CA-99 Interstate corridor? (From Bakersfield to Stockton if not Sacramento)

[pderocco]

The amusing thing is that 58 isn't even that bad east of Santa Margarita.  While not preferable to 166 or 46 I've seen truckers make it just fine on 58.

That pass east of California Valley has some really tight turns that are about the limit for what a semi can do.

[Max Rockatansky]

The amusing thing is that 58 isn't even that bad east of Santa Margarita.  While not preferable to 166 or 46 I've seen truckers make it just fine on 58.

That pass east of California Valley has some really tight turns that are about the limit for what a semi can do.

Much akin to 198 west of Coalinga.  In the case of 198 I'm genuinely surprised how many asphalt and ag trucks making the crossing.  Both 198 and 58 have the same 40 length advisory.

[FredAkbar]

Yeah, as far as I-5 is all I care about personally (and all that makes any sense it seems). People talk about extending I-40 to Bakersfield (which is more akin to the CA-99 discussion since CA-58 is already a freeway the whole way now east of Bakersfield) so I mainly meant to reference the Bakersfield-to-5 corridor.

Isn't there a 100 m or so break in the freeway on CASR-58?

Yeah, I was wrong to say it's freeway the whole way. It's freeway almost the whole way and expressway (if that is the proper term) in a couple of spots to allow for intersections, notably:
- CA-223 where there is a somewhat dangerous left turn off of WB58
- California City Blvd (probably not used very much)

[Max Rockatansky]

Yeah, as far as I-5 is all I care about personally (and all that makes any sense it seems). People talk about extending I-40 to Bakersfield (which is more akin to the CA-99 discussion since CA-58 is already a freeway the whole way now east of Bakersfield) so I mainly meant to reference the Bakersfield-to-5 corridor.

Isn't there a 100 m or so break in the freeway on CASR-58?

Yeah, I was wrong to say it's freeway the whole way. It's freeway almost the whole way and expressway (if that is the proper term) in a couple of spots to allow for intersections, notably:
- CA-223 where there is a somewhat dangerous left turn off of WB58
- California City Blvd (probably not used very much)

The Hinkley Bypass and Kramer Junction Bypass have a couple at-grade intersections with rural dirt roads.

[pderocco]

Yeah, as far as I-5 is all I care about personally (and all that makes any sense it seems). People talk about extending I-40 to Bakersfield (which is more akin to the CA-99 discussion since CA-58 is already a freeway the whole way now east of Bakersfield) so I mainly meant to reference the Bakersfield-to-5 corridor.

Isn't there a 100 m or so break in the freeway on CASR-58?

Yeah, I was wrong to say it's freeway the whole way. It's freeway almost the whole way and expressway (if that is the proper term) in a couple of spots to allow for intersections, notably:
- CA-223 where there is a somewhat dangerous left turn off of WB58
- California City Blvd (probably not used very much)

The Hinkley Bypass and Kramer Junction Bypass have a couple at-grade intersections with rural dirt roads.

California City Blvd, and the Hyundai/Kia proving grounds have paved intersections between Mojave and North Edwards.  Further east, there's an intersection with graded Helendale Rd south and paved Harper Lake Rd north. Those two stretches add up to about 20 miles of expressway. But even Cal City Blvd has very little traffic, despite its imposing name.

[Max Rockatansky]

Yeah, as far as I-5 is all I care about personally (and all that makes any sense it seems). People talk about extending I-40 to Bakersfield (which is more akin to the CA-99 discussion since CA-58 is already a freeway the whole way now east of Bakersfield) so I mainly meant to reference the Bakersfield-to-5 corridor.

Isn't there a 100 m or so break in the freeway on CASR-58?

Yeah, I was wrong to say it's freeway the whole way. It's freeway almost the whole way and expressway (if that is the proper term) in a couple of spots to allow for intersections, notably:
- CA-223 where there is a somewhat dangerous left turn off of WB58
- California City Blvd (probably not used very much)

The Hinkley Bypass and Kramer Junction Bypass have a couple at-grade intersections with rural dirt roads.

California City Blvd, and the Hyundai/Kia proving grounds have paved intersections between Mojave and North Edwards.  Further east, there's an intersection with graded Helendale Rd south and paved Harper Lake Rd north. Those two stretches add up to about 20 miles of expressway. But even Cal City Blvd has very little traffic, despite its imposing name.

I find some amusement in that California City and California Valley are both located on 58.  Both were supposed to be the "cities of tomorrow."  I'm not even if there is a gas station in California Valley?  I don't recall one being on Soda Lake Road south of 58.

[pderocco]

California City Blvd, and the Hyundai/Kia proving grounds have paved intersections between Mojave and North Edwards.  Further east, there's an intersection with graded Helendale Rd south and paved Harper Lake Rd north. Those two stretches add up to about 20 miles of expressway. But even Cal City Blvd has very little traffic, despite its imposing name.

I find some amusement in that California City and California Valley are both located on 58.  Both were supposed to be the "cities of tomorrow."  I'm not even if there is a gas station in California Valley?  I don't recall one being on Soda Lake Road south of 58.

Nearest gas is McKittrick.

Rural and desert California has a lot of faded dreams. Lake Tamarisk in Desert Center. Diablo Grande golf resort near Patterson. Pacific Shores in Crescent City. Salton City. Ocotillo Wells. You can find lots of "streets" scratched into the dirt all over the place.

[flowmotion]

So when Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) was Speaker of the House, I was waiting around for a highway infrastructure bill, and I was going to suggest that he put I-9 in there. Because that's how it gets done.

Honestly, I don't know how much political support or interest there is in the central valley for an I route (especially if there's no extra funding). But.. maybe I coulda nudged some aide to look into it.

Then McCarthy got deposed and I forgot about that.

(And just for the roadgeek record, I wasn't going to say anything about fantasy I-40. Just new blue signs.)

[The Ghostbuster]

I think hell will freeze over before any new Interstates (or Interstate extensions) come to the state of California.

[Max Rockatansky]

So when Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) was Speaker of the House, I was waiting around for a highway infrastructure bill, and I was going to suggest that he put I-9 in there. Because that's how it gets done.

Honestly, I don't know how much political support or interest there is in the central valley for an I route (especially if there's no extra funding). But.. maybe I coulda nudged some aide to look into it.

Then McCarthy got deposed and I forgot about that.

(And just for the roadgeek record, I wasn't going to say anything about fantasy I-40. Just new blue signs.)

If you're looking for a Central Valley perspective I doubt many locals would prefer anything but a highway numbered as "99."  I would imagine trying to sell putting an Interstate designation on CA 99 as a benefit for non-locals would not be the way to sell the idea. 

I did get some amusement that Kevin McCarthy wasn't invited to the Centennial Corridor dedication but Bill Thomas was. 

https://www.gribblenation.org/2024/02/the-centennial-corridor-and-west-side.html?m=1