Hwy. 50 drivers hit by new lane shift in Sacramento area. How to navigate it

Driving on Highway 50 in the Sacramento area? You’ll have to pay close attention to which lane you’re in to avoid missing crucial exits.

Caltrans recently implemented “another traffic shift” tied to ongoing construction, the agency said in a Wednesday news release.

Drivers should plan for extra travel time on westbound Highway 50 due to delays caused by the lane shift, the California Department of Transportation said.

Caltrans said it is planning to add additional signage near the lane split to help lessen confusion among drivers.

The lane shift will “improve workers’ safety” and help minimize the duration of ongoing Highway 50 construction, the agency said in the release.

Which Highway 50 lane should I use?

As of Wednesday, the two leftmost lanes of Highway 50 are through lanes that take drivers straight to Davis, according to Caltrans.

There is “no access” to West Sacramento exits or the eastbound Interstate 80 connector ramp at Exit 1A via these lanes, Caltrans said.

According to Caltrans, the rightmost lane provides exit access to these ramps:

• Eastbound Interstate 80 connector

• Harbor Boulevard off-ramp

• Enterprise Boulevard off-ramp

• West Capitol Avenue off-ramp

Where is construction in West Sacramento?

The new lane shift is accommodating the Yolo Interstate 80 (I-80) and U.S. Highway 50 (US 50) Pavement Rehabilitation Project.

The pavement rehabilitation project is working to renew the road surface that has “surpassed its service life,” which has led to a poor ride quality and increased highway maintenance and repair costs, according to Caltrans.

Workers are placing new pavement overlay, repairing ramps and bridges, upgrading existing barriers and more.

The work area spans Interstate 80 from 1.4 miles east of Mace Boulevard to Pioneer Bridge. The affected Highway 50 section is from Interstate 80 to the Jefferson Boulevard overcrossing.

How long will roadwork last?

The $280 million project is slated to be complete by May 2026, according to Caltrans.

This story was originally published March 26, 2025 at 2:41 PM.

Camila Pedrosa

The Sacramento Bee

Camila Pedrosa is the California Diversions Reporter at The Sacramento Bee. She previously worked on The Bee’s service journalism team and was a summer reporting intern for The Bee in 2024. She graduated from Arizona State University with a master’s degree in mass communication.