Regional Boards > Pacific Southwest
Vintage Bay Area freeway videos
TheStranger:
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZOsWhrN_S0 - Frontage road view (Cypress Street/today's Mandela Parkway) of the Cypress Freeway several weeks before collapsing in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, which was originally built as Route 17/Business US 50 (and later was I-880).
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAbINx4Y84w - oddly edited video of the Embarcadero Freeway (I-480/later Route 480)
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZkRml9jU4M - eastbound 480 clip: note the 1960s era "BAY BRIDGE/BAYSHORE FREEWAY" sign at the western terminus at Broadway, instead of any mention of I-80 or US 101 (the Bayshore Freeway not even coming up for another 4 miles!), as well as how slow a 55 MPH speed limit felt.
Later on is some westbound footage starting on the Bay Bridge, which shows that I-80 USED to actually be (correctly) signed on the westbound James Lick Skyway! (at 3:48 in) The signage hints at an 80/101 concurrency in the Civic Center area, which however has not existed since 1968, when the never-built extension from the Central Freeway west along Fell Street was removed from I-80's routing. My guess is that this dates back to 1964-1965, and was replaced with (incorrect) "101 San Jose" signage (note the lack of "TO" that should be used here, as is standard for CalTrans) after the earthquake.
The "Ninth Street/Civic Center" sign at the very last exit for I-80 is the same one that is still up today.
Southbound signage at the Alemany Maze resembles today's arrangement in text and alignment, but is now on retroreflective signs.
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TIjoedyjcI - short clip going westbound on 480 (the lower deck)
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwR-ID5ESxM - 1990s video of the 101/80 split, note that 101 is correctly given both lanes on the left-hand side in the older signage, while today the second US 101 through lane from the Bayshore to the Central is signed only for 9th Street (but still continues onto the Central).
mapman:
Wow do those videos of the Cypress and Embarcadero Freeways bring back memories! I clearly recall being driven along both of those freeways by my parents -- especially the Cypress -- which made their collapse and removal rather eerie for me for the first few months.
TheStranger:
--- Quote from: mapman on June 22, 2010, 02:03:53 AM ---Wow do those videos of the Cypress and Embarcadero Freeways bring back memories! I clearly recall being driven along both of those freeways by my parents -- especially the Cypress -- which made their collapse and removal rather eerie for me for the first few months.
--- End quote ---
I never got to go on either (though I have driven on today's realigned Cypress Freeway a couple of times) - however, I HAVE been on the original, now-demolished ramp for 4th Street from I-280 north, where the stub that would have continued along the waterfront to the 480/80 junction ended in mid-air.
If I'm not mistaken, Pac Bell Park sits on what was once right of way for the unbuilt 280 (which was proposed 1964-1968 as the northernmost segment of Route 87).
myosh_tino:
If I had to venture a guess, the unbuilt section of I-280 would probably have followed King Street and The Embarcadero. Pac Bell SBC AT&T Park (they should just call it Willie Mays Park and do away with the corporate sponsors!) would have butted up against the freeway.
TheStranger:
--- Quote from: myosh_tino on June 22, 2010, 01:55:43 PM ---If I had to venture a guess, the unbuilt section of I-280 would probably have followed King Street and The Embarcadero. Pac Bell SBC AT&T Park (they should just call it Willie Mays Park and do away with the corporate sponsors!) would have butted up against the freeway.
--- End quote ---
Here's a 1960s map showing what was then proposed as Route 87 (and later became proposed, but never built, as 280) along the Embarcadero south of the Bay Bridge:
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