Ultimate Interstates:Corridors 7 and 9

Corridor 7 and 9 Map

Sacramento Detail Map

Stockton Detail Map

Showing potential I-x09 Routes

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 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 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.

Northward Extension

Instead of terminating at I-5 the route could be extended northward on I-5 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 US-395. Ultimately the highway would end at I-90 Either at Ellensburg to the west or Ritzville to the east depending upon routing.

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.

See Ultimate Interstates:Bay Area For more info.

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.

Plausibility

This route seems likely to become reality but CalTrans does not seem to be in a hurry to post the interstate designation to the route. Most Californians see SR-99 as a major route in california and the route is also well known to truckers nationally as an important route since it connects so many major California cities. The interstate designation makes sense, 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). Due to its length however, it is recommended to carry its own primary number.

Extension

In theory this route could be extended northward via US-97 through Oregon and Washington, however this seems highly unlikely to happen an as such has not been depicted on the maps.