California State Route 238
Encyclopedia
State Route 238 is a north–south highway in the U.S. state
of California
. The route is a divided multilane surface highway in the southeastern part of the San Francisco Bay Area
. SR 238 connects Interstate 580
in Castro Valley
and Interstate 680
in Fremont
.
and Union City
parallel to the Hayward hills. It formerly contained a segment of east–west freeway now designated as Interstate 238 and, until Interstate 680 was completed in the area and supplanted it completely as a through route, extended to San José, California
at its intersection with U.S. Route 101. Locally it is designated Mission Boulevard from I-680 to the intersection with State Route 92
and State Route 185
(which continues as Mission Boulevard), then from that intersection to I-580 as Foothill Boulevard.
founded in 1797, for which the road is named. Mission Boulevard proceeds in both directions from the Mission, but mainly northwest through Fremont, Union City, and Hayward. At the north end of Hayward it changes its name to East 14th Street, which continues as a major thoroughfare going through San Leandro
and Oakland
. Since it runs along the base of the hills, Mission Boulevard nearly coincides with the Hayward Fault
, a major earthquake fault, for almost the entire length of the Boulevard.
Mission Boulevard joins the historic centers of the Mission San Jose and Niles districts of Fremont (formerly independent towns), the Decoto district of Union City
(formerly an independent town), and Hayward
.
, SR 238 was part of State Route 9. The segment of what is now Interstate 238 was built as a freeway in 1956, before it became part of the Interstate Highway System
in 1983.
For several decades, SR 238 from Hayward to Fremont was also planned to be upgraded to a freeway, called the "Mission" or "Foothill" freeway. It was submitted to the Interstate Highway System in October 1968 but was rejected. Then after a series of lawsuits and appeals, Caltrans had to abandon the project in 2004 and sell off the property it had acquired in the name of eminent domain
along the proposed route.
As an alternative, SR 238 is proposed to be expanded from two lanes in each direction to three lanes in each direction along the majority of its width. Changes proposed also include a one way circulation through Downtown Hayward
, and various improvements to traffic signals and closure of minor streets intersecting with SR 238. Construction on the Route 238 Corridor Improvement Project began in July 2010.
The entire route is in Alameda County
.
{| class=wikitable
!Location
!Postmile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=6|Fremont
|0.00
|Mission Boulevard
|Continuation beyond I-680
|-
|0.00
|
|Interchange
|-
|
|Stevenson Boulevard
|
|-
|
|Walnut Avenue, Morrison Canyon Road
|
|-bgcolor=#ddffdd
|3.31
|
|South end of SR 84 overlap
|-bgcolor=#ddffdd
|3.64
|
|North end of SR 84 overlap
|-
|rowspan=2|Union City
|6.78
|Decoto Road – Decoto District
, Dumbarton Bridge
|
|-
|
|Whipple Road – Alvarado District
|
|-
|rowspan=6|Hayward
|9.32
| Alquire Parkway, Industrial Parkway to I-880
|
|-
|9.94
|Tennyson Road
|
|-
|11.20
|Harder Road – San Mateo Bridge
|
|-
|12.61
|
|
|-
|12.61
|
|
|-
|13.12
|A Street
|
|-
|rowspan=3|Castro Valley
|14.29
|Castro Valley Boulevard, Mattox Road
|Interchange northbound and at-grade intersection southbound
|-
|R14.47
|
|Interchange; northbound exit and southbound entrance
|-
|R14.47
|
|Interchange; northbound exit and southbound entrance
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The route is a divided multilane surface highway in the southeastern part of the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
. SR 238 connects Interstate 580
Interstate 580 (California)
Interstate 580 is an 80-mile east–west Interstate Highway in Northern California. The heavily traveled spur route of Interstate 80 runs from San Rafael in the San Francisco Bay Area to Interstate 5 near Tracy in the Central Valley...
in Castro Valley
Castro Valley, California
Castro Valley is a census-designated place in Alameda County, California, United States. As of the 2000 census, it is the fifth most populous unincorporated area in California, and the twenty-third in the United States...
and Interstate 680
Interstate 680 (California)
Interstate 680 is a north–south Interstate Highway in Northern California. It curves around the eastern cities of the San Francisco Bay Area from San Jose to Interstate 80 at Cordelia, bypassing cities along the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay such as Oakland and Richmond while serving...
in Fremont
Fremont, California
Fremont is a city in Alameda County, California. It was incorporated on January 23, 1956, from the merger of five smaller communities: Centerville, Niles, Irvington, Mission San Jose, and Warm Springs...
.
Route description
SR 238 goes through HaywardHayward, California
Hayward is a city located in the East Bay in Alameda County, California. With a population of 144,186, Hayward is the sixth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area and the third largest in Alameda County. Hayward was ranked as the 37th most populous municipality in California. It is included in...
and Union City
Union City, California
Union City is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It was incorporated in 1959, combining the communities of Alvarado and Decoto. Alvarado was the original county seat of Alameda County, and the site of the first county courthouse is a California Historical Landmark . The city...
parallel to the Hayward hills. It formerly contained a segment of east–west freeway now designated as Interstate 238 and, until Interstate 680 was completed in the area and supplanted it completely as a through route, extended to San José, California
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
at its intersection with U.S. Route 101. Locally it is designated Mission Boulevard from I-680 to the intersection with State Route 92
California State Route 92
State Route 92 is an east-west highway in the San Francisco Bay area between Half Moon Bay near the coast in the west and downtown Hayward at its junction with State Route 238 and State Route 185. It is most notable for being the route that traverses the San Mateo Bridge. It has interchanges with...
and State Route 185
California State Route 185
State Route 185 is a state highway in the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. It runs along sections of Mission Boulevard in Hayward, East 14th Street in San Leandro and International Boulevard in Oakland.-Route description:...
(which continues as Mission Boulevard), then from that intersection to I-580 as Foothill Boulevard.
Mission Boulevard
Mission Boulevard is the road that passes in front of Mission San José, the historic Spanish MissionSpanish missions in California
The Spanish missions in California comprise a series of religious and military outposts established by Spanish Catholics of the Franciscan Order between 1769 and 1823 to spread the Christian faith among the local Native Americans. The missions represented the first major effort by Europeans to...
founded in 1797, for which the road is named. Mission Boulevard proceeds in both directions from the Mission, but mainly northwest through Fremont, Union City, and Hayward. At the north end of Hayward it changes its name to East 14th Street, which continues as a major thoroughfare going through San Leandro
San Leandro, California
San Leandro is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It is considered a suburb of Oakland and San Francisco. The population was 84,950 as of 2010 census. The climate of the city is mild throughout the year.-Geography and water resources:...
and Oakland
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
. Since it runs along the base of the hills, Mission Boulevard nearly coincides with the Hayward Fault
Hayward Fault Zone
The Hayward Fault Zone is a geologic fault zone capable of generating significantly destructive earthquakes. This strike-slip fault is about long, situated mainly along the western base of the hills on the east side of San Francisco Bay...
, a major earthquake fault, for almost the entire length of the Boulevard.
Mission Boulevard joins the historic centers of the Mission San Jose and Niles districts of Fremont (formerly independent towns), the Decoto district of Union City
Union City, California
Union City is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It was incorporated in 1959, combining the communities of Alvarado and Decoto. Alvarado was the original county seat of Alameda County, and the site of the first county courthouse is a California Historical Landmark . The city...
(formerly an independent town), and Hayward
Hayward, California
Hayward is a city located in the East Bay in Alameda County, California. With a population of 144,186, Hayward is the sixth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area and the third largest in Alameda County. Hayward was ranked as the 37th most populous municipality in California. It is included in...
.
History
Before California massively renumbered its state highways in 19641964 state highway renumbering (California)
In 1963 and 1964, the California Division of Highways implemented a major renumbering of its state highways. The majority of sign routes — those marked for the public — kept their numbers; the main changes were to the legislative routes, which had their numbers changed to match the sign routes...
, SR 238 was part of State Route 9. The segment of what is now Interstate 238 was built as a freeway in 1956, before it became part of the Interstate Highway System
Interstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, , is a network of limited-access roads including freeways, highways, and expressways forming part of the National Highway System of the United States of America...
in 1983.
For several decades, SR 238 from Hayward to Fremont was also planned to be upgraded to a freeway, called the "Mission" or "Foothill" freeway. It was submitted to the Interstate Highway System in October 1968 but was rejected. Then after a series of lawsuits and appeals, Caltrans had to abandon the project in 2004 and sell off the property it had acquired in the name of eminent domain
Eminent domain
Eminent domain , compulsory purchase , resumption/compulsory acquisition , or expropriation is an action of the state to seize a citizen's private property, expropriate property, or seize a citizen's rights in property with due monetary compensation, but without the owner's consent...
along the proposed route.
As an alternative, SR 238 is proposed to be expanded from two lanes in each direction to three lanes in each direction along the majority of its width. Changes proposed also include a one way circulation through Downtown Hayward
Downtown Hayward
Downtown Hayward is the original and current city center of Hayward, California, and is home to the current Hayward City Hall, along with the two previous city halls, Alex Giualini Plaza and The Tower at Hayward City Center...
, and various improvements to traffic signals and closure of minor streets intersecting with SR 238. Construction on the Route 238 Corridor Improvement Project began in July 2010.
Major intersections
- Note: Except where prefixed with a letter, postmiles were measured in 1964, based on the alignment as it existed at that time, and do not necessarily reflect current mileage.
The entire route is in Alameda County
Alameda County, California
Alameda County is a county in the U.S. state of California. It occupies most of the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 1,510,271, making it the 7th most populous county in the state...
.
{| class=wikitable
!Location
!Postmile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=6|Fremont
Fremont, California
Fremont is a city in Alameda County, California. It was incorporated on January 23, 1956, from the merger of five smaller communities: Centerville, Niles, Irvington, Mission San Jose, and Warm Springs...
|0.00
|Mission Boulevard
|Continuation beyond I-680
|-
|0.00
|
|Interchange
|-
|
|Stevenson Boulevard
|
|-
|
|Walnut Avenue, Morrison Canyon Road
|
|-bgcolor=#ddffdd
|3.31
|
|South end of SR 84 overlap
|-bgcolor=#ddffdd
|3.64
|
|North end of SR 84 overlap
|-
|rowspan=2|Union City
Union City, California
Union City is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It was incorporated in 1959, combining the communities of Alvarado and Decoto. Alvarado was the original county seat of Alameda County, and the site of the first county courthouse is a California Historical Landmark . The city...
|6.78
|Decoto Road – Decoto District
Decoto, California
Decoto is a former settlement in Alameda County, California, now annexed to Union City. It was located north-northwest of downtown Newark.In 1867, Ezra Decoto, a local landowner sold land to the railroad. A settlement grew up around the place...
, Dumbarton Bridge
Dumbarton Bridge (California)
The Dumbarton Bridge is the southernmost of the highway bridges that span the San Francisco Bay in California. Carrying over 81,000 vehicles daily, it is also the shortest bridge across San Francisco Bay at 1.63 miles...
|
|-
|
|Whipple Road – Alvarado District
Alvarado, California
Alvarado is a former settlement in and former county seat of Alameda County, California, now annexed to Union City. It was located north-northwest of downtown Newark....
|
|-
|rowspan=6|Hayward
Hayward, California
Hayward is a city located in the East Bay in Alameda County, California. With a population of 144,186, Hayward is the sixth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area and the third largest in Alameda County. Hayward was ranked as the 37th most populous municipality in California. It is included in...
|9.32
| Alquire Parkway, Industrial Parkway to I-880
|
|-
|9.94
|Tennyson Road
|
|-
|11.20
|Harder Road – San Mateo Bridge
San Mateo – Hayward Bridge
The San Mateo – Hayward Bridge is a bridge crossing California's San Francisco Bay, linking the San Francisco Peninsula with the East Bay. The bridge's west end is in Foster City, the most recent urban addition to the eastern edge of San Mateo. The east end of the bridge is in Hayward...
|
|-
|12.61
|
|
|-
|12.61
|
|
|-
|13.12
|A Street
|
|-
|rowspan=3|Castro Valley
Castro Valley, California
Castro Valley is a census-designated place in Alameda County, California, United States. As of the 2000 census, it is the fifth most populous unincorporated area in California, and the twenty-third in the United States...
|14.29
|Castro Valley Boulevard, Mattox Road
|Interchange northbound and at-grade intersection southbound
|-
|R14.47
|
|Interchange; northbound exit and southbound entrance
|-
|R14.47
|
|Interchange; northbound exit and southbound entrance