Site Navigation Baja California California Colorado Idaho Hawaii Nevada New Mexico Oregon Utah Washington Wyoming     Interstate 205 Routing Interstate 205 is a short connector freeway between Interstates 580 and 5 in the vicinity of Tracy. Only four lanes wide at its eastern end, it is slated to be widened to accommodate the flow of commuter traffic between the Central Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area. Interstate 205 replaced U.S. 50, and the original route of U.S. 50 through Tracy is now part of Business Loop I-205, which almost eclipses its parent route in mileage and length. History Interstate 205 bypasses Tracy via former U.S. 50/Lincoln Highway. The original route is 11th Street, which is now designated as Business Loop I-205. Originally built as a four-lane freeway, it was expanded to six lanes during the mid-2000s. Traffic volumes grew along the freeway as people bought cheaper homes in the Central Valley and commuted into the Bay Area for work. Key Opening Dates of Interstate 205: Interstate 580 to Hansen Road – February 28, 1967 Hansen Road to Interstate 5 – December 21, 1970 Many thanks to C.J. Moon for his assistance in providing this historical chronology. Highway Guide Interstate 205/Robert T. Monagan Freeway east The first exit along eastbound Interstate 205 is Exit 2, Mountain House Parkway. This exit connects to old U.S. 50 and Altamont Pass Road in Alameda County to the west of here. Photo taken 08/21/03. The next four exits for eastbound Interstate 205 all serve Tracy. They are: Exit 2, Mountain House Parkway; Exit 4, Junction Business Loop I-205/11th Street; Exit 6, Junction San Joaquin County Route J-4/Grant Line Road; and Exit 8, Tracy Boulevard (to California 33 South). Photo taken 08/21/03. Eastbound Interstate 205 at Exit 2, Mountain House Parkway. Photo taken 08/21/03. Eastbound Interstate 205 approaching Exit 4, Junction Business Loop I-205/11th Street, one mile. Photo taken 08/21/03. Mileage sign along eastbound Interstate 205 for Exit 4, Junction Business Loop I-205/11th Street; Exit 6, Junction San Joaquin County Route J-4/Grant Line Road; and Exit 8, Tracy Boulevard. Photo taken 08/21/03. Although not as well-signed as business loops in other states, Business Loop I-205 is fairly well-signed through the city of Tracy. It follows Historic U.S. 50 along 11th Street. This loop is also notable for being nearly as long as its parent route (only a couple miles shorter), and it is one of a few three-digit business loops nationwide. Technically, the business loop does not return to Interstate 205; both the parent and business route end within a mile of each other at Junction Interstate 5. This picture shows eastbound approaching Exit 4, Junction Business Loop I-205/11th Street, Tracy, next right. Photo taken 08/21/03. A "Route 205 Business" sign is posted prior to Exit 4, Junction Business Loop I-205/Eleventh Street. Photo taken 05/17/05. Business Loop I-205/11th Street begins its journey as an expressway, which used to carry U.S. 50 west of Tracy. At the time this photo was taken, there was a green reassurance shield immediately after entering the business loop expressway; the shield was gone by 2005. Photo taken 08/21/03. Eastbound Interstate 205 approaching Exit 6, San Joaquin County Route J-4, Grant Line Road, one mile. Photo taken 08/21/03. Some of the signs along eastbound Interstate 205 have been replaced to include mileage-based exit numbers. Some signs, however, were already replaced with reflective signs prior to the decision to include mileage-based exit numbers, and this sign (eastbound approaching Exit 6, San Joaquin County Route J-4/Grant Line Road, next right) is one of them. It has a rare exit number tab attached to the top of the sign. Photo taken 08/21/03. As is typical in California, the only indication that Grant Line Road is a signed county route (San Joaquin County Route J-4) is due to one standalone shield that is difficult to discern at high speeds. Photo taken 08/21/03. Eastbound Interstate 205 at Exit 6, San Joaquin County Route J-4/Grant Line Road. San Joaquin County Route J-4 is a southeast-northwest route that follows the west bank of the San Joaquin River (parallel to California 33) en route to Tracy. The county route continues northwest of here via Byron-Bethany Road to meet California 4 in the Byron-Discovery Bay area. Since San Joaquin (and Alameda and Contra Costa) County Route J-4 approximates the future location of California 239, it may be upgraded to state standards at some point and added to the state highway system at that time. Photo taken 08/21/03. Eastbound Interstate 205 at Exit 8, Tracy Boulevard. Tracy Boulevard leads south into downtown Tracy, connecting with east-west Grant Line Road/San Joaquin County Route J-4 and Business Loop I-205/11th Street/Old U.S. 50. Photo taken 08/21/03. The next Tracy exit along eastbound Interstate 205 is Exit 9, MacArthur Boulevard. Use this exit to reach southbound California 33 and southbound Interstate 5 via local streets. On weekends and weekday afternoon commute hours, eastbound Interstate 205 is frequently congested between here and Interstate 5. No section of eastbound Interstate 205 is immune to potential traffic congestion on a typical Friday afternoon. Photo taken 08/21/03. This is the last shield along eastbound Interstate 205; all traffic will transition onto Interstate 5 north to Stockton and Sacramento, with a connection to California 99 via California 120 east. Photo taken 08/21/03. Now reaching the transition from eastbound Interstate 205 to northbound Interstate 5, there are no signs indicating that Interstate 205 will automatically merge onto northbound Interstate 5 (and the exit lanes for eastbound California 120). There is no direct access to southbound Interstate 5 from eastbound. Last shield along eastbound Interstate 205. Photo taken 08/21/03. Last call box along eastbound Interstate 205. Photo taken 08/21/03. View of Interstate 5, looking north from eastbound Interstate 205 transition ramp onto northbound Interstate 5. Photo taken 08/21/03. The eastern terminus of Interstate 205 is located within the city of Lathrop, as evidenced by this sign located along eastbound. Photo taken 08/21/03. END Interstate 205 shield along eastbound Interstate 205 just prior to the merge with Interstate 5. There are not many "end" shields remaining on California's Interstate Highway System. Photo taken 08/21/03. Traffic from Interstate 205 east finally merges onto Interstate 5 north, which is now five lanes wide. The distant signs are for the junction with eastbound California 120. Use California 120 to continue east to Junction California 99 (Modesto, Lodi, Fresno), Oakdale, Junction California 108 (Sonora), and Yosemite National Park. Photo taken 08/21/03. Interstate 205/Robert T. Monagan Freeway west This mileage sign provides the distance to two destinations found via Interstate 580: Livermore, the first Bay Area suburb along Interstate 580 west, and San Francisco, which is the western control city for Interstate 80. Photo taken 11/25/04. The next three exits serve the city of Tracy: Exit 9, MacArthur Drive; Exit 8, Tracy Boulevard; and Exit 6, Junction San Joaquin County Route J-4/Grant Line Road. Home to 56,929 people as of the 2000 Census, the city of Tracy is a booming exurb of the San Francisco Bay Area. Many commute daily from Tracy to the employment centers of the Bay Area, including some who commute to the city of San Francisco. Tracy is close to Stockton, Manteca, and Modesto along the California 99 corridor, yet is also connected to Interstate 5, the Westside Highway. A business route parallels Interstate 205 along the old U.S. 50 route through Tracy; it is accessed directly from Interstate 5 south. Photo taken 07/03/04. The first exit along westbound Interstate 205 is Exit 9, MacArthur Drive. This exit connects to a Prime Outlets shopping center as well as a park and ride for commuters. Photo taken 11/25/04. Westbound Interstate 205/Robert T. Monagan Freeway reaches Exit 9, MacArthur Drive. Use MacArthur Drive south to San Joaquin County Route J-4/Grant Line Road and to Business Loop I-205/East 11th Street. There is a signalized directional interchange between MacArthur Drive and Business Loop I-205. Photo taken 11/25/04. The next exit along westbound Interstate 205 is Exit 8, Junction San Joaquin County Route J-13/Tracy Boulevard and Central Boulevard, three-quarters of a mile. San Joaquin County Route J-13 originates in downtown Tracy and travels north along Tracy Boulevard, ending at its junction with San Joaquin County Route J-2/Corral Hollow Road. It is a fairly short signed county route and is one of many found in the Central Valley. Photo taken 07/03/04. Westbound Interstate 205 approaches Exit 8, Junction San Joaquin County Route J-13/Tracy Boulevard/Central Boulevard, next right. This exit leads south into Tracy, and the county route ends at Business Loop I-205/Eleventh Street. Photo taken 11/25/04. Westbound Interstate 205 reaches Exit 8, Junction San Joaquin County Route J-13/Tracy Boulevard. Photo taken 11/25/04. This west Interstate 205 shield is placed after the onramp from San Joaquin County Route J-13/Tracy Boulevard. Photo taken 07/03/04. Westbound Interstate 205 approaches Exit 6, Junction San Joaquin County Route J-4/Grant Line Road, one mile. This exit also connects to San Joaquin County Route J-2 via San Joaquin County Route J-4/Grant Line Road east. San Joaquin County Route J-2 travels north along Coral Hollow Road to California 4 in the Delta and south to Interstate 580. At Interstate 580, San Joaquin County Route J-2 turns west, passes through Corral Hollow, and emerges as Alameda County Route J-2 in Livermore, where that county route ends. Photo taken 11/25/04. To add to the confusion of the three county routes that converge on Tracy (J-2, J-4, and J-13), this J-5 county route shield was placed in error. It should be San Joaquin County Route J-4, not J-5. San Joaquin/Sacramento County Route J-5 is north-south Jack Tone Road from California 99 at Ripon north to California 104 at Clay. Photo taken 11/25/04. Westbound Interstate 205 reaches Exit 6, Naglee Road west to Junction San Joaquin County Route J-4/Grant Line Road. At this interchange, San Joaquin County Route J-4 travels west on Grant Line Road, then shifts onto Byron-Bethany Road northwest to Byron and its terminus as Contra Costa County Route J-4 at California 4 near Discovery Bay. Photo taken 07/03/04. An Interstate 205 west reassurance shield is posted after Exit 6. The next exit is four miles ahead, at Exit 2, Mountain House Parkway. Photo taken 11/25/04. Between Exit 6 and Exit 2, traffic from Business Loop I-205/Eleventh Street merges onto westbound Interstate 205. There is no access from Interstate 205 west onto Business Loop I-205 east, since this interchange (Exit 4) is a directional interchange. Note the overhead power lines, which cross this region by bringing power from the main north-south Path 15 transmission corridor to Bay Area and Central Valley communities. Path 15 itself comes into view once Interstate 205 merges with Interstate 580. Photo taken 11/25/04. The next exit along westbound Interstate 205 is Exit 2, Mountain House Parkway, 0.75 mile. This is the last exit before Interstate 205 transitions onto westbound Interstate 580. Photo taken 07/03/04. A somewhat odd sign, this roadside sign advises that Mountain House Parkway south may be used to reach Interstate 580 east to Interstate 5 south to ... Los Angeles! Photo taken 07/03/04. Westbound Interstate 205 reaches its final exit at Exit 2, Mountain House Parkway. Photo taken 11/25/04. This Interstate 205 west reassurance shield is posted after the Mountain House Parkway interchange. It is the final shield along westbound. Photo taken 11/25/04. For the last mile of Interstate 205 and the following mile of Interstate 580 pass under a variety of power lines that form the main power transmission corridor for the length of the Golden State. The first of these lines are these, which appear after the Mountain House Parkway exit. Photo taken 07/03/04. Westbound Interstate 205 departs from San Joaquin County enters Alameda County. Photo taken 11/25/04. Interstate 205 crosses the California Aqueduct as it approaches its merge with Interstate 580. There is no access to Interstate 580 east; all traffic will connect to Interstate 580 west. Photo taken 11/25/04. The two Path 15 power lines come into view as Interstate 205 passes under the Interstate 580 transition ramp. Photo taken 11/25/04. The lanes of westbound Interstate 205 form the three lanes of westbound Interstate 580. Traffic from westbound Interstate 580 merge onto Interstate 205 from the west, and Interstate 205 comes to its end here. Unlike the eastern terminus, there is no END sign for Interstate 205 along westbound. Photo taken 11/25/04. Business Loop I-205/Eleventh Street east Upon exiting Interstate 205/Robert T. Monagan Freeway east at the directional interchange (Exit 4), the two-lane exit immediately shifts from asphalt to concrete. This concrete section of expressway is original U.S. 50 concrete and was the main route until the Interstate 205 bypass around Tracy was constructed. Photo taken 05/17/05. The first mile or so of Business Loop I-205 has an expressway configuration. The highway is no longer maintained by the state, and some maintenance needs (such as the poor quality of the shoulders and lack of business route signage) are plainly evident. Photo taken 05/17/05. The first traffic signal along eastbound Business Loop I-205/Eleventh Street is with North Lammers Road. After this intersection, the business route (and old U.S. 50) enters the city of Tracy. Photo taken 05/17/05. Eleventh Street enters the city of Tracy and widens to three lanes in each direction (plus auxiliary lanes). Home to 56,929 people as of the 2000 Census, the city of Tracy is a booming exurb of the San Francisco Bay Area. Many commute daily from Tracy to the employment centers of the Bay Area, including some who commute to the city of San Francisco. Tracy is close to Stockton, Manteca, and Modesto along the California 99 corridor, yet is also connected to Interstate 5, the Westside Highway. Photo taken 05/17/05. After the San Joaquin County Route J-2/Corral Hollow Road and Byron Road intersections, eastbound Business Loop I-205/West Eleventh Street shifts from a divided highway alignment to a four-lane conventional street with center turn lane. Photo taken 05/17/05. Eastbound Business Loop I-205/West Eleventh Street meets San Joaquin County Route J-13/Tracy Boulevard at this intersection. San Joaquin County Route J-13 travels north from this intersection past San Joaquin County Route J-4/Grant Line Road and Interstate 205 before ending at San Joaquin County Route J-2 north of Tracy. Photo taken 05/17/05. Business Loop I-205/West Eleventh Street enters downtown Tracy. Photo taken 05/17/05. A Business Loop I-205 reassurance shield is posted on East Eleventh Street after leaving downtown Tracy. Photo taken 05/17/05. Eastbound Business Loop I-205/West Eleventh Street meets MacArthur Drive at this directional interchange. Exit here to follow MacArthur Drive north to San Joaquin County Route J-4/Grant Line Road and Interstate 205/Robert T. Monagan Freeway at Exit 9. A traffic signal at this interchange allows for full movements from East Eleventh Street to MacArthur Drive. Photo taken 05/17/05. An old viaduct carries the business route over MacArthur Drive and the Union Pacific Railroad. Note the old style concrete bridge rail. Photo taken 05/17/05. The next major intersection along eastbound Business Loop I-205/West Eleventh Street is with Chrisman Road. Photo taken 05/17/05. Use Chrisman Road north to Grant Line Road and south to the Tracy Defense Depot and eventually Interstate 580 and California 132. Photo taken 05/17/05. Eastbound Business Loop I-205/West Eleventh Street meets Chrisman Road at this traffic signal. Photo taken 05/17/05. A set of Pacific Gas and Electric power lines cross over Business Loop I-205/West Eleventh Street after the Chrisman Road intersection. One of the power lines continues in a northeasterly direction, while the other will parallel the business route traveling eastbound. Photos taken 05/17/05. The next exit along eastbound Business Loop I-205/West Eleventh Street is with West Lovely Road, which connects to Bird Road and Ahern Road southbound. This interchange is the former northern terminus of California 33. That state highway has since been retracted to its northern interchange with Interstate 5. Photo taken 05/17/05. Eastbound Business Loop I-205/West Eleventh Street meets Lovely Road at this interchange. The left two lanes continue east on the business route (and old U.S. 50) back to Interstate 5 north (to Manteca and Stockton) and California 120 east. The right lane departs onto Lovely Road, which connects to southbound Bird Road and Ahern Road en route to California 33 south. California 33 travels south to Vernalis, Patterson, and Newman. Photos taken 05/17/05. Business Loop I-205/Eleventh Street west No photos of Business Loop I-205 west are currently available. Scenes Pertaining to Interstate 205 This Interstate 205 west freeway entrance shield assembly is located on an approach road to Interstate 205 near Tracy. Photo taken by Joel Windmiller (06/01). Business Loop I-205 shield along Eleventh Avenue in Tracy. Photos taken by Joel Windmiller (06/01). Page Updated July 24, 2010.