San Francisco, 1974

[bing101]

Here is a tour of the city in 1994. Wow by the Dot Com Boom everything started to escalate 5 years later after this video was made.

[TheStranger]

The most interesting aspect of the 1992 Central Freeway video isn't the Central Freeway itself (especially since it only captures much of the portion that still existed between Market and Fell until 2005), but that 80/101 Civic Center sign just off the Bay Bridge that likely dated back to the 1960s (when 80 was still planned to follow the Central Freeway to Fell and then to the unbuilt Western Freeway)




Not sure when the above was removed, but the westernmost I-80 mainline pullthrough sign going westbound is now at the MacArthur Maze.  (I think there are a few trailblazer shields on 80 west in SF remaining though)

[jdbx]

Not sure when the above was removed, but the westernmost I-80 mainline pullthrough sign going westbound is now at the MacArthur Maze.  (I think there are a few trailblazer shields on 80 west in SF remaining though)

I think that this Freeway Entrance assembly at 7th and Harrison is the farthest west that one can see a westbound I-80 shield:

https://www.google.com/maps/@37.7753024,-122.40649,3a,75y,211.37h,93.32t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sGKxNtOH_U9w_Yi22T0Gl1A!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[sparker]

Not sure when the above was removed, but the westernmost I-80 mainline pullthrough sign going westbound is now at the MacArthur Maze.  (I think there are a few trailblazer shields on 80 west in SF remaining though)

I think that this Freeway Entrance assembly at 7th and Harrison is the farthest west that one can see a westbound I-80 shield:

https://www.google.com/maps/@37.7753024,-122.40649,3a,75y,211.37h,93.32t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sGKxNtOH_U9w_Yi22T0Gl1A!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

That's D4 being literal-minded; since it's less than a half-mile to the 80 terminus, if it were D7 or D8 the entrance reference would be the more practical "TO US 101".   

[TheStranger]

Not sure when the above was removed, but the westernmost I-80 mainline pullthrough sign going westbound is now at the MacArthur Maze.  (I think there are a few trailblazer shields on 80 west in SF remaining though)

I think that this Freeway Entrance assembly at 7th and Harrison is the farthest west that one can see a westbound I-80 shield:

https://www.google.com/maps/@37.7753024,-122.40649,3a,75y,211.37h,93.32t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sGKxNtOH_U9w_Yi22T0Gl1A!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

That's D4 being literal-minded; since it's less than a half-mile to the 80 terminus, if it were D7 or D8 the entrance reference would be the more practical "TO US 101".   

Funny enough, in San Bruno, the ramps from El Camino Real/Route 82 to 380 east are all signed for 101 (with no mention of 380 at all) as a comparison.

SAMSUNG-SM-G930A

[stevashe]

Not sure when the above was removed, but the westernmost I-80 mainline pullthrough sign going westbound is now at the MacArthur Maze.  (I think there are a few trailblazer shields on 80 west in SF remaining though)

I think that this Freeway Entrance assembly at 7th and Harrison is the farthest west that one can see a westbound I-80 shield:

https://www.google.com/maps/@37.7753024,-122.40649,3a,75y,211.37h,93.32t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sGKxNtOH_U9w_Yi22T0Gl1A!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

That's D4 being literal-minded; since it's less than a half-mile to the 80 terminus, if it were D7 or D8 the entrance reference would be the more practical "TO US 101".   

Funny enough, in San Bruno, the ramps from El Camino Real/Route 82 to 380 east are all signed for 101 (with no mention of 380 at all) as a comparison.

SAMSUNG-SM-G930A

But they didn't go for signing 280 in the other direction?? Talk about inconsistency...

[jdbx]

Not sure when the above was removed, but the westernmost I-80 mainline pullthrough sign going westbound is now at the MacArthur Maze.  (I think there are a few trailblazer shields on 80 west in SF remaining though)

I think that this Freeway Entrance assembly at 7th and Harrison is the farthest west that one can see a westbound I-80 shield:

https://www.google.com/maps/@37.7753024,-122.40649,3a,75y,211.37h,93.32t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sGKxNtOH_U9w_Yi22T0Gl1A!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

That's D4 being literal-minded; since it's less than a half-mile to the 80 terminus, if it were D7 or D8 the entrance reference would be the more practical "TO US 101".   

The funny thing about it is that the BGS above more usefully notes it as the ramp towards US 101 South.  There is a similar situation farther east at 4th and Harrison.  West I-80 freeway entrance assembly, BGS adjacent signing it as US 101 South.

https://www.google.com/maps/@37.7807781,-122.3995254,3a,75y,208.92h,94t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sIQaJcJiop_JCMW6CKWSFJQ!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DIQaJcJiop_JCMW6CKWSFJQ%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D157.31488%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192

[sparker]

Not sure when the above was removed, but the westernmost I-80 mainline pullthrough sign going westbound is now at the MacArthur Maze.  (I think there are a few trailblazer shields on 80 west in SF remaining though)

I think that this Freeway Entrance assembly at 7th and Harrison is the farthest west that one can see a westbound I-80 shield:

https://www.google.com/maps/@37.7753024,-122.40649,3a,75y,211.37h,93.32t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sGKxNtOH_U9w_Yi22T0Gl1A!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

That's D4 being literal-minded; since it's less than a half-mile to the 80 terminus, if it were D7 or D8 the entrance reference would be the more practical "TO US 101".   

The funny thing about it is that the BGS above more usefully notes it as the ramp towards US 101 South.  There is a similar situation farther east at 4th and Harrison.  West I-80 freeway entrance assembly, BGS adjacent signing it as US 101 South.

https://www.google.com/maps/@37.7807781,-122.3995254,3a,75y,208.92h,94t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sIQaJcJiop_JCMW6CKWSFJQ!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DIQaJcJiop_JCMW6CKWSFJQ%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D157.31488%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192

Ironically, since the Central Freeway "stub" still carries northward US 101, just referencing US 101 South on the BGS is technically incomplete.  D4 could simply green out the "SOUTH" reference -- but with the glacial pace of signage change/updates within the district, that likely won't happen.  Perhaps it's expected that traffic to NB 101, which eventually segues onto Van Ness, will simply schlep over city streets until they get to that arterial.  But the sign is down on Harrison Street, where access over to Van Ness is, to put it mildly, a PITA!  IMO, better (except peak commute hours) to take a short trip over the Central stub and simply follow the signage. 

[myosh_tino]

Ironically, since the Central Freeway "stub" still carries northward US 101, just referencing US 101 South on the BGS is technically incomplete.  D4 could simply green out the "SOUTH" reference -- but with the glacial pace of signage change/updates within the district, that likely won't happen.  Perhaps it's expected that traffic to NB 101, which eventually segues onto Van Ness, will simply schlep over city streets until they get to that arterial.  But the sign is down on Harrison Street, where access over to Van Ness is, to put it mildly, a PITA!  IMO, better (except peak commute hours) to take a short trip over the Central stub and simply follow the signage.

If you were to greenout "SOUTH", I would think you would also need to add a northbound control point in additional to "San Jose".  I would choose "G G Bridge" as the northbound control point so the sign would end up looking like this...

[mrsman]

Ironically, since the Central Freeway "stub" still carries northward US 101, just referencing US 101 South on the BGS is technically incomplete.  D4 could simply green out the "SOUTH" reference -- but with the glacial pace of signage change/updates within the district, that likely won't happen.  Perhaps it's expected that traffic to NB 101, which eventually segues onto Van Ness, will simply schlep over city streets until they get to that arterial.  But the sign is down on Harrison Street, where access over to Van Ness is, to put it mildly, a PITA!  IMO, better (except peak commute hours) to take a short trip over the Central stub and simply follow the signage.

If you were to greenout "SOUTH", I would think you would also need to add a northbound control point in additional to "San Jose".  I would choose "G G Bridge" as the northbound control point so the sign would end up looking like this...

I think the local authorities are trying to discourage GG Bridge traffic from using this section of the freeway.  Especially if you are starting in downtown SF, you shouldn't fight your way through SOMA traffic to reach the freeway and then to make your way to exit and then continue up Van Ness.  It may be more direct to encourage west and north travel on surface streets to eventually lead you to Van Ness (or Franklin) and then to Lombard.

[sparker]

Ironically, since the Central Freeway "stub" still carries northward US 101, just referencing US 101 South on the BGS is technically incomplete.  D4 could simply green out the "SOUTH" reference -- but with the glacial pace of signage change/updates within the district, that likely won't happen.  Perhaps it's expected that traffic to NB 101, which eventually segues onto Van Ness, will simply schlep over city streets until they get to that arterial.  But the sign is down on Harrison Street, where access over to Van Ness is, to put it mildly, a PITA!  IMO, better (except peak commute hours) to take a short trip over the Central stub and simply follow the signage.

If you were to greenout "SOUTH", I would think you would also need to add a northbound control point in additional to "San Jose".  I would choose "G G Bridge" as the northbound control point so the sign would end up looking like this...

I think the local authorities are trying to discourage GG Bridge traffic from using this section of the freeway.  Especially if you are starting in downtown SF, you shouldn't fight your way through SOMA traffic to reach the freeway and then to make your way to exit and then continue up Van Ness.  It may be more direct to encourage west and north travel on surface streets to eventually lead you to Van Ness (or Franklin) and then to Lombard.

The reality is that regardless of the text on the BGS, the actual placement and direction of the on-ramp leads directly to both directions of US 101.  Trailblazer signage blocks away has generally referenced I-80 to (1) expedite traffic heading EB on I-80 across the Bay Bridge to Oakland, and (2) simply to differentiate between the I-80 and US 101 portions of what is essentially a "straight-shot" freeway alignment.  The situation in S.F. -- where a highway (101) leaves freeway alignment to travel over city streets for a distance -- while the principal freeway in question simply continues as another designation (80) is unique within CA (Terminal Island notwithstanding), so differences regarding how traffic management is handled will almost inevitably occur between Caltrans and the local jurisdiction.  But in this particular instance, since policies as to how automotive traffic along or crossing Market Street seem to be quite "fluid" these days, the City/County of S.F. may simply wish to keep through traffic away from Market Street as much as possible.  Expediting through traffic on city streets seems to be well down on any jurisdiction's priority list -- particularly now!