Interstate 805

Interstate 805 (I-805, and colloquially referred to as "the eight-oh-five") is a major north–south Interstate Highway in Southern California. It is a bypass of Interstate 5, running along the eastern areas of the Greater San Diego area from San Ysidro near the Mexico–U.S. border to near Del Mar.

The southern terminus of I-805 at I-5 in San Ysidro is less than a mile north of the Mexican border. I-805 then traverses through the cities of Chula Vista and National City before reentering San Diego. The freeway then passes though the San Diego neighborhoods of North Park, Mission Valley, Clairemont, and University City before terminating at I-5 in the Sorrento Valley neighborhood near the Del Mar city limit.

The route is officially known as the Jacob Dekema Freeway, after Jacob Dekema, a pioneering force from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) who helped shape the San Diego freeway system. It is also part of the California Freeway and Expressway System.^[2]

Route description

Eight to ten lanes throughout, Interstate 805 has evolved into a busy commuter route from the International Border into the exploding South Bay communities of Chula Vista (including Rancho del Rey and Eastlake) and National City. The freeway also leads into the relatively new business parks near University City (via Governor Drive and La Jolla Village Drive) and Sorrento Valley. As more companies locate along the route of Interstate 805, more traffic utilizes the route as an important connector to get from home to work. In addition to commuter traffic, the freeway is one of two north–south freeways that reach Mexico. Traffic to and from the border is also very common along Interstate 805.^[3]

The route begins at Interstate 5 near the Mexican border in a far south part of San Diego. As it begins its journey northward, it quickly interchanges with SR 905^[1] before exiting the city and entering Chula Vista. In this city, it has exits with various local roads before exiting the city.^[1] Just outside the city, I-805 meets County Route S17, also known as Bonita Road, before interchanging with SR 54.^[1] The route then enters National City, where it meets Sweetwater Road and Plaza Boulevard before leaving the city and reentering San Diego.^[1]

It then continues northward through the city of San Diego, where it intersects SR 94, also known as Martin Luther King Jr. Freeway,.^[1] As it continues through downtown San Diego, it meets SR 15, the southern stub of I-15^[4] It then meets El Cajon Boulevard, which is also signed as I-8 Business, before entering Interstate 8. I-805 then travels on the Mission Valley Viaduct, a towering reinforced concrete viaduct built in 1972, spanning over Mission Valley and the San Diego River.^[4] The viaduct is the top stack of the Jack Schrade Interchange over Interstate 8, which runs along the south side of Mission Valley and crosses underneath the viaduct perpendicularly and is San Diego County's only symmetrical stack interchange. The San Diego Trolley traffic also runs under the viaduct on the valley floor. It then meets SR 163, also known as Cabrillo Freeway. It then continues through suburban San Diego, where it meets SR 52 in Clairemont Mesa. North of SR 52, it closely parallels Interstate 5 near La Jolla. It then finally meets its north end at I-5. At the I-5 interchange, which is also located along the widest freeway in the Interstate Highway System,^[5] SR 56 is accessible via Local Bypass.^[6]

The portion of the route north of Division Street (at the San Diego-National City boundary) roughly follows the boundaries of two Spanish royal land grants, dating from California's founding as a Spanish colony. The lands to the west of Interstate 805 were the "Pueblo Lands", granted directly to the town of San Diego to be subdivided; the lands to the east were granted to the Mission San Diego de Alcala, to be used as farm and ranch lands so that the mission could be self-supporting (through the labor of native converts). While the Mission land grant extends only north to approximately Miramar Road, the Pueblo Lands extend to the northern end of this highway.

History

Plans for I-805 were passed in legislature in 1959 as Legislative Route Number 241. It was approved as a chargeable interstate in 1958,^[7] and declared a signed state route in 1964. The freeway was opened in 1975.^[8]

A major expansion of the 805-5 merge zone was opened to traffic on April 3, 2007. Including HOV Lanes and local bypass lanes, this merge spans 22 lanes at the widest point. Work is also underway to add two HOV Lanes between State Route 52 and Mira Mesa Boulevard.

As of 2007, a three-year project is underway to allow robot controlled vehicles, including buses and trucks, to use a special lane. The intention is to allow the vehicles to travel at shorter following distances and thereby allow more vehicles to use the lanes. The vehicles will still have drivers since they need to enter and exit the special lanes. The system is being designed by Swoop Technology, based in San Diego County.^[3]

Interstate 805 was once known as State Route 805, the only sign that still says SR-805 is in a parking lot at the Westfield mall in Plaza Bonita.

Exit list

Note: Except where prefixed with a letter, postmiles were measured on the road as it was in 1964, and do not necessarily reflect current mileage.

The entire route is in San Diego County.

References

External links

• California @ WestCoastRoads.com - Interstate 805
• California Highways: I-805