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Not 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)
© 1996-2020 Daniel P. Faigin.
Maintained by: Daniel P. Faigin
<webmaster@cahighways.org>.