route california state california route runs east nevada state line portions sacramento known freeway western half highway california sacramento exit lane divided highway built freeway standards continues undivided highway eastbound lane westbound lanes reaches canyon remainder highway climbs canyon sierra nevada mainly lane road corridor historic came california present day route designated california state highway later considered scenic alternate constructed initial construction california state highway system second half twentieth century gradually designated converted modern highway route description added california freeway expressway system state legislature highway east eligible recognized city limits begins leaves west sacramento freeway bypass sacramento old route sacramento signed overlaps split pioneer memorial bridge interstate highway carrying unsigned designation interstate interchange business splits north heads south continues east freeway freeway parallels east northeasterly suburb entering continues eastward foothills sierra nevada downtown freeway temporarily ends grade intersections including freeway end miles later final section freeway begins bypass ends exit east end east exit continues undivided conventional highway eastbound lane westbound lanes entering river canyon near crossing north river near ice house road ice house road crest steadily rising lane road staying north river crosses river twice quick succession west home ski turns highway grade east continues east alongside river source highest elevation route reaches california feet site olympic trials men track field held temporary facility parking lot ski area lake basin roadway slowly descends steep hill curves northeast south junction heads south beginning signing turns northward near city split intersection known turns east lane lake boulevard follows south shore lake enters state nevada history trails wagon roads earliest roads europeans cross california branches route near present laid eastward party wanted avoid route deep crossings group left southeast july following crest sierra pass descending nevada met leading westward wagon train california told new trail new crossed crest sierra west pass west crossings easier route required route primary westward route california start gold rush california general alignment terms today highways state route sly park road pleasant valley surveyed cleared shorter lower snow covered trail east town completing work summer following ridge sierra crest johnson headed eastward crossing north near present order follow rocky stretch river returning river continued alongside crest steep slope descended lake nevada route generally followed lake turned inland crossed range near trail known johnson cut generally followed present notable east road roughly following ridge road trails lake road east crest sierra south lake pioneer trail east lake kings canyon road bridge built trail westernmost crossing allowing wagons follow soon washed away march replaced miles east improvement road old travelers ended turning southeast present join older route northeast pass following lake johnson cut trail year round problems built use earth moving equipment optimal route state adopted survey september failed use years later counties sacramento benefited improvements began planning carrying work state legislature created march completed improvements end year new route better grades old places followed present road east traversed slope returning river west roughly present white meadows road ice house road crossed immense traffic road lack maintenance worsened point longer provide better maintenance improvements funded tolls authorized built operated mcdonald improved old johnson cut turned east nevada connecting lake shorter route competing toll roads soon opened range built summit valley improvement original johnson cut lake kings canyon west rebuilt toll supported bypass built opened leaving old road following slopes south crossing river east white hall following north bank county road west johnson began work lower grade replacement north river stopped pearson mcdonald opened road present alignment leaving main road southwest bridge following river road east white hall toll collection ended california bought privately improved sections public roads west wagon road headed south turned west original relatively gentle terrain sacramento generally following present parallel surface roads white rock road route beginning april july western terminus route cut messages passed telegraph july october sacramento valley railroad reached old west finally completed railroad extended east western terminus stage lines followed completion took traffic wagon road state maintenance reconstruction dawn automobile era state legislature authorized california state road march creating post lake wagon road commissioner maintain road road near smith flat east nevada county mile road state february funding minimal improvements including new stone bridge took maintenance immediately completed survey posted granite marked distance started dirt road water summer dust 1860s law added short distance west east limits state road passage state highway bond issue directed lay construct system connecting county seats seat connected sacramento mile route followed sacramento road white rock old drive state routes choose including present decided improving cut expensive instead chose grade following old road miles building drive road mileage added special laws bond issues consolidated rest system route extended east state line route extended farther sacramento southwest present bond issue passed included funds improvement miles east time paving complete west earliest marked highways country split sierra nevada main route followed present alignment alternate designated initial routing turned south nevada crossed route contrary policy marking direct route explained simply tourists lake actually shorter cut opened directly east main route near bypassing highway system created route main east route pass route route crossing nevada initially ended sacramento motorists follow victory highway southwest turn south west originally road connecting area traveling near largely following future routing replaced western terminus located near present location interstate interstate interchange generally followed route current interstate interstate junction continued east interstate followed old highway present bus tracy interstate followed interstate followed old location interchange present day intersection main location eastern terminus time improved east state project portion old road bypassed areas completing final lane alignment included broadway bypassing new route east new route leaving pioneer trail crossing sierra crest bypassed better quality route lower current road east summit opened bypassing road west major lane built bypass winding completed improvement extended west short relocation north opened extended west bypassing extension san_francisco early 1930s extended san_francisco overlapping sacramento replacing near extended new bay bridge time opening replacing present boulevard bay bridge distribution structure oakland new freeway constructed moved extension officially eliminated renumbering remained maps signs years replaced bay bridge business route tracy charter way sacramento freeway expressway upgrades california freeway expressway system created included sacramento nevada oakland sacramento portion included segments upgraded freeway expressway standards expressway completed freeway bypass expressway continuing west mile terrace completed east bridge road widened lanes decade saw improvement remaining lane section near sunrise boulevard final section connecting bass lake road opening july freeway completed west business early bypassing lane extended west new bypass old valid legislative designation remainder state route years lanes sacramento stopped original lane road continued canyon state rejected proposed million total realignment instead opting expensive program spot improvements including new bridges passing lanes portions work completed including lane bridge lanes traffic turning ice house road east end bridge white hall pair lane bridges carrying realignment bend river dedicated route remains vulnerable mudslides storm damage particularly bad slide closed highway east days january february week similar day closure caused flooding january project permanent repairs prevent future began july september october highway closed week allow efficient reconstruction state signed followed sly park road trail old designation approved transportation officials generally assigns new highways work complete signs left route major intersections letter measured road based alignment existed time necessarily reflect current mileage reflects realignment route indicates second realignment refers overlap correction change indicates classified temporary list list definitions segments remain relinquished local control omitted numbers reset county lines start end county given county column
U.S. Route 50 in California