.pdf

Once the Centennial Corridor is completed, I would expect the entire corridor (Centennial Corridor, Westside Parkway and Stockdale Highway to SR 43) to be signed as SR 58, and all the exits will be numbered as well.

Future I-40?  We shall see.

:nod:

It still kind of amazes me that Bakersfield is the only place in the state where CalTrans is still building new freeways.

Mike

Bickendan


kkt

There are still a few sections of 101 in  Marin County that have side roads enter without a full exit.

TheStranger

Quote from: kkt on April 23, 2015, 02:32:47 PM
There are still a few sections of 101 in  Marin County that have side roads enter without a full exit.


Will the construction work on 101 south of Petaluma address the at-grades through the narrows?
Chris Sampang



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