{{Short description|Highway in Nevada}} {{Use American English|date=April 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox road |state=NV |type=NV |route=305 |alternate_name=Austin – Battle Mountain Road |map={{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=290|frame-height=240|type=line|raw={{Wikipedia:Map data/Wikipedia KML/Nevada State Route 305}}}} |map_custom=yes |map_notes=SR 305 highlighted in red |length_mi=87.717 |length_round=3 |length_ref=<ref name="NDOT_Log">{{cite web |title=State Maintained Highways of Nevada: Descriptions and Maps |author=Nevada Department of Transportation |author-link=Nevada Department of Transportation |url=http://www.nevadadot.com/doing-business/about-ndot/ndot-divisions/planning/roadway-systems/state-maintained-highways-descriptions-index-maps |date=January 2017 |accessdate=2017-04-15 }}</ref> |formed=1976 |direction_a=South |terminus_a={{jct|state=NV|US|50}} in Austin |junction={{jct|state=NV|I|80}} in Battle Mountain |direction_b=North |terminus_b={{jct|state=NV|SR|304|BL|80|dab2=Battle Mountain}} in Battle Mountain |previous_type=NV |previous_route=304 |next_type=NV |next_route=306 }}
'''State Route 305''' ('''SR 305''') is a state highway in Lander County, Nevada. It is the only state highway to connect the southern and northern areas of the county. It runs north from U.S. Route 50 at Austin to Battle Mountain, where it crosses Interstate 80 and ends at State Route 304.
==Route description== [[File:2014-05-31 15 16 27 First reassurance sign on southbound Nevada State Route 305 in Battle Mountain, Nevada.JPG|thumb|left|First reassurance shield on southbound SR 305 in Battle Mountain, Nevada]] [[Image:Toiyabe Range.jpg|thumb|right|SR 305 with the Toiyabe Range in the background]] State Route 305 begins just northwest of the town limits of Austin, Nevada.<ref name=AustinMap>{{cite map |title=Austin Area |publisher=Nevada Department of Transportation |url=http://www.nevadadot.com/uploadedFiles/NDOT/Traveler_Info/Maps/austin.pdf |format=PDF |year=2006|accessdate=26 Jan 2011}}</ref> From there, the route heads in a northerly direction through the Reese River Valley, generally paralleling the Reese River. The highway passes near many ranches and mining sites. After about {{convert|20|mi|km}}, SR 305 curves slightly more westward, crossing through the Shoshone Range.<ref name=quad0507>{{cite map |title=Quadrangle 5-7 |publisher=Nevada Department of Transportation |url=http://www.nevadadot.com/uploadedFiles/NDOT/Traveler_Info/Maps/quad0507.pdf |format=PDF |year=2008 |accessdate=26 Jan 2011}}</ref> The route continues northward, passing the Valley of the Moon along the trek through Reese River Valley.<ref name=quad0407>{{cite map |title=Quadrangle 4-7 |publisher=Nevada Department of Transportation |url=http://www.nevadadot.com/uploadedFiles/NDOT/Traveler_Info/Maps/quad0407.pdf |format=PDF |year=2010 |accessdate=26 Jan 2011}}</ref> As the route nears the vicinity of the Battle Mountains, it curves northeast to head to the town of the same name. Along this stretch of highway, near milepost 110, are several dirt roads providing access to numerous mining sites.<ref name=quad0307>{{cite map |title=Quadrangle 3-7 |publisher=Nevada Department of Transportation |url=http://www.nevadadot.com/uploadedFiles/NDOT/Traveler_Info/Maps/quad0307.pdf |format=PDF |year=2005 |accessdate=26 Jan 2011}}</ref> Soon afterward, SR 305 enters Battle Mountain along Broad Street, crossing over Interstate 80 and ending in the middle of the town at an intersection with Front Street (SR 304/I-80 Business).<ref name=BattleMtnMap>{{cite map |title=Battle Mountain Area |publisher=Nevada Department of Transportation |url=http://www.nevadadot.com/uploadedFiles/NDOT/Traveler_Info/Maps/battlemountain.pdf |format=PDF |year=2005 |accessdate=26 Jan 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111129200247/http://www.nevadadot.com/uploadedFiles/NDOT/Traveler_Info/Maps/battlemountain.pdf |archivedate=2011-11-29 }}</ref>
A five-mile section of SR 305 is the site of a yearly human-powered vehicle (HPV) speed record competition conducted by the IHPVA (International Human Powered Vehicle Association),<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ihpva.org/|title=IHPVA - International Human Powered Vehicle Association Official Home Page|website=www.ihpva.org|access-date=2016-09-19}}</ref> with the record set to 89.59 mph (144.18 km/h) on September 17, 2016. During repaving in 2009, special attention was paid to the five mile stretch to make sure it was the flattest and smoothest road in the world.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.recumbents.com/wisil/whpsc2016/speedchallenge.htm|title=The Recumbent Bicycle and Human Powered Vehicle Information Center|website=www.recumbents.com|access-date=2016-09-19}}</ref> It is very slightly downhill, with an average slope of less than 2/3 of one percent, per IHPVA rules.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.recumbents.com/wisil/whpsc2016/whpsc_site.htm|title=Battle Mountain Course Data|last=Gauge|first=Raymond|date=September 2016|website=Recumbents.com|publisher=Warren Beauchamp|access-date=September 19, 2016}}</ref>
==History== The road dates to back to at least 1929. At that time, it appeared on state maps one segment of the much longer State Route 8A. At the time, it was an unimproved road in the state highway system, and the road approached Battle Mountain from a more southerly direction.<ref name=map1929>{{cite map |title=Highway Map State of Nevada |publisher=Nevada Department of Highways |url=http://contentdm.library.unr.edu/u?/hmaps,457 |year=1929 |accessdate=26 Jan 2011}}</ref> The northern end of the current highway alignment southwest of Battle Mountain, serving the present-day mining establishments near the town, was constructed by 1952, although SR 8A continued to follow the previous alignment according to maps.<ref name=map1952>{{cite map |title=Official Highway Map of the State of Nevada |publisher=Nevada Department of Highways |url=http://contentdm.library.unr.edu/u?/hmaps,491 |year=1952 |section=C4 |accessdate=26 Jan 2011}}</ref> The entire highway was paved by 1953,<ref name=map1953>{{cite map |title=Official Highway Map of the State of Nevada |publisher=Nevada Department of Highways |url=http://contentdm.library.unr.edu/u?/hmaps,491 |year=1953 |section=C4, D4 |accessdate=26 Jan 2011}}</ref> and the SR 8A designation was moved onto the newer section near Battle Mountain by 1954.<ref name=map1954>{{cite map |title=Official Highway Map of the State of Nevada |publisher=Nevada Department of Highways |url=http://contentdm.library.unr.edu/u?/hmaps,493 |year=1954 |section=C4 |accessdate=26 Jan 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150611135013/http://contentdm.library.unr.edu/u?%2Fhmaps%2C493 |archivedate=11 June 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
On July 1, 1976, Nevada began renumbering its state highways. In this process, the Austin – Battle Mountain Road segment of SR 8A was reassigned to a new State Route 305. This change was first seen on state maps in 1978.<ref name=map1978>{{cite map |title=Official Highway Map of Nevada |publisher=Nevada Department of Highways |url=http://contentdm.library.unr.edu/u?/hmaps,535 |year=1978 |section=B3, C3 |accessdate=26 Jan 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150122214240/http://contentdm.library.unr.edu/u?%2Fhmaps%2C535 |archivedate=22 January 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The route has remained relatively unchanged since then.
==Major intersections== thumb|right|The Shoshone Range, as seen from SR 305 near Battle Mountain {{jcttop|state=NV|county=Lander}} {{NVint |location=Austin |mile=0.000 |road={{jct|state=NV|US|50|city1=Austin|city2=Ely|city3=Fallon|city4=Reno}} |notes=Southern terminus }} {{NVint |location=Battle Mountain |lspan=3 |mile= |road={{jct|state=NV|I|80|city1=Winnemucca|city2=Elko}} |notes=Interchange; I-80 exit 231 }} {{NVint |mile= |road={{jct|state=NV|extra=hospital|road|6th Street}} |notes=Serves Battle Mountain General Hospital }} {{NVint |mile=87.717 |road={{jct|state=NV|SR|304|BL|80|dab2=Battle Mountain|name2=Front Street|city1=Winnemucca|city2=Elko}} |notes=Northern terminus }} {{jctbtm}}
==See also== {{Portal|United States|U.S. Roads}} Other segments of former State Route 8A: *State Route 140, the northern segment that ran west from U.S. Route 95 via Denio to northwestern Nevada. *State Route 376, the southern segment that ran from near Tonopah to near Austin.
==References== {{Attached KML|display=inline,title}} {{Commons category|Nevada State Route 305}} {{Reflist}}
305 Category:Transportation in Lander County, Nevada