I5 Bakersfield to Redding

[gtnsmlr]

Will be driving up the valley to the Oregon coast in a few weeks and was wondering which was the better road surface, the 5 or the 99 ?

[navigator2346]

Straight up 5. Watch the web cams and check highway info but this time of year should be ok.

[CA_Traveler]

Agreed but 5 is the quickest when open. And 101 gives you the entire Oregon coast.

[ppine]

99 has too much traffic. I-5 is boring but makes for easy traveling. You just have to have good timing going over Siskiyou Summit heading into Medford.

[Lwiddis]

I find U.S. Hwy. 99 more interesting but when headed north U.S. Hwy. 395 is my first choice then cut over.

[MarkTwain]

gtnsmlr wrote:
Will be driving up the valley to the Oregon coast in a few weeks and was wondering which was the better road surface, the 5 or the 99 ?

99 is overall the best of worst, neither are perfect. With 99 you trade road surface with greater traffic. At Sacramento switch to I-5. Then go west on Hwy. 20 at Colusa over to 101. Not clear about your "going to Redding" and then going up to Oregon?? Not a route I would take during the winter months. I-5 just north of Redding has been closed down twice this year:(