California 61, California 112, and California 260

California 61 connects San Leandro with Oakland International Airport, the city of Alameda, and downtown Oakland. Although signed throughout as California 61, the portion of state highway along Webster Street and Posey Street is technically California 260. The segment of Davis Street between Doolittle Drive and California 185/East 14th Street is legislatively California 112, but it is signed as California 61. Legislatively, California 61 is proposed for extension south of Davis Street.

California 112/Davis Street west (California 61 north)
California 61/Doolittle Drive north
California 61/Otis Drive north
California 61/Broadway north
California 61/Encinal Avenue north
California 61/Central Avenue north
California 260/Webster Street (California 61) north
As northbound California 61/260 leaves the city of Alameda (signed as California 61, but is legislatively California 260), it gains freeway characteristics as it passes under the offramp from southbound California 260 to Constitution Way. Photo taken 07/05/04.
Approaching the Posey Tube, which takes California 260/61 under the Oakland Inner Harbor Channel, use the left lane for downtown Oakland/Harrison Street and the right lane to Interstate 880/Nimitz Freeway. Photo taken 07/05/04.
The Posey Tube was named for Alameda County Surveyor George Posey, who was involved in the original design and construction of the tube. Built well before the parallel Webster Tube, it was planned in stages between 1908 and 1923, with construction beginning in 1925 and concluding with the opening on October 27, 1928. The opening date on the sign is considered to be incorrect, as it was opened in 1928, not 1927. A plaque behind the 1927 sign reveals the correct date to be 1928. See Alameda Info's Posey Tube for more information. Photo taken 07/05/04.
The grand entrance to the Posey Tube is designed to act as a collar to prevent water from seeping into the tube. The tube carries two lanes of traffic one way toward Oakland. The other tube (Webster Tube) carries the southbound direction, and it was not constructed until 1968 due to increasing traffic needs. Both tubes were retrofitted for earthquake safety between 1999 and 2003. Photo taken 07/05/04.
View of the interior of northbound California 61/260/Posey Tube. Photo taken 07/05/04.

California 61/260 emerges from the tube, and a second sign advises travelers to Interstate 880 to prepare to make a right turn. Note the use of the button copy shield that was pasted over a California 17 shield, thus betraying the age of this sign. Photo taken 07/05/04.
After emerging from the Posey Tube, this end California 61 shield is placed, alongside a freeway sign pointing the way to Interstate 880/Nimitz Freeway. Continue straight ahead on Harrison Street to enter downtown Oakland. Photo taken 07/05/04.
Now heading east on 7th Street, the first ramp is for Interstate 880 north to San Francisco (with connections to Interstate 980, Interstate 80, and Interstate 580) via Jackson Street. Continue straight ahead for the ramp to southbound Interstate 880 to San Jose and the South Bay (or turn right on Jackson if you want; there is access there too!). Photo taken 07/05/04.
Freeway entrance for Interstate 880 north and Interstate 980 east from westbound Jackson Street. Photo taken 07/05/04.
This sign for Broadway and north Interstate 880 is found on the onramp from Jackson Street. Photo taken 07/05/04.
California 260/Webster Street south (California 61 south)
The Webster Street (southbound) and Posey Street (northbound) Tubes, which together constitute California 260, were seismically retrofitted between 1999 and 2003. The Posey Tube was constructed in the 1920s and the Webster Tube was constructed in the early 1960s; both structures are unique to the area and hold a degree of historical value. Both tubes are 4,500 feet long (including approaches), and the Posey Tube was at one time the largest such tube in the world. Unlike many similar structures neither tube uses steel. Photo taken 04/04/04.
Now ascending from the tube, traffic comes up on the west side of the Oakland Inner Harbor Channel. Photo taken 04/04/04.
As California 260 emerges from the Webster Street Tube, the highway approaches an exit for Mariner Square Drive and Marina Village Parkway. Photo taken 04/04/04.
California 260, which is signed as California 61, reaches a right exit to Mariner Square Drive and a left exit to Constitution Way/Marina Village Parkway. Photo taken 04/04/04.
As California 260 enters the downtown area of Alameda, the highway changes from a limited access/substandard freeway into a city street. Photo taken 04/04/04.
Southbound California 160/Webster Street at Santa Clara Avenue. Photo taken 04/04/04.
Southbound California 260 comes to its end at the point where Webster Street meets Central Avenue. Official state maps and legislation still consider a northern extension of California 61 north from this point to somewhere near the Maze interchange, but such a highway is very unlikely to be constructed. Photo taken 04/04/04.
California 61/Central Avenue south
View of tree-lined California 61 as it heads south along Central Avenue. Photo taken 04/04/04.
Lush trees and foliage dominate the urban residences along California 61/Central Avenue as it passes through the heart of Alameda. Photo taken 04/04/04.
California 61/Encinal Avenue south
Southbound California 16/Encinal Avenue at Chestnut Street. Photo taken 04/04/04.
California 61 south turns right from Encinal Avenue onto Broadway. Photo taken 04/04/04.
California 61/Broadway south
Briefly, California 61 follows Broadway until turning southeast again on Otis Drive. Photo taken 04/04/04.
California 61/Otis Drive south
Southbound California 61/Otis Drive meets High Street and Bayview Drive at this traffic signal in Alameda. Photo taken 04/04/04.
This reassurance shield indicates that California 61 leaves Alameda Island via the upcoming drawbridge. Photo taken 04/04/04.
Southbound California 61/Otis Drive approaches the San Leandro Channel Drawbridge. Photo taken 04/04/04.
One of the rare drawbridges on the state highway system, this bridge spans the San Leandro Channel that connects San Francisco Bay with San Leandro Bay. Photo taken 04/04/04.
California 61/Doolittle Drive south
Late-day sun illuminates California 61 as the state route angles southeast away from the San Leandro Channel Drawbridge. Photo taken 04/04/04.
Doolittle Drive/California 61 narrows to a two-lane facility as it skirts the airport property. California 61 leaves the city of Alameda and enters the city of Oakland. Photo taken 04/04/04.
Across San Leandro Bay, the Oakland/Alameda County Coliseum Complex (Network Associates Coliseum) are visible across the water; this facility is located next to Interstate 880, which gives a good idea of the distance from here to the arena. The Oakland Raiders, Oakland A's, and Golden State Warriors play their respective professional sports (National Football League, Major League Baseball, and National Basketball Association) in the stadium/arena complex. Photo taken 04/04/04.
Southbound California 61/Doolittle Drive passes along the west shore of San Leandro Bay as it skirts the northeastern edge of the Oakland International Airport. The highway widens from two to four lanes upon reaching the airport entrances. Photo taken 04/04/04.
The Oakland International Airport is one of three major airports in the San Francisco Bay Area; the others are San Francisco International Airport on the peninsula and San Jose International Airport in the south bay. Photo taken 04/04/04.
The Hegenberger Road Expressway is a major arterial route from the airport northeast to Interstate 880/NImitz Freeway, then onward to a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Station before heading east past California 185/International Avenue. The expressway changes into 73rd Avenue and enters Eastmont. 73rd Avenue changes into Edwards Avenue before reaching Interstate 580 near its junction with California 13. Photo taken 04/04/04.
California 61 finally reaches the Oakland International Airport after passing by the lowlands of San Leandro Bay. The next exit connects to the airport access road. Photo taken 04/04/04.
California 112/Davis Street east (California 61 south)
California 61 scenes
Northbound California 61 shield. Photo taken by Trevor Carrier, Summer 2002.

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Page Updated May 8, 2004.

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