Rt 99 Thru Bakersfield

I would think that those driving IN their house (i.e. motorhome) feel things differently than those driving truck and 5th wheel/trailer.

There have been many discussions of I-5 versus 99 on these forums, northbound and southbound. There is never a consensus. Last time I drove 99 northbound, it was absolutely awful. But by now, there may have been road work that improved it. Last time I drove I-5 northbound, it was better than I expected, with what looked like new pavement on many stretches. So there ya go.

CA Traveler...I've taken that same route E/W through Bakersfield many times. I read somewhere on this forum about an alternate to 46 between I-5 and 99. I took it a couple years ago and it was a breeze, much less populated, less traffic. I think it might be 7th Standard Rd. I can't remember. Does anyone here know?

chuck did specifically refer to the SB lanes of 99.

on another note...heading to Memphis later. last time there in early ‘18 the I-55 bridge across the Mississippi was horrible. also WB I-10 between Baton Rouge and the Texas border and the I-210 bypass around Lake Charles. still bad?

bob213 wrote:
Seems like every trip we take requires us to go east. 99 to 58 is the best route we have found and we haven't experienced that bad of road doing so. Other than the 3 year plus construction project at the transition of 58 from 99 I think it's pretty good road.

Three years? They have been working on it for at least the last five. It’s like the I5 through Tacoma, a permanent construction zone.

Seems like every trip we take requires us to go east. 99 to 58 is the best route we have found and we haven't experienced that bad of road doing so. Other than the 3 year plus construction project at the transition of 58 from 99 I think it's pretty good road.

What about EW travel through Bakersfield. We take 46/99/58. Is there a better large RV route?

Took 99 from Stockton to Bakersfield the other day. Except for a lumpy ten miles or so around Merced, it was quite good.

That can’t be true as California has the highest taxes and fuel pricing just to keep the roads in perfect condition....

It’s not that bad.

When traveling South from WA to Palm Springs. CA we take 99 South at Sacramento then at Bakersfield we take 58 to Tehachapi Pass. I don't travel thru Bakersfield so maybe it gets worse. 99 is not perfect but I-5 is much worse South of Sacramento.