California Highways California Highways:
www.cahighways.org

Former Interstate 305

FAI 305Not legislatively defined.

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)

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

• California @ AARoads:
  • US 50
  • Business Loop I–80
  • Interstate Guides: Interstate Business Route 80
  • Interstate Guides: Interstate 305
• 3 Digit Interstates (Kurumi): I-305
• Gribblenation Blog (Tom Fearer):
• US Route 50 in West Sacramento and Sacramento (hidden Interstate 305)
  

• ⦅Routing⦆
• ⦅Post 1964 Signage History⦆
• ⦅Pre 1964 Signage History⦆
• ⦅Other WWW Links⦆
• ⦅Acronyms and Explanations⦆