Sacramento to Bakersfield

6 of one---half a dozen of other

Both are about same miles/travel time

We use 99 cause I hate driving Interstates......I avoid them like the plague

I prefer I 5. Much faster.I do not like all the side traffic on 99. My DS lives in Bakersfield so we go there 5 or 6 times a year plus on the way to Yuma there and back. People drive very fast on I 5, you swear at times there going to run over me when I am going 75 {not towing}

We always take 99. It is flat where I-5 is at the edge of the foothills with lot of hills to grind up. It seems a little more fuel efficient to go 99. Lots of places to stop also along 99 for food and shopping.

I always take I-5 to Stockton then take hwy 4 over to 99. If you go I-5 you have to traverse hwy 58 into Bakersfield (traffic and signals) not fun. A large consideration is the time of day. 99 can get very congested during commute hours.

Instead of taking 46 over to 99 from I-5, why not just go down about 7 or 8 miles of Panama street. It meets 99 at the In-N-Out!

Personally, I hate both routes, but probably would prefer I-5. Much more boring, but you can make good time.

Ron

lanerd wrote:


Personally, I hate both routes, but probably would prefer I-5. Much more boring, but you can make good time.

Ron

X2. 99 has too much merging traffic.

I've driven both, but generally take 99. However on 99 be aware of the time you are traveling, avoid rush hour. Heavy commute traffic will be present in valley cities: Stockton; Modesto Merced; and Fresno.

Check the road conditions on Hwy 99 as the state has been doing a massive widening project on it north of Bakersfield. I would take I-5 to be as fast and less risk of traffic delays.

Marv Hoag wrote:
I always take I-5 to Stockton then take hwy 4 over to 99. If you go I-5 you have to traverse hwy 58 into Bakersfield (traffic and signals) not fun. A large consideration is the time of day. 99 can get very congested during commute hours.

I agree that 58 is a mess but you don't have go that route. Can cut over on 46, Lerdo Highway or my preference Seventh Standard Road. All of those will bring you in at north end of town. Or as lanerd pointed out you come across at Panama Lane which will take you to south end.

As far as choice between 5 and 99 it is pretty much a coin flip as far as I'm concerned. At one time I was driving quite a bit between Sacramento and Bakersfield. I would switch them up just for a change of scenery. Time wise there wasn't a whole lot of difference, little faster on 5.