A 24-hour fuel stop with 49 truck stalls and heavy-truck chargers is in public review across the interchange from the approved Lynn Trucking project.
The Gurdial Singh Travel Center is a proposed 24-hour truck stop at Interstate 5 and Stockdale Highway in unincorporated Kern County, west of Bakersfield. Filed through LAV Consulting and Engineering, it would place a 12,303-square-foot convenience store and drive-thru restaurant, 16 auto pumps, nine diesel bays and 49 truck parking spaces on 10.6 acres. Kern County’s mitigated negative declaration went out for review Sept. 30, 2026. Comments are due Oct. 29.
Key takeaways
- The State Clearinghouse posted Kern County’s mitigated negative declaration (MND) for the Gurdial Singh Travel Center (SCH 2026091259) on Sept. 30, 2026, with comments due by Oct. 29, 2026.
- The plan puts 49 short-term and overnight truck parking spaces, nine diesel bays with a truck scale, 16 auto pumps and six heavy-truck EV charging spaces on a 10.6-acre portion of a 26.41-acre parcel.
- The applicant is asking for a zone variance to allow a 70-foot pole sign with a 300-square-foot face, where the county allows 35 feet and 240 square feet.
- An earlier proposal reported in November 2023, by Balbir Kaur and Gurdial Singh for the interchange’s southwest corner, listed 28 fuel pumps and four drive-thru restaurants.
- Across Stockdale Highway, Kern County approved Lynn Trucking’s travel center with a 60-room hotel on July 9, 2026, so the exit could gain two new travel centers.
Project at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Project | Gurdial Singh Travel Center Project |
| Location | Stockdale Highway and Interstate 5, unincorporated Kern County (Buttonwillow ZIP 93276), APN 160-030-32 |
| Applicant/owner | Filed as “Gurdial Singh Travel Center Project by LAV Consulting and Engineering” (Bakersfield engineering firm); owner of record not named |
| Jurisdiction | Kern County Planning and Natural Resources Department (lead agency) |
| Case numbers | SCH No. 2026091259; Precise Development Plan and Zone Variance (county case numbers not shown on the state listing) |
| Size | 12,303 sq ft of buildings on a 10.6-acre portion of a 26.41-acre parcel |
| Use | 24-hour travel center: convenience store, fast-food drive-thru, 16 auto pumps, 9 diesel truck bays with scale, 49 truck parking spaces, 4 EV chargers, 6 heavy-truck EV charging spaces |
| Status | Draft mitigated negative declaration in public review, Sept. 30 to Oct. 29, 2026 |
| Next step | Comment deadline Oct. 29, 2026; county hearing on the precise development plan and sign variance (date not yet published) |
What is the Gurdial Singh Travel Center?
It is a 24-hour fuel and truck stop proposed at the Interstate 5 and Stockdale Highway interchange. According to the State Clearinghouse listing, the project “proposes a Precise Development Plan to allow a 12,303-square-foot travel center on a 10.6-acre portion of a 26.41-acre parcel.” Kern County’s Planning and Natural Resources Department is the lead agency, and the State Clearinghouse received its MND on Sept. 30, 2026.
The filing describes a stop built for two kinds of customers: passenger cars and long-haul trucks.
| Component | What the filing describes |
|---|---|
| Buildings | 12,303 sq ft: convenience store, office, fast-food drive-thru with limited dine-in seating |
| Auto fuel | One service station with 16 auto fuel pumps |
| Truck fuel | Nine-bay semi-truck diesel fueling station with a truck scale |
| Truck parking | 49 spaces “intended for short term and overnight use” |
| EV charging | Four EV charging stations and six heavy-truck EV charging spaces |
| Fuel storage | Aboveground tanks for up to 100,000 gal of diesel and 100,000 gal of gasoline, in the north part of the site |
| Hours and staff | 24 hours a day, seven days a week; 8 to 12 full-time employees per shift |
Services aimed at long-haul drivers
The project description goes beyond fuel. It lists “a small lounge with couches, televisions, a vending machine and a separate restroom with shower area” for long haulers, plus food and beverage sales that include closed-lid alcohol, according to the CEQAnet record. The 49 truck stalls serve both short stops and overnight parking, the kind of space drivers report the most trouble finding.
The 70-foot sign variance
The applicant also wants a zone variance to allow “a pole sign with a 300-square-foot sign face where a maximum 240-square-foot sign face is allowed and a 70-foot-sign height where a maximum of 35-feet is allowed.” Kern County requires a variance for any request to exceed sign height or size limits, and the decision-maker must find that special circumstances apply to the property.
The request is smaller than the 75-foot sign with a 560-square-foot face approved for Lynn Trucking across the road. Freeway stops want tall signs so drivers see the brand and prices in time to exit.
Where is the Gurdial Singh Travel Center site?
The project sits on Assessor’s Parcel Number 160-030-32, at the cross streets of Stockdale Highway and Interstate 5. The Notice of Completion lists the community as Buttonwillow, ZIP code 93276, though the county’s summary form calls the location Bakersfield. Interstate 5 and State Route 58 are within two miles, and the Buena Vista Water Storage District canal runs nearby.
The land is vacant and already zoned for this kind of use. The CEQAnet listing shows a CH PD (Highway Commercial, Precise Development Combining) zone and a 6.3 Highway Commercial general plan designation. In a PD district, Kern County requires site plan review before any building or grading permit is issued. That is why the project needs a precise development plan rather than a rezoning.
The 2026 filing does not name a corner of the interchange. Its coordinates and legal description (Section 6, Township 30 South, Range 25 East) place it just south of the Lynn Trucking site in Section 31, Township 29 South, which sits at the northwest corner. That is consistent with the undeveloped southwest corner described in a 2023 news report.
What was the 2023 travel center proposal at this site?
The current filing is the second travel center plan tied to the Gurdial Singh name. In November 2023, The Bakersfield Californian reported a proposal for “the intersection’s undeveloped, southwestern corner” by Balbir Kaur and Gurdial Singh, with LAV//Pinnacle Engineering & Consulting of Bakersfield as the formal applicant (full text via AOL).
The 2023 proposal was larger. The report described more than 12,000 square feet of buildings on 26.2 acres, four fast-food restaurants with drive-thru service, 28 fuel pumps, a nine-bay diesel island, a 3,000-square-foot convenience market and a 9,000-square-foot truck wash and repair garage. It sought a conditional use permit and the same 70-foot, 300-square-foot sign variance, with a Planning Commission hearing set for Dec. 14, 2023.
No report of that hearing’s outcome has been published. The 2026 filing shows a reworked plan: one drive-thru instead of four, 16 auto pumps instead of 28, and no truck wash or repair garage. It adds 49 truck parking spaces and heavy-truck EV charging.
Who is behind the Gurdial Singh Travel Center?
The state record titles the filing “Gurdial Singh Travel Center Project by LAV Consulting and Engineering,” a format Kern County filings commonly use to name a project and the firm that filed it. The 2023 report named Gurdial Singh and Balbir Kaur as the applicants.
Neither filing lists a fuel brand, restaurant operator or owner of record for the parcel, and the applicants have made no public statement. LAV Consulting & Engineering, Inc. is a Bakersfield civil engineering and construction management firm. Its Better Business Bureau profile lists a 2010 start and 2015 incorporation. The firm’s website brands its work as LAV // Pinnacle, the same firm name the Californian used in 2023, so one engineering firm appears on both versions of the plan.
What do two new travel centers at one I-5 exit mean?
The Stockdale Highway exit is not empty today. The 2023 Californian report noted that the exit already had a Best Western Heritage Inn and an EZ Trip Travel Center. A truck stop directory lists EZ Trip at 29541 Stockdale Highway, I-5 Exit 253, with eight fuel lanes, 10 truck parking spaces and three restaurants. Those figures come from the directory, not the operator.
Two larger projects now target the same exit, and they serve different customers. Lynn Trucking’s plan, covered in our article on the I-5 Stockdale Highway travel center, leans on lodging, food and truck services. The Gurdial Singh plan leans on diesel throughput and parking.
| Feature | Lynn Trucking (approved July 9, 2026) | Gurdial Singh (in review) |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Northwest corner | South of Stockdale Highway, APN 160-030-32 (2023 report: southwest corner) |
| Site | 16.28 to 16.8 acres | 10.6 acres of a 26.41-acre parcel |
| Building area | 38,199 sq ft, including a 60-room hotel | 12,303 sq ft |
| Fuel | 16 auto and 7 diesel pumps | 16 auto pumps, 9 diesel bays and a truck scale |
| Truck parking | Not stated in the county filings | 49 spaces, short term and overnight |
| Truck services | Repair shop and truck wash | Driver lounge and showers; 6 heavy-truck EV charging spaces |
| Fuel storage | 72,000 gal (32,000 underground gasoline, 40,000 aboveground diesel) | 200,000 gal aboveground |
| Pole sign | 75 ft, 560 sq ft (approved) | 70 ft, 300 sq ft (requested) |
Truck parking is the scarce commodity
This exit already carries heavy freight traffic. Caltrans’ truck traffic dataset estimates 45,000 vehicles a day on I-5 at Stockdale, including 12,546 trucks, or 27.88% of traffic. About 72% of those trucks fall in the five-axle class, the typical tractor-trailer. The dataset is labeled 2023.
The state is short on places to park them. A Caltrans overview of the California Statewide Truck Parking Study says California ranks 48th nationally in truck parking spaces per vehicle mile traveled. The Federal Highway Administration’s Jason’s Law survey found that 90% of drivers surveyed struggled to find safe, available parking at night. The 2019 update counted roughly 273,000 of the nation’s 313,000 truck spaces at private truck stops, Land Line reported.
For scale, Love’s opened a Bakersfield travel stop at Highway 99 and Taft Highway in August 2024 with 111 truck parking spaces. Forty-nine stalls would be a meaningful addition at an exit where the existing stop lists 10.
Retail and freight conditions in Kern County
Travel centers behave like retail at the pump and like logistics in the truck lot. On the retail side, a regional brokerage’s Q2 2026 Bakersfield retail report put vacancy at 5.2% and average NNN asking rent at $20.26 per square foot, with only 8,630 square feet under construction. A national brokerage’s Q2 2026 retail report put Bakersfield shopping-center vacancy at 6.5% (preliminary).
On the freight side, a regional brokerage’s Q2 2026 Bakersfield industrial report measured 9.55% vacancy, down from 10.90% in Q1, with 1,489,196 square feet of net absorption over 12 months. A national brokerage’s South Central Valley industrial report for Q2 2026 said food and beverage and logistics firms account for 40% of tenants in the market. Both groups put trucks on I-5 and State Route 99. For more on the corridor, see our guide to why Kern County works for logistics along I-5, SR-99 and SR-58.
What does it mean for landowners and investors?
Two applications at one rural exit within a year suggest operators see unmet fuel and parking demand on this stretch of I-5. If both are built, the exit would have three fuel operators competing for the same exiting traffic, and pricing, brand and sign visibility will decide who wins volume.
For owners of highway commercial land at other Kern interchanges, CH-zoned acreage near I-5, SR-99 and SR-58 is drawing real applications. For net lease buyers, a national net lease report for Q2 2026 put national single-tenant retail cap rates at 6.60%. That is a national benchmark, and the filings do not say whether this stop will be owner-operated, leased or sold. The six heavy-truck charging spaces also fit the trend covered in our guide to California EV charging requirements for commercial buildings.
Were any concerns raised about the travel center?
The county’s summary form identifies seven areas with potentially significant impacts that it says mitigation reduces to less than significant: aesthetics, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, geology and soils, hazards, and tribal cultural resources. It states that “no areas of controversy were identified.”
The listed mitigation includes compliance with the county’s dark skies ordinance, San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District rules, a fugitive dust control plan, a qualified biologist, archaeological surveys and a hazardous materials business plan. That last measure fits a site that would store up to 200,000 gallons of fuel above ground.
Responsible agencies include Kern County Public Works, the county fire department, the Valley Air District and the Rosedale-Rio Bravo Water Storage District. No organized opposition has been reported.
What happens next for the Gurdial Singh Travel Center?
Comments on the draft MND are due Oct. 29, 2026, to April Wentworth, Planner II, Kern County Planning and Natural Resources Department, 2700 M Street, Suite 100, Bakersfield, according to the CEQAnet listing.
After the comment period, the county will schedule a hearing on the precise development plan and the sign variance. Under the county’s published procedures, both precise development plans and zone variances are normally set for a Director’s Hearing before a hearing officer, with a 14-day appeal period to the Board of Supervisors. No hearing date has been published, and the county will confirm the hearing body when it issues notice.
- November 2023: Earlier southwest-corner travel center proposal reported, with a Planning Commission hearing set for Dec. 14, 2023 (outcome not reported).
- July 9, 2026: Lynn Trucking travel center approved across Stockdale Highway.
- Sept. 30, 2026: Gurdial Singh Travel Center MND posted (SCH 2026091259).
- Oct. 29, 2026: State and public comment period closes.
- Next: County hearing on the precise development plan and zone variance (date to be set).
Frequently asked questions
What is the Gurdial Singh Travel Center?
It is a proposed 24-hour travel center at Interstate 5 and Stockdale Highway in unincorporated Kern County, west of Bakersfield. Plans call for a 12,303-square-foot store and drive-thru, 16 auto fuel pumps, a nine-bay diesel station with a truck scale and 49 truck parking spaces. Four EV chargers and six heavy-truck charging spaces would sit on 10.6 acres.
Where is the Gurdial Singh Travel Center located?
The site is Assessor’s Parcel Number 160-030-32 at the cross streets of Stockdale Highway and Interstate 5, in the Buttonwillow ZIP code 93276. The project would use 10.6 acres of a 26.41-acre parcel zoned Highway Commercial with a Precise Development combining district. Coordinates put it south of Stockdale Highway, across from the approved Lynn Trucking travel center.
How many truck parking spaces will the Gurdial Singh Travel Center have?
The State Clearinghouse listing calls for 49 truck parking spaces meant for short-term and overnight stays. The plan adds a nine-bay diesel station with a truck scale and six heavy-truck EV charging spaces. A truck stop directory lists just 10 truck spaces at the existing EZ Trip Travel Center on the same exit.
Who is the applicant for the Gurdial Singh Travel Center?
The state filing carries the title “Gurdial Singh Travel Center Project by LAV Consulting and Engineering,” naming a Bakersfield civil engineering firm. A 2023 Bakersfield Californian story named Balbir Kaur and Gurdial Singh as applicants for an earlier proposal at the same interchange. Neither filing names a fuel brand or operator.
How can I comment on the Gurdial Singh Travel Center?
Public review of the mitigated negative declaration runs from Sept. 30 to Oct. 29, 2026. Send comments to April Wentworth, Planner II, Kern County Planning and Natural Resources Department, 2700 M Street, Suite 100, Bakersfield, CA 93301. The documents are posted on CEQAnet under SCH No. 2026091259.
Is the Gurdial Singh Travel Center approved?
No. The project is in public review and has no approval. The county must act on the precise development plan and the zone variance for the 70-foot pole sign, and no hearing date has been published. Under county procedures, either decision can be appealed to the Board of Supervisors within 14 days.
How is this different from the Lynn Trucking travel center?
Lynn Trucking’s approved project at the northwest corner centers on a 60-room hotel, restaurants, retail, a truck wash and a repair shop, with 16 auto and 7 diesel pumps. The Gurdial Singh plan has less building area. It adds 49 truck parking spaces, nine diesel bays, six heavy-truck EV charging spaces and 200,000 gallons of aboveground fuel storage.
Own highway commercial land near I-5, SR-99 or SR-58, or weighing a fuel, food or truck parking site in Kern County? Call Kern CRE at 855-KERN-CRE (855-537-6273) or contact us to talk through how projects like this affect values and leasing near your property. Get Kern County CRE news monthly: subscribe to the Kern CRE report.
Sources
- Gurdial Singh Travel Center Project by LAV Consulting and Engineering (MND, SCH 2026091259), CEQAnet (State Clearinghouse), received Sept. 30, 2026.
- Summary Form for Electronic Document Submittal, Gurdial Singh Travel Center Project, Kern County Planning and Natural Resources Department, September 2026.
- Notice of Completion and Environmental Document Transmittal, Gurdial Singh Travel Center Project, Kern County Planning and Natural Resources Department, September 2026.
- I5_Stockdale_Singh_Final_MND (full document), Kern County Planning and Natural Resources Department, September 2026.
- Kern County CEQA filings, Sept. 29 to 30, 2026 (CSV export), CEQAnet (State Clearinghouse), September 2026.
- Stockdale exit along I-5 may get new travel center with 4 drive-thrus, The Bakersfield Californian via AOL, Nov. 19, 2023.
- Stockdale exit along I-5 may get new travel center with 4 drive-thrus (original), The Bakersfield Californian, Nov. 19, 2023.
- Lynn Trucking Inc. (Mitigated Negative Declaration, SCH 2026040458), CEQAnet (State Clearinghouse), received April 9, 2026.
- Conditional Use Permit Case No. 65, Map 100; and Zone Variance Case No. 40, Map 100 (Notice of Determination), CEQAnet (State Clearinghouse), posted July 13, 2026.
- Informational Guide: Precise Development Plan, Kern County Planning and Natural Resources Department.
- Informational Guide: Zone Modification / Zone Variance, Kern County Planning and Natural Resources Department.
- LAV Consulting & Engineering, Inc., Bakersfield, CA (business profile), Better Business Bureau.
- LAV // Pinnacle (company website), LAV Consulting & Engineering.
- EZ Trip Travel Center (One9 Fuel Network), 29541 Stockdale Hwy, I-5 Exit 253, Truck Stops & Services Directory.
- EZ Trip Travel Center in Bakersfield, CA (29541 Stockdale Hwy), Pilot Flying J.
- Truck Average Daily Traffic (2023 Truck AADT dataset), I-5 at Stockdale Road, postmile 47.546, Caltrans.
- Truck_Volumes_AADT feature service query, Route 5, Kern County, Caltrans GIS.
- California Statewide Truck Parking Study (study overview), Caltrans via San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, undated (circa 2021 to 2022).
- FHWA reveals updated Jason’s Law truck parking survey, Land Line (Tyson Fisher), Dec. 1, 2020.
- Jason’s Law Truck Parking Survey Results and Comparative Analysis: Executive Summary, Federal Highway Administration, 2015.
- Love’s opens 16th California travel stop, Love’s Travel Stops, Aug. 20, 2024.
- Q2 2026 Bakersfield, CA Retail Market Overview, Lee & Associates, July 2026.
- Q2 2026 Bakersfield, CA Industrial Market Report, Lee & Associates, July 2026.
- United States Retail MarketBeat Q2 2026 (shopping centers), Cushman & Wakefield, July 2026.
- South Central Valley Industrial Figures Q2 2026, CBRE, Aug. 3, 2026.
- Single Tenant Net Lease Report for Q2 2026, The Boulder Group, July 7, 2026.
About this article
Kern CRE prepared this article with help from AI research and writing tools. An editor reviewed the draft, checked its facts against the sources linked above and edited it for accuracy and clarity. Details come from public records and the sources cited; unless stated, Kern CRE and ASU Commercial were not involved in the transaction or project.