Site Navigation Baja California California Colorado Idaho Hawaii Nevada New Mexico Oregon Utah Washington Wyoming     Business Loop I-80 east and California 51/Capital City Freeway north Highway Guides Index Eastbound: Business 80 and U.S. 50 Business 80 and California 51 Westbound: Business 80 and California 51 Business 80 and U.S. 50 Business Loop I-80/Capital City Freeway east and California 51 north Now through the WX Freeway/29-30 Freeway interchange, Business Loop I-80 heads northeast on its way back to Interstate 80. Mileage sign for the next three exits along eastbound Exit 6C/T Street, Exit 7A/N Street, and Exit 7B/H Street. Photo taken 08/22/03. Downtown Sacramento has a grid pattern, with numbered streets running north-south and lettered streets running east-west. T Street is the first of three lettered street exits along eastbound. Photo taken 08/22/03. A look at the transition ramp from U.S. 50 westbound onto Business Loop Interstate 80 eastbound. The right-hand lane defaults onto the Exit 7A off-ramp to N Street after the ramp merge. Photo taken 09/10/05. The next exit along eastbound is Exit 7A, N Street. As noted on this collection of signs the next exit leads to the best route from the east side of town to downtown, the state capitol, and related attractions. This route is L Street (not N Street!), a one-way street leading westbound toward downtown. Photo taken 09/10/05. This mileage sign for eastbound provides the distance to Exit 7A, N Street; Exit 7B, H Street; and Exit 9A, Exposition Boulevard/Cal Expo. Photo taken 09/10/05. Eastbound Business Loop I-80/California 51 reaches Exit 7A, N Street. N Street is a one-way street leading eastbound west of the business loop. East of the business loop, it connects to Folsom Boulevard, which was former U.S. 50 before it was routed onto its freeway, and Stockton Boulevard, which was former U.S. 99 (and former Business U.S. 50-99 after that). Photo taken 09/10/05. The next exit along eastbound Business Loop I-80 is Exit 7B, H Street. This far east of downtown, H Street carries two-way traffic, but it changes one-way eastbound west of 15th and 16th Streets (old California 160). G Street to the north is the best alternative route. Photo taken 09/10/05. Business Loop I-80 (Capital City Freeway) east meets the Exit 7B ramp departure to the intersection of H and 30th Streets. Here, 29th Street and 30th Street parallel the freeway (between X Street and B Street). Photo taken 09/10/05. This mileage sign along eastbound provides the distance to the next three exits: Exit 9A, Exposition Boulevard/Cal Expo; Exit 9B/Arden Way; and Exit 10, El Camino Avenue. Photo taken 09/10/05. As the business loop passes through the undeveloped American River Parkway area, there are no exits until Exit 9A, Exposition Boulevard/Cal Expo. The signage for this exit is somewhat inconsistently signed between Exposition Boulevard and Cal Expo. Photo taken 09/10/05. To mitigate the upcoming Marconi Curve, short or non-existent acceleration/deceleration ramps and shoulders, and other sub-standard sections of the business loop freeway between Exits 9A and 12C, this sign advises through traffic to remain in the left two lanes. Photo taken 09/10/05. After the American River bridge, an auxiliary lane forms to carry traffic off of eastbound Business Loop I-80 to Cal Expo. A few of the Capital City Freeway reassurance markers that were placed in 1996 remain, including one in the American River Parkway just after Exit 7B. Photo taken 09/10/05. Eastbound Business Loop I-80/Capital City Freeway reaches Exit 9A, Exposition Boulevard and Cal Expo (state fairgrounds). The next exit is Exit 9B, Junction Southbound California 160 to Arden Way, next right. Many of the overpasses along the freeway prevent expansion by another lane and some bridge heights do not meet current minimum height standards for Interstate highways. Photo taken 09/10/05. California 160 is a short freeway spur from the business loop southwest toward downtown. The state route used to provide a consistent route through the city and then continue into the Delta; now it has a route break through the city limits of Sacramento. Photo taken 09/10/05. This mileage sign provides the distance to three of the next five exits: Exit 10, El Camino Avenue; Exit 11, Marconi Avenue; and Exit 12C, Fulton Avenue. Exits 12A and 12B are omitted, but that is because they are not major exits (see below). Photo taken 09/10/05. As Business Loop I-80 approaches Exit 10/El Camino Avenue, enjoy the four lanes. They will constrict to three lanes of through traffic on the approach to the substandard Marconi Curve. Photo taken 09/10/05. This mileage sign provides the distance to the next several exits along eastbound Business 80: Exit 10, El Camino Avenue (next right - the exit is visible in the distance); Exit 11, Marconi Avenue (one mile); and Exits 12A-B-C, Howe Avenue/Bell Street/Fulton Avenue (2.25 miles). Photo taken 09/10/05. Eastbound Business Loop I-80/Capital City Freeway reaches Exit 10, El Camino Avenue. Use El Camino Avenue east into the unincorporated community of Carmichael. Photo taken 09/10/05. This photo presents a neat juxtaposition of the mileage sign hanging from the El Camino Avenue overpass along with the freeway entrance side for eastbound El Camino Avenue motorists. The next exit is Exit 11, Marconi Avenue. Photo taken 09/10/05. Marconi Avenue, the next exit after El Camino Avenue, is infamously known as being near the location of one of the worst traffic bottlenecks in the region: the Marconi Curve. Marconi Avenue, which parallels El Camino Avenue and also leads into Carmichael, is a semi-major street but is widely known because of the curve the business loop takes near the interchange. Photo taken 09/10/05. The infamous Marconi Curve, shown in this photo, is one reason often cited as to why Business Loop I-80 is no longer an Interstate highway. This section was to have been bypassed had Interstate 80 been constructed, but since that new alignment was not built, the business loop still carries a capacity (and perhaps over-sold) crowd through this narrow and relatively sharp turn. Photo taken 09/10/05. Coming out of the turn, it is clear why the business loop freeway was not retained as part of the Interstate Highway System when Interstate 80 was rerouted over the top of Sacramento. Narrow and non-existent shoulders, along with a narrow bridge overpass ahead, cause the business loop to suffer back-ups during commuting hours here at the Marconi Curve. Photo taken 09/10/05. Continuing the non-standard construction, a stealthy exit exits immediately after the Marconi Avenue overpass from the prior photobox: Exit 12A, which connects to Howe Avenue (the signage is very spotty for this exit). This photo shows the very tight interchange in place here (it's nearly a 90-degree right hand turn off the freeway), with a freeway entrance with a minimal acceleration lane present right after it. During the winter of 2003-2004, a reflective sign complete with exit number was placed at this interchange. Photo taken 01/22/04 by Joel Windmiller. Eastbound Business Loop I-80/Capital City Freeway/Hidden California 51 at Exit 12B, Bell Street. Again, there is not much advance warning for this exit. Photo taken 09/10/05. The next exit is Exit 12C for Fulton Avenue, which only has this tiny roadside sign as an advance warning of the impending exit. Photo taken 09/10/05. Eastbound Business Loop I-80/California 51/Capital City Freeway reaches Exit 12C, Fulton Avenue. In case you were wondering, the call boxes along the stretch of Business Loop I-80 between U.S. 50 and Interstate 80 refer to the underlying route number, which is California 51. This call box is located along the approach to Exit 12C, Fulton Avenue. Photo taken 09/10/05. This mileage sign along eastbound provides the distance to the next four exits: Exits 14A-B, Watt Avenue; Exit 14C, Junction California 244/To Auburn Boulevard; and Exit 14D, Junction Interstate 80 east to Auburn, Truckee, and Reno. Photo taken 09/10/05. Eastbound Business Loop I-80/California 51/Capital City Freeway approaching Exit 14A, southbound Watt Avenue. Photo taken 09/10/05. The exit for southbound Watt Avenue (Exit 14A) is located in advance of northbound Watt Avenue (Exit 14B). Southbound Watt Avenue leads south past the Del Paso Country Club, Arden Oaks, and Arden before reaching U.S. 50 near the American River. Photo taken 09/10/05. This is the last eastbound Business Loop I-80 reassurance shield along the mainline. Exits 14A-C constitute the final interchange. Photo taken 09/10/05. Use northbound Watt Avenue (Exit 14B) to North Highlands. Photo taken 09/10/05. Since the main lanes merge directly onto eastbound Interstate 80, travelers looking to reach westbound Interstate 80 must exit northbound Watt Avenue and reconnect with Interstate 80 a mile or so north of here. There is no direct freeway-to-freeway connection from eastbound Business Loop I-80 to westbound Interstate 80. Photo taken 09/10/05. Eastbound Business Loop I-80/Capital City Freeway (northbound California 51) reaches Exit 14B, Watt Avenue northbound. Photo taken 09/10/05. The exit from Business Loop I-80 onto Auburn Boulevard was originally intended to be much more than it is today. Exit 14C actually leads to unsigned California 244, which acts as a connector ramp from the business loop freeway to Auburn Boulevard. However, California 244 was to be part of a much larger freeway system that was proposed for eastern Sacramento County. Continuing east past Auburn Boulevard, California 244 was to provide an east-west freeway link, culminating at a junction with U.S. 50 after passing unconstructed California 65. The extension was eliminated in stages during the mid-1970s and mid-1990s due to local opposition. All that remains of this route is the stub section here. For more on California 244, see California State Route 244 (Daniel Faigin). Photo taken 09/10/05. Eastbound Business Loop I-80/Capital City Freeway/California 51 after Exit 14C, California 244 east to Historic U.S. 40/Auburn Boulevard. This mileage sign along eastbound features the next two exits along eastbound Interstate 80, as Business Loop I-80 and California 51 merge onto Interstate 80. Someday the short California 244 freeway spur may connect to another freeway. There are still long-range plans to construct California 143, a north-south freeway that would bypass the downtown area to the east and end at California 99 south of Elk Grove. That freeway also has opposition, and no current plans are underway to construct it. For more on California 143, see State Route 143 (Daniel Faigin). Photo taken 09/10/05. Finally reaching the end of the road, Business Loop I-80/Capital City Freeway are wholly subsumed into Interstate 80. The right three lanes are the business loop, which are forced to merge into Interstate 80 (the three left lanes). The right two lanes will end up exiting onto Exit 96, Madison Avenue, if motorists can't merge onto the mainline. Traffic delays due to all of this merging are common during afternoon commute hours; today was a case in point. Photo taken 08/22/03. Page Updated October 7, 2009.