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

[Max Rockatansky]

Fresno won't need one, the general plan has the city growing eastward between Jensen Avenue and CA 180 towards McCall Avenue.  Both the Jensen and CA 180 corridors are high quality expressway already.  The city has basically no real long term plans to grow to the south or west.  Considering much of the lane west of 99 is owned by factory farms the easier growth pattern is eastward towards Sanger.  There is some growth in Madera County north of the San Joaquin River but it is largely contained to CA 41 and probably will require expansion to four lanes maybe to CA 145 one day.

Too bad 65 was never built on the east side though, that would have created an almost beltway around the city.

Not really.  That would have more or less served Reedley and Sanger but largely bypassed the Fresno area.  The closest the projected corridor of 65 ever got the direct line northwest of Sanger towards Friant.  Certainly it would have been useful heading north as an alternate to 99.

[mrsman]

The right of way heading directly north and south of Stockdale Highway is for an extension of Rudd Road.  Rudd Road is planned to run from 7th Standard Road in the North to SR 119 in the south.  The road will be constructed to either expressway or freeway standards.  Ultimately, the expressway/freeway is slated to run from SR 99 in the north to I-5 on the south end. I believe it will be known as the West Beltway. 

Doing a quick search, I found this: https://www.kerncog.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/W_Beltway_Corridor_Study.pdf

There's also this from 2016: https://www.bakersfield.com/news/where-do-bakersfields-freeway-projects-stand/article_6655d31d-60d1-57d7-a62e-07e97352ee63.html

* West Beltway (7th Standard Road to Highway 119): Route adoption complete.

Construction dependent on future development and funding.

There's also this listing: https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/150000-Rosedale-Hwy-Bakersfield-CA/29394454/

The potential of the West Beltway highway alignment with an interchange on the corner at Rosedale Hwy located in the blooming Rosedale CA is immense. This project will open up a new corridor of development opportunities for businesses, residents, and visitors alike. The new highway will provide a direct connection to the nearby cities of Bakersfield and Fresno, as well as other major cities in the Central Valley. Additionally, the interchange will provide easy access to the local businesses and attractions in Rosedale.

Such a highway would be nice.  Basically a straight line connection btwn 5 and 99 to connect LA to Fresno without going through cenral Bakersfield.

When built, Fresno should not be signed at 5/99 so that traffic to Fresno from 5 could take the West Beltway instead.

Not CA 43?  or CA 41?  or 269 to 145 to 180?

From L.A., the fastest way to Fresno is I-5 to 99 right through Bakersfield.  Even under normal traffic conditions, it is quicker to go through Bakersfield on an expressway than to do I-5/CA-41 as a bypass.

But if a bypass that is straight north-south was built to expressway standards that runs from 5 to 99 north of Bakersfield, that would be the new preferred way from LA to Fresno.

[Concrete Bob]

I check online news sources like crazy. When the hell is the Centennial Corridor going to open?  Bakersfield and the rest of the state needs a Taxpayer-Funded Christmas Gift for mobility, commerce and the satisfaction of looking at an open freeway on a map!! Dammit. : )

[Voyager]

Doesn't look like it'll be open this year.

[rschen7754]

I did drive by on CA 99 just a few days ago. The signs for CA 58 west and the new freeway were all there, and the flyover from 99 N to 58 W looked ready to go... but it was all blocked off.

[Max Rockatansky]

I posted pictures of those signs on northbound 99 back on the 13th.  The signage wasn't present on southbound 99 the day prior:

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid035XP6UMznseLwiT9C9BPzGb6YiKxUJMQigEskaWyrJpn4Mna4hV64dipUisGok5qEl&id=100063655972258&mibextid=cr9u03

[boilerup25]

I did drive by on CA 99 just a few days ago. The signs for CA 58 west and the new freeway were all there, and the flyover from 99 N to 58 W looked ready to go... but it was all blocked off.

I also passed by there fairly recently, and was surprised to see that CalTrans did not tarp off or put an orange "EXIT CLOSED" banner over the CA 58 WB sign from CA 99 NB even if the ramp is blocked.

[Voyager]

I did drive by on CA 99 just a few days ago. The signs for CA 58 west and the new freeway were all there, and the flyover from 99 N to 58 W looked ready to go... but it was all blocked off.

I also passed by there fairly recently, and was surprised to see that CalTrans did not tarp off or put an orange "EXIT CLOSED" banner over the CA 58 WB sign from CA 99 NB even if the ramp is blocked.

Also this is a bizarre not very California-like design being used here for this gantry...I am not a fan. Too weird seeing lines that don't go all the way down each section.

[Max Rockatansky]

I'm honestly surprised nobody here or on my page flipped about the internal exit tabs.

[kurumi]

I'm honestly surprised nobody here or on my page flipped about the internal exit tabs.

We're at the 5th stage: acceptance.

[pderocco]

I don't understand why Caltrans posts absolutely nothing on its site about when this will be open. They've got a page about the future addition of the remaining ramps between 58 and 99, but nothing about the current status. And neither does any other government site that I can find. I like the idea that maybe they'll just surprise us, and we'll wake up one morning to find the ramps open, but I can't imagine they'll pass up a stupid ribbon-cutting opportunity.

[cahwyguy]

I don't understand why Caltrans posts absolutely nothing on its site about when this will be open. They've got a page about the future addition of the remaining ramps between 58 and 99, but nothing about the current status. And neither does any other government site that I can find. I like the idea that maybe they'll just surprise us, and we'll wake up one morning to find the ramps open, but I can't imagine they'll pass up a stupid ribbon-cutting opportunity.

Some public information officers are better than others, but all of them respond better to the press than they do to us peons. Still, you can try contacting the public information officer, the contact point listed in the project website, or contact the Bakersfield Caliifornian (the local paper) to see if they can find out, as a service to the citizens of Bakersfield. You might also try contacting the state assembly or senate critters, because they might also be able to find out.

All of those are better channels than posting about it here, because it is unlikely more than one or two Caltrans folks read these forums... and the ones that do, if they knew, would have posted the answer. But remember that just because something looks like it could open, doesn't mean they've completed the project yet. There could still be signage or safety equipment or striping left to perform; concrete could still be curing; they could still need to cut grooves; there could be street signage pending; there could still be landscaping or drainage issues to address.

I do know -- simply from my working on the highway pages over the last few days -- that the December CTC meeting had some stuff on this:

In the approval for future consideration of funding:
06-06-Ker-58, PM T31.7/R55.6; 06-Ker-99, PM 21.2/26.2. Centennial Corridor Project. Construct a new alignment for Route 58 to provide a continuous route along Route 58 from Cottonwood Road on existing Route 58, east of Route 99 to I-5. Improvements to Route 99 from Wilson Road to Gilmore Avenue would also be required for the connection with Route 58, in Kern County. (FEIR Addendum) (PPNO 8030) (TCEP)

See https://catc.ca.gov/-/media/ctc-media/documents/ctc-meetings/2023/2023-12/35-2-2c2-a11y.pdf

[06]-06-Ker-58, PM T31.7/R55.6
06-Ker-99, PM 21.2/26.2
Resolution E-23-161A

The attached resolution proposes to approve for consideration of funding the following project
for which a FEIR and an Addendum have been completed:

• SR 58 and SR 99 in Kern County. Construct a new alignment for SR 58, to provide a
continuous route from Cottonwood Road on existing SR 58, east of SR 99 to I-5.
Improvements to SR 99, from Wilson Road to Gilmore Avenue, would also be required
for the connection with SR 58, in Kern County. (PPNO 8030)

The project is located on SR 58 from PM T31.7 to PM R55.6, and on SR 99 from PM 21.2 to
PM 26.2, in Kern County. The Department proposes to construct a new alignment for SR 58, to
provide a continuous route from Cottonwood Road on existing SR 58, east of SR 99 to I-5.
Improvements to SR 99, from Wilson Road to Gilmore Avenue, would also be required for the
connection with SR 58. The project is currently programmed in the Trade Corridor
Enhancement Program (TCEP). The total programmed amount, which includes Right of Way
(Capital), and Construction (Capital) is $13,400,000. Construction began in 2023-2024. The
scope, as described for the preferred alternative, is consistent with the project scope as
programmed by the Commission in the TCEP.

A copy of the FEIR has been provided to Commission staff. The Commission approved the
project for future consideration of funding on March 21, 2018, under Resolution E-18-30 and
August 17, 2023, under Resolution E-23-122A. Since the approval of the FEIR and Addendum,
there have been changes to the project and a new Addendum was prepared pursuant to
CEQA. These changes include the construction of a southbound SR 99 to westbound SR 58
connector ramp. The ramp would be constructed at the current location of the southbound
SR 99 to Stockdale off-ramp. The existing Stockdale off-ramp would be permanently closed.
The connector ramp would be a fly-over structure, which would cross over Stockdale Highway,
the existing westbound SR 58 to southbound SR 99 loop connector, and Real Road before
merging to the westbound SR 58. West of Real Road, an existing retaining wall would be
reconstructed to accommodate the new connector ramp. An additional 470-foot auxiliary lane
would be constructed on westbound SR 58 to accommodate merging. There are no substantial
changes proposed in the new connector ramp that would require major revisions of the FEIR
due to involvement of new significant environmental effects or a substantial increase in the
severity of previously identified significant effects. The project changes do not meet the criteria
outlined in CEQA Guidelines Section 15162 and Section 15163 to prepare a Subsequent or
Supplemental FEIR. The Department subsequently completed an Addendum to the FEIR
pursuant to CEQA.

The Department has approved this project for construction. This approval and the Addendum
will satisfy the environmental requirements for this stage of the planning process.

[Max Rockatansky]

One of my friends is a District 6 engineer.  He didn't even know when I asked him regarding when the Centennial Corridor would open.

[Bobby5280]

There are things I don't like about that big green sign. But at least it's a Caltrans sign that doesn't make me feel like throwing up in my mouth a little.

We could give it about 10 or so years when they start doing patch job nonsense to it. Then it will fit in with all the other hammered looking crap out there.

[vdeane]

I think at this point we're all used to the internal tabs (no matter how ugly they can often be) and it feels like beating a dead horse.  I actually momentarily didn't think about how CalTrans finally figured out how to mount external tabs (after 48 or 49 other states already have), but this project might be old enough to have been designed before that spec came out.

[Max Rockatansky]

Amusingly even the recently completed Veterans Boulevard has internal exit tabs on 99.  The project concept definitely predates the external tab adoption though by several decades, hard to say when the current specs were drafted.

[rschen7754]

Drove through today going southbound and the signage was the same as before. (!)

[CtrlAltDel]

It took me a bit too long to realize that Voyager isn't me.

[pderocco]

I don't understand why Caltrans posts absolutely nothing on its site about when this will be open. They've got a page about the future addition of the remaining ramps between 58 and 99, but nothing about the current status. And neither does any other government site that I can find. I like the idea that maybe they'll just surprise us, and we'll wake up one morning to find the ramps open, but I can't imagine they'll pass up a stupid ribbon-cutting opportunity.

Some public information officers are better than others, but all of them respond better to the press than they do to us peons. Still, you can try contacting the public information officer, the contact point listed in the project website, or contact the Bakersfield Caliifornian (the local paper) to see if they can find out, as a service to the citizens of Bakersfield. You might also try contacting the state assembly or senate critters, because they might also be able to find out.

I still think that maintaining an up-to-date web site to keep the public informed is a pretty trivial task compared to, say, building a freeway.

[The Ghostbuster]

I think the best anyone can say is that the Westside Parkway will be completed to the CA 58/CA 99 interchange sometime this year.

[Voyager]

It took me a bit too long to realize that Voyager isn't me.

Sorry but I was first (I made the forum 15 years ago!)

Also I didn't realize back on this topic that the 58 extension to I-5 is kinda...not really planned. Hopefully someday, since Bakersfield is growing that direction anyways.

[cl94]

58 may get 4-laned further west. Full freeway...eh, I doubt that's necessary. Especially given how constrained ROW is. I don't see them doing anything that would eat up a lot of ag land.

[kkt]

It took me a bit too long to realize that Voyager isn't me.

Sorry but I was first (I made the forum 15 years ago!)

Also I didn't realize back on this topic that the 58 extension to I-5 is kinda...not really planned. Hopefully someday, since Bakersfield is growing that direction anyways.

I hope this time around they at least reserve the right of way so they can build it in the future without having to do condemnations.

[Max Rockatansky]

It would probably take Bakersfield several decades to even get close growing out towards I-5 on the newly relocated part of 58 west of 43.  Right now and really for the foreseeable future an upgrade isn't necessary.

[pderocco]

It would probably take Bakersfield several decades to even get close growing out towards I-5 on the newly relocated part of 58 west of 43.  Right now and really for the foreseeable future an upgrade isn't necessary.

I don't think the primary purpose of a 58 full freeway extension to I-5 would be to serve the local residents and the properties around there, it would be to serve truckers going between I-5 and I-15 or I-40 in Barstow. If they built it, I think there would be a ton of truck traffic on it.