CA-58 Kramer Junction Bypass

[andy3175]

Any progress on the project since the groundbreaking ceremony?

All I've seen is:

http://www.desertnews.com/news/article_0074e528-0228-11e8-b0e8-731e127519df.html

Council talks fire chief, impact fees during meeting
Posted: Friday, January 26, 2018 12:00 am
By Kane Wickham

Next up was Wood's report on the Kramer Junction Gap Project, a multi-million-dollar project to widen the final two-lane stretch of Highway 58 between Bakersfield and Barstow. The project will begin very soon and is expected to relieve some of the $10 billion a year in shipments that travel through the area with the Central Valley's harvest. Some have said they fear this would mean the end of Kramer Junction as it will bypass the old and much used junction. A major investment coming just north of Kramer Junction is expected to make up for the re-routing that now bypasses Kramer Junction and the expected slowing of business such a bypass will produce. The project is expected to be completed by 2020.

I am guessing the construction efforts continue apace.

[sparker]

Any progress on the project since the groundbreaking ceremony?

All I've seen is:

http://www.desertnews.com/news/article_0074e528-0228-11e8-b0e8-731e127519df.html

Council talks fire chief, impact fees during meeting
Posted: Friday, January 26, 2018 12:00 am
By Kane Wickham

Next up was Wood's report on the Kramer Junction Gap Project, a multi-million-dollar project to widen the final two-lane stretch of Highway 58 between Bakersfield and Barstow. The project will begin very soon and is expected to relieve some of the $10 billion a year in shipments that travel through the area with the Central Valley's harvest. Some have said they fear this would mean the end of Kramer Junction as it will bypass the old and much used junction. A major investment coming just north of Kramer Junction is expected to make up for the re-routing that now bypasses Kramer Junction and the expected slowing of business such a bypass will produce. The project is expected to be completed by 2020.

I am guessing the construction efforts continue apace.

For a project that only "broke ground" a few months back (although it looked like it had been grubbed at least 6 years ago!), a completion estimate of 2020 isn't all that bad for this state. 

[GoneBoating]

Has anyone passed through Kramer Junction since the new year? Just curious if any kind of construction has started yet.

I drove by yesterday and construction has definitely started and looking good. I can't wait for this to be completed

[Plutonic Panda]

Good to hear! Once this bypass is finished will there be more grade separation projects for this corridor?

[kkt]

Good to hear! Once this bypass is finished will there be more grade separation projects for this corridor?

Let's hope so, anyway.

[myosh_tino]

Good to hear! Once this bypass is finished will there be more grade separation projects for this corridor?

Maybe but I don't think there's anything imminent.  Once this bypass is built, CA-58 will be a 4-lane freeway or expressway from Bakersfield to Barstow which should be more than sufficient.

[Bobby5280]

The whole thing should be an Interstate quality freeway between Bakersfield and Barstow, whether it carries an Interstate designation or not. The bypasses around Hinkley and Kramer Junction are the toughest obstacles. I think other approaches can be made to handle the driveways along CA-58 between the CA-223 intersection and Tehachapi (cutting off some driveways that have gravel road access to nearby freeway style exits and using short length frontage/access roads for the few others without direct access). I don't know how severe the grade incline/decline gets along that stretch of highway. Even if it goes above 6% it doesn't seem to be a deal breaker for the giant amount of semi trucks using it.

[kkt]

The whole thing should be an Interstate quality freeway between Bakersfield and Barstow,

You think that, and I think that, but Caltrans and the California legislature don't think it's the highest priority.

[sparker]

The whole thing should be an Interstate quality freeway between Bakersfield and Barstow, whether it carries an Interstate designation or not. The bypasses around Hinkley and Kramer Junction are the toughest obstacles. I think other approaches can be made to handle the driveways along CA-58 between the CA-223 intersection and Tehachapi (cutting off some driveways that have gravel road access to nearby freeway style exits and using short length frontage/access roads for the few others without direct access). I don't know how severe the grade incline/decline gets along that stretch of highway. Even if it goes above 6% it doesn't seem to be a deal breaker for the giant amount of semi trucks using it.

There are plenty of gated access points on CA mountain Interstates as it is (particularly on I-5 north of Shasta Lake); adding a few more won't seem to bother anyone -- as long as there's plenty of room along the side of the road for someone to pull off out of the traffic lanes.  In the 223/Caliente Road area, those access points can certainly be shunted over to one or another side roads; it wouldn't be terribly difficult to configure a combined interchange for both intersecting roads at that point.  IIRC, the grade on CA 58 between Tehachapi and Woodfords is the steepest on the entire route, topping out just around 6%, give or take.  Other than that, the most substandard area is the K-railed section between Mojave and Monolith; some widening and establishment of inner shoulder to the statutory 4' minimum would be required to achieve passable Interstate standards. 

There are several instances of significant curvature -- but none worse than found on I-80 between Colfax and Yuba Gap (or even down in the Truckee River canyon near the state line).  The most dangerous part of the road is near the UP/BNSF "Tehachapi Loop" about a third of a mile west of the CA 58 alignment -- where I've witnessed folks slowing down in lanes to watch a train go around the loop and cross over or under itself.

The whole thing should be an Interstate quality freeway between Bakersfield and Barstow,

You think that, and I think that, but Caltrans and the California legislature don't think it's the highest priority.

Getting CA 58 up to Interstate grade is certainly a doable prospect; but for the time being I'm just glad that the 4-laning will be completed soon.  My guess is that once that is done, there will be pressure (but, of course, not from Caltrans itself) to extend I-40 over that corridor -- particularly after the Bakersfield Westside facility is extended to I-5.  In fact, I'd wager that this corridor sees such activity well before any Interstate activity ramps up for CA 99.  As far as the CA state legislature goes -- well, let's just say that they are quite pliable, especially when it comes to quid pro quo arrangements.  And there has been increased focus on the plight of the non-coastal CA regions and how funds directed toward that area have been scarce in comparison with the more urban/coastal areas.  This corridor could be one of the "squeaky wheels" that garners attention as both a interregional and rural server but also as a potential traffic diverter from the perennial L.A. congestion (along with the appropriate connectors) -- and as such, a worthy project.  Whether the route, once completed as an expressway/freeway continuum, is perfectly adequate as is simply is a matter of opinion; no more, no less.  But one thing is probably certain -- anything beyond what's being done currently is a long-term situation unless the corridor becomes the focus of efforts from various interests.   

[LM117]

The whole thing should be an Interstate quality freeway between Bakersfield and Barstow, whether it carries an Interstate designation or not.

I agree. It's mind-boggling that it's not even designated as a High Priority Corridor. Given that CA-58 between Barstow and I-5 is a major freight corridor, as well as the main route to the Northwest from the Southeast, it's practically screaming to become I-40.

[sparker]

The Division of Highways tried to get the corridor into the 1968 group of Interstate additions, but were thwarted when the legislation was cut back to its final iteration of 1500 total miles.  Since then, their successor agency has had little interest in engaging in similar activities -- particularly since those doesn't involve the old 90% Fed funding level.

[Bobby5280]

There are plenty of gated access points on CA mountain Interstates as it is (particularly on I-5 north of Shasta Lake); adding a few more won't seem to bother anyone -- as long as there's plenty of room along the side of the road for someone to pull off out of the traffic lanes.

I have a feeling those gated access points on I-5 are grandfathered to old outdated standards and variances, just like other sub-standard points in the Interstate system: I-40 in the Texas Panhandle says hello (8 at-grade crossings over both sets of main lanes for ranch access between Exit 0 and Exit 15).

I-10 in West Texas between mile marker 48 and 451 has dozens of gravel driveways and at-grade crossings signed just like an ordinary 4-lane highway (turn signs, one-way signs, etc). The driveways on I-10 don't disappear entirely until around exit 501. And then even after that there's all sorts of very short entry and exit ramps connecting to frontage roads where the Interstate effectively has turn and merge lanes built into it. I'm pretty sure any newly built Interstate facility would not be allowed to have such ramps. That stuff goes on right into the San Antonio area.

Any highway newly built or upgraded to receive a new Interstate designation on it has to be built to current standards, which are much more strict. So I don't think the various driveways along CA-58 would be allowed in order for I-40 to be designated along that highway. Whenever TX DOT gets around to building the remaining segments of I-69E and I-69C in far South Texas some parts are going to have frontage roads of short lengths to provide access to ranches and other back roads where there's not enough traffic to justify a grade separated exit. They can't just let someone build their driveway directly out onto the Interstate main lanes anymore.

[sparker]

There are plenty of gated access points on CA mountain Interstates as it is (particularly on I-5 north of Shasta Lake); adding a few more won't seem to bother anyone -- as long as there's plenty of room along the side of the road for someone to pull off out of the traffic lanes.

I have a feeling those gated access points on I-5 are grandfathered to old outdated standards and variances, just like other sub-standard points in the Interstate system: I-40 in the Texas Panhandle says hello (8 at-grade crossings over both sets of main lanes for ranch access).

I-10 in West Texas between mile marker 48 and 451 has dozens of gravel driveways and at-grade crossings signed just like an ordinary 4-lane highway (turn signs, one-way signs, etc). The driveways on I-10 don't disappear entirely until around exit 501. And then even after that there's all sorts of very short entry and exit ramps connecting to frontage roads where the Interstate effectively has turn and merge lanes built into it. I'm pretty sure any newly built Interstate facility would not be allowed to have such ramps. That stuff goes on right into the San Antonio area.

Any highway newly built or upgraded to receive a new Interstate designation on it has to be built to current standards, which are much more strict. So I don't think the various driveways along CA-58 would be allowed in order for I-40 to be designated along that highway. Whenever TX DOT gets around to building the remaining segments of I-69E and I-69C in far South Texas some parts are going to have frontage roads of short lengths to provide access to ranches and other back roads where there's not enough traffic to justify a grade separated exit. They can't just let someone build their driveway directly out onto the Interstate main lanes anymore.

From what I understand, the I-69E "frontage roads" along the King Ranch segment of that route will be essentially turnoffs separated by either striping or K-rails from the traffic lanes, with gated RIRO egress to ranch access roads.  If that, or something similar, could be "imported" for CA 58 (or other such situations as appropriate) that may be something that would pass muster.  There are only a few such situations on those portions of CA 58 currently considered full freeway -- up on the mountain near Woodford; the remainder are located on the expressway segments and would likely be dealt with by shunting to the nearest crossroad (presuming grade separation and/or interchange); quite a few of those are located on the segment from Mojave to the Boron freeway section.   Fortunately, the expressway segments between US 395 and I-15, while featuring at-grade intersections with crossing roads (which of course would be grade-separated with full freeway conversion) avoid private driveway incursion.  It's likely that the only locations that would require a Texas-style solution are the few Woodford-area access roads to facilities on the adjoining hills. 

[nexus73]

"And then even after that there's all sorts of very short entry and exit ramps connecting to frontage roads where the Interstate effectively has turn and merge lanes built into it. I'm pretty sure any newly built Interstate facility would not be allowed to have such ramps."

Going along Texas's I-40 in October 2017 was a rude awakening to this hazardous-looking design.  I have never seen such elsewhere.  The worst I-5 interchange in Oregon of a very short ramp design and since replaced was the Dever-Conner one between Albany and Salem.  What Texas came up with looked even worse to my eyes.  I am guessing they get away with it on little used exits.

Another curiosity on Texas's I-40 was that there is one of the fanciest rest stops you will ever see with two different very large bathroom areas on each end of a quite large building while the usual Rest Area signs said Picnic Area since there were no bathrooms.  How hard can it be to put in a couple prebuilt bathrooms?  Had the money spent on the grandiose palace been used properly, there would be real rest stops on I-40 through the Panhandle.

There must be a thousand-plus windmills seen from this freeway too.  I have never seen more.  Miles of these beasts must have made for quite the amount of work when they were being installed!

Rick

[sparker]

The design criteria for such off-carriageway RIRO exits like the ones planned for the King Ranch section of I-69E are based upon non-general-public usage but rather utilized by folks with gate access to the ranchlands (keys or keycards), with occupancy of the egress path (the "frontage road" mentioned in an earlier post) being only sporadic and posing no more danger to road traffic than a vehicle pulled off well to the right of the shoulder itself (these lanes would feature greater separation than a simple widening of the shoulder).  For such occasional private egress in a topologically difficult area such as found in the Tehachapi Mountains along CA 58 this would seem to be appropriate if  implemented properly. 

Interesting observation regarding the windmills on I-40 in the Panhandle -- the section of CA 58 in question -- particularly the portion between Mojave and Tehachapi -- features literally a thousand or so of these windmills, placed because of the wind currents over that mountain range, which features the lowest ridge elevation between the high Mojave Desert and the San Joaquin Valley, and thus a favorable path for wind currents. 

[Bobby5280]

From what I understand, the I-69E "frontage roads" along the King Ranch segment of that route will be essentially turnoffs separated by either striping or K-rails from the traffic lanes, with gated RIRO egress to ranch access roads.

I can't remember where I saw diagrams/illustrations of the plans for I-69E & I-69C, but it does involve more than just building what amounts to a glorified turn-off not much different than a 90° hard turn driveway.

What I saw reminded me more of ramps like those going in & out of a rest area. But instead of a rest area the ramps are connecting to a short frontage road, perhaps one even shorter in length than that of a typical rest area. There also wouldn't be any of this at-grade crossing crap where ranchers cross one set of main lanes to make an at-grade left turn onto the far main lanes. That's one thing that really bugs the crap out of me with I-40 in the TX Panhandle and I-10 in West Texas. Hell even CA-58, with all its gravel driveways between the Beaville Rd intersection and the Tucker Rd exit in Tehachapi, doesn't allow any of the driveways to make at-grade left turns across main travel lanes of traffic. A concrete Jersey barrier runs along nearly all of that mountain roadway, blocking any left turns.

To be fair, I-10 in West Texas has quite a few driveways that look improvised & illegal. There are many examples where a frontage road will come to a dead end, yet there will be wheel ruts going from that dead end right onto the I-10 main lanes. Then there's vehicle tracks going across main travel lanes in many instances, even when frontage roads are present on both sides of the highway!

Many other Interstate highways are having to be upgraded with various safety improvements, such as wider shoulders (both inner and outer), rumble strips, black & white striping, improved signs, cable barriers, etc. Yet these cheapskate danger zones on I-40 and I-10 are still allowed to go on unchanged. At the very least the at-grade left turn crossings on I-40 and I-10 absolutely should be blocked/eliminated under threat of removing those segments of highway from the Interstate system. I couldn't care less if some rancher will have to drive 10 miles this way or that if his dangerous left turn is blocked. I think the safety of other motorists outweighs that one guy's convenience.

[nexus73]

The design criteria for such off-carriageway RIRO exits like the ones planned for the King Ranch section of I-69E are based upon non-general-public usage but rather utilized by folks with gate access to the ranchlands (keys or keycards), with occupancy of the egress path (the "frontage road" mentioned in an earlier post) being only sporadic and posing no more danger to road traffic than a vehicle pulled off well to the right of the shoulder itself (these lanes would feature greater separation than a simple widening of the shoulder).  For such occasional private egress in a topologically difficult area such as found in the Tehachapi Mountains along CA 58 this would seem to be appropriate if  implemented properly. 

Interesting observation regarding the windmills on I-40 in the Panhandle -- the section of CA 58 in question -- particularly the portion between Mojave and Tehachapi -- features literally a thousand or so of these windmills, placed because of the wind currents over that mountain range, which features the lowest ridge elevation between the high Mojave Desert and the San Joaquin Valley, and thus a favorable path for wind currents. 

Spent the night in Mojave at a motel that had a great view of windmills close and distant.  Watching the lights these windmills have turn on and turn off was a pretty sight. 

Rick

[Desert Man]

In my fantasy interstate system, CA 58 is I-40 from Barstow CA west to Bakersfield, where CA 99 is now I-9, and the CA 14 is now I-6 to honor the former US 6 which went through Palmdale, Lancaster and Mojave CA. There is an I-14 in the Southern US in GA, AL and MS from Savannah (GA) crosses Southern Alabama like Dothan to end in near Magnolia (MS). 

[Plutonic Panda]

The design criteria for such off-carriageway RIRO exits like the ones planned for the King Ranch section of I-69E are based upon non-general-public usage but rather utilized by folks with gate access to the ranchlands (keys or keycards), with occupancy of the egress path (the "frontage road" mentioned in an earlier post) being only sporadic and posing no more danger to road traffic than a vehicle pulled off well to the right of the shoulder itself (these lanes would feature greater separation than a simple widening of the shoulder).  For such occasional private egress in a topologically difficult area such as found in the Tehachapi Mountains along CA 58 this would seem to be appropriate if  implemented properly. 

Interesting observation regarding the windmills on I-40 in the Panhandle -- the section of CA 58 in question -- particularly the portion between Mojave and Tehachapi -- features literally a thousand or so of these windmills, placed because of the wind currents over that mountain range, which features the lowest ridge elevation between the high Mojave Desert and the San Joaquin Valley, and thus a favorable path for wind currents. 

Spent the night in Mojave at a motel that had a great view of windmills close and distant.  Watching the lights these windmills have turn on and turn off was a pretty sight. 

Rick

What is the name of that motel if you don't mind me asking?

[nexus73]

The design criteria for such off-carriageway RIRO exits like the ones planned for the King Ranch section of I-69E are based upon non-general-public usage but rather utilized by folks with gate access to the ranchlands (keys or keycards), with occupancy of the egress path (the "frontage road" mentioned in an earlier post) being only sporadic and posing no more danger to road traffic than a vehicle pulled off well to the right of the shoulder itself (these lanes would feature greater separation than a simple widening of the shoulder).  For such occasional private egress in a topologically difficult area such as found in the Tehachapi Mountains along CA 58 this would seem to be appropriate if  implemented properly. 

Interesting observation regarding the windmills on I-40 in the Panhandle -- the section of CA 58 in question -- particularly the portion between Mojave and Tehachapi -- features literally a thousand or so of these windmills, placed because of the wind currents over that mountain range, which features the lowest ridge elevation between the high Mojave Desert and the San Joaquin Valley, and thus a favorable path for wind currents. 

Spent the night in Mojave at a motel that had a great view of windmills close and distant.  Watching the lights these windmills have turn on and turn off was a pretty sight. 

Rick

What is the name of that motel if you don’t mind me asking?

I do not remember.  It is close by a place to eat and looks a bit down at the heels, a real High Desert classic...LOL!

Rick

[skluth]

In my fantasy interstate system, CA 58 is I-40 from Barstow CA west to Bakersfield, where CA 99 is now I-9, and the CA 14 is now I-6 to honor the former US 6 which went through Palmdale, Lancaster and Mojave CA. There is an I-14 in the Southern US in GA, AL and MS from Savannah (GA) crosses Southern Alabama like Dothan to end in near Magnolia (MS).

Please keep fantasy interstates to the Fictional Highways thread. Thank you.

[Desert Man]

In my fantasy interstate system, CA 58 is I-40 from Barstow CA west to Bakersfield, where CA 99 is now I-9, and the CA 14 is now I-6 to honor the former US 6 which went through Palmdale, Lancaster and Mojave CA. There is an I-14 in the Southern US in GA, AL and MS from Savannah (GA) crosses Southern Alabama like Dothan to end in near Magnolia (MS).

Please keep fantasy interstates to the Fictional Highways thread. Thank you.

LOL...CA-58 can still be CA-58. I went on the road a few times on my way to Bakersfield, Fresno and all over Nor Cal. It sure beats the humongous, horrific and terrible traffic in the LA basin. It's also a shorter route after you turn left from US 395 from I-15.

[sparker]

In my fantasy interstate system, CA 58 is I-40 from Barstow CA west to Bakersfield, where CA 99 is now I-9, and the CA 14 is now I-6 to honor the former US 6 which went through Palmdale, Lancaster and Mojave CA. There is an I-14 in the Southern US in GA, AL and MS from Savannah (GA) crosses Southern Alabama like Dothan to end in near Magnolia (MS).

Please keep fantasy interstates to the Fictional Highways thread. Thank you.

LOL...CA-58 can still be CA-58. I went on the road a few times on my way to Bakersfield, Fresno and all over Nor Cal. It sure beats the humongous, horrific and terrible traffic in the LA basin. It's also a shorter route after you turn left from US 395 from I-15.

At this point, CA 58 and its effective "feeder" routes (US 395, I-40, I-15 from Vegas) effectively serve as a functional bypass of the entire L.A. metro area; it's certainly the preferred route from the Inland Empire to the San Joaquin Valley and points beyond for those lacking the masochistic streak required to traverse L.A. south of the San Gabriel mountains when an alternative is available -- even one stuck out in the desert.  The physical configuration of the facilities (particularly the 395>58 continuum) especially lends itself to bypass usage -- and this will only draw more and more traffic -- much if not most commercial in nature -- out its way.  58 will be 4 lanes from I-15 to I-5 within a decade; the likely next "bullseye" regarding both traffic and safety will be US 395 between Victorville and CA 58; it's already carrying more than its share of trucks, most of which turn west on 58 toward Bakersfield.  And its hilly 2-lane-with-passing-lanes format has become woefully inadequate for the job it's being asked to do daily.   IMO...it's only a matter of time (and a couple of nasty incidents) before 395 joins 58 in the multilane/divided book.

[myosh_tino]

Construction Update:

I went though the area on May 22nd on my way back from Las Vegas and construction is well on it's way.  It looks like most of the construction is focused on the east end of the bypass where a lot of grading has been done on the northside of the highway and work is progressing on the overpasses over the rail line.  Several of the columns supporting the new overpass appear completed however, the embankments/approaches were still quite a ways from being finished.

At Kramer Junction (the 58/395 intersection), there hasn't been a whole lot of progress on the new 58/395 interchange.  No columns have been formed nor has any work been done on the approaches.

At the west end of the bypass near Boron, some grading has been done but not much else.

My next trip through there will be in early October so it'll be interesting to see how much more progress is made during the summer (hottest) months.

[Plutonic Panda]

Will the 395 interchange be free flowing? It would be nice to see a directional interchange(not warranted I know but I hate cloverleafs with a purple passion), but at the very least a cloverleaf would be better than a traffic signal for that corridor.