California State Route 119
Encyclopedia
State Route 119 is a state highway in the U.S. state
of California
that runs in an east–west direction from State Route 33
in Taft
to State Route 99
just south of Bakersfield
. SR 119 is part of the former U.S. Route 399, which ran along SR 33 and State Route 166
before ending at SR 99 (known as US 99 before 1964). Today, it serves as the main connector between the extreme southewestern corner of the San Joaquin Valley
and Bakersfield.
Highway 119 is commonly known as Taft Highway. It passes through some of Kern County's most famous oil fields, including the Midway-Sunset
, the third-largest oil field in the United States; the Buena Vista Oil Field
; and runs adjacent to the Elk Hills Oil Field
, formerly the Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 1, infamous as one of the two illicit leases – the other being Teapot Dome – part of the scandal which marred the administration of President Warren G. Harding
in the 1920s.
. The road then turns northeast and enters the valley. Here it passes through the towns of Valley Acres
and Dustin Acres
. Unlike most of the San Joaquin Valley, little farming is done in this portion of the valley. The road then turns east, and crosses I-5. The route enters agricultural land as it continues east. It then terminates at SR 99 south of Bakersfield. Taft Hwy. continues as a county road to Union Ave. (old US 99 and SR 99 Bus.), where it becomes Panama Ln.
in Monterey County
), and from LRN 4 to LRN 58 (currently SR 58) via Arvin. The western portion was signed as part of US 399, the eastern portion was unsigned. In 1959, the eastern portion was dropped from LRN 140 and became its own state route, defined as LRN 264, and later as the signed route SR 223. After the California renumbering of state routes in 1964, LRN 140 would become SR 119. US 399 was decommissioned that year, so the route was also signed SR 119.
The entire route is in Kern County
.
{| class=wikitable
!Location
!Postmile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|Taft
|0.00
|
|Former US 399 south
|-
|
|2.14
|Harrison Street – Ford City
, Taft
|Serves Taft College
|-
|
|
|Midway Road – Fellows
|
|-
|
|
|Elk Hills Road – Buttonwillow
|
|-
|
|R13.29
|Tupman Road – Tupman
, Tule Elk Reserve
|
|-
|
|18.17
|
|
|-
|
|19.77
|
|Interchange
|-
|Old River
|
|Old River Road – Maricopa
|
|-
|
|31.28
|
|Interchange
|-
|
|31.28
|Taft Highway
|Continuation beyond SR 99
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
that runs in an east–west direction from State Route 33
California State Route 33
State Route 33 is a north–south state highway in the U.S. state of California. SR 33 replaced part of U.S. Route 399 in 1964 during the "great renumbering" of routes. In the unincorporated sections of Kern County it is known as the West Side Highway...
in Taft
Taft, California
Taft is a city in the foothills at the extreme southwestern edge of the San Joaquin Valley, in Kern County, California. Taft is located west-southwest of Bakersfield, at an elevation of 955 feet . The population was 9,327 at the 2010 census...
to State Route 99
California State Route 99
California State Route 99 , commonly known as Highway 99 or, simply, as 99 , is a north–south state highway in the U.S. state of California, stretching almost the entire length of the Central Valley...
just south of Bakersfield
Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield is a city near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County, California. It is roughly equidistant between Fresno and Los Angeles, to the north and south respectively....
. SR 119 is part of the former U.S. Route 399, which ran along SR 33 and State Route 166
California State Route 166
State Route 166 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California. It connects the Central Coast to the southern San Joaquin Valley....
before ending at SR 99 (known as US 99 before 1964). Today, it serves as the main connector between the extreme southewestern corner of the San Joaquin Valley
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
and Bakersfield.
Highway 119 is commonly known as Taft Highway. It passes through some of Kern County's most famous oil fields, including the Midway-Sunset
Midway-Sunset Oil Field
The Midway-Sunset Oil Field is a large oil field in Kern County, San Joaquin Valley, California in the United States. Discovered in 1894, and having a cumulative production of close to of oil at the end of 2006, it is the largest oil field in California and the third largest in the United States....
, the third-largest oil field in the United States; the Buena Vista Oil Field
Buena Vista Oil Field
The Buena Vista Oil Field, formerly the Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 2 is a large oil field in Kern County, San Joaquin Valley, California in the United States. Discovered in 1909, and having a cumulative production of approximately , it is the tenth-largest oil field in California...
; and runs adjacent to the Elk Hills Oil Field
Elk Hills Oil Field
The Elk Hills Oil Field is a large oil field in northwestern Kern County, in the Elk Hills of the San Joaquin Valley, California in the United States, about twenty miles west of Bakersfield...
, formerly the Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 1, infamous as one of the two illicit leases – the other being Teapot Dome – part of the scandal which marred the administration of President Warren G. Harding
Warren G. Harding
Warren Gamaliel Harding was the 29th President of the United States . A Republican from Ohio, Harding was an influential self-made newspaper publisher. He served in the Ohio Senate , as the 28th Lieutenant Governor of Ohio and as a U.S. Senator...
in the 1920s.
Route description
SR 119 starts at SR 33 near the southern end of Taft. It travels north on Taft Hwy. on the eastern edge of the city. Leaving the city, the road continues north through the oil producing foothills of the Western San Joaquin ValleySan Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
. The road then turns northeast and enters the valley. Here it passes through the towns of Valley Acres
Valley Acres, California
Valley Acres is a census-designated place in Kern County, California, United States. Valley Acres is located north-northeast of Taft, at an elevation of 420 feet...
and Dustin Acres
Dustin Acres, California
Dustin Acres is a census-designated place in Kern County, California, United States. Dustin Acres is located north-northeast of Taft, at an elevation of 384 feet...
. Unlike most of the San Joaquin Valley, little farming is done in this portion of the valley. The road then turns east, and crosses I-5. The route enters agricultural land as it continues east. It then terminates at SR 99 south of Bakersfield. Taft Hwy. continues as a county road to Union Ave. (old US 99 and SR 99 Bus.), where it becomes Panama Ln.
History
SR 119 was created in 1933 as a state route as Legislative Route 140. Originally, its definition was from Taft to LRN 4 (currently SR 99) in Greenfield (not to be confused with GreenfieldGreenfield, California
Greenfield is a city in Monterey County, California, United States. Greenfield is located southeast of Salinas, at an elevation of 289 feet . The city was the fastest growing in the county during the 2000s, the population was 12,583 in 2000, increasing to 16,330 in the 2010 census. Its most...
in Monterey County
Monterey County, California
Monterey County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California, its northwestern section forming the southern half of Monterey Bay. The northern half of the bay is in Santa Cruz County. As of 2010, the population was 415,057. The county seat and largest city is Salinas...
), and from LRN 4 to LRN 58 (currently SR 58) via Arvin. The western portion was signed as part of US 399, the eastern portion was unsigned. In 1959, the eastern portion was dropped from LRN 140 and became its own state route, defined as LRN 264, and later as the signed route SR 223. After the California renumbering of state routes in 1964, LRN 140 would become SR 119. US 399 was decommissioned that year, so the route was also signed SR 119.
Major intersections
- Note: Except where prefixed with a letter, postmiles were measured in 1964, based on the alignment as it existed at that time, and do not necessarily reflect current mileage.
The entire route is in Kern County
Kern County, California
Spreading across the southern end of the California Central Valley, Kern County is the fifth-largest county by population in California. Its economy is heavily linked to agriculture and to petroleum extraction, and there is a strong aviation and space presence. Politically, it has generally...
.
{| class=wikitable
!Location
!Postmile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|Taft
Taft, California
Taft is a city in the foothills at the extreme southwestern edge of the San Joaquin Valley, in Kern County, California. Taft is located west-southwest of Bakersfield, at an elevation of 955 feet . The population was 9,327 at the 2010 census...
|0.00
|
|Former US 399 south
|-
|
|2.14
|Harrison Street – Ford City
Ford City, California
Ford City is a census-designated place in Kern County, California, United States. Ford City is located north of Taft, at an elevation of 892 feet . The population was 4,278 at the 2010 census, up from 3,512 at the 2000 census...
, Taft
Taft, California
Taft is a city in the foothills at the extreme southwestern edge of the San Joaquin Valley, in Kern County, California. Taft is located west-southwest of Bakersfield, at an elevation of 955 feet . The population was 9,327 at the 2010 census...
|Serves Taft College
Taft College
Taft College is a public community college located in Taft, California. Taft College is a part of the California Community Colleges system and is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.The college was founded on...
|-
|
|
|Midway Road – Fellows
Fellows, California
Fellows is a census-designated place in Kern County, California, United States. Fellows is located west-northwest of Taft, at an elevation of 1316 feet . The population was 106 at the 2010 census, down from 153 at the 2000 census...
|
|-
|
|
|Elk Hills Road – Buttonwillow
Buttonwillow, California
Buttonwillow is a census-designated place in the San Joaquin Valley, in Kern County, California, United States. Buttonwilliow is located west of Bakersfield, at an elevation of 269 feet . The population was 1,508 at the 2010 census, up from 1,266 at the 2000 census...
|
|-
|
|R13.29
|Tupman Road – Tupman
Tupman, California
Tupman is a census-designated place in Kern County, California, United States. Tupman is located west-southwest of Bakersfield, at an elevation of 331 feet...
, Tule Elk Reserve
|
|-
|
|18.17
|
|
|-
|
|19.77
|
|Interchange
|-
|Old River
Old River, California
Old River is an unincorporated community in Kern County, California. It is located southwest of Bakersfield, at an elevation of 344 feet .The settlement was founded in the 1870s and named from the old Kern River bed....
|
|Old River Road – Maricopa
Maricopa, California
Maricopa is a city in Kern County, California, United States. Maricopa is located south-southeast of Taft, at an elevation of 883 feet . The population was 1,154 at the 2010 census, up from 1,111 at the 2000 census. Maricopa lies at the junction of Route 166 and Route 33...
|
|-
|
|31.28
|
|Interchange
|-
|
|31.28
|Taft Highway
|Continuation beyond SR 99