California State Route 180
Encyclopedia
State Route 180 is a state highway
in California
, United States
, which runs through the heart of the San Joaquin Valley
from Mendota
through Fresno
to Kings Canyon National Park
, with an unbuilt segment defined west to Paicines
.
Nearly the entire 24 miles (38.6 km) stretch from the Kings River crossing to Cedar Grove
is eligible for the State Scenic Highway System
, and nearly the entire route from Paicines to Cedar Grove is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System
. Two short segments travel through national parks
, so are not state maintained and are the exceptions to the above: a segment through the General Grant Grove section of Kings Canyon National Park, and the far eastern end of the road inside of Kings Canyon National Park. The freeway through Fresno has the distinction of having the most heavily traveled section of road in the San Joaquin Valley. Major future plans include an extension west to Interstate 5
.
in Mendota, with an unconstructed portion defined west across Interstate 5
to SR 25
in Paicines
, currently signed as County Route J1. (See Future) In Mendota, the route is carried on Oller Street and San Benito Avenue, then travels along Whitesbridge Avenue through Kerman
to Fresno
.
Through Fresno, from Brawley Avenue to DeWolf Avenue, it is a 4-to-10-lane freeway intersecting SR 99 in a 2-level stack
, SR 41 in a 4-level stack
, and the southern terminus of SR 168; officially, CalTrans considers the freeway SR 180S (supplemental) until the old highway on downtown surface streets is relinquished.
East of Fresno, the freeway links up with the original routing on Kings Canyon Blvd, and continues north of Sanger
, through Centerville
, Minkler
and Fresno's Squaw Valley, before arriving at the entrance to Sierra National Forest
near Dunlap
. It follows the Kings River into General Grant Grove, where SR 198
splits off south toward Sequoia National Park
. SR 180 turns north, passing through Wilsonia
, leaving General Grant Grove, then turns east as it nears the South Fork of the Kings River near Hume
, passes through Cedar Grove
, and terminates in Kanawyers
at the entrance of the Kings Canyon National Park. The entire portion beyond Hume Road is closed during winters, usually after the first snowfall.
The majority of SR 180, from SR 25 to the entrance of General Grant Grove, is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System
, but only the piece in Fresno has actually been constructed to freeway standards. A 24 miles (38.6 km) length east of unbuilt State Route 65
near Minkler
to the boundary of Kings Canyon, excepting the 2 miles (3.2 km) portion through General Grant Grove, is eligible for the State Scenic Highway System
; the road inside of General Grant Grove and Kings Canyon is a Forest Service Byway. The old route east of SR 99 to the General Grant Grove is part of the National Highway System
.
The old routing of SR 180 through downtown Fresno remains on the books, but is no longer signed and not considered a business route
. The road no longer connects with its freeway bypass at all; the east and west ends terminate in cul-de-sacs. Local agencies are now generally forced to maintain or improve the road.
SR 180 handles a wide range of traffic volumes, from a low of 5,000 per day near Kerman, to over 160,000 at the highly congested SR 168 interchange, the most-traveled highway segment in the San Joaquin Valley
. A study into the use of Measure C funds found that traffic volumes will likely increase between 50% and 100% across the entire road by 2020, especially in the more rural areas.
parking, but Stanislaus, Tuolumne, and Ventura Streets remain commercially viable, despite having fallen into some neglect over the years. This segment is being redeveloped as part of the Ventura Widening and Downtown Entryway Beautification Project, as well as the preservation or relocation of a number of historic buildings in Old Armenian Town
on Ventura, with the creation of a new commercial district by the same name.
and Kings Canyon National Park
. Overlapping this, between SR 99 and Clovis Avenue it is the Senator Jim Costa
Highway, after a longtime Assemblyman, Senator, and Congressman for Fresno; between Clovis Avenue and General Grant Grove Park, in the County of Fresno, it is the Senator Chuck Poochigian Highway, after the State Senator who sponsored the funding bills for its completion. The SR 41/SR 180 interchange is named the Rose Ann Vuich
Interchange, for the longtime State Senator who secured funding for the initial freeway. The interchange at Fowler Avenue is the Kimberly Marie Hamilton Memorial Interchange, after a girl who died in a construction accident. Inside of Kings Canyon it is the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway or Kings River Highway.
41, from General Grant Grove to the Kings River Canyon
; in 1919, a bond measure funded the extension and upgrade to Fresno, which was completed by 1933. In 1935 LR 41 was extended to be a road from Kings Canyon to Tracy
, signed as SR 180 to Mendota and SR 33
beyond.
Through Fresno from the west, the route turned on B Street, Stanislaus Street, down Broadway (co-routed with US 99
), turned at Ventura Street (co-routed with SR 41 for a few blocks) and left downtown on it, becoming Kings Canyon Blvd. At some point the road was split into parallel one-way roads, with eastbound traffic using Amador Street, A Street, and Tuolumne Street before merging into Broadway. The Stanislaus and Tuolumne bridges were built in 1958 to alleviate congestion at the train tracks and local industry, and when US 99 moved to a freeway bypass in 1962, the 180 co-routing followed it. The bypassed route was given back to the City of Fresno; the bridges still exist but Broadway is now gone between Fresno and
When California converted its old Legislative routes to individual State routes in 1963, SR 180 was legally extended to US 101 in Hollister
, then truncated at SR 25 in 1984 after the construction of SR 156. None of this route has been improved, and is signed only as County Route J1 for most its extent. (See Future) The existing routes from I-5 to SR-25, passing through Panoche
and Llanada, are rugged and not currently state-maintained.
The Fresno Master Freeway plan was developed in the postwar boom, with a western bypass by 99, an eastern bypass by 41, and a northern bypass by 180. 99 was constructed in 1962, but lack of funds and a "freeway revolt" prevented the construction of the SR 180 and SR 41 freeways. 180 was particularly controversial because it cut through one of Fresno's historic districts. (See Controversy.) It was delayed so long that CalTrans was prepared to tear down the stack interchange at SR 41 (built in 1982) and delete the routing, but in 1988 funds finally became available thanks to local Measure C sales tax; construction of the viaduct began in 1992, opening between SR 99 and SR 41 in 1995, to SR 168 in 1999, and extending east of 168 and west of 99 in the 2000s. Overall the final product was nearly as originally envisioned by the Highway Commission
(now CTC).
Some of the downtown segment has been included in various revitalization proposals: The award-winning West Fresno Community Vision Plan of 2004 intends to create livable mixed-use areas between Whitesbridge and California Avenues; it was adopted by the council and is slowly being implemented.
Work on the eastern expressway extension is nearing completion between Fresno and Sanger, with a projected finish date in 2011. The road will be a four lane divided highway between DeWolf and Academy Avenues. Further improvements east of Academy to Frankwood have been identified, but not yet funded.
In recognition that freeway connecting SR 41 and SR 168 is by far the most traveled segment of road in the San Joaquin Valley and prone to daily congestion, CalTrans is preparing to build "braided ramps" between the freeways, allowing direct access between SR 41 and SR 168 without entering the main SR 180 freeway. CalTrans anticipated the increase in traffic volume prior to construction and retained extra right of way. Work is scheduled to begin in mid-2011.
{| class=wikitable
!County
!Location
!Postmile
!Exit
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=26|Fresno
FRE 23.50-109.53
|rowspan=2|Mendota
|23.50
|
|
|
|-
|24.59
|
| Belmont Avenue to I-5 north
|
|-
|
|26.12
|
| San Benito Avenue, Panoche Road to I-5 south – Tranquillity
, San Joaquin
|
|-
|
|34.59
|
|James Road – Tranquillity
, San Joaquin
|
|-
|Kerman
|42.64
|
|
|
|-
|
|47.65
|
|Dickenson Avenue – San Joaquin
, Coalinga
|
|-
|
|
|
|Brawley Avenue
|
|-
|colspan=5 align=center|West end of freeway
|-
|rowspan=12|Fresno
|
|56
|Marks Avenue
|
|-
|R56.52
|57A
|
|
|-
|R57.24
|57B
|Fulton Street, Van Ness Avenue
|
|-
|R57.84
|58
|Abby Street, Blackstone Avenue
|
|-
|R58.70
|59
|
|Signed as exits 59A (south) and 59B (north) westbound
|-
|R59.90
|60A
|
|Signed as exit 60 westbound
|-
|R60.07
|60B
|Cedar Avenue
|Westbound exit is part of exit 61
|-
|R60.90
|61
|Chestnut Avenue
|Eastbound exit is part of exit 60B
|-
|R62.00
|62
|Peach Avenue
|Serves Fresno Yosemite International Airport
|-
|R62.94
|63
|Clovis Avenue
|
|-
|
|64
|Fowler Avenue
|Opened December 3, 2009
|-
|
|65
|Temperance Avenue
|Opened December 3, 2009
|-
|colspan=5 align=center|East end of freeway
|-
|
|71.61
|
|Academy Avenue – Sanger
, Kingsburg
|Four-lane expressway between Temperance Avenue and Academy Avenue completed on September 23, 2011
|-
|
|77.49
|
|Reed Avenue – Reedley
|
|-
|
|
|
|Crawford Avenue – Reedley
|
|-
|
|87.71
|
|
|
|-
|
|108.12
|
|
|
|-
|nowrap rowspan=3|Tulare
TUL 109.53-112.09
|
|110.83
|colspan=3 align=center|East end of state maintenance at General Grant Grove west boundary
|-
|
|
|
|Generals Highway
– Sequoia National Park
|
|-
|rowspan=2|
|rowspan=2|112.09
|colspan=3 rowspan=2 align=center|West end of state maintenance at General Grant Grove north boundary
|-
|nowrap rowspan=2|Fresno
FRE 112.09-137.94
|-
|
|137.94
|colspan=3 align=center|Kings Canyon National Park
west boundary
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, which runs through the heart of the San Joaquin Valley
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
from Mendota
Mendota, California
Mendota is a city in Fresno County, California, United States. The population was 11,014 at the 2010 census. The State Routes 180 and 33 run through the agricultural city. Mendota is located south-southeast of Firebaugh, at an elevation of 174 feet ....
through Fresno
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
to Kings Canyon National Park
Kings Canyon National Park
Kings Canyon National Park is a National Park in the southern Sierra Nevada, east of Fresno, California. The park was established in 1940 and covers...
, with an unbuilt segment defined west to Paicines
Paicines, California
The unincorporated community of Paicines is located at above mean sea level in San Benito County, California along State Route 25. Guide signs along SR25 say the community is south of Hollister. The community is at the intersection of Panoche Road and SR25...
.
Nearly the entire 24 miles (38.6 km) stretch from the Kings River crossing to Cedar Grove
Cedar Grove, Fresno County, California
Cedar Grove is an unincorporated community and the location of the visitor center inKings Canyon National Park. Situated near the South Fork of the Kings River, in Fresno County, California, Cedar Grove is the only commercially developed area in the park. Facilities include the Cedar Grove Visitor...
is eligible for the State Scenic Highway System
State Scenic Highway System (California)
The State Scenic Highway System is a list of highways, mainly state highways, that have been designated by the California Department of Transportation as scenic highways. The California State Legislature, primarily through Section 263 of the Streets and Highways Code, makes highways eligible for...
, and nearly the entire route from Paicines to Cedar Grove is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System
California Freeway and Expressway System
The California Freeway and Expressway System is a system of existing or planned freeways and expressways in the U.S. state of California. It is defined by the Streets and Highways Code.-List of roads in the system:*State Route 1 *State Route 2...
. Two short segments travel through national parks
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
, so are not state maintained and are the exceptions to the above: a segment through the General Grant Grove section of Kings Canyon National Park, and the far eastern end of the road inside of Kings Canyon National Park. The freeway through Fresno has the distinction of having the most heavily traveled section of road in the San Joaquin Valley. Major future plans include an extension west to Interstate 5
Interstate 5
Interstate 5 is the main Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific Ocean coastline from Canada to Mexico . It serves some of the largest cities on the U.S...
.
Route description
The actual western terminus of SR 180 is at SR 33California State Route 33
State Route 33 is a north–south state highway in the U.S. state of California. SR 33 replaced part of U.S. Route 399 in 1964 during the "great renumbering" of routes. In the unincorporated sections of Kern County it is known as the West Side Highway...
in Mendota, with an unconstructed portion defined west across Interstate 5
Interstate 5 in California
Interstate 5 is a major north–south route of the Interstate Highway System in the U.S. state of California. It begins at the Mexico – United States border at the San Ysidro crossing, goes north across the length of California and crosses into Oregon south of the Medford-Ashland metropolitan...
to SR 25
California State Route 25
State Route 25 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California between Gilroy and State Route 198. This route is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System and is eligible for the State Scenic Highway System.-Route description:...
in Paicines
Paicines, California
The unincorporated community of Paicines is located at above mean sea level in San Benito County, California along State Route 25. Guide signs along SR25 say the community is south of Hollister. The community is at the intersection of Panoche Road and SR25...
, currently signed as County Route J1. (See Future) In Mendota, the route is carried on Oller Street and San Benito Avenue, then travels along Whitesbridge Avenue through Kerman
Kerman, California
Kerman is a city at the intersection of State Route 180 and State Route 145 in Fresno County, California, USA. The population was 13,544 at the 2010 census. Kerman is located west of Fresno, at an elevation of 220 feet ....
to Fresno
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
.
Through Fresno, from Brawley Avenue to DeWolf Avenue, it is a 4-to-10-lane freeway intersecting SR 99 in a 2-level stack
Stack interchange
A stack interchange is a free-flowing grade separated junction between two roads.In countries where one drives on the right, left turns are handled by semi-directional flyover/under ramps...
, SR 41 in a 4-level stack
Stack interchange
A stack interchange is a free-flowing grade separated junction between two roads.In countries where one drives on the right, left turns are handled by semi-directional flyover/under ramps...
, and the southern terminus of SR 168; officially, CalTrans considers the freeway SR 180S (supplemental) until the old highway on downtown surface streets is relinquished.
East of Fresno, the freeway links up with the original routing on Kings Canyon Blvd, and continues north of Sanger
Sanger, California
Sanger is a city in Fresno County, California, United States. The population was 24,270 at the 2010 census, up from 18,731 at the 2000 census. Sanger is located east-southeast of Fresno, at an elevation of 371 feet .- Geography :...
, through Centerville
Centerville, Fresno County, California
Centerville is a census-designated place in Fresno County, California. It is located on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad east of Fresno, at an elevation of 394 feet...
, Minkler
Minkler, California
Minkler is a census-designated place in eastern Fresno County, California. It is located on Highway 180, east-southeast of Centerville, at an elevation of 397 feet . It has a population of 1,003 people. The town is named for Charles O...
and Fresno's Squaw Valley, before arriving at the entrance to Sierra National Forest
Sierra National Forest
Sierra National Forest is a U.S. National Forest located on the western slope of central Sierra Nevada in the state of California. The forest is known for its mountain scenery and natural resources. Forest headquarters are located in Clovis, California...
near Dunlap
Dunlap, California
Dunlap is an unincorporated community in Fresno County, California. It lies at an elevation of 1919 feet . It has a population of 131. It is located approximately east of Fresno. St. Nicholas Ranch , a retreat center run by the Greek Orthodox Church, is a major attraction...
. It follows the Kings River into General Grant Grove, where SR 198
California State Route 198
State Route 198 is an east–west state highway that connects the California Central Coast to the mid-Central Valley at Visalia, although the most-traveled portion is in the Central Valley itself....
splits off south toward Sequoia National Park
Sequoia National Park
Sequoia National Park is a national park in the southern Sierra Nevada east of Visalia, California, in the United States. It was established on September 25, 1890. The park spans . Encompassing a vertical relief of nearly , the park contains among its natural resources the highest point in the...
. SR 180 turns north, passing through Wilsonia
Wilsonia, California
Wilsonia is a census-designated place in Tulare County, California. Wilsonia sits at an elevation of . The 2010 United States census reported Wilsonia's population was 5.Wilsonia is home to the Wilsonia Historic District.-Geography:...
, leaving General Grant Grove, then turns east as it nears the South Fork of the Kings River near Hume
Hume, Fresno County, California
Hume is an unincorporated community in Fresno County, California. It is located east of Fresno, at an elevation of 5344 feet . Hume is located in the 93628 ZIP Code, in area code 559....
, passes through Cedar Grove
Cedar Grove, Fresno County, California
Cedar Grove is an unincorporated community and the location of the visitor center inKings Canyon National Park. Situated near the South Fork of the Kings River, in Fresno County, California, Cedar Grove is the only commercially developed area in the park. Facilities include the Cedar Grove Visitor...
, and terminates in Kanawyers
Kanawyers, California
Kanawyers is an unincorporated community in Fresno County, California. It lies at an elevation of 5020 feet in the canyon of the South Fork of the Kings River....
at the entrance of the Kings Canyon National Park. The entire portion beyond Hume Road is closed during winters, usually after the first snowfall.
The majority of SR 180, from SR 25 to the entrance of General Grant Grove, is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System
California Freeway and Expressway System
The California Freeway and Expressway System is a system of existing or planned freeways and expressways in the U.S. state of California. It is defined by the Streets and Highways Code.-List of roads in the system:*State Route 1 *State Route 2...
, but only the piece in Fresno has actually been constructed to freeway standards. A 24 miles (38.6 km) length east of unbuilt State Route 65
California State Route 65
State Route 65 , commonly known as Highway 65, is a north–south state highway in the U.S. state of California composed of two segments connecting Bakersfield to Exeter and Roseville to Olivehurst...
near Minkler
Minkler, California
Minkler is a census-designated place in eastern Fresno County, California. It is located on Highway 180, east-southeast of Centerville, at an elevation of 397 feet . It has a population of 1,003 people. The town is named for Charles O...
to the boundary of Kings Canyon, excepting the 2 miles (3.2 km) portion through General Grant Grove, is eligible for the State Scenic Highway System
State Scenic Highway System (California)
The State Scenic Highway System is a list of highways, mainly state highways, that have been designated by the California Department of Transportation as scenic highways. The California State Legislature, primarily through Section 263 of the Streets and Highways Code, makes highways eligible for...
; the road inside of General Grant Grove and Kings Canyon is a Forest Service Byway. The old route east of SR 99 to the General Grant Grove is part of the National Highway System
National Highway System (United States)
The National Highway System is a network of strategic highways within the United States, including the Interstate Highway System and other roads serving major airports, ports, rail or truck terminals, railway stations, pipeline terminals and other strategic transport facilities.Individual states...
.
The old routing of SR 180 through downtown Fresno remains on the books, but is no longer signed and not considered a business route
Business route
A business route in the United States and Canada is a short special route connected to a parent numbered highway at its beginning, then routed through the central business district of a nearby city or town, and finally reconnecting with the same parent numbered highway again at its...
. The road no longer connects with its freeway bypass at all; the east and west ends terminate in cul-de-sacs. Local agencies are now generally forced to maintain or improve the road.
SR 180 handles a wide range of traffic volumes, from a low of 5,000 per day near Kerman, to over 160,000 at the highly congested SR 168 interchange, the most-traveled highway segment in the San Joaquin Valley
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
. A study into the use of Measure C funds found that traffic volumes will likely increase between 50% and 100% across the entire road by 2020, especially in the more rural areas.
Business development
SR 180 is a busy commercial route along most of its urban length, being a main street of Mendota, Kerman, Minkler, and Fresno's Squaw Valley, as was the old highway through Fresno. In east Fresno, the Kings Canyon corridor is one of the largest multicultural business districts in the city, together with east Belmont a mile north. The old Fresno "main street" of Broadway has long been torn down for Chuckchansi Park and Fulton MallFulton Mall (Fresno)
Fulton Mall is a six-block pedestrian mall located in the central business district of downtown Fresno, California. The mall runs along historic Fulton Street between Inyo and Tuolumne Streets and is home to a wide variety of shopping, restaurants, offices and public art...
parking, but Stanislaus, Tuolumne, and Ventura Streets remain commercially viable, despite having fallen into some neglect over the years. This segment is being redeveloped as part of the Ventura Widening and Downtown Entryway Beautification Project, as well as the preservation or relocation of a number of historic buildings in Old Armenian Town
Old Armenian Town, Fresno, California
Old Armenian Town in Fresno, California is a former enclave of Armenian immigrants. The Armenian Community Center on Ventura Street is a major community gathering place and social hall. So is the Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church. There are also a number of Armenian restaurants, offering...
on Ventura, with the creation of a new commercial district by the same name.
Highway names
The segment from SR 99 to I-5, including the unbuilt portion, is officially named the Deran Koligian Memorial Highway, after a long-time county supervisor who helped raise funds for road improvement. In Fresno, SR 180 is Sequoia-Kings Canyon Freeway, named for its destinations to the east in the Sierra Nevada - Sequoia National ParkSequoia National Park
Sequoia National Park is a national park in the southern Sierra Nevada east of Visalia, California, in the United States. It was established on September 25, 1890. The park spans . Encompassing a vertical relief of nearly , the park contains among its natural resources the highest point in the...
and Kings Canyon National Park
Kings Canyon National Park
Kings Canyon National Park is a National Park in the southern Sierra Nevada, east of Fresno, California. The park was established in 1940 and covers...
. Overlapping this, between SR 99 and Clovis Avenue it is the Senator Jim Costa
Jim Costa
James Manuel "Jim" Costa is the U.S. Representative for , serving since his initial election in 2004. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district takes in large and predominantly Latino portions of Fresno and Bakersfield in the Central Valley.-Early life and education:Born in Fresno,...
Highway, after a longtime Assemblyman, Senator, and Congressman for Fresno; between Clovis Avenue and General Grant Grove Park, in the County of Fresno, it is the Senator Chuck Poochigian Highway, after the State Senator who sponsored the funding bills for its completion. The SR 41/SR 180 interchange is named the Rose Ann Vuich
Rose Ann Vuich
Rose Ann Vuich served as a member of the California State Senate from 1977 until 1993. She was the first female member of the California State Senate....
Interchange, for the longtime State Senator who secured funding for the initial freeway. The interchange at Fowler Avenue is the Kimberly Marie Hamilton Memorial Interchange, after a girl who died in a construction accident. Inside of Kings Canyon it is the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway or Kings River Highway.
History
In 1905, the easternmost portion of what is now SR 180 was created as Legislative RouteLegislative route
In United States, a legislative route or legislative highway is a highway defined by laws passed in a state legislature. The numbering of such highways may or may not correspond to the numbers familiar to the public as part of the state, U.S. highway, and Interstate highway systems...
41, from General Grant Grove to the Kings River Canyon
Kings Canyon National Park
Kings Canyon National Park is a National Park in the southern Sierra Nevada, east of Fresno, California. The park was established in 1940 and covers...
; in 1919, a bond measure funded the extension and upgrade to Fresno, which was completed by 1933. In 1935 LR 41 was extended to be a road from Kings Canyon to Tracy
Tracy, California
Tracy is the second most populated city in San Joaquin County, California, United States and an exurb of the San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 82,922 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, signed as SR 180 to Mendota and SR 33
California State Route 33
State Route 33 is a north–south state highway in the U.S. state of California. SR 33 replaced part of U.S. Route 399 in 1964 during the "great renumbering" of routes. In the unincorporated sections of Kern County it is known as the West Side Highway...
beyond.
Through Fresno from the west, the route turned on B Street, Stanislaus Street, down Broadway (co-routed with US 99
U.S. Route 99
U.S. Route 99 was the main north–south highway on the West Coast of the United States until 1964, running from Calexico, California, on the U.S.-Mexico border to Blaine, Washington, on the U.S.-Canada border. It was a route of the United States Numbered Highways, assigned in 1926 and existing...
), turned at Ventura Street (co-routed with SR 41 for a few blocks) and left downtown on it, becoming Kings Canyon Blvd. At some point the road was split into parallel one-way roads, with eastbound traffic using Amador Street, A Street, and Tuolumne Street before merging into Broadway. The Stanislaus and Tuolumne bridges were built in 1958 to alleviate congestion at the train tracks and local industry, and when US 99 moved to a freeway bypass in 1962, the 180 co-routing followed it. The bypassed route was given back to the City of Fresno; the bridges still exist but Broadway is now gone between Fresno and
When California converted its old Legislative routes to individual State routes in 1963, SR 180 was legally extended to US 101 in Hollister
Hollister, California
Hollister is a city in and the county seat of San Benito County, California, United States. The population was 34,928 at the 2010 census. Hollister is primarily an agricultural town.-History:...
, then truncated at SR 25 in 1984 after the construction of SR 156. None of this route has been improved, and is signed only as County Route J1 for most its extent. (See Future) The existing routes from I-5 to SR-25, passing through Panoche
Panoche, California
The unincorporated community of Panoche is located along Panoche Road in the southern, rural part of San Benito County, California, United States. The community is about 2.7 driving miles east of County Route J1. The county seat, Hollister, is roughly straight-line distance. The Fresno County line...
and Llanada, are rugged and not currently state-maintained.
The Fresno Master Freeway plan was developed in the postwar boom, with a western bypass by 99, an eastern bypass by 41, and a northern bypass by 180. 99 was constructed in 1962, but lack of funds and a "freeway revolt" prevented the construction of the SR 180 and SR 41 freeways. 180 was particularly controversial because it cut through one of Fresno's historic districts. (See Controversy.) It was delayed so long that CalTrans was prepared to tear down the stack interchange at SR 41 (built in 1982) and delete the routing, but in 1988 funds finally became available thanks to local Measure C sales tax; construction of the viaduct began in 1992, opening between SR 99 and SR 41 in 1995, to SR 168 in 1999, and extending east of 168 and west of 99 in the 2000s. Overall the final product was nearly as originally envisioned by the Highway Commission
California Highway Commission
The California Highway Commission was established in 1895 and continued until 1978 as the primary state highway bureaucracy in California.Their first noticeable efforts centered on the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road over the Sierra Nevada mountains...
(now CTC).
Some of the downtown segment has been included in various revitalization proposals: The award-winning West Fresno Community Vision Plan of 2004 intends to create livable mixed-use areas between Whitesbridge and California Avenues; it was adopted by the council and is slowly being implemented.
Controversy
The routing of the SR 180 freeway through central Fresno, now known as the 180 Gap neighborhood, split a well-defined working-class neighborhood (particularly the North Park neighborhoods) in half and destroyed many large, historic buildings along Van Ness Avenue and surrounding area. Even after funding dried up, the neighborhood declined dramatically with the ever-present knowledge that everything in its path would be demolished as soon as the money appeared; low property values led to many buildings becoming slums or being condemned and razed long before the freeway came. By the 1980s, community pressure was increasing for CalTrans to either purchase the remaining properties or abandon the route, culminating in a lawsuit against the state, and in 1988 the decision was made to begin eminent domain purchases and construction.Future
A planned 4-lane expressway extension from Mendota to I-5 is in the works, with several proposed routes that bypass Mendota and Kerman, but no final route has been decided on yet.Work on the eastern expressway extension is nearing completion between Fresno and Sanger, with a projected finish date in 2011. The road will be a four lane divided highway between DeWolf and Academy Avenues. Further improvements east of Academy to Frankwood have been identified, but not yet funded.
In recognition that freeway connecting SR 41 and SR 168 is by far the most traveled segment of road in the San Joaquin Valley and prone to daily congestion, CalTrans is preparing to build "braided ramps" between the freeways, allowing direct access between SR 41 and SR 168 without entering the main SR 180 freeway. CalTrans anticipated the increase in traffic volume prior to construction and retained extra right of way. Work is scheduled to begin in mid-2011.
Major intersections
- Note: Except where prefixed with a letter, postmiles were measured in 1964, based on the alignment as it existed at that time, and do not necessarily reflect current mileage. The start and end postmiles in each county are given in the county column.
{| class=wikitable
!County
!Location
!Postmile
!Exit
Exit number
An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore....
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=26|Fresno
Fresno County, California
Fresno County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California, south of Stockton and north of Bakersfield. As of the 2010 census, it is the tenth most populous county in California with a population of 930,450, and the sixth largest in size with an area of . The county...
FRE 23.50-109.53
|rowspan=2|Mendota
Mendota, California
Mendota is a city in Fresno County, California, United States. The population was 11,014 at the 2010 census. The State Routes 180 and 33 run through the agricultural city. Mendota is located south-southeast of Firebaugh, at an elevation of 174 feet ....
|23.50
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|24.59
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| Belmont Avenue to I-5 north
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|-
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|26.12
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| San Benito Avenue, Panoche Road to I-5 south – Tranquillity
Tranquillity, California
Tranquillity is a census-designated place in Fresno County, California, United States. The population was 799 at the 2010 census, down from 813 at the 2000 census. Tranquillity High School is the only high school in Tranquillity...
, San Joaquin
San Joaquin, California
San Joaquin is a city in Fresno County, California, United States. The population was 4,001 at the 2010 census, up from 3,270 at the 2000 census. The nearest high school in the area is Tranquillity High School in Tranquillity...
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|-
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|34.59
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|James Road – Tranquillity
Tranquillity, California
Tranquillity is a census-designated place in Fresno County, California, United States. The population was 799 at the 2010 census, down from 813 at the 2000 census. Tranquillity High School is the only high school in Tranquillity...
, San Joaquin
San Joaquin, California
San Joaquin is a city in Fresno County, California, United States. The population was 4,001 at the 2010 census, up from 3,270 at the 2000 census. The nearest high school in the area is Tranquillity High School in Tranquillity...
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|Kerman
Kerman, California
Kerman is a city at the intersection of State Route 180 and State Route 145 in Fresno County, California, USA. The population was 13,544 at the 2010 census. Kerman is located west of Fresno, at an elevation of 220 feet ....
|42.64
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|47.65
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|Dickenson Avenue – San Joaquin
San Joaquin, California
San Joaquin is a city in Fresno County, California, United States. The population was 4,001 at the 2010 census, up from 3,270 at the 2000 census. The nearest high school in the area is Tranquillity High School in Tranquillity...
, Coalinga
Coalinga, California
Coalinga is a city in Fresno County, California. The population was 13,380 at the 2010 census, up from 11,668 at the 2000 census. It is the site of both Pleasant Valley State Prison and Coalinga State Hospital. Coalinga is located southwest of Fresno, at an elevation of 673 feet .-Early...
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|Brawley Avenue
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|colspan=5 align=center|West end of freeway
|-
|rowspan=12|Fresno
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
|
|56
|Marks Avenue
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|-
|R56.52
|57A
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|-
|R57.24
|57B
|Fulton Street, Van Ness Avenue
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|-
|R57.84
|58
|Abby Street, Blackstone Avenue
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|-
|R58.70
|59
|
|Signed as exits 59A (south) and 59B (north) westbound
|-
|R59.90
|60A
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|Signed as exit 60 westbound
|-
|R60.07
|60B
|Cedar Avenue
|Westbound exit is part of exit 61
|-
|R60.90
|61
|Chestnut Avenue
|Eastbound exit is part of exit 60B
|-
|R62.00
|62
|Peach Avenue
|Serves Fresno Yosemite International Airport
Fresno Yosemite International Airport
Fresno Yosemite International Airport , formerly known as Fresno Air Terminal, is a joint civil-military public airport located in eastern Fresno, in Fresno County, California. The airport is more than south of Yosemite National Park on California State Route 41. The airport covers and has two...
|-
|R62.94
|63
|Clovis Avenue
|
|-
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|64
|Fowler Avenue
|Opened December 3, 2009
|-
|
|65
|Temperance Avenue
|Opened December 3, 2009
|-
|colspan=5 align=center|East end of freeway
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|71.61
|
|Academy Avenue – Sanger
Sanger, California
Sanger is a city in Fresno County, California, United States. The population was 24,270 at the 2010 census, up from 18,731 at the 2000 census. Sanger is located east-southeast of Fresno, at an elevation of 371 feet .- Geography :...
, Kingsburg
Kingsburg, California
Kingsburg is a city in Fresno County, California. Kingsburg is located southeast of Selma at an elevation of 302 feet , on the banks of the Kings River. The city is half an hour away from Fresno, and two hours away from the California Central Coast and Sierra Nevada Mountain Range...
|Four-lane expressway between Temperance Avenue and Academy Avenue completed on September 23, 2011
|-
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|77.49
|
|Reed Avenue – Reedley
Reedley, California
Reedley is a city in Fresno County, California, United States. Reedley is located east-southeast of Fresno, at an elevation of 348 feet . The population at the 2010 census was 24,194. Its chief economic source is agriculture, particularly fruit and vegetable cultivation. The city is dubbed as...
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|Crawford Avenue – Reedley
Reedley, California
Reedley is a city in Fresno County, California, United States. Reedley is located east-southeast of Fresno, at an elevation of 348 feet . The population at the 2010 census was 24,194. Its chief economic source is agriculture, particularly fruit and vegetable cultivation. The city is dubbed as...
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|87.71
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|108.12
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|-
|nowrap rowspan=3|Tulare
Tulare County, California
Tulare County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California, south of Fresno. Sequoia National Park is located in the county, as are part of Kings Canyon National Park, in its northeast corner , and part of Mount Whitney, on its eastern border...
TUL 109.53-112.09
|
|110.83
|colspan=3 align=center|East end of state maintenance at General Grant Grove west boundary
|-
|
|
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|Generals Highway
Generals Highway
The Generals Highway is a highway that connects State Route 180 and State Route 198 through Sequoia National Park.-Route description:It is named after two of the largest and most famous Giant Sequoia trees, the General Sherman and General Grant trees...
– Sequoia National Park
Sequoia National Park
Sequoia National Park is a national park in the southern Sierra Nevada east of Visalia, California, in the United States. It was established on September 25, 1890. The park spans . Encompassing a vertical relief of nearly , the park contains among its natural resources the highest point in the...
|
|-
|rowspan=2|
|rowspan=2|112.09
|colspan=3 rowspan=2 align=center|West end of state maintenance at General Grant Grove north boundary
|-
|nowrap rowspan=2|Fresno
Fresno County, California
Fresno County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California, south of Stockton and north of Bakersfield. As of the 2010 census, it is the tenth most populous county in California with a population of 930,450, and the sixth largest in size with an area of . The county...
FRE 112.09-137.94
|-
|
|137.94
|colspan=3 align=center|Kings Canyon National Park
Kings Canyon National Park
Kings Canyon National Park is a National Park in the southern Sierra Nevada, east of Fresno, California. The park was established in 1940 and covers...
west boundary