(a) Route 79 is from:

(1) Route 8 near Descanso to Route 78 near Julian.

(2) Route 78 near Santa Ysabel to the Temecula city limits east of Butterfield Stage Road.

(3) Temecula city limits south of Murrieta Hot Springs Road to Route 74 near Hemet.

(4) Route 74 near Hemet to the San Jacinto city limit near Menlo Avenue.

(5) The San Jacinto city limit near Sanderson Avenue to Route 10 near Beaumont.

(b) The relinquished former portions of Route 79 within the City of Temecula and the City of San Jacinto are not state highways and are not eligible for adoption under Section 81. For the relinquished former portions of Route 79, the City of Temecula and the City of San Jacinto shall maintain within their respective jurisdictions signs directing motorists to the continuation of Route 79. The City of Temecula shall ensure the continuity of traffic flow on the relinquished former portions of Route 79 within its jurisdiction, including any traffic signal progression.

(c)  (1) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the commission may relinquish to the City of Hemet the portion of Route 79 that is located within the city limits of that city, upon terms and conditions the commission finds to be in the best interests of the state, if the department and the city enter into an agreement providing for that relinquishment.

(2) A relinquishment under this subdivision shall become effective immediately following the county recorder’s recordation of the relinquishment resolution containing the commission’s approval of the terms and conditions of the relinquishment.

(3) On and after the effective date of the relinquishment, the relinquished portion of Route 79 shall cease to be a state highway.

(4) The portion of Route 79 relinquished under this subdivision shall be ineligible for future adoption under Section 81.

(5) For the portion of Route 79 that is relinquished under this subdivision, the City of Hemet shall maintain within its jurisdiction signs directing motorists to the continuation of Route 79.

(Amended by Stats. 2010, Ch. 491, Sec. 22. (SB 1318) Effective January 1, 2011.)