Bakersfield Freeway Network

Bakersfield’s transportation network has been referred to as the regions “hidden” industry. Located at the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley (in California) the region is the main connection between international shipping ports in Los Angeles and San Francisco, and main transportation corridors serving southern America. Along with rail and air, the regions freeway network is a major provider for shipping goods.
General information
Scope
Historically, the name “Bakersfield” has referred to the city, or the contiguous urban development (which includes unincorporated communities). However, in more recent years, the name is also being used to refer to the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley, south of the Kern County Line (also called the Golden Empire). This is evident in the use of the name at structures and sites far outside of the city. For example, the Bakersfield National Cemetery is located 20 miles east of the city, and the Bakersfield Plant for the Desert Block Company is located 13 miles to the south. Also, Kern County’s bid for the California High Speed Rail Heavy Maintenance Facility is referred to as the Bakersfield Maintenance Facility; although its two proposed locations are in the cities of Shafter and Wasco.
This article uses the broader definition. Therefore, the scope includes the Southern San Joaquin Valley, south of the Kern County Line (which is just north of Delano), and the surrounding mountains. It however, does not include State Route 138, which is instead apart of the Los Angeles Freeway Network.
Freeway names
Similar to other regions in Southern California, Bakersfield has names for its freeways and expressways. However, it is the only region in Southern California not to have those names formally recognized by the state (when the road segment is also a state route). This has resulted in some confusion. For example, State Route 58 freeway is currently referred to as: Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway, Mojave Barstow Highway, Bakersfield Barstow Highway, and Mojave Freeway. The last name the state legislature also gave the Barstow Freeway (Interstate 15), which has no relation to it.
When referring to state routes, this article uses the names most commonly used by local governments and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans).
History
Planning
Unlike other regions in Southern California (such as Los Angeles and San Diego), the freeway master plan would not define an extensive comprehensive network. It instead started with a more simplistic plan that would grow more complicated over time. The earliest indication for the route of a portion of the network was the definition of the short, unsigned Legislative Route 141, which was the western bypass to the city (it was later swapped with the previous routing for US 99 and renamed State Route 204) in 1933. Both the east/west segment and the north/south segment would eventually be built as freeways.
Bakersfield's first master plan was developed in the late 1950s. The plan would only incorporate existing state route which were designated as future freeways. It would include three major north/south freeways (Westside Freeway - I-5, Golden State Freeway - SR 99, and not constructed Eastside Freeway - SR 65), one major east/west freeway (Mojave Freeway/Westside Parkway - SR 58) and one urban east/west freeway (Crosstown Freeway - SR 178).
High capacity highways
During the late 1950s, while the freeway plans were being created, Bakersfield constructed interchanges on some major (but still local) roads. The main objective was to separate major intersections, and allow cars to travel from one road to another without stopping. These roads were not freeways or expressways. Probably the best description for this type of route would be high capacity highways.
These construction projects, built between 1955 and 1959, and were an intermediary step to full freeway construction. In addition, since the freeway network (with the exception of the Crosstown Freeway) would be constructed on the outskirts of the city, it also allowed for increasing capacity on existing roads without condemning large tracks of land. Since the interchanges were built for local roads, the on/off ramps required a shorter length and allowed for tighter turns, which reduced the amount of land required for construction. Many also had signs similar to freeway interchanges.
Construction of these interchanges was stopped when construction of the freeway network started in the early 1960s. In recent years there is a plan to resurrect high capacity highways with the planned construction of a new interchange at Oak Street and 24th Street. Similar to the interchanges built earlier, it is also an intermediary step to full freeway construction, which is the extension of the Crosstown Freeway. Construction on the interchange is expected in the early 2010s, while a date for the Crosstown Freeway extension is currently not planned.
Early construction and decline
While the master plan was being drafted, construction started on the regions first freeway, Alfred Harrell Highway, which was not apart of either freeway plan. A short county route, it connected the city with the Kern River County Park, also called Hart Memorial Park. Unlike most freeways, it is poorly signed, with only two signs (one in each direction) at interchanges indicating the street exit, which is similar in size to a local street sign.
Construction on the master plans started in 1963, and would continue for 13 years. However, efforts stopped in 1976, when funding for new freeways was canceled by the state. With the exception of one interchange (which extended the Crosstown Freeway one mile) no new miles would be built for over 30 years.
Renewed interest and expansion
Beginning in the 1980s, the region saw large population growth. In addition, industrial development in both the region and the valley would increase traffic on the freeway network. By the mid 1990’s, it became apparent that the network was insufficient to meet existing and future demand. This resulted in a renewed interest in freeways; both in constructing new routes and extending existing ones. Initially, new freeways were planned as individual projects. In the late 90's and early 2000s, all of the individual projects were incorporated into the regions second master plan (which has continued to grow since that time). This new plan, would incorporate both state routes, as well as local freeways and expressways. All of the new routes would be county roads, built as expressways to save cost. They would later be converted to freeways when demand warranted it. They would also be built to Caltrans standards to allow for possible adoption into the State's network (either as state routes or possibly interstate routes).
With the aid of federal funding, construction on the second freeway plan started in 2008 and is expected to take decades to fully build.
List of Freeways
Inter-regional
*Interstate 5 southbound to Los Angeles, northbound to Central San Joaquin Valley
**Golden State Freeway from East L.A. Interchange to Wheeler Ridge (continues north on State Route 99)
**Westside Freeway from Wheeler Ridge to Sacramento
*State Route 58 west terminus in Bakersfield, eastbound to Barstow
**Mojave Freeway
*State Route 99 south terminus in Wheeler Ridge, northbound to Central San Joaquin Valley
**Golden State Freeway (Continues south on Interstate 5)
Intra-regional
*Interstate 5
**Golden State Freeway from East L.A. Interchange to Wheeler Ridge (continues north on State Route 99)
**Westside Freeway from Wheeler Ridge to Sacramento
*State Route 58
**Mojave Freeway
*State Route 65
**Porterville Highway - freeway stub north from Oildale
*State Route 99
**Golden State Freeway (Continues south on Interstate 5)
*State Route 178
**Crosstown Freeway
*State Route 204
**Golden State Avenue, also known as Old 99
*Alfred Herrald Highway
**north from Bakersfield
*Westside Parkway
**west from Bakersfield
Proposed additions
Most of these projects are listed in Bakersfield and Kern County regional plans. Some are also listed with Caltrans.
Freeway extensions
*Extend Crosstown Freeway (SR 178) west to Westside Parkway in Bakersfield
*Extend Crosstown Freeway (SR 178) east to Rancheria Road east of Bakersfield
*Extend Golden State Avenue (SR 204) south to Mojave Freeway (SR 58) in Bakersfield
**Note: This extension has always been proposed in conjunction with other freeway projects, but never as a stand alone project
*Extend Westside Parkway west to Westside Freeway (I-5) south of Buttonwillow
New freeways
*North Beltway - From Porterville Highway (SR 65) to Westside Freeway (I-5), south of Shafter
*West Beltway - From Westside Freeway (I-5) to Golden State Freeway (SR 99), west of Bakersfield
*South Beltway - From Westside Freeway (I-5) to Mojave Freeway (SR-58), south and east of Bakersfield
*East Beltway - From Mojave Freeway (SR 58) to Morning Drive in Northeast Bakersfield, east of Bakersfield

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