CA99 VS CA I-5

[DonTom]

Since I have not been on I-5 down this way for a long time, I decided to try it to compare the way I usually go.

I find the best is CA99. I-5 has way too much traffic these days and 99% of it is trucks. But that is not my big complaint with I-5.

I-5 anyplace near Stockton is all potholes. A very bumpy drive and it even caused my newer RV to start falling apart.

Below you can see the section that dropped from above my top cabinets because of the potholes on I-5 near Stockton:

Not a big deal, it was nailed in. I will find some long, small wood screws and remount it.

But that will give an idea how bad I-5 is these days in the Stockton, CA area.
Well south of Stockton I-5 is rather nice and somewhat freshly paved. They just need to repave the Stockton area on I-5. Many miles of it.

Not only that, there are three rest stops on I-5 on the way down here. The first one was full, I couldn't even stop, my only choice was to get back on the freeway.

The other two rest stops were closed for major repairs.

I will take CA 99 when I head back after this trip.

-Don- Wasco, CA

 

[tanglemoose]

We drove much of Arizona this winter from 93 from Nevada to Kingman, az, horrible. Down to Parker, AZ, potholes. But the worst are the Interstates! I 10 over to Tuscon, miserable. But the WORST was from Camp Verde up to Winslow on 87. We have never seen Pot valleys! Holes, pot lakes. Our fridge propane shut itself off. Had to re-light. Then off to 191 from Chamers to Utah. This had a nice variety of potholes and roller coasters of one wave of another. Will never take the 87 again nor that stretch of 191. Was not awful to Chinle, but after that!! Ugh... happy travels!

 

[Skookum]

We drove 5 North from Bakersfield all the way to Seattle at the end of January this year. We went through the same terrible sections and stayed mostly in the left lane (marginally better). Thankfully, we were able to keep it out of the potholes, but it was still very rough.

Side note: California is loaded with a surplus, and because it's an Interstate, there should be federal money. What the heck is going on? This didn't just happen overnight.

Much of the work going on in the same section of 99 has wrapped up so we will probably take 99 on our trip down to the desert next year.

My father came up 99 about two weeks ago, headed home from their snowbird journey. He has the same sentiment as you -- there's not many places to stop on I5. 99 is much better for that.

 

[DonTom]

I 10 over to Tuscon,

And I will soon be on that road. I am headed for Tucson after a stop in Gila Bend for several days & nights.

By far, the worse paved road I was ever on was 285 in Texas from the Big Bend of Texas to Carlsbad, NM (but was fine in NM). That was several years ago. The countless deep potholes were impossible to not hit. I was in my Y2K RV. Needed several repairs of various bent bars before the wheel alignment could even be done. At least I was still able to drive it home after that drive.

Also, I-40 through AZ was pretty bad on my trip to Florida last year. I found the very best roads in the USA to be in the SE. SC, GA & Florida.

-Don- Wasco, CA

 

[DonTom]

What the heck is going on?

They are working on I-5 but well south of Stockton. Perhaps they just have not yet made it up to Stockon.

Yeah, I also stayed in the left lane as much as I could to avoid the potholes.

I expected I-5 to be faster. It wasn't anything like it was about ~30 years ago.

-Don- Wasco, CA

 

[Skookum]

They are working on I-5 but well south of Stockton. Perhaps they just have not yet made it up to Stockon.

Yeah, I also stayed in the left lane as much as I could to avoid the potholes.

I expected I-5 to be faster. It wasn't anything like it was about ~30 years ago.

-Don- Wasco, CA

So, I think the last time I drove it was 15-20 years ago and I remember it being less-traveled too, good surface, a way to really cook on down to Southern CA and back. Lots of trucks, yes, but that's expected.

Although it was moving at posted speeds on our last trip, traffic was very heavy, just a constant stream of cars. And people are much more aggressive than they were 15-20 years ago, that's for sure.

 

[DonTom]

And people are much more aggressive than they were 15-20 years ago, that's for sure.

Yeah, many cars were going around 85 MPH, where possible. I saw a couple of them get busted. But not many places could do that, because of the countless trucks passing other trucks, slowing down all the traffic.

Yeah, for the most part, 70MPH almost all the way until the potholes became too much.

-Don- Wasco, CA

 

[DonTom]

Roads on the way here were MUCH better.

-Don- Roll, AZ

Staying here for the night (scale in with the "+" at the bottom right corner of the map).

 

[NMDriver]

Last year I went up 99 and back on 5. Bakersfield to Travis AFB, Travis to Lebec. Not a lot of difference to me but 99 seemed to have a traffic jam in every town and 5 was continuous flow. In CA I only go 5mph over the 55 limit for in tow so I get into the truck lane and cruise with them. Saves fuel and worry. If you watch the truck in front of you and are not tailgating, you can see the pothole as they go over it and move over if needed. Many years ago (10 or so) I did break a axle hanger on a I-10 pothole in LA, while making my way over to I-5. Now I bypass LA and use 138 to the top of the grapevine or go over on 58 through Tehachapi to Bakersfield.

 

[DonTom]

Now I bypass LA and use 138 to the top of the grapevine or go over on 58 through Tehachapi to Bakersfield.

I never get close to LA. I stay way east of it. I also don't get too close to Phoenix, AZ.

But yeah, there was an accident the last time I was on Hwy 99 that really slowed down the traffic for many miles. But most of the road was a lot better than I-5.

The timing is important. Last year, I passed up Fresno wondering when I would get to it to discover I already was well past it.

I find the worse traffic usually to be around Bakersfield, but last time I was there, the road was all messed up because of construction which is probably done by now. I take 46 from I-5 to Bakersfield, so I am stuck with the Bakersfield traffic no matter if I take I-5 or Hwy 99. I also go over the Tehachapi Mountains on Hwy 58 to get here. They sure improved that road a lot. I remember it from the early 1970's when it was a very dangerous road. The trucks coming the opposite way would almost blow me off my new 1971 BMW R75/5 motorcycle.

-Don- Gila Bend, AZ

 

[Lou Schneider]

I take 46 from I-5 to Bakersfield, so I am stuck with the Bakersfield traffic no matter if I take I-5 or Hwy 99. I also go over the Tehachapi Mountains on Hwy 58 to get here.

-Don- Gila Bend, AZ

Next time try taking 233 east from I-5. You'll trade Bakersfield traffic for a few stop signs and about 5 minutes going through "downtown" Arvin before joining 58 at the base of the Tehachapis.

 

[Skookum]

There are a couple grades that make for interesting times on the 58 going East. Trucks crawling while people in cars blast up the hill doing 80-90, and passing hijinks when one slow climber is trying to pass another.

 

[DonTom]

Next time try taking 233 east from I-5.

That looks like a good idea if I ever take I-5 again, which I think is unlikely. I just checked that on my Win-11 computer map.

-Don- Gila Bend, AZ