| Near the Grant Street intersection, the TransAmerica Pyramid building comes into view. This unique structure helps identify San Francisco's skyline. It is located at the intersection of Columbus Avenue and Washington Street. Photo taken 07/06/07.
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| After the Grant Street traffic signal, California Street continues east into the Financial District. Turn left (north) on Grant Street into Chinatown. Photo taken 07/06/07.
| | Columbus Avenue south
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| Now traveling southeast on Columbus Avenue, the four-lane arterial connects Fisherman's Wharf with the downtown financial district via North Beach. The wide boulevard travels directly to the TransAmerica Pyramid, which dominates the financial district skyline as seen from here. This particular view is seen from the Broadway/Grant Street intersection. Photo taken 07/06/07.
| | The Embarcadero north
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| The Embarcadero provides stellar views of the bay, Yerba Buena Island, and the Bay Bridge. This picture, taken along the Embarcadero northbound near its intersection with Brannan Street, and the bridge is clearly visible to the northeast. Photo taken 11/28/03.
| | Ghirardelli Square
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| The landmark Ghirardelli Square marquee looms above the chocolate factory that sits above Fisherman's Wharf and the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Museum. Photo taken 11/28/03.
| | Grant Street north
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| Northbound Grant Street meets California Street at this intersection; Grant Street continues into Chinatown. Turn right (east) onto California Street to the financial district. Photo taken 07/06/07.
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| Grant Street travels one-way northbound. On-street parking is limited on both sides of the street. Shops, restaurants, and antique stores line Grant Street in Chinatown. There is a lot of pedestrian traffic in this area since it is a tourist attraction. Photo taken 07/06/07.
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| Grant Street meets Clay Street at this intersection. Chinatown continues north along this corridor to the Broadway/Columbus Avenue intersection. Photo taken 07/06/07.
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| Continuing north on Grant Street, the next intersection is with Washington Street, which travels one-way westbound. Photo taken 07/06/07.
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| Northbound Grant Street meets Jackson Street at this intersection. Note the street lights that are designed to look like paper lanterns and Chinese language used for each road name. Photo taken 07/06/07.
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| Leaving Chinatown, northbound Grant Street meets Columbus Avenue and Broadway at this major intersection. Turn left to follow Broadway Street west under Russian Hill to Pacific Heights. Turn right on Columbus Avenue to the Financial District and the foot of the TransAmerica Pyramid. Welcome to the North Beach community! Photo taken 07/06/07.
| | North Point Street west
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| Van Ness Avenue north (see also U.S. 101 north)
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| Northbound Van Ness Avenue meets Bay Street. While U.S. 101 turned left from Van Ness Avenue two blocks south of here at Lombard Street, westbound Bay Street and Marina Boulevard (around the south side of Fort Mason and Marina Green) can be used as an alternate route, since Marina Boulevard joins U.S. 101 on the approach to the Golden Gate Bridge. Photo taken 11/28/03.
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| View of San Francisco from Treasure Island
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| Views of downtown San Francisco as seen from Alameda, near Oakland. Note the fog bank surrounding the city. Photo taken 03/19/06.
| | View of San Francisco from Alameda
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| Views of downtown San Francisco and the Bay Bridge as seen from Treasure Island. Photos taken 07/05/04.
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Interstate 80 enters the San Francisco Bay Area from the northeast, following the path of Historic U.S. 40 over the Carquinez Straits between Vallejo and Hercules, then closely following the eastern shoreline of the San Francisco Bay as it passes by San Pablo, Richmond, and El Cerrito en route to Berkeley and Oakland. The freeway is extremely congested as it merges with Interstate 580 (Richmond-San Rafael Bridge), and it meets Interstate 880 and the Interstate 580 split in the Maze interchange near downtown Oakland. While Interstate 880 continues south along the east bayshore and Interstate 580 turns southeast toward Hayward, Interstate 80 crosses the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge en route to the City, San Francisco. Crossing the bridge as a double-decked freeway, Interstate 80 reaches land at the Embarcadero, and the freeway quickly spawns exits leading to various downtown areas and tourist points of interest. The remaining segment of Interstate 80 is all viaduct, as it comes to its end at its junction with U.S. 101. Although Interstate 80 was at one time proposed to continue west all the way to the shore of the Pacific Ocean, it is still considered a transcontinental Interstate, the second longest Interstate in the nation.
Interstate 180 was the briefly used designation of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge during the 1980s. The numbering was eliminated due to route duplication with California 180 near Fresno. Today, this section of freeway is part of the larger Interstate 580.
 
Interstate 238 is a short connector route between Interstate 880 and Interstate 580 between San Leandro and Hayward. At Hayward, Interstate 238 transitions into California 238, and the state route leads south through Hayward and Fremont as Mission Boulevard, ending at Junction Interstate 680. There were plans to create an easterly freeway bypass of Fremont that would carry the California 238 designation, but those plans are on hiatus at best.
Interstate 280 is the Father Junipero Serra Freeway, named after one of the original California missionaries. Starting in San Jose at the stack interchange with U.S. 101 and Interstate 680, Interstate 280 starts its journey as an eight-lane freeway, carrying traffic through San Jose and Silicon Valley en route to San Francisco. This freeway is well-known as a good alternate to U.S. 101, the Bayshore Freeway, and it frequently carries less traffic because it passes through fewer urban areas. In fact, Interstate 280 passes right along the San Andreas Fault Line as it steers its way north along the San Francisco Peninsula. Finally leaving the relative peacefulness of the rural San Francisco State Fish and Game Refuge, the freeway quickly reenters suburbia, passing by U.S. 101 on its way to its terminus in San Francisco, near Pacific Bell Park (home of the Giants baseball team). The freeway does not reach Interstate 80 directly, although traffic may use the Embarcadero to reach the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.
Interstate 380 is a short freeway connector between Interstate 280 and San Francisco International Airport in San Bruno. The freeway is slated for a westerly extension to California 1, and the exit numbers begin at five to represent that fact. Interstate 380 nominally ends at U.S. 101, but dedicated ramps lead from the eastern terminus into the airport. Plans have surfaced at various intervals over the years to construct a new trans-bay bridge between Interstate 380 and Interstate 238; currently none are serious.
 
Interstate 480 (also known as California 480) was the proposed Embarcadero Freeway. Starting at what would have been the Interstate 80/280 interchange, the freeway to follow the bay shore to near Fisherman's Wharf, then enter a tunnel under North Beach. The freeway would resurface in the Marina District, then connect to the U.S. 101/Golden Gate Bridge approaches. Only a short stub of the freeway was constructed, and it was signed as California 480. The Embarcadero Freeway was a double-decked freeway between Interstate 80 and just south of Fisherman's Wharf. When this section of freeway was partially collapsed in 1989 as a result of the Loma Prieta quake, San Francisco city politicians decided not to reconstruct it. A surface boulevard replaced the freeway, and the tunnel was never constructed. Interstate 480 was retired from the Interstate Highway System, and the number has not been reassigned.
Interstate 580 is something of a hybrid freeway corridor, having been cobbled together by a variety of routes. The number is very apropos, as it connects Interstate 5 with Interstate 80. Replacing much of the U.S. 50 corridor in the East Bay, Interstate 580 begins at a remote junction with Interstate 5 near Vernalis and south of Tracy. It retains a 70 mph speed limit until it meets Interstate 205 (and Historic U.S. 50) west of Tracy. From that junction, Interstate 580 parallels the original routing of U.S. 50 as it crosses the Altamont Pass, home to thousands of windmills that constantly generate electricity for the Golden State. The freeway is always busy, as it is the largest portal from the Central Valley (and Los Angeles!) into the Bay Area. Interstate 580 quickly meets Interstate 680, a prime arterial through the San Ramon Valley, connecting Concord and Walnut Creek with San Jose, then crosses into Castro Valley and Hayward. At Hayward, through traffic turns north toward Oakland, while Interstate 238 spurs northwest toward San Leandro. Interstate 580 meets Interstate 80 and Interstate 880 in the Maze interchange, where it used to end until the mid-1980s, when it was extended over former California 17 over the Richmond-San Rafael bridge. Interstate 580 is the only Interstate to serve Marin County, and it meets its western terminus at Junction U.S. 101 in San Rafael within earshot of Skywalker Ranch.
Interstate 680 replaced California 21 as the main north-south route in the inland East Bay valleys. Starting at the interchange between Interstate 280 and U.S. 101 near downtown San Jose, Interstate 680 immediately turns north, leading through Milpitas and Fremont before entering the rural beauty of Sunol. Although the Sunol Grade routinely backs up with traffic commuting between the South Bay and East Bay, the view is unrivaled even in rush hour. Interstate 680 then enters San Ramon Valley, serving Pleasanton, Dublin, San Ramon, Danville, Walnut Creek, Concord, and Martinez. At Martinez, the freeway crosses the Sacramento River Delta via the Benicia-Martinez Bridge, which is slated for replacement. Interstate 680 used to follow what is now Interstate 780 into Vallejo, but it was re-routed over California 21 to end at Interstate 80 near Cordelia.
Interstate 780 is a short freeway connector route between Interstate 680 in Benicia at the foot of the Benicia-Martinez Bridge and Interstate 80 in Vallejo.
Interstate 880 is the Admiral Nimitz Freeway, which gained notoriety in 1989 when a significant portion of its double-decked section collapsed during the Loma Prieta Earthquake. By the late 1990s, that section was reconstructed, and the new Interstate 880 through Oakland is elevated on a new alignment that does not feature any double decked segments. Interstate 880 begins at Interstate 80 in the Maze interchange, at the eastern end of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. it leads south from Oakland, paralleling the eastern bay shore, en route to San Jose. it serves the Oakland Coliseum, the Oakland International Airport, San Leandro, Hayward, Newark, Fremont, and Milpitas as it approaches downtown San Jose. Interstate 880 replaced California 17 between San Jose and Oakland, but it feeds directly into California 17 as it leads toward Santa Cruz.
Interstate 980 connects Interstate 880 with Interstate 580 in downtown Oakland. The freeway continues northeast of Interstate 580 as California 24, en route to Walnut Creek and Concord.
U.S. 101 enters the Bay Area from the south near San Jose, passing through that city as it creates a spine for the San Francisco Peninsula. Easily one of the busiest routes in the Bay Area, U.S. 101 is always full of traffic as it passes through Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Palo Alto (home of Stanford University), Redwood City, San Carlos, and Burlingame as the Bayshore Freeway. U.S. 101 enters the city of San Francisco as a freeway, but it quickly changes to a city street (Van Ness Avenue and Lombard Street) as it passes through the city. It again becomes a freeway as it crosses the Golden Gate Bridge and enters Marin County near Sausalito. U.S. 101 becomes the Redwood Highway en route to Sonoma County and the North Coast.
California 1 follows the Pacific Ocean throughout the Bay Area. Much of it is two-lane rural highway, but it changes into a freeway as it approaches Pacifica and merges onto Interstate 280. Following 19th Avenue and Park Presidio Boulevard, California 1 is a major route through the city, but it is not a freeway. Like U.S. 101, it crosses the Golden Gate Bridge, but it splits off toward Point Reyes National Seashore upon reaching Marin County.
California 4 follows the California Delta Highway from its westerly terminus at Interstate 80 near the mouth of the Sacramento River east through Martinez, Concord, Pittsburg, and Antioch. California 4 leads into the Central Valley as a well-traveled, two-lane highway.
California 9 provides a scenic alternative to California 17 between Santa Cruz and Los Gatos.
California 13 is the Warren Freeway between Interstate 580 and California 24 in Oakland. The freeway is generally four lanes wide through this stretch, and it is reminiscent of the Cabrillo Freeway through Balboa Park (California 163). North of California 24, northbound California 13/Warren Freeway transitions into Tunnel Road, then turns due west via Ashby Avenue through Berkeley en route to Interstate 80 at Eastshore State Park.
California 17 connects Santa Cruz with San Jose. Built as an expressway for much of its length, it changes into a freeway as it enters Silicon Valley. California 17 used to continue north of San Jose along the current alignment of Interstate 880 to Oakland and then Interstate 580 to Marin County.
California 24 is the major east-west connection from the Walnut Creek/Concord area into the Oakland metropolitan area. Passing through the Caldecott Tunnel between Berkeley and Orinda, California 24 is slated to be widened to include a fourth tunnel bore. With that expansion, the freeway will be at least eight lanes wide at all times. The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) tracks closely parallel California 24 for its entire length.
California 35 is Skyline Boulevard, following the ridge of mountains that form the backbone of the San Francisco Peninsula. It is largely a two-lane highway until it connects with Interstate 280, and then it becomes a four-lane divided highway as it enters San Francisco. The highway ends at its junction with California 1 (19th Avenue).
California 37 connects Novato with Vallejo via Sears Point along the north shore of San Pablo Bay. Although it is two lanes in spots, it is planned for upgrades due to traffic and safety issues.
California 61 is Encinal Avenue as it passes between Alameda and Oakland. It connects to California 260 at its northern end and California 112 at its southern end, and it serves Oakland International Airport. The route has been proposed to be extended north and south of these termini, but there are no current plans to construct these extensions.
California 77 is 42nd Avenue between Interstate 880 and California 185 (International Boulevard) in the vicinity of High Street in Oakland. The remainder of this route is unconstructed (and very unlikely to be constructed); it is anticipated to head northeast toward Moraga. It is unsigned.
California 82 is El Camino Real, the original route of U.S. 101 before it was moved onto the Bayshore Freeway. This route is very congested with suburban traffic for its entire length between San Jose and San Francisco/Daly City.
California 84 is split into two parts. The western California 84 begins near San Gregorio at its junction with California 1 and connects the peninsula with the east bay via the Dumbarton Bridge. This segment ends at its junction with Interstate 580 in Pleasanton. The eastern segment of the highway follows the banks of the Sacramento River between Rio Vista (junction California 12) and Interstate 80 in West Sacramento. Plans call for a connection between these two segments, but a proposal to construct a toll facility along that alignment was dropped in the early 1990s due to its controversial nature.
California 85 provides an alternate route to busy U.S. 101 through Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Saratoga, and San Jose.
California 87 is Guadalupe Parkway through San Jose. The portion closest to the San Jose International Airport is currently under construction for expansion to full freeway standards.
California 92 is the San Mateo Bridge, which is currently being widened in stages across the bay, starting in Hayward.
Unsigned California 93
California 93 is officially unconstructed, but an expressway along the approximate proposed alignment of California 93 is in place, along the Richmond Parkway. Although unsigned and maintained locally, the call box mileage on this parkway suggest that this route is indeed California 93, even though there are no shields or postmile markers. The Richmond Parkway begins at its junction with Interstate 580 in Richmond, then arcs northeast to meet Interstate 80. The proposed routing of California 93 continues east from Interstate 80 to San Pablo Reservoir then south toward Orinda and Moraga, but this route is very unlikely to be constructed.
Unsigned California 112
California 112 is Davis Street between California 61 (Doolittle Drive) and California 185 (East 14th Street) in San Leandro. It may be unsigned or signed as California 61.
California 123 is Historic U.S. 40 (San Pablo Avenue) through El Cerrito and Berkeley.
California 130 is Mount Hamilton Road, starting in downtown San Jose and leading east to Mount Hamilton. Proposals call for this route to be extended to the Central Valley, perhaps as a freeway, but such a route has met opposition.
California 131 is Tiburon Boulevard from U.S. 101 southeast to Tiburon in Marin County.
California 185 connects Hayward and Oakland via city streets, including International Boulevard in Oakland, roughly parallel to Interstate 880.
California 237 is the South Bay Freeway between California 82 (El Camino Real) and Interstate 680 in Milpitas. Most of the route is a freeway, except the portion between Interstate 880 and Interstate 680.
California 260 is the Posey Tubes, located at the north end of California 61 between Alameda and Oakland. The tubes go underwater near Jack London Square near the western terminus of Interstate 980 to provide access to the city of Alameda.
Page Updated September 2, 2007.
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