Interstate six hundred eighty (California)

Interstate 680 (I-680) is a north–south Interstate Highway in Northern California. It kinks around the eastern cities of the San Francisco Bay Area from San Jose to Interstate eighty at Fairfield, bypassing cities along the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay such as Oakland and Richmond while serving others more inland such as Pleasanton and Concord.

• SR one hundred thirty in San Jose
• SR two hundred thirty seven in Milpitas
• SR two hundred sixty two in Fremont
• SR two hundred thirty eight in Fremont
• SR eighty four near Sunol
• I-580 on the Dublin / Pleasanton border
• SR twenty four in Walnut Creek
• SR two hundred forty two near Concord
• SR four in Martinez
• I-780 in Benicia

Built in the 1920s and designated in 1955, I-680 embarks at a junction with I-280 and US one hundred one (Bayshore Freeway), and goes northeast and north-northwest through the northeast part of San Jose. After passing State Route two hundred thirty seven (SR 237) in Milpitas and SR two hundred sixty two in Fremont, I-680 abruptly turns northeast (where a connection to a SR two hundred thirty eight freeway was planned) and comes in the hills and valleys of the California Coast Ranges. The highway crosses over Mission Pass, also known as the Sunol Grade, and descends into the Sunol Valley, where it meets SR eighty four near Sunol. From Sunol, I-680 again goes north-northwesterly through valleys, including the San Ramon Valley, along the Calaveras Fault. Junctions along this portion include I-580 in Dublin and SR twenty four in Walnut Creek. Beyond the latter interchange, a three-way directional junction with the SR twenty four freeway west to Oakland, I-680 goes north into Pleasant Hill, where SR two hundred forty two splits and I-680 again goes northwesterly. After the junction with SR four in Martinez, the highway crosses the Carquinez Strait on the Benicia-Martinez Bridge, instantly meeting the east end of I-780 on the Benicia end. The remainder of I-680, from Benicia to I-80 at Fairfield, lies inbetween a hilly area to the west indicating the southwestern peak of the Vaca Mountains, and a marshy area (along the Suisun Bay and Cordelia Slough) to the east. [Two]

Contents

The route starts at U.S. Route one hundred one at the Joe Colla Interchange, where it acts as a continuation of I-280 eastward. [Three] From here, it commences its journey northward through San Jose, where it meets the Capitol Expressway, signed as CR G21, about a mile northeast of I-680’s southern terminus. [1] The next exit northbound is SR 130, which is also known as Alum Rock Avenue, unsigned at the intersection. [Four] [Five] As it proceeds through Santa Clara County, it meets numerous local roads before interchanging with the Montague Expressway. Here, it exits San Jose and comes in the city of Milpitas, California, where it meets SR 237, often referred to as Calaveras Boulevard. After one more intersection, I-680 exits Santa Clara County and comes in Alameda County. [1]

In Alameda County, the freeway commences in the city of Fremont, where it intersects SR 262, which was unsigned until 2000. Continuing through the city, it meets Mission Boulevard at SR two hundred thirty eight before exiting the city. Prior to 2002, two ghost ramps existed here, remains of an abandoned freeway project substituting Mission Blvd. [1] Amid Alameda County, it abruptly turns northeastward and comes in a hilly area, where it crosses over Mission Pass, and descends into the Sunol Valley, where it runs concurrently with SR eighty four for a brief while. Afterwards, it comes in Pleasanton and intersects with I-580, presently California’s longest auxiliary interstate providing access to Oakland and the Central Valley. It comes in Dublin for a brief segment before exiting the county and injecting Contra Costa County. [1] [Trio]

Upon coming in Contra Costa County, the route meets numerous local roads through the cities of San Ramon, Danville, and Alamo before coming in Walnut Creek, where it meets SR 24. [1] I-680 then comes in Pleasant Hill for a brief time and Concord, where it meets SR 242. Upon exiting Concord, it meets SR Four. It then comes in Martinez, where it goes after the Benicia-Martinez Bridge over the Carquinez Strait, on which the route crosses the county line and comes in Benicia in Solano County. [1] [6] [Three] On the Benicia-Martinez bridge, I-680 northbound requires a toll, while I-680 southbound is free direction. In Benicia, I-680 interchanges with I-780. It then exits the city and after passing through rural areas routing parallel to the San Joaquin Delta, it comes in Fairfield, where it meets I-80, which is the route’s northern terminus. [Trio]

In the wake of the September eleven Attacks, a U.S. flag was painted on a large lump of concrete on a hill along the Sunol Grade. It stayed there for nine years before Caltrans painted it over, as the mural had been painted on without authorization. [7] Due to this act being taken shortly before July 4th, 2010, and also due to the mural’s fame, this was met with controversy. The flag was substituted shortly later.

Of the above names, only the name Sinclair Freeway for its designated portion usually emerges on maps, and the other portions on maps are always unnamed, referred to as simply I-680. [6]

I-680 is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System, [8] and is part of the National Highway System, [9] a network of highways that are considered essential to the country’s economy, defense, and mobility by the Federal Highway Administration. [Ten] I-680 is eligible to be included in the State Scenic Highway System from the Santa Clara–Alameda county line to SR twenty four in Walnut Creek, [11] but is only a scenic route from Mission Boulevard to the Contra Costa county line, and from the Alameda county line to SR 24; [12] this means that those portions are substantial sections of highway passing through a “memorable landscape” with no “visual intrusions”, where the potential designation has gained popular favor with the community. [13]

High-occupancy lanes Edit

A 14-mile (23 km) southbound high-occupancy toll (HOT) lane along I-680 inbetween SR eighty four in Alameda County and SR two hundred thirty seven in Santa Clara County opened on September 20, 2010. [14] Solo drivers are required to pay a toll via a FasTrak transponder. Studies regarding the implementation of northbound HOT lanes on I-680 are presently underway. [15]

HOV Lanes exist on this portion from slightly north of I-580 to Walnut Creek, and again from Concord to the Benicia-Martinez Bridge. The portion leading to the Benicia-Martinez Bridge requires a car with Trio+ persons, unlike California’s regular carpool lanes of Two+ persons. [16]

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