It serves as a short freeway connection between the Interstate 80/Interstate 80 Business junction and Auburn Boulevard (the old Lincoln Highway - former U.S. Route 40/U.S.

SR 244 terminates at Auburn Boulevard, having just entered the Sacramento city limits near Renfree Park.

In 1972 a series of "volatile" public hearings took place where local residents protested the construction of this route among others being proposed in the Sacramento area.

[7] The project was expected to cost $40 million to construct and the resulting freeway would be eight lanes wide.

[2][10] Except where prefixed with a letter, postmiles were measured on the road as it was in 1964, based on the alignment that existed at the time, and do not necessarily reflect current mileage.