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County to I-405) Orange County (Interstate 405 to San Clemente) Northern San Diego County Central San Diego County Southern San Diego County Business Loop I-5 Interstate 5/West Side Freeway north Interstate 5 rises above the Sacramento River on this bridge. The first view looks north on the river from the Interstate 5 bridge, and the second view looks west along Interstate 5 toward Woodland. Photos taken 08/02/11. On a stormier day in 2004, this view of northbound Interstate 5 (which is still traveling due west toward Woodland) is afforded from the top of the Sacramento River bridge. The Road 22 interchange can be seen in the near distance, while the Elkhorn Causeway can be seen in the distance. Barely visible on the horizon is the eastern branch of the Path 15 north-south 500kV Pacific Gas and Electric powerline. Photo taken 12/29/04. At the end of the Sacramento River bridge, northbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 531, Road 22 to Elkhorn and Old River Road (former California 16-24). California 16 and California 24 used to travel through downtown Sacramento, leaving the city via the Historic I Street Bridge (built in 1911) and taking Old River Road (on the west bank of the Sacramento River) northwest toward Woodland. Use Exit 531/Road 22 north to Main Street (former California 16-24) west for the local route to the city of Woodland. Photos taken 08/02/11 and 12/29/04. An Interstate 5 north reassurance route marker is posted shortly thereafter. Photo taken 08/02/11. After the Road 22 interchange, Interstate 5 crosses the Yolo Bypass on the Elkhorn Causeway structure. The causeway carries Interstate 5 north (west) across the Yolo Bypass, which carries floodwater around the city of Sacramento and its suburbs. A series of dikes and weirs direct extra water from the Sacramento River and Cache Creek into the bypass, which keeps the river from cresting significantly within the urban areas near Sacramento and West Sacramento. During wet years, the Yolo Bypass can be completely full of water. This bypass eventually rejoins the river near Rio Vista after passing under Interstate 80's Yolo Causeway (which used to be part of U.S. 99W and U.S. 40 before Interstate 80 was completed). Photo taken 08/02/11 and 12/29/04. The Elkhorn Causeway was built in 1969 and is 1.65 miles (2,655 meters) long. At the end of the causeway, Interstate 5 will pass under the first of two sets of 500kV power lines that constitutes the eastern half of Path 15. The second half of Path 15 crosses over Interstate 5 near the Interstate 505 interchange. Photos taken 12/29/04 and 08/02/11. Nearing the western end of the Elkhorn Causeway, Interstate 80 will return to land and pass under the aforementioned eastern branch of the Path 15 power lines, which divide at the north bank of the Sacramento River in the delta region south of here and rejoin near the Sutter Buttes north of here. We will pass under the western branch of the Path 15 500kV power lines further northwest of here, close to Zamora (Exit 548, about 12 miles northwest of here). Photo taken 08/02/11 and 12/29/04. The next exit along northbound (westbound) Interstate 5 is Exit 536, Junction Yolo County Route E-8/Road 102. Photo taken 12/29/04. Interstate 5 enters the city of Woodland, which serves as the seat of Yolo County and is home to 49,151 people as the 2000 Census and consists of 10.3 square miles. The next several exits will serve the city of Woodland: Exit 536, Junction Yolo County Route E-8/Road 102; Exit 537, Junction Business Loop I-5/Main Street north to California 113 south; Exit 538, Junction California 113 north to Yuba City; and Exit 540, West Street. Photo taken 08/02/11. Use Yolo County Route E-8 north to Knights Landing and to California 113 north to Yuba City. This route is a bit quicker route to Knights Landing and Yuba City. To the south, Yolo County Route E-8 generally parallels California 113 south toward Davis. Photo taken 12/29/04. The only advance sign with a Yolo County Route E-8 trailblazer route marker is posted on this roadside guide sign for Exit 536, Road 102 to Woodland. Photo taken 08/02/11. Northbound Interstate 5/West Side Freeway meets Exit 536, Junction Yolo County Route E-8/Road 102 to Woodland. Photo taken 08/02/11. The next exit along Interstate 5 north is Exit 537, Junction Business Loop I-5/Main Street north to California 113/Vic Fazio Highway south to Davis. This exit also connects with Main Street east to Road 22 (Old California 16-24) toward the Yolo Bypass. With construction activities at the Road 102 interchange, this sign was moved from the overpass and replaced with a reflective sign on a new sign bridge. Photos taken 08/02/11 and 12/29/04. Historic downtown Woodland, including Woodland Opera House State Historical Park, is best reached via westbound Business Loop I-5/Main Street. Photo taken 12/29/04. California 113/Vic Fazio Highway follows a four-lane freeway alignment from Woodland south to Davis, where it meets Interstate 80. To California 113 north (former Alternate U.S. 40 east) to Yuba City, continue north on Interstate 5 to Exit 538. Photo taken 12/29/04. Northbound Interstate 5 meets Exit 537, Junction Business Loop I-5/Main Street west into the city of Woodland (with a connection to California 113/Vic Fazio Highway south to Davis. The next exit is Exit 538, Junction California 113 (Alternate U.S. 40) north to Yuba City. (Old Alternate U.S. 40 south followed an alignment parallel to California 113 on its way to Davis.) After this exit, Interstate 5 turns due north once again. Photos taken 08/02/11 and 12/29/04. At the bottom of the ramp, turn left onto Main Street to follow the business loop into Woodland and to California 113. Turn right to Road 22 east to Elkhorn. Photo taken 12/29/04. Interstate 5/West Side Freeway and California 113 north Back on the mainline, this Interstate 5 reassurance shield is posted after traffic from California 113 merges onto the freeway. The two routes are very briefly merged, for less than a mile. With the introduction of traffic from California 113, Interstate 5 again turns northwest (no longer traveling due west). Photo taken 12/29/04. This view looks north on Interstate 5 between Exits 537 and 538 in Woodland. Photo taken 08/02/11. The right lane becomes exit only for California 113 north; the left two lanes will continue north on Interstate 5. Although Redding is now the control city for northbound, the next city of significance is shown as the next destination. In this case, Williams, a small town with a full array of services, is featured as the next destination. In addition, Williams is where Interstate 5 crosses east-west California 20, which provides a well-traveled route to Clear Lake, Ukiah, and the Mendocino Coast to the west and a route to Marysville/Yuba City, Nevada City/Grass Valley, and Lake Tahoe to the east. Photo taken 12/29/04. Use Exit 538 to California 113 north to Knights Landing and Yuba City and East Street south into downtown Woodland. Photo taken 12/29/04. Northbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 538, Junction California 113 north to Yuba City. California 113 is the former route of Alternate U.S. 40 (until 1964) between Davis and Yuba City. California 113 connects to California 99 near Yuba City, at a point southwest of Marysville. Photos taken 12/29/04 and 08/02/11. Interstate 5/West Side Freeway north The next exit along Interstate 5 north is Exit 540, West Street. Like East Street, West Street travels south into downtown Woodland. Photos taken 08/02/11 and 12/29/04. Leaving Woodland, traffic on Interstate 5 reduces, and the scenery becomes less suburban and more rural. Quite a bit of traffic is generated by commuters between Sacramento and Woodland. Photos taken 08/02/11. Several exits from Interstate 5 around Woodland, including Exit 537 (Business Loop I-5/Main Street), Exit 540, and Exit 541, have Denny's restaurants. The Denny's at this interchange swings into view just prior to the offramp. Photos taken 12/29/04 and 08/02/11. Northbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 540, West Street. By this point, Interstate 5 has left the city of Woodland, but both this exit and Exit 541 (California 16) travel south into Woodland. Photos taken 08/02/11 and 12/29/04. An Interstate 5 north reassurance route marker is posted after the onramp from Exit 540 (West Street). Photo taken 08/02/11. The next exit along Interstate 5 north is Exit 541, Junction California 16 west to Esparto and Business Loop I-5/Road 98 south to Woodland. Road 98 is also designated as Yolo County Route E-7 south en route to Interstate 80 at Junction Solano County Route E-7/Pedrick Road (Exit 67). Photos taken 08/02/11 and 12/29/04. Northbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 541, Junction Business Loop I-5/Yolo County Route E-7 south and California 16 west to Woodland and Esparto. Photos taken 08/02/11 and 12/29/04. At the top of the ramp is a California 16 west trailblazer shield. From here, Road 98 travels due south toward the western outskirts of Woodland. At Main Street, Business Loop I-5 will turn left (east) toward downtown Woodland, California 16 will turn right (west) toward Esparto, and Yolo County Route E-7 will continue south toward Solano County and Interstate 80. Photo taken 12/29/04. This green guide sign for "Road E7" erroneously combines the county route designation of Yolo County Route E-7 and Yolo County designation of Road 98. Photo taken 12/29/04. The next exit along Interstate 5 north is Exit 542, Road 17 to Yolo. At this point, Interstate 5 crosses over Cache Creek, which flows from Clear Lake southeast into the Sacramento River watershed. U.S. 99W now follows Interstate 5, with the frontage road located on the east side of the freeway. Photos taken 08/02/11 and 12/29/04. Northbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 542, Road 17 to Yolo. The community of Yolo (located on the east side of Interstate 5) was originally known as Cacheville due to its location on Cache Creek. It served as Yolo County seat briefly, but that role was transferred to the town of Yolo City, which later became the city of Woodland. The name of Cacheville still appears as the name of Old U.S. 99W (Cacheville Road). Photos taken 08/02/11 and 12/29/04. An Interstate 5 north reassurance shield is posted shortly after the onramp from Road 17. Photo taken 08/02/11. The freeway continues north toward Zamora and Dunnigan. The freeway generally stays away from major population centers similar to its run through the Central Valley, but it will see several smaller communities and more developed interchanges as it charges north through the Sacramento Valley. Photos taken 08/02/11. This mileage sign provides the distance to Exit 548, which serves the unincorporated community of Zamora, and the control city of Redding (133 miles). Photo taken 12/29/04. Interstate 5 again passes through fertile agricultural land as it continues north of Woodland toward Redding. Farmland will dominate the freeway from Woodland north to Red Bluff, and old U.S. 99W will parallel Interstate 5 faithfully along the same distance, providing farm and ranch access as well as passing through several cities in Colusa and Glenn Counties. Photo taken 12/29/04. The next exit along northbound Interstate 5/West Side Freeway is Exit 548, Junction Yolo County Route E-10/Road 13 to Zamora (1.5 miles). Photos taken 08/02/11 and 12/29/04. Interstate 5 proceeds north through farmland and orchards. Prior to the Zamora interchange, the second half (western branch) of the Path 15 Pacific Gas and Electric 500kV power lines crosses over Interstate 5 near the Zamora interchange. Photos taken 08/02/11 and 12/29/04. Northbound Interstate 5/West Side Freeway meets Exit 548, Junction Yolo County Route E-10 (Road 13) to Zamora. Photos taken 08/02/11 and 12/29/04. The western half of the Path 15 Pacific Gas & Electric 500kV power lines cross over Interstate 5. This is the final time that Path 15 will cross over Interstate 5; from here, the power lines will travel north and northeast toward Sutter Buttes and Oroville, then continue north along a relatively isolated path en route to a substation just east of Malin, Oregon, near the California-Oregon state line. Path 66, which parallels Path 15, will cross over Interstate 5 close to Anderson and Redding; it also leads toward Malin. Photos taken 08/02/11. An Interstate 5 north reassurance shield is posted shortly after the onramp from Zamora. Photo taken 12/29/04. A field of sunflowers bloomed on a mid-summer morning just off Interstate 5. Photo taken 08/02/11. The next two exits will serve the unincorporated community of Dunnigan. The overpass ahead carries Interstate 505 northbound traffic over Interstate 5 and then merges onto Interstate 5 north from the right. There is no direct access to Interstate 505 south. To Interstate 505 south, use Exit 554 and then turn south on Interstate 5. Photo taken 12/29/04. The next exit is Exit 554, Road 8 (one mile) to Dunnigan. This sign is posted at the base of the Interstate 505 overpass. Photos taken 08/02/11 and 12/29/04. Traffic from Interstate 505 north joins Interstate north. The new right lane added from Interstate 505 becomes exit only for Exit 554, Road 8 to Dunnigan. Photos taken 08/02/11 and 12/29/04. Northbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 554, Road 8. Photo taken 12/29/04. After the Interstate 5 north reassurance shield, the next exit along Interstate 5 north is Exit 556, Road 6 east to Old U.S. 99W in Dunnigan. Photos taken 08/02/11 and 03/31/05. Northbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 556, Road 6 east to Old U.S. 99W in Dunnigan. Photos taken 08/02/11 and 03/31/05. The next exit along Interstate 5 north is Exit 557, Rest Area (0.50 mile). The rest area was temporarily closed for rehabilitation in 2011. Photos taken 08/02/11 and 03/31/05. Northbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 557, Rest Area. Photo taken 08/02/11. Shortly thereafter, the next exit along Interstate 5 north is Exit 559, County Line Road. As the name implies, Interstate 5 will leave Yolo County and enter Colusa County upon crossing County Line Road. Photo taken 03/31/05. Northbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 559, County Line Road. There are no services at this interchange. At the overpass, Interstate 5 leaves Yolo County and enters Colusa County. Photos taken 08/02/11 and 03/31/05. Exit 559 is posted at the gore point, and call boxes that have been ubiquitous end at the Yolo-Colusa County line. Photo taken 08/02/11. Interstate 5 leaves Yolo County and enters Colusa County upon passing under the County Line Road overpass. Photo taken 08/02/11. Page Updated December 14, 2011.