Fong Celebrates $1.37 Million Grant for State Route 58

BAKERSFIELD, CA - Today, Congressman Vince Fong (CA-20) is announcing that the Kern Council of Governments has been awarded a $1.37 million discretionary grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation under the BUILD program. The funding will support a comprehensive feasibility and economic analysis of State Route 58 between Interstate 5 in Kern County and Interstate 15 in Barstow, including consideration of re-designating the route from State Route 58 to Interstate 40.

"State Route 58 is one of the most critical freight corridors in the entire country, connecting the Central Valley to national markets and carrying the goods that keep our economy moving," said Congressman Fong. "This $1.37 million BUILD grant is an important first step towards upgrading this corridor and unlocking its full potential for Kern County and the nation. I am proud to have supported this effort and look forward to seeing this study lay the groundwork for necessary and essential improvements to one of California's most vital transportation arteries."

"State Route 58 is a critical transportation corridor connecting Barstow to the Central Valley and supporting the movement of goods throughout California and across the country," said Congressman Jay Obernolte. "As freight traffic continues to increase, it is critically important that we evaluate opportunities to improve the safety, efficiency, and capacity of this roadway. This federal funding will help identify the infrastructure improvements needed to support economic growth and ensure this vital corridor can meet future transportation demands."

"This grant is the first step to defining needed improvements to SR 58," said Jay Schlosser, Executive Director, Kern Council of Governments. "Once understood, we are looking to advance an understanding of the importance of this roadway to Kern County, the State of California, and the nation."

State Route 58 is a nationally significant east-west freight corridor linking Interstate 40 and Interstate 15 with Interstate 5, providing a critical connection between Midwest and East Coast freight gateways and Central and Northern California. The corridor serves approximately 21,000 daily travelers, with truck volumes reaching up to 37 percent in certain segments. It is designated on the Strategic Highway Network and the National Highway Freight Network, and serves as the only year-round, all-weather trans-Sierra route.

The study funded by this grant will evaluate the requirements to upgrade State Route 58 to Interstate design standards and identify prioritized multimodal improvements along the corridor.

In February, Congressman Fong wrote a letter of support for Kern COG's BUILD grant application, highlighting Route 58's importance to regional and national transportation networks and its role in strengthening supply chain reliability and supporting economic growth in Kern County and the surrounding region.