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Former Interstate 305

Click here for a key to the symbols used. An explanation of acronyms may be found at the bottom of the page.


Routing Routing

FAI 305Not legislatively defined.

Post 1964 Signage History Post 1964 Signage History

Route 305 was never legislatively defined. However, there is a portion of a route that is known to AASHTO as I-305 for funding purposes. This segment, from the Route I-80/US50 interchange in West Sacramento to the Route 99/US50 interchange was originally part of I-80. It was redesignated as chargeable I-305 in May 1980 (and that designation remains on the books at AASHTO). Later in 1980, it was reassigned to US 50. It is currently signed as US50/Business Route 80 from the jct with Route 99/US50/Business Route 80 on east side of Sacramento to the jct. with I-80.

Note: Although I-305 is signed as US 50, itis still on the books as Federal-Aid Interstate 305. The FHWA log shows it as 8 miles.

This is how the creation of unsigned I-305 came about. In 1980 and 1981, California planned a major switch in Sacramento. I-880, which had been originally planned as a northern bypass of Sacramento (defined in 1964 as "Route 80 between Harbor Boulevard and the Yolo Causeway west of Sacramento to Route 80 near Watt Avenue") had a problem. Sacramento had diverted the funds that were going to build a new I-80 to current Interstate standards between Watt Avenue and downtown Sacramento into transit, leaving a substandard I-80. The problem segment for the Interstate designation was the segment between the junction between the former US 99/US 50 junction near downtown (now Route 99/US 50) proceeding N to Watt (primarily, the curve around the river). The decision was made to move the I-80 designation onto I-880 and figure out the rest later. On September 24th, 1980, California petitioned AASHTO to redesignate what was then I-80 between what was then I-880 in W Sacramento and continuing 5.3 miles east to Route 99 as an extension of US 50 and administratively as I-305 (because that segment was up to Interstate standards). The substandard portion, N from the junction with Route 99, would become simply a state highway. The relocation of I-80 and extension of US 50 were approved by the AASHTO on December 1, 1980. In 1981, Chapter 292 legislatively transferred the northern bypass of Sacramento, which had been designated as I-880, to I-80. The only change to US 50 was to clarify that it started at the junction with I-80 in West Sacramento. At that time, the former segment of I-80 from the US 50/Route 99 junction to the new I-80 was defined as Route 51, but it was signed as I-80 Business Loop.
(Partial source: Gribblenation Blog (Tom Fearer), “US Route 50 in West Sacramento and Sacramento (hidden Interstate 305)”, January 2021)

Pre 1964 Signage History Pre 1964 Signage History

This was part of LRN 7 and LRN 3. For details on this history of this segment, see the US 50 page.

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Acronyms and Explanations:


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© 1996-2020 Daniel P. Faigin.
Maintained by: Daniel P. Faigin <webmaster@cahighways.org>.