Interstate 980

Interstate 980 (I-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.^[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.

History

I-980 was added to the state highway system in 1947 as part of Legislative Route 226,^[3] and to the California Freeway and Expressway System in 1959.^[4] This segment of Route 226 became part of State Route 24 in the 1964 renumbering.^[5] 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,^[6] and the number was legislatively changed to 980 in 1981.^[7]

Construction on Interstate 980 began in the 1960s, but was not completed until 1985;^[8] 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.

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 Oakland, Alameda County.

References

External links

• Interstate 980 connection from 1966 Southern Crossing plan