Ultimate Interstates:Corridors 7 and 9
Ultimate Interstate 7
Ultimate Interstate 7 is a planned interstate corridor located in the central valley of California. The proposed interstate highway would largely replace existing SR-99 throughout most of the state of California. Originally the route was proposed to carry the Interstate 9 number designation. Interstate 7 would better fit in the interstate numbering plan and also free up the I-9 designation to be used further eastward along the CA-14 and US-395 corridor instead as discussed below. It seems however, that based on current proposals that I-9 is the preferred route number for this route.
Proposed Routing
Current proposals have the interstate routing terminating in Stockton rather than at Sacramento or Red Bluff as indicated in the Map. As Currently proposed this route beginning in Mettler (south of Bakersfield) would instead end in Stockton by connecting to I-5 via SR-4 (Crosstown Freeway) However this routing is not recommended since it would neglect the northern California cities that the longer route would serve.
Recommended Routing
Indyroads proposes that the routing should begin as planned at the Mettler Wye south of Bakersfield and travel up the CA-99 corridor as planned. However, instead of transitioning to CA-4 in Stockton the route would continue northward along CA-99 to Sacramento and northward along CA-51 (Business 80) to Rocklin, CA. From there it would continue along CA-65 north to Marysville continue up on a new bypass route around Marysville joining CA-70 north of the city. From there it would continue northward to Oroville then transition over to CA-99 via the CA-161 connector passing northward to Chico and terminating at I-5 near Red Bluff.
Potential Auxiliary Routes
- I-507 (Marysville to Roseville)
- I-707 (Stockton to Vallejo)
- as well as the possibility of auxiliary routes in Fresno and Bakersfield as needed.
Ultimate Interstate 9
Ultimate Interstate 9 is a planned interstate corridor located along the eastern side or the Sierra Nevada Mountains that connects the high desert regions near Victorville and the Mojave regions near Lancaster/Palmdale to the Owens Valley and continuing northward to eventually end in Reno, NV in the Great Basin. The proposed interstate highway would largely replace existing US-395 and CA-14.
Recommended Routing
The route would start in the south in Santa Clarita, CA travelling northward along CA-14 through Palmdale, Lancaster and Mojave connecting to US-395 near Ridgecrest, CA. From there it would continue northward along US-395 to Bishop, CA. From there it would follow the US-6 corridir to the northeast connecting to the planned I-11 corridor somewhere near the towns of Coaldale or Mina in Nevada. From there it would share its routing with I-11 until it branches off to the west near Walker Lake continuing near Yerington and Smith Valley to Minden. From Minden it would continue northward along the US-395 and I-580 corridor terminating at Reno.
Another option would be to originate the southern starting point of the route in Hesperia and continue along US-395 to Ridgecrest with the CA-14 section becoming an auxiliary route instead.
Potential Auxiliary Routes
- Potential spur route to I-15 in Victorville/Hesperia
Purpose and Need
Due to the high volume of truck and commercial traffic along this corridor this road needs to be upgraded to interstate standards. This would also provide direct interstate access to several largely populated central valley cities.
Possible Northward Extensions
Corridor 7
Instead of terminating at Red Bluff, CA or Reno, NV the routes could be extended northward into Oregon with I-7 following the I-5 corridor through Redding and Weed then transitioning north along the US-97 corridor into Oregon connecting Klamath Falls and Bend to the interstate system. from there the route would travel generally northward with potential connections to Yakima or the Tri-Cities region in Washington. This could potentially run the corridor along portions of I-82 and/or US-395. Ultimately the highway would end at I-90 Either at Ellensburg to the west or Ritzville to the east depending upon routing.
Corridor 9
The I-9 corridor could continue north from Reno along US-395 to Susanville then continue northward to Klamath Falls roughly following the CA-139 and OR 39 corridor. North of Klamath falls the route would follow the same routing as the corridor 7 routing through Bend, OR northward to Yakima or the Tri-Cities ultimately ending at I-90 in Ellensburg or Ritzville.
Corridor 9 (Eastern Routing)
This routing would take a more eastern routing following along the US-396 corridor exclusively. From Reno the route would travel northward passing east of Susanville and routing through Burns, Or and John Day before ultimately continuing along the I-82 corridor northward to the Tri-Cities and Yakima. This alternative would end at Ellensburg, WA at I-90 with a possible auxiliary spur in Susanville as well as an auxiliary spur continuing north along US-395 to Ritzville. Any existing I-x82 spur routes would become I-x09 routes.
Plausibility
These routes seems likely to become reality but Caltrans does not seem to be in a hurry to upgrade either route to a full interstate. While most of CA-99 south of Sacramento is up to interstate standards there are still some areas that need updating, and There are some projects underway that are intended to upgrade the highway. However, it has been years since there has been any talk about an interstate designation for the central valley artery. North of Sacramento becomes more challenging as it is less populated and current highways do for the most part adequately serve the areas in which the connect. However much is to be said about additional economic development that can occur if the interstate is routed through. This is especially true for rural central and east central Oregon.
US-395 shares a similar fate. Most of the eastern Sierras and Great Basin regions are sparsely populated along the US-395 corridor making routing an interstate corridor through the area much less likely. A case could be made for more efficient interstate travel, however the I-11 proposal would address that well possibly negating the need for the I-9 corridor altogether. Currently the largest metro areas along the corridor are Reno/Carson City and Victorville/Hesperia which are already served by the interstate system. Some Metro areas that would benefit are the Lancaster/Palmdale area, Klamath Falls and Bend, OR.
Most travelers and commercial users see CA-99, US 97 and US-395 as a major routes as an important since they connects so many major cities, and while the interstate designation makes sense, the lesser populated areas make upgrading the corridor less viable. In addition there may be environmental concerns to expanding the interstate system that could lead to opposition and court challenges of any of these proposals.
As far as the CA-99 corridor is concerned this seems to be the most possible to become an interstate since the highway travels through so many major valley citied. However, for all intents and purposes this route is largely a bypass or auxiliary route for Interstate 5 and could just be designated a 3-digit extension, such as I-305 or I-705, may suffice. Due to its length however, odds are that it would carry its own primary interstate number.