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[sparker]

Just saw a "Freeway Entrance - 58 East" sign at Stockdale and Westside Parkway!

Don't remember that being there when I was here in November.

Also saw a "To 58" trailblazer at Mohawk ramp.

SM-G973U1

Any ETA on the connector to CA 99?  Also, any signage on Stockdale west of the freeway terminus?  It'll be interesting to see if D6 (a) gets Stockdale adopted out all the way to CA 5 or just as far as CA 43 in the interim, shunting 58 north to its original alignment for the time being.  Suppose it's too much -- or too early -- to ask about any concrete (or asphalt!) plans for the final freeway extension to I-5. 

Isn’t this going to eventually be incorporated into I-40 or am I imaging things?

^ There are currently zero plans for anything of I-40 west of I-15.

The last time anything formal about CA 58 becoming I-40 was back in 1968, when the corridor was a part of the original 4500-mile configuration of that year's Interstate additions; submitted by DOH the previous year.  Of course, when the cut-down to 1500 miles occurred, this was one of the deletions.  Nothing since then, although a conversation I had with Caltrans planners back in 1987 indicated that 58 was about the only corridor that they would even consider submitting for such status.  But Caltrans and their political handlers have had several opportunities with the various federal omnibus bills since that time (ISTEA, NHS, SAFETEA-LU, etc.) to get such a corridor concept on the books, but haven't done so to date, which seems to indicate that official enthusiasm for such an action is presently negligible.  And since 58's currently fully a free-flow freeway/expressway for the entire length between I-15 and CA 99, it probably won't get short-term attention unless safety issues stemming from the CA 223 interchange or any of the other remaining at-grade crossings become publicly problematic, prompting "spot" fixes, including grade separations/interchanges, as needed.  But the chances of an end-to-end upgrade program at this time are pretty slim.     

[Max Rockatansky]

Isn’t this going to eventually be incorporated into I-40 or am I imaging things?

The whole road world is imagining things.  The fact that nonsense made to the CA 58 Wikipedia is a travesty.  Sparker spelled out the history of the corridor as a prospective Interstate in full detail. 

[74/171FAN]

Isn’t this going to eventually be incorporated into I-40 or am I imaging things?

The whole road world is imagining things.  The fact that nonsense made to the CA 58 Wikipedia is a travesty.  Sparker spelled out the history of the corridor as a prospective Interstate in full detail. 

We imagine CA 58 becoming I-40 out west like we imagine NJ 42 and the Atlantic City Expressway becoming I-76 out east.

[Max Rockatansky]

Isn’t this going to eventually be incorporated into I-40 or am I imaging things?

The whole road world is imagining things.  The fact that nonsense made to the CA 58 Wikipedia is a travesty.  Sparker spelled out the history of the corridor as a prospective Interstate in full detail. 

We imagine CA 58 becoming I-40 out west like we imagine NJ 42 and the Atlantic City Expressway becoming I-76 out east.

But it's like the Mandela Effect.  People are renumbering some sort of recent exploration of the current CA 58 corridor as part of I-40 when in reality it was last seriously considered half a century ago.  Interestingly someone edited it off the Wikipedia page during April:

 https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=California_State_Route_58&action=history

[kkt]

Half the roadgeeks from here to Key West look at CA 58 and think "I-40".  But Caltrans looks at CA 58 and wonders, what would be in it for us?

Someday maybe Bakersfield or Central Valley boosters will lean on their members of congress to get it put in a bill.  "Eventually" is a long time, it could happen.  I wouldn't look for it until the freeway CA 58 is extended to I-5.

[Max Rockatansky]

Half the roadgeeks from here to Key West look at CA 58 and think "I-40".  But Caltrans looks at CA 58 and wonders, what would be in it for us?

Someday maybe Bakersfield or Central Valley boosters will lean on their members of congress to get it put in a bill.  "Eventually" is a long time, it could happen.  I wouldn't look for it until the freeway CA 58 is extended to I-5.

Aside from a full interchange at CA 223 what other improvements on CA 58 between CA 99 and I-15 are actually needed?   Sealing off a bunch of surface intersections and widening/paving the shoulders don’t really add any value.  At look at corridors like US 101 between Santa Barbara-Gilroy and see way more more of a need to close off expressway intersections with freeway interchange.

[sparker]

It's kinda ironic that someone with the prominence of House minority leader McCarthy hasn't pressed for something of the sort at the federal level for his own hometown.  Hell, with CA 99 formally considered by the Feds as a future Interstate, his home district could be sitting at a significant Interstate junction!  But it seems he's almost always super-busy covering his ass by waffling about just about anything about which he's issued pronouncements; he probably doesn't have the time to tend to his own back yard.  Hell, it took the local MPO to initiate the Westside project without significant support from the higher strata of the governmental food chain (although D6 did step up in terms of helping out with the engineering/technical aspects of the project).  One of us could write the proposal and even the authorizing language and drop it on Kevin M's desk, and it would likely end up in a bottom drawer of a filing cabinet (and yes, I've thought about it!); he seems to care more about maintaining his status than doing much for his constituents. 

Half the roadgeeks from here to Key West look at CA 58 and think "I-40".  But Caltrans looks at CA 58 and wonders, what would be in it for us?

Someday maybe Bakersfield or Central Valley boosters will lean on their members of congress to get it put in a bill.  "Eventually" is a long time, it could happen.  I wouldn't look for it until the freeway CA 58 is extended to I-5.

Aside from a full interchange at CA 223 what other improvements on CA 58 between CA 99 and I-15 are actually needed?   Sealing off a bunch of surface intersections and widening/paving the shoulders don’t really add any value.  At look at corridors like US 101 between Santa Barbara-Gilroy and see way more more of a need to close off expressway intersections with freeway interchange.

I think this has been mentioned before, but uphill climbing and downhill dedicated truck lanes on the steep section between Tehachapi and Woodford/Keene would certainly be helpful to commercial traffic -- both to make it more efficient and to make the interface between heavy-commercial and other traffic considerably safer.

[The Ghostbuster]

Is the Stockdale Highway-to-CA 58 freeway conversion going to be constructed anytime soon? Or is the freeway conversion construction date far into the future?

[sparker]

Is the Stockdale Highway-to-CA 58 freeway conversion going to be constructed anytime soon? Or is the freeway conversion construction date far into the future?

Probably too early to tell.  D6 installed a roundabout at the intersection of Stockdale and CA 43 a couple of years back, but otherwise nada as far as physical construction.  Apparently there's a designated ROW that diverges from Stockdale west of 43 and sits a bit north of the Kern River channel, intersecting I-5 between 1-2 miles south of the present Stockdale interchange.  But as of yet no timetable -- nor hints at such -- from either Caltrans or the Bakersfield MPO.  And the earlier comment about no action regarding any potential Interstate aspirations being taken until this segment is at least let is probably more true than not -- although my comments on the lack of vision from the local congressional district and its occupant stand -- even if his name appears in the cites of any future legislation to such effect, it's likely in reality he'll simply serve as a "rubber stamp" -- at most a passive conduit for more determined local players.  It's not his political leanings at issue here; it's his utility to his constituency. 

[jrouse]

Any ETA on the connector to CA 99?  Also, any signage on Stockdale west of the freeway terminus?  It'll be interesting to see if D6 (a) gets Stockdale adopted out all the way to CA 5 or just as far as CA 43 in the interim, shunting 58 north to its original alignment for the time being.  Suppose it's too much -- or too early -- to ask about any concrete (or asphalt!) plans for the final freeway extension to I-5. 

The California Transportation Commission, which is responsible for handling the adoption and relinquishment of State highways, approved the adoption of Stockdale Highway from I-5 to the western end of the Westside Parkway and the majority of the Westside Parkway (from its western end up to Coffee) as CA-58 in late 2020. 

https://catc.ca.gov/-/media/ctc-media/documents/ctc-meetings/2020/2020-12/45-2-3a1.pdf

https://catc.ca.gov/-/media/ctc-media/documents/ctc-meetings/2020/2020-12/46-2-3a2.pdf

The city of Bakersfield subsequently transferred this portion of the Westside Parkway to Caltrans on February 5. That would explain why people are seeing CA-58 shields along Westside Parkway.

The City of Bakersfied will be transferring the Westside Parkway to Caltrans on February 5, 2021. CHP will assume full law enforcement authority and jurisdictional responsibility of all laws on the Westside Parkway. #chp #drivesafe #slowdown pic.twitter.com/jc8HqfpcOg

— CHP Bakersfield (@BakersfieldChp) January 18, 2021

?s=21

Long term plans call for a new freeway alignment to be built for CA-58 between I-5 and the western end of the Westside Parkway,  but that project is not funded.  It's in the 2018 Kern County Regional Transportation Plan.  The future freeway will be located a bit south of the existing Stockdale Highway, and curve a bit to the southwest as it gets closer to I-5.  The connection is projected to be built after 2030.

https://content.civicplus.com/api/assets/1ce8ceae-022c-4c81-84de-ede490743edb?version=0&q=d13cc4e5-fa66-67c5-bcb3-777ec5e1700e

 https://www.kerncog.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2018_RTP.pdf

The Centennial Corridor project, which will connect Westside Parkway with the existing CA-58 freeway at CA-99, is scheduled for completion by 2023.

[sparker]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Thanks for the updated info.  Since nothing regarding the I-5 extension will be let for at least another 9 years, specific plans/features of the extension probably haven't been finalized yet -- such as the new 5/58 interchange.  Let's hope they're thinking to the future and planning a free-flow (directional or higher-speed trumpet) for that facility (no parclos/DDI's/SPUI's, please!). 

[sprjus4]

^ If I-15’s junction is any indication… we can only hope.

[pderocco]

Aside from a full interchange at CA 223 what other improvements on CA 58 between CA 99 and I-15 are actually needed?   Sealing off a bunch of surface intersections and widening/paving the shoulders don’t really add any value.  At look at corridors like US 101 between Santa Barbara-Gilroy and see way more more of a need to close off expressway intersections with freeway interchange.

Probably a diamond at Bealville Rd and another at Cal City Blvd. They're not busy, but they can be dangerous.

On the other hand, as soon as the Westside Parkway reaches I-5, there will be less truck traffic on 223, making that interchange upgrade less pressing.

[sparker]

Aside from a full interchange at CA 223 what other improvements on CA 58 between CA 99 and I-15 are actually needed?   Sealing off a bunch of surface intersections and widening/paving the shoulders don’t really add any value.  At look at corridors like US 101 between Santa Barbara-Gilroy and see way more more of a need to close off expressway intersections with freeway interchange.

Probably a diamond at Bealville Rd and another at Cal City Blvd. They're not busy, but they can be dangerous.

On the other hand, as soon as the Westside Parkway reaches I-5, there will be less truck traffic on 223, making that interchange upgrade less pressing.

Bealville Road is only 0.8 miles from the 223 intersection; both intersecting roads are connected by a "frontage road" which includes part of the alignment of old US 466.  Chances are that if an interchange is planned, it'll address both roads within the same interchange complex.  While some truck traffic does bypass old 58 in the western part of Bakersfield, which can be a real slog with a nasty string of signals, by using 223 as an alternative, not that many do it multiple times; Arvin has had a reputation as a speed trap for over a half-century now, so most truckers avoid it (quiet a few using either CA 46 or 7th Standard Road between I-5 and CA 99, then simply down to the 58 freeway.  And regarding Cal City Blvd., I've never seen more than one or two vehicles waiting at the stop for a break in 58 traffic.  Nonetheless, I understand more than a few US Borax employees do reside there, so maybe there's a mini-rush-hour happening, although I personally haven't seen it.  But that would definitely be the most obvious candidate for upgrade to an interchange after 223/Bealville; traffic on the few other grade crossings between Boron and Mojave is negligible.   

[theroadwayone]

If and when I-40 is extended west, how are they going to do exit numbers; for Bakersfield-Barstow, will they start from 0 or pick up on CA-58's mileposts, and then adjust the Barstow-Needles segment accordingly?

[sparker]

If and when I-40 is extended west, how are they going to do exit numbers; for Bakersfield-Barstow, will they start from 0 or pick up on CA-58's mileposts, and then adjust the Barstow-Needles segment accordingly?

In the unlikely -- at least in the near term -- event that I-40 gets extended west through Bakersfield to I-5; it's almost a certainty that new exit numbers for the entirety of I-40 in CA, old and new, will be erected.  Since Caltrans doesn't really do statewide mileposts as such -- and there aren't all that many exits on current I-40 between I-15 and the state line, it would be a considerably less complex and disruptive undertaking than many other Interstate conversions.   Exit numbering would likely proceed east from the I-5 junction/terminus; chances are that the CA 58 surface route west of I-5 would retain its number (the agency is loath to renumber routes if it doesn't have to). 

[brad2971]

Go to about 4:55 in this video:

Does the city of Bakersfield consider the Westdie Pkwy/Centennial Corridor/CA 58 an eventual part of I-40?

[roadfro]

^ I think that's a comment from the contractor creating the flyover videos and not a city-endorsed statement. Seems like an odd thing to say in the video though...

As far as anyone is aware, Caltrans has no desire to pursue making the freeway portion of SR 58 as a westward extension of I-40—or at least nothing immediate. It's clear the roadgeek community would like to see this just by the conversation in this and other threads.

[brad2971]

^ I think that's a comment from the contractor creating the flyover videos and not a city-endorsed statement. Seems like an odd thing to say in the video though...

As far as anyone is aware, Caltrans has no desire to pursue making the freeway portion of SR 58 as a westward extension of I-40—or at least nothing immediate. It's clear the roadgeek community would like to see this just by the conversation in this and other threads.

It's always astounded me that Bakersfield, Kern County, and House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy (who represents Bakersfield) have never said anything about either expanding I-40 from I-15 to I-5 OR designating SR99 as I-7. One would think that local leaders in both Bakersfield and Fresno would prefer to be directly connnected to the Interstate system, but....

[mrsman]

^^^^^^

"The Centennial corridor mainline connects the Westside Parkway with a 2600 mile freeway system that ends in Wilmington, NC."

This statement is true whether or not there are any future plans for CA-58 to become I-40.  CA-58 is absolutely known as a major truck route to connect Bakersfield and the SJ Valley to I-40 and I-15.  The further connection of the new freeway will facilitate development of Bakersfield's west side and also facilitate connection to I-5 and the northern reaches of the SJ Valley.  Any and all traffic from the Bay Area to the entire southeast of the country is likely to pass through as well.

[I still agree that CA-58 deserves an interstate upgrade.  It really serves a heavy truck and commerce corridor, without a good substitute.]

[mrsman]

Another thread had me looking at some stuff on GSV in the Bakersfield area.

Bakersfield's really growing as more housing and new streets are being put in on the outskirts of town, especially on the west side.  The current terminus of the Westside Parkway (partially responsible for growth on the west side) is now about 8 miles west of 99 and about 9 miles east of I-5.  Certainly people in that area would not have a hard time to drive to I-5 for trips north and may find it even more convenient than 99.

But what is upsetting, especially to those of us who hope to see the Westside Parkway extended to I-5 as a freeway (as CA-58 and with a total pipedream as I-40) is that Caltrans has now put up a recent roundabout (in 2019 or 2020 based on GSV images) at the intersection of Stockdale/CA-43.  Certainly, there is enough traffic here now to merit better control than the old 4-way stop, but does building a roundabout mean that we will never see a grade-separated interchange here with a Westside Parkway extension taking over for Stockdale Hwy?  If grade separation were on the horizon, Caltrans would likely not put up a roundabout here.

[kkt]

Another thread had me looking at some stuff on GSV in the Bakersfield area.

Bakersfield's really growing as more housing and new streets are being put in on the outskirts of town, especially on the west side.  The current terminus of the Westside Parkway (partially responsible for growth on the west side) is now about 8 miles west of 99 and about 9 miles east of I-5.  Certainly people in that area would not have a hard time to drive to I-5 for trips north and may find it even more convenient than 99.

But what is upsetting, especially to those of us who hope to see the Westside Parkway extended to I-5 as a freeway (as CA-58 and with a total pipedream as I-40) is that Caltrans has now put up a recent roundabout (in 2019 or 2020 based on GSV images) at the intersection of Stockdale/CA-43.  Certainly, there is enough traffic here now to merit better control than the old 4-way stop, but does building a roundabout mean that we will never see a grade-separated interchange here with a Westside Parkway extension taking over for Stockdale Hwy?  If grade separation were on the horizon, Caltrans would likely not put up a roundabout here.

I expect any freeway extending the Westside Parkway to I-5 would be parallel to the Stockdale Highway, not overlayed on top of it.  The Stockdale Highway is used for surface access to fields and businesses and if it were turned into a freeway, another road would need to be built to connect them.  Easier to keep the original highway and build the freeway parallel.  That's what's indicated as the plan on

https://content.civicplus.com/api/assets/1ce8ceae-022c-4c81-84de-ede490743edb?version=0&q=d13cc4e5-fa66-67c5-bcb3-777ec5e1700e

that JRouse posted upthread.

Putting the I-5 to I-5 connector interchange a couple of miles south of the I-5-Stockdale Highway interchange also doesn't require knocking down a cluster of the commercial buildings that cluster around exits - hotels, restaurants, gas, etc.

[Bobby5280]

I think the new roundabout at the intersection of the current Stockdale Highway and CA-43 would not affected a further extension of the Westside Parkway. The 4/22/2021 imagery in Google Earth appears to show ROW being preserved past the current end of the Westside Parkway, which would shift an extension toward I-5 at least half a mile South of the current Stockdale Highway.

[The Ghostbuster]

Nice roundabout! Almost looks like one of the countless roundabouts you would find here in Wisconsin.

[andy3175]

Noticed several new SR 58 signs today at the Stockdale Highway interchange with Interstate 5. I didn't get pictures as I didn't realize there would be any there. No 58 shields on 5 itself but I could see several 58 signs on Stockdale Highway.