Several

special route In road transportation in the United States, a special route is a road in a numbered highway system that diverts a specific segment of related traffic away from another road. They are featured in many highway systems; most are found in the Inte ...

s of

U.S. Route 50 U.S. Route 50 or U.S. Highway 50 (US 50) is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching from Interstate 80 (I-80) in West Sacramento, California, to Maryland Route 528 (MD 528) in Ocean City, Maryland, on the Atlantic ...

exist. In order from west to east they are as follows.

California

Oakland business loop

U.S. Route 50 Business (US 50 Bus.) was a

business route A business route (or business loop, business spur, or city route) in the United States is a short special route that branches off a parent numbered highway at its beginning, continues through the central business district of a nearby city or to ...

of US 50 in

Oakland, California Oakland is a city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is the county seat and most populous city in Alameda County, California, Alameda County, with a population of 440,646 in 2020. A major We ...

. It existed when US 50 use to extend west to

San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...

. The business loop's western terminus was at the MacArthur Maze interchange. From there, it ran concurrently with State Route 17 (present-day Interstate 880) along Cypress Street, later the Cypress Freeway, to Broadway in

Downtown Oakland Downtown Oakland is the central business district of Oakland, California, United States. It is located roughly bounded by both the Oakland Estuary and Interstate 880 (California), Interstate 880 on the southwest, Interstate 980 on the north ...

. US 50 Bus. then headed north on Broadway and then east on Grand Avenue towards the end of Lake Merritt. The business route then turned south on El Embarcadaro and then east on Lakeshore Avenue before rejoining US 50 at MacArthur Boulevard, later the

MacArthur Freeway MacArthur or Macarthur may refer to: Arts and media * INSS MacArthur, a fictional starship featured in the science fiction novel ''The Mote in God's Eye'' * ''MacArthur'' (1977 film), a movie biography of General of the Army Douglas MacArthur * ' ...

. The business route was decommissioned when US 50 was truncated back to

West Sacramento West Sacramento (also known as West Sac) is a city in Yolo County, California, United States. The city is separated from Sacramento by the Sacramento River, which also separates Sacramento and Yolo counties. The population was 53,915 at the 2 ...

and Interstate 580 replaced the US route through Oakland.

Sacramento business loop

U.S. Route 50 Business (US 50 Bus.) was a

of US 50 in

Sacramento, California Sacramento ( or ; ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat, seat of Sacramento County, California, Sacramento County. Located at the confluence of the Sacramento Rive ...

California alternate route

U.S. Route 50 Alternate (US 50 Alt.) was an

alternate route An official alternate route is a special route in the United States that provides an alternate alignment for a highway. They are loop roads and found in many road systems in the United States including the U.S. Highway system and various stat ...

of US 50 in the U.S. state of

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

. The route was used as a detour around flooding in the

American River The American River is a List of rivers of California, river in California that runs from the Sierra Nevada (U.S.), Sierra Nevada mountain range to its confluence with the Sacramento River in downtown Sacramento. Via the Sacramento River, it ...

canyon, which the main route of US 50 uses to scale the

Sierra Nevada The Sierra Nevada ( ) is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primari ...

. It has been activated and deactivated on multiple occasions and concealed signs have been permanently installed so the route can be reactivated as needed. The route has never been officially approved by

AASHTO The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) is a standards setting body which publishes specifications, test quality control, protocols, and guidelines that are used in highway design and construction through ...

. The route follows a local road called Mormon Emigrant Trail from Sly Park up a ridge to eventually connect with

California State Route 88 State Route 88 (SR 88), also known as the Carson Pass Highway, is a state highway in the U.S. state of California. It travels in an east–west direction from Stockton, California, Stockton, in the San Joaquin Valley, to the Nevada state l ...

over

Carson Pass Carson Pass is a mountain pass on the crest of the central Sierra Nevada, in the Eldorado National Forest and Alpine County, eastern California. The pass is traversed by California State Route 88. It lies on the Great Basin Divide, with the W ...

, using a small portion of

California State Route 89 State Route 89 (SR 89) is a state highway in the U.S. state of California that travels in the north–south direction, serving as a major thoroughfare for many mountain communities in the Sierra Nevada and the Cascade Range. It starts from ...

over Luther Pass to reconnect with US 50 near South Lake Tahoe. ;Major intersections The former route followed present-day portions of Sly Park Road, Mormon Emigrant Trail in its entirety, and portions of SR 88 and SR 89.

Nevada

Carson City temporary route

U.S. Route 50 Temporary (US 50 Temp.) was a temporary route of US 50 in the U.S. state of

Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a landlocked state in the Western United States. It borders Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the seventh-most extensive, th ...

. It was in use when from 2009 to 2018 when Interstate 580 was partially built and terminated at the Fairview Drive exit. It followed Fairview Drive to connect the freeway alignment with the Carson Street Alignment. It was removed once I-580 was completed.

Carson City business loop

U.S. Route 50 Business (US 50 Bus.) was a

of US 50 in the U.S. state of

, and carried the unsigned designation of SR 530. It followed the original alignment of US 50 along William Street once US 50 was moved to an alignment concurrent with Interstate 580. It was removed as part of a mileage swap between the

Nevada Department of Transportation The Nevada Department of Transportation (Nevada DOT or NDOT) is a government agency in the U.S. state of Nevada. NDOT is responsible for maintaining and improving Nevada's highway system, which includes U.S. highways and Interstate highways with ...

and Carson City public works in 2010.

Silver Springs–Fallon alternate route

U.S. Route 50 Alternate (US 50 Alt.) is an

of US 50 in the U.S. state of

Nevada–Utah

Ely–Moark Junction alternate route

U.S. Route 50 Alternate (US 50 Alt.) was a

of US 50 in

and

Utah Utah is a landlocked state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is one of the Four Corners states, sharing a border with Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It also borders Wyoming to the northea ...

. It existed from the 1953 to the 1976 and followed the original routing of US 50 from Ely,

to Moark Junction,

(roughly south-southeast of Provo in what is what is now the east edge of Spanish Fork), via

Salt Lake City Salt Lake City, often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC, is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. It is the county seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in the state. The city is the core of the Salt Lake Ci ...

. US 50 Alt. ran along what is now U.S. Route 93, U.S. Route 93 Alternate,

Interstate 80 Interstate 80 (I-80) is an east–west transcontinental freeway that crosses the United States from San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area. The highway was designated in 1956 as one of the ori ...

, Utah State Route 201 and

U.S. Route 89 U.S. Route 89 (US 89) is a north–south United States Numbered Highway with two sections, and one former section. The southern section runs for from Flagstaff, Arizona, to the southern entrance of Yellowstone National Park. The northern sectio ...

. US 50 Alt. was created when US 50 was routed in 1953 to run concurrent with U.S. Route 6 between Ely and Moark Junction and the former US 50 routing was designated east US 50 Alt. The designation was deleted in the 1970s, about the time that US 50 was again rerouted (to its current routing) in 1976.

Utah

Kyune–Castle Gate temporary route

U.S. Route 50 Temporary (US 50 Temp.) was a temporary route of US 50 in

, departing the alignment of what is now U.S. Route 6 (UT 6) at the site of the former community of Kyune (roughly southeast of Colton) along what is now called Emma Park Road and returning to US 6 in southern Castle Gate via what is now U.S. Route 191 (US 191). The first road built between Helper and Soldier Summit exited the Price River Canyon along modern US 191 near Castle Gate and returned to the current alignment of UT 6 via Emma Park Road to bypass a narrow, meandering portion of the canyon. Once announced this road would be used for the Midland Trail (precursor to US 6) a shorter, more direct route was proposed that remained in Price Canyon for the entire ascent. Once finished both routes were briefly used for US 50. This portion of then US 50 is today designated US 6. The road is occasionally as a detour when US 6 through Price Canyon is closed. Specifically this alternate route was used for a period of time in 1966 while the main route in Price Canyon was being improved. Emma Park Road is currently designated as a county road within

and

Carbon Carbon () is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol C and atomic number 6. It is nonmetallic and tetravalence, tetravalent—meaning that its atoms are able to form up to four covalent bonds due to its valence shell exhibiting 4 ...

counties.

Colorado

Pueblo–Avondale

U.S. Route 50 Business is a

in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...

. ;Major intersections

Olathe

U.S. Route 50 Business is a

in the

. ;Major intersections

Kansas

Garden City alternate route

U.S. Route 50 Alternate (US-50 Alt.) was an

of US-50 in the U.S. state of

Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...

Garden City business loop

U.S. Route 50 Business (US-50 Bus.) is a

of US-50 in the U.S. state of

Garden City bypass

U.S. Route 50 Bypass (US-50 Byp.) was a bypass of US-50 in the U.S. state of

Dodge City alternate route

U.S. Route 50 Alternate (US-50 Alt.) was an

of US-50 in the U.S. state of

Dodge City business loop

U.S. Route 50 Business (US-50 Bus.) was a

of US-50 in the U.S. state of

Dodge City bypass

U.S. Route 50 Bypass (US-50 Byp.) was a bypass of US-50 in the U.S. state of

Ottawa business loop

U.S. Route 50 Business (US-50 Bus.) was a

of US-50 in the U.S. state of

. U.S. Route 50 Optional (US 50 Opt.) was an optional route of US 50 in the U.S. states of

and

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...

Missouri

Warrensburg business loop

U.S. Route 50 Business (US 50 Bus.) is a

of US 50 in the U.S. state of

Knob Noster business loop

U.S. Route 50 Business (US 50 Bus.) is a

of US 50 in the U.S. state of

Smithton spur route

U.S. Route 50 Spur (US 50 Spur) is a

spur route A spur route is a short road forming a branch from a longer, more important road such as a freeway, Interstate Highway, or motorway. A Bypass route, bypass or beltway is not considered a spur route as it typically reconnects with another or the ...

of US 50 in the U.S. state of

;Major intersections

California business route

U.S. Route 50 Business (US 50 Bus.) is a

of US 50 in the U.S. state of

St. Martins business loop

U.S. Route 50 Business (US 50 Bus.) is a

of US 50 in the U.S. state of

Jefferson City business loop 1

U.S. Route 50 Business (US 50 Bus.) was a

of US 50 in the U.S. state of

Jefferson City business loop 2

U.S. Route 50 Business (US 50 Bus.) is a

of US 50 in the U.S. state of

St. Louis business loop

U.S. Route 50 Business (US 50 Bus.) was a

of US 50 in the U.S. state of

St. Louis truck route

U.S. Route 50 Truck (US 50 Truck) was a truck route of US 50 in the U.S. state of

Missouri–Illinois

St. Louis bypass

U.S. Route 50 Bypass (US 50 Byp.) was a

bypass route A bypass is a road or highway that avoids or "bypasses" a built-up area, town, or village, to let through traffic flow without interference from local traffic, to reduce congestion in the built-up area, to improve road safety and as replacement ...

of US 50 in the U.S. states of

and

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

. In 1955, US 50 Bypass was formed as a southern bypass of St. Louis. Between 1955 and 1957, US 50 Bypass originally ran roughly via present-day

Lindbergh Boulevard Lindbergh Boulevard, named after the aviator, Charles Lindbergh, is a section of U.S. Routes 61 and 67 that extends through Missouri. Lindbergh Boulevard is home to Missouri's only traffic tunnel underneath a runway at Lambert–St. Louis ...

, Jefferson Barracks Bridge, IL 3, IL 158, IL 163, IL 157, IL 13, North Belt West, and IL 159 before ending at US 50 in Fairview Heights. In 1958, part of the bypass route in Illinois was rerouted north to connect to Cahokia. The new part of the route followed via present-day IL 3 (roughly) and IL 157. On June 25, 1974, AASHTO approved the decommissioning of US 50 Bypass in order for US 50 to avoid St. Louis while also connecting to East St. Louis.

Illinois

Sumner–Lawrenceville alternate route

U.S. Route 50 Alternate (US 50 Alt.) was an

of US 50 in the U.S. state of

. Before 1946, US 50 originally ran through Sumner and Lawrenceville. After US 50 was rerouted north of the original alignment in 1946, the old alignment was then signed as US 50 Alternate. US 50 Alternate was then decommissioned in 1962 after the US 50 expressway bypassed downtown Lawrenceville. The old US 50 alignment was then signed as Illinois Route 250 in 1965.

Lawrenceville business loop

U.S. Route 50 Business (US 50 Bus.) is a

of US 50 in the U.S. state of

. After 1962, US 50 was rerouted north to bypass Lawrenceville and the former alignment that only crossed through Lawrenceville was signed as US 50 Business.

Indiana

Vincennes business loop

U.S. Route 50 Business (US 50 Bus.) was a

of US 50 in the U.S. state of

Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...

Washington business loop

U.S. Route 50 Business (US 50 Bus.) was a

of US 50 in the U.S. state of

Bedford business loop

U.S. Route 50 Business (US 50 Bus.) is a

of US 50 in the U.S. state of

Ohio

Cincinnati bypass

U.S. Route 50 Bypass (US 50 Byp.) was a bypass of US 50 in the U.S. state of

Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

Cincinnati truck route

U.S. Route 50 Truck (US 50 Truck) was a truck route of US 50 in the U.S. state of

Athens—Ellenboro alternate route

U.S. Route 50 Alternate (US 50 Alt.) was an

of US 50 in the U.S. states of

and

West Virginia West Virginia is a mountainous U.S. state, state in the Southern United States, Southern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.The United States Census Bureau, Census Bureau and the Association of American ...

. It followed a routing between

Athens, Ohio Athens is a city in Athens County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. The population was 23,849 at the 2020 United States census. Located along the Hocking River within Appalachian Ohio about southeast of Columbus, Ohio, Columbus, Athe ...

and

Ellenboro, West Virginia Ellenboro is a town in Ritchie County, West Virginia, Ritchie County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 222 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. The town is located at the junction of U.S. Route 50 in West Virginia, U.S. ...

via

Marietta, Ohio Marietta is a city in Washington County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is located in Appalachian Ohio, southeastern Ohio at the confluence of the Muskingum River, Muskingum and Ohio Rivers, northeast of Parkersburg, West Virginia ...

and St. Marys, West Virginia.

Belpre business loop

U.S. Route 50 Business (US 50 Bus.) was a

of US 50 in the U.S. state of

West Virginia

Parkersburg business loop

U.S. Route 50 Business (US 50 Bus.) was a

of US 50 in the U.S. state of

District of Columbia

Washington, D.C. alternate route

U.S. Route 50 Alternate (US 50 Alt.) is an

of US 50 in the

District of Columbia Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and Federal district of the United States, federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from ...

Washington, D.C. bypass

U.S. Route 50 Bypass (US 50 Byp.) was a bypass of US 50 in the

Washington, D.C. temporary route

U.S. Route 50 Temporary (US 50 Temp.) was a temporary route of US 50 in the

and the U.S. state of

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...

Maryland

Salisbury business loop

U.S. Route 50 Business (US 50 Business) is a

in the

. The highway runs from US 50 on the northwest side of

Salisbury Salisbury ( , ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parish in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers River Avon, Hampshire, Avon, River Nadder, Nadder and River Bourne, Wi ...

to US 13 and US 50 on the east side of Salisbury in central Wicomico County. US 50 Business is a four- to six-lane divided highway within and on either side of the

central business district A central business district (CBD) is the Commerce, commercial and business center of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides wit ...

of Salisbury, where the highway intersects MD 349, US 13 Business, and MD 346. US 50 Business west of MD 349 is a mid-1950s upgrade of the original highway entering Salisbury from the northwest. The business route between MD 349 and MD 346 was a relocation of US 50 from Main Street built in the early 1960s. East of MD 346, US 50 Business is part of the relocation of US 50 between Salisbury and

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

completed in the mid-1960s. US 50 Business was designated when the US 50 portion of the Salisbury Bypass was completed in 2002.

References

{{US 50 *50 50 50 50 50 50 *50 50 50 50 50 50 50