Interstate 580 East - Contra Costa County


Interstate 580 east
Near the midpoint of the Richmond San Rafael Bridge, Interstate 580 leaves Marin County and enters Contra Costa County. From here, it's not too long before the freeway returns to land. At this point, the lower deck opens up, allowing the eastbound lanes to return to the same grade as the westbound lanes. There is no toll along eastbound; westbound travelers must pay a toll that may vary based on time of day and number of occupants in the vehicle. Photos taken 07/02/13, 05/25/06, and 11/28/03.
After exiting the bridge, westbound Interstate 580 approaches Exit 7, Richmond Parkway, which connects to Richmond Terminal #4 and the Richmond Historic District. This divided highway provides a bypass to the northwest of Richmond and San Pablo, offering an alternate route to eastbound Interstate 80. This corridor has been proposed as California 93, but since the route is maintained locally, it is not signed as California 93. Toll booth construction resulted in some temporary traffic control changes at the time we passed through the area. Photo taken 07/02/13.
Despite the implication made by the sign that Interstate 80 is nearby, don't be fooled. Interstate 80 is still many miles east of this exit. Richmond Parkway is the most direct and shortest route from Interstate 580 to Interstate 80 at this point, since Interstate 580 curves southeast and Interstate 80 effectively runs north-south along the Eastshore Freeway. Photo taken 07/02/13.
Use Exit 7 to Richmond's Castro Street. Photo taken 07/02/13.
Heavy traffic combined with a narrow freeway due to adjacent construction resulted in a slow ride through this area. Photo taken 07/02/13.
Eastbound Interstate 580 meets Exit 7, Richmond Parkway to Interstate 80 east, Port of Richmond (including Terminal #4), Point Richmond, Historic Richmond, and Castro Street. Photo taken 07/02/13.
The next three exits along Interstate 580 east are: Exit 8, Canal Boulevard and Garrard Boulevard; Exit 9, Harbour Way and Cutting Boulevard; and Exit 10, Marina Bay Parkway. Photo taken 07/02/13.
Widening to three through lanes and an auxiliary lane for Exit 8, eastbound Interstate 580 sees the speed limit increase to 65 miles per hour. The right lane becomes exit only for Exit 8. Photo taken 07/02/13.
Eastbound Interstate 580 meets Exit 8, Canal Boulevard and Garrard Boulevard in the vicinity of the Port of Richmond. The commerical hub of the city was in Point Richmond, but that moved toward today's downtown Richmond as the city grew rapidly in the 1950s and 1960s. The city is approximately 56.1 square miles. To the south of the freeway is a road tunnel that connects to the old ferry terminal via Garrard Boulevard. Known as the Point Richmond Tunnel, the Municipal Tunnel, or the Ferry Point Tunnel, it was built in 1899 as a rail tunnel and passes under Miller-Knox Regional Park. Tunnel bonds from the 1920s brought construction of the vehicular tunnel along Garrard Boulevard (which changes to Dornan Drive at the south end of the tunnel). At the end of the tunnel is the Golden State Railroad Museum, the U.S.S. Red Oak Victory, Keller Beach, Ferry Point (and old ferry launching point), fishing pier, old brickyards, and plenty of shoreline. An adjacent railroad passes alongside the tunnel, and the railroad features an operational, upside-down "wigwag" grade crossing signals. This used to be the western terminus of the Santa Fe Railroad before taking a ferry the rest of the way to San Francisco. Photo taken 07/02/13.
The next three exits along Interstate 580 east are: Exit 9, Harbour Way and Cutting Boulevard; Exit 10A, Marina Bay Parkway and South 23rd Street; and Exit 10B, Regatta Boulevard. Photo taken 07/02/13.
The right lane of eastbound Interstate 580 becomes exit only for Exit 9, Harbour Way and Cutting Boulevard. Most of this area is port and industrial oriented, and there is substantial increase in truck traffic compared to what we experienced on Interstate 580 in Marin County. Photo taken 07/02/13.
Eastbound Interstate 580 reaches Exit 9, Harbour Way and Cutting Boulevard. Interstate 580 follows the path of former California 17, which was upgraded to Interstate standards as part of the 580 upgrade in the early 1990s. While some maps from the mid-1980s show this stretch of Interstate 580 as briefly signed as Interstate 180, there's no photographic evidence showing that 180 was ever used on signs or in the field. Photo taken 07/02/13.
Interstate 580 continues as a six-lane freeway as it passes under east-west Cutting Boulevard first, followed by Harbour Boulevard. Photo taken 07/02/13.
The next three exits along Interstate 580 east are: Exit 10A, Marina Bay Parkway and South 23rd Street; Exit 10B, Regatta Boulevard; and Exit 11, Bayview Avenue. The next overpass carries north-south Harbour Boulevard over the freeway. Photo taken 07/02/13.
Use Exit 10A, Marina Bay Parkway and South 23rd Street to the Richmond Civic Center. Note the auxiliary sign, which includes the exit number. The exit only sign is mounted on the Marina Way overpass. Look for the off-ramp right after the Marina Way overpass (we don't have a picture of this off-ramp yet). Photo taken 07/02/13.
The next exit along Interstate 580 east is Exit 10B, Regatta Boulevard. The right lane becomes exit only for Regatta Boulevard. Photo taken 07/02/13.
Eastbound Interstate 580 reaches Exit 10B, Regatta Boulevard. Photo taken 07/02/13.
Interstate 580 passes under the Regatta Boulevard overpass and two railroad spur bridges. At this point, Interstate 580 curves southeast and almost south as it moves toward a rendezvous with Interstate 80. Photo taken 07/02/13.
The next exit along eastbound Interstate 580 is Exit 11, Bayview Avenue. Photo taken 07/02/13.
Eastbound Interstate 580 meets Exit 11, Bayview Avenue. Photo taken 07/02/13.
While passing under Bayview Avenue, an overhead sign advises of the next interchange along Interstate 580 east: Exit 12, Central Avenue, which leads east into El Cerrito and connects to California 123/San Pablo Avenue (Historic U.S. 40). Photo taken 07/02/13.
Use Exit 12 to Point Isabel Regional Shoreline, which is part of the sprawling East Bay Regional Park District. Photo taken 07/02/13.
Traffic again increases as Interstate 580 approaches Exit 12, Central Avenue in Richmond. Photo taken 07/02/13.
Eastbound Interstate 580 reaches Exit 12, Central Avenue. After this interchange, Interstate 580 will leave Contra Costa County and the city of Richmond. Interstate 580 next enters Alameda County and the city of Albany. Photo taken 07/02/13.
Passing under Central Avenue, this mileage sign along eastbound Interstate 580 provides the distance to the next three exits: Exit 13, Buchanan Avenue (left exit); Exit 12, Gilman Street; and Exit 11, University Avenue. Between Exit 13 and Exit 11, Interstate 80 west merges with Interstate 580 east; the two routes will travel due south together on the Eastshore Freeway. Exits 12 and 11 are numbered per the Interstate 80 mileage, not Interstate 580, but this is confusing considering we just passed Interstate 580's Exits 11 and 12. Photo taken 07/02/13.
Interstate 580 enters Alameda County and the city of Albany (population 18,539 as of the 2010 Census and incorporated on September 22, 1908). Photo taken 07/02/13.


Continue east on I-580 to Oakland  Return to the Interstate 580 Guide  Return to the California Gateway

Page Updated August 24, 2013.

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