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California 58 - Kern County west (#1)

Photo Journey

The guide to California 58 is divided into eastbound and westbound directions by county as follows:

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California 58 West
View of the recently poured concrete of the Mojave Bypass. This new freeway, opened in September 2003, provides a bypass around the town of Mojave, which was well-known as a bottleneck junction due to a series of traffic signals and commercial development. The bypass allows travelers to continue around the town without having to pass through the urban center. Photo taken 01/21/04.
View of westbound California 58 as it approaches the flurry of signs for Exit 172/Business California 58 to Mojave. Photo taken 01/21/04.
For the nearly ten-mile Mojave Bypass, green mileposts are used in addition to Caltrans-standard white postmile paddle markers. At the time this picture was taken, the Mojave Bypass is the only place in California to feature these green mileposts. Photo taken 01/21/04.
A first for California, the logo signage on the Mojave Bypass that typically features camping, lodging, food, and gas includes the exit number rather than "next right" or "next exit." Photo taken 01/21/04.
The first exit of the Mojave Bypass is Exit 172, which connects the bypass to the business route into the city of Mojave. Photo taken 01/21/04.
The next three exits serve Mojave: Exit 172, Junction Business California 58 west into Mojave; Exit 167, Junction California 14 South into Mojave; and Exit 165, Junction Business California 58 east into Mojave. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Westbound California 58 at Exit 172, Junction Business California 58 west into Mojave. The business loop follows the original alignment of California 58 (and therefore U.S. 466) into Mojave. Photo taken 01/21/04.

Gore point signage and overcrossing along westbound California 58 at Exit 172, Junction Business California 58 west. The next exit is five miles ahead, and California 58 stays far to the northeast of the city of Mojave. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Signage for westbound California 58 after Exit 172. Note the directional banner is placed below the shield, which appears to be the standard along the length of the Mojave Bypass. Also note that there is another green milepost for Milepost 172. Photo taken 01/21/04.
The next exit only westbound California 58 is Exit 167, Junction California 14. California 14 north (old U.S. 6 east) leads to U.S. 395 near Ridgecrest, where it is subsumed by the U.S. route. U.S. 395 in turn serves the Eastern Sierra, passing through the Owens Valley and communities of Olancha, Lone Pine, Independence, and Big Pine before reaching Bishop, where U.S. 395 and U.S. 6 split. U.S. 395 continues north to Mammoth and Reno, while U.S. 6 angles northeast toward Tonopah and Ely, Nevada. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Like California 58, California 14 is also a freeway outside of Mojave. However, upon entering Kern County and reaching the urban limits of Mojave, California 14 becomes a two-lane highway. Unlike California 58, California 14 currently does not bypass downtown Mojave; instead it follows the railroad right through downtown Mojave. Nevertheless, plans call for California 14 to bypass Mojave ultimately, and at that time, California 14 would maintain freeway standards from Los Angeles County around Mojave and then north toward U.S. 395 near Ridgecrest. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Westbound California 58 at Exit 167, Junction California 14 north to Bishop and south to Mojave and Los Angeles. Photo taken 01/21/04.
The next exit along westbound, and the final exit of the Mojave Bypass along westbound, is Exit 165, Junction Business Loop California 58 east, one mile. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Westbound California 58 approaching Exit 165, Junction Business California 58 east to Mojave. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Westbound California 58 at Exit 165, Junction Business California 58 east to Mojave. It is unclear why this direction would have two signs announcing this exit as the business route, while the signs at Exit 172 along westbound only announce it once. However, we like seeing more clear business loop signage such as these signs. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Westbound California 58 leaves the Mojave Bypass segment and prepares to enter the Tehachapi Mountains. Look to the left (south) of the freeway to see where the old road used to join with the freeway; that connection was severed with the opening of the Mojave Bypass. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Briefly, westbound California 58 becomes undivided with a wide, paved median that could easily be crossed by any vehicle. Two lanes remain in each direction, however, and it would be fairly easy to upgrade this portion of California 58 to freeway standards if needed. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Energy-producing wind turbines dominate the hilly skyline along westbound California 58 as the freeway ascends toward Tehachapi Pass. The next exit is Exit 159, Cameron Road, one mile. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Westbound California 58 at Exit 159, Cameron Road. Photo taken 01/21/04.
This old sign along westbound California 58 is unusual in that the reassurance shield for California 58 is mounted on top of the one-mile advance sign for Exit 156, Old Highway 58-466/Sand Canyon Road. This might have been placed at a time when the freeway was incomplete between Exits 156 and 151, because the placement of that shield almost seems to imply that westbound California 58 exits onto Exit 156 rather than continue along the freeway! Photo taken 01/21/04.
Westbound California 58 at Exit 156, Old Highway 58-466/Sand Canyon Road west to Monolith. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Westbound California 58 approaching Exit 151, Junction Business Loop California 58 West into Tehachapi, one mile. Photo taken 01/21/04.
The next three exits along westbound California 58 serve the city of Tehachapi: Exit 151, Junction Business California 58 East; Exit 149, Mill Street; and Exit 148, Junction California 202 and Business California 58 West. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Westbound California 58 at Exit 151, Junction Business California 58 West to Tehachapi and Old Highway 58-466/Sand Canyon Road east. The old highway connects the freeway between Exit 146 and 151. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Reaching its highest point, California 58 meets the Tehachapi Summit at 4,064 feet. All water from this pass westward flows into the Central Valley rather than the Mojave Desert. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Westbound California 58 approaching Exit 149, Mill Street, one mile. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Mill Street leads into the city of Tehachapi. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Westbound California 58 at Exit 149, Mill Street. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Westbound California 58 approaching Exit 148, Junction California 202 west to a correctional facility and Business California 58 east into downtown Tehachapi. Photo taken 01/21/04.
When new signs were placed along westbound California 58 in the Fall of 2003, the exit number was only placed on two advance signs and the gore point sign, but omitted from this sign and the next sign. Photo taken 01/21/04.
This sign along westbound is somewhat misleading. The correctional facility is not one-half mile from here; it is actually located at the west end of California 202, which is some six or seven miles from here. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Westbound California 58 at Exit 148, Junction California 202 west/Business California 58 east to the city of Tehachapi and the correctional facility. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Gore point signage from westbound California 58 reaches Exit 148, Junction California 202 west. Photo taken 01/21/04.

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Page Updated October 20, 2007.