Interstate 980
Encyclopedia
Interstate 980 is a short Interstate Highway spur entirely within Oakland, California
, connecting Interstate 580
and State Route 24
to Interstate 880 near Downtown Oakland
. I-980 passes the Oakland Convention Center and near the famous Jack London Square
. I-980 is commonly considered the dividing line between Downtown Oakland and West Oakland
. The freeway was planned as the eastern approach to the San Francisco Bay Southern Crossing.
The route is never signed by itself; that is, signs along Interstate 580 and Route 24 read "980 to 880" and signs along Interstate 880 read "980 to 24". Roadside signs eastbound between 880 and 580 refer to it as SR 24, even though it is defined as Interstate 980 through that section. Westbound the highway is signed as I-980. Interstate 980 was used as an alternate route between Oakland and San Francisco
when the Cypress Viaduct collapsed in the Loma Prieta earthquake
in 1989. Traffic headed from the south would have to use 980 to 580 west to 80 west to get across the Bay Bridge to reach San Francisco.
This route is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System
.
The freeway itself lacks overhead guide signs mentioning I-980. Immediately after Exit 1B - 17th Street/San Pablo Avenue going eastbound on I-980 is a guide sign mentioning the junction with I-580. Likewise, the guide signs on westbound I-980 at Exit 1D - 18th Street list I-880 and San Jose as a control city
.
in 1959. This segment of Route 226 became part of State Route 24 in the 1964 renumbering. The Federal Highway Administration
approved the addition of the roadway to the Interstate Highway System
in January 1976, with Interstate funding only used west of San Pablo Avenue, and the number was legislatively changed to 980 in 1981.
Construction on Interstate 980 began in the 1960s, but was not completed until 1985; officially the freeway was designated as I-980 from its opening. The surface roads which existed prior to the completion of the freeway had been designated as State Route 24
.
It is assumed by many that had the San Francisco Bay Southern Crossing ever been built, it would have carried the designation of I-980; this remains purely speculative, however.
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...
, connecting 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...
and State Route 24
California State Route 24
State Route 24 in the U.S. state of California is a heavily-traveled east–west freeway in the eastern side of the San Francisco Bay Area of northern California that runs from the Interstate 580/Interstate 980 interchange in Oakland to the Interstate 680 junction in Walnut Creek...
to Interstate 880 near Downtown Oakland
Downtown Oakland
Downtown Oakland is the central business district of Oakland, California; roughly bounded by 6th Street or the Oakland Estuary on the southwest, Interstate 980 on the northwest, Grand Avenue on the northeast, and Lake Merritt on the east....
. I-980 passes the Oakland Convention Center and near the famous Jack London Square
Jack London Square
Jack London Square is a popular tourist attraction on the waterfront of Oakland, California. Named after the author Jack London and owned by the Port of Oakland, it is the home of stores, restaurants, hotels, an Amtrak station, a ferry dock, the historic Saloon, the cabin Jack London lived in the...
. I-980 is commonly considered the dividing line between Downtown Oakland and West Oakland
West Oakland, Oakland, California
West Oakland is a neighborhood situated in the northwestern corner of Oakland, California along the waterfront near the Port of Oakland and San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge. It lies at an elevation of 13 feet .-History:...
. The freeway was planned as the eastern approach to the San Francisco Bay Southern Crossing.
The route is never signed by itself; that is, signs along Interstate 580 and Route 24 read "980 to 880" and signs along Interstate 880 read "980 to 24". Roadside signs eastbound between 880 and 580 refer to it as SR 24, even though it is defined as Interstate 980 through that section. Westbound the highway is signed as I-980. Interstate 980 was used as an alternate route between Oakland and San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
when the Cypress Viaduct collapsed in the Loma Prieta earthquake
Loma Prieta earthquake
The Loma Prieta earthquake, also known as the Quake of '89 and the World Series Earthquake, was a major earthquake that struck the San Francisco Bay Area of California on October 17, 1989, at 5:04 p.m. local time...
in 1989. Traffic headed from the south would have to use 980 to 580 west to 80 west to get across the Bay Bridge to reach San Francisco.
This route is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System
California Freeway and Expressway System
The California Freeway and Expressway System is a system of existing or planned freeways and expressways in the U.S. state of California. It is defined by the Streets and Highways Code.-List of roads in the system:*State Route 1 *State Route 2...
.
Route description
Although I-980 physically goes in a diagonal direction from southwest to northeast, it is signed as an east–west route like SR 24. Immediately after traffic leaves I-880 on elevated connector ramps, I-980 then descends below grade to pass under downtown city streets. The freeway then ascends above grade to pass over San Pablo and 27th Street before reaching I-580 and SR 24.The freeway itself lacks overhead guide signs mentioning I-980. Immediately after Exit 1B - 17th Street/San Pablo Avenue going eastbound on I-980 is a guide sign mentioning the junction with I-580. Likewise, the guide signs on westbound I-980 at Exit 1D - 18th Street list I-880 and San Jose as a control city
Control city
A control city is a city or locality posted on a traffic sign indicating forward destinations on a certain route. These destinations aid motorists using the highway system to reach destinations along the various routes...
.
History
I-980 was added to the state highway system in 1947 as part of Legislative Route 226, and to the California Freeway and Expressway SystemCalifornia Freeway and Expressway System
The California Freeway and Expressway System is a system of existing or planned freeways and expressways in the U.S. state of California. It is defined by the Streets and Highways Code.-List of roads in the system:*State Route 1 *State Route 2...
in 1959. This segment of Route 226 became part of State Route 24 in the 1964 renumbering. The Federal Highway Administration
Federal Highway Administration
The Federal Highway Administration is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two "programs," the Federal-aid Highway Program and the Federal Lands Highway Program...
approved the addition of the roadway to 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 January 1976, with Interstate funding only used west of San Pablo Avenue, and the number was legislatively changed to 980 in 1981.
Construction on Interstate 980 began in the 1960s, but was not completed until 1985; officially the freeway was designated as I-980 from its opening. The surface roads which existed prior to the completion of the freeway had been designated as State Route 24
California State Route 24
State Route 24 in the U.S. state of California is a heavily-traveled east–west freeway in the eastern side of the San Francisco Bay Area of northern California that runs from the Interstate 580/Interstate 980 interchange in Oakland to the Interstate 680 junction in Walnut Creek...
.
It is assumed by many that had the San Francisco Bay Southern Crossing ever been built, it would have carried the designation of I-980; this remains purely speculative, however.