California State Route 4; Stockton Cross Town Freeway

This past month I drove the California State Route 4 Cross Town Freeway located in Stockton from I-5 east to CA 99.

The CA 4 Cross Town Freeway is officially known as the "Ort J. Loftus Freeway" and connects I-5 east to CA 99 through downtown Stockton. The Cross Town Freeway as currently configured replaced the original alignment of CA 4 by 1994 through downtown Stockton. The original alignment of CA 4 in downtown Stockton had been on the former US 50/US 99W corridor on Charter Way. CA 4 connected to US 99 via Mariposa Road (former US 99E) east of Charter Way.

CAhighways.org on CA 4

The Cross Town Freeway first appeared on State Highway Maps as a proposed freeway in 1965.

1965 State Highway Map City Insert

Originally the Cross Town Freeway was intended to connect to with the surface route of CA 4 near the San Joaquin River. Today the Cross Town Freeway only extends west of I-5 to Navy Drive. This was part of the early segment of the Cross Town Way which was completed between Fresno Avenue and Center Street by 1975.

1975 State Highway Map City Insert

The Cross Town Freeway is shown as nearly complete between I-5 east to CA 99 by the 1990 State Highway Map City Insert.

1990 State Highway Map City Insert

Interestingly the route of CA 4 through Stockton was submitted as a proposed Interstate in 1945 according to CAhighways.org. The irony is that recent (somewhat) studies for a possible I-7/I-9 corridor tend to favor routing an Interstate over the Cross Town Freeway rather than CA 99 north of Stockton. This likely has much to do with the standards of the Cross Town Freeway being at or are far closer to Interstate standards than CA 99 north of Stockton.

My approach to the Cross Town Freeway east was from I-5 south.

Eastbound traffic is given an a ramp to the Cross Town Freeway westbound which is simply signed as connecting to Navy Drive.

CA 4 east on the Cross Town Freeway enters downtown Stockton. CA 4 east actually multiplexes I-5 north to reach the Cross Town Freeway.

CA 4 eastbound traffic can enter downtown Stockton on El Dorado Street while merging onto the Cross Town Freeway.

East of El Dorado Street CA 99 is signed as 2.5 miles away on the Cross Town Freeway. Exit 66 is signed as access to Stanislaus Street.

Wilson Way is accessed from CA 4 east on the Cross Town Freeway at Exit 67.

Exit 68A accesses Filbert Street whereas Exit 68B accesses CA 99 north. CA 4 east exits the Cross Town Freeway onto CA 99 south before splitting away at Farmington Road.

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