Am I weird because I like CA-99? (Fresno, Modesto: to live in, transportation)

[FirebirdCamaro1220]

Originally Posted by Moddedintegra56

love 99, wish the city of fresno/fresno county beautified their section of it and not neglect it just because its on the edge of town. I see 99 go through the middle of cities such as madera and bakersfield and i sense the respective cities actually try clean their section. before i ventured to the 41 and 168/180 through fresno i woud have never guessed that fresno was the 5th largest city in CA passing through 99. Or maybe its just how its going to be since its at the edge of the city that isn't really developed.

now if only the 152 didnt have to go through los banos lights

They should make a freeway bypass of CA 152 from either Chowchilla or Merced over to the 101 in Gilroy, which would mean improving the 152 thru Pacheco Pass to full freeway standards, but it could be done

[slivermartian]

I'm from Modesto, so I use 99 all the time. It's certainly the heart of the valley. I-5 is mostly long haul from NorCal to SoCal. Traffic can be bad on both as others have said. I-5 is much more like any other rural interstate around the country, 4-lanes and more truck traffic than autos. Only time I take I-5 is to get over to Monterey/Central Coast. Now that 99 has been widened from Manteca north, it's my preferred route to Sac. Taking a trip along the original U.S. 99 route sounds like an awesome road trip!

[Peasy973]

I like it too. I took it once from LA to the East Bay a few years ago. There's more to see in Bakersfield and Fresno than Los Banos or Tracy. There was some slowing down north of Fresno but it will probably be addressed as part of the i-9 upgrades.

[citizensadvocate]

What is interesting about CA 99 verses other routes around the state is how so many are driving below the speed limit. There may be six lanes at times but all six lanes move at roughly the same speed at 63 miles per hour. With trucks not much slower than the rest of everyone else.

These days bus companies such as Bolt bus are beginning to serve Central Valley towns so more buses would be going this more developed route rather than i5.

[Peasy973]

Originally Posted by citizensadvocate

These days bus companies such as Bolt bus are beginning to serve Central Valley towns so more buses would be going this more developed route rather than i5.

This makes sense because there's more people living along the 99 than the 5 freeway. More people, more potential customers.

[citizensadvocate]

It took a long time for them to start serving this area though. They are often left high and dry in terms of transportation options. While Amtrak goes to these towns the train stops in Bakersfield forcing travelers to transfer to bus to get to LA and rest of SoCal.

[CamaroGuy]

Originally Posted by citizensadvocate

While Amtrak goes to these towns the train stops in Bakersfield forcing travelers to transfer to bus to get to LA and rest of SoCal.

That is because Union Pacific railroad won't allow passenger trains east of Bakersfield!😠

[NJ Brazen_3133]

LOL I have actually driven on this route myself. I took a trip to Portersville from LA once. I was on the Rte 99 for a bit before turning off on Rte 65. Rte 65 was beautiful. All those rolling hills with yellow grass or hay, and the cows are lying around chilling out was a sight to behold.

[tommy64]

It's so much easier to take the 99 at night because it's got more lighting and buildings to look at. The 5 at night is like driving through a desert, very dark and doesn't stimulate your vision, and the radio reception sucks. Every mile seems to drag on.

The only drawback to the 99 is on Friday and Saturday nights when the nuts are out raising hell and driving like morons.

[KC6ZLV]

Originally Posted by tommy64

It's so much easier to take the 99 at night because it's got more lighting and buildings to look at. The 5 at night is like driving through a desert, very dark and doesn't stimulate your vision, and the radio reception sucks. Every mile seems to drag on.

If you have reception problem on I-5 you should really invest in a new stereo. I can hear stations from the Fresno market in Kern County, the Bakersfield stations north to the north end of Fresno County. And At that point I can start hearing the Modesto/Stockton stations. Another 30 miles north and the Sacramento stations start coming in.

My complaint is that until you within reception distance of the Sacramento market, the radio station are mostly Mexican ranchero music, religious, country, and conservative talk radio wherein you can listen to someone talk long enough for you to drive from Buttonwillow to Coalinga without really having said anything. Like Ray Appleton on KMJ. That guy can talk all afternoon about how the people in Northern California are stealing the water, which originates in Northern California, from the farmers.