Unbuilt San Francisco Freeway Map

[Henry]

Here is an interesting map detailing all the cancelled freeways in the City by the Bay:

http://www.vanshnookenraggen.com/_index/unbuilt-highways/san-francisco/

Included are the extensions of I-80 and I-280, the intown portion of the US 101 freeway, the mysterious Southern Crossing Bridge and Hunters Point Expressway, and, of course, I-480.

[TheStranger]

Here is an interesting map detailing all the cancelled freeways in the City by the Bay:

http://www.vanshnookenraggen.com/_index/unbuilt-highways/san-francisco/

Included are the extensions of I-80 and I-280, the intown portion of the US 101 freeway, the mysterious Southern Crossing Bridge and Hunters Point Expressway, and, of course, I-480.

The Hunters Point Expressway was originally planned as a north segment of San Jose's Route 87; after 87 was truncated to the South Bay in the mid-1960s, the short connector from Geneva Avenue to 87, Route 230 was extended over the planned route.  Obviously still unbuilt though.

(Route 87 then legislatively continued north from today's Army/280 junction - what was then the north end of Route 82 and the proposed west end of the Southern Crossing - along today's 280.)

[flowmotion]

Very cool! This appears to be based on the 1955 'Trafficways' plan, some of these proposed routes were adjusted in subsequent plans.

Just off the top of my head: the Southern Crossing bridge landing was moved further south. The Golden Gate (Embarcadero) Fwy was moved further North to be closer to Marina Green. The Central Fwy was moved further West and would have gone through a long tunnel. And the Western (Panhandle) Fwy would have tunneled under the big hill between Webster and Divis.

Also, the map does not correctly depict the Central Fwy "as built" between Market and Fell, it was a two-level structure with left ramps to Oak/Fell & no exit at Market St.

[Desert Man]

I read the unbuilt highway map and came to discover the US101 freeway was to cover a portion of Van Ness, not Fillmore street unlike what I read on the history of one neighborhood was known then as "NO More" as in vacated and deserted section of Fillmore street. Back in the 1950s, Fillmore street was a primarily Black section of San Francisco and the city council thought of turning the street to a freeway, but locals fought successfully against it, stating the freeway plan was to relocate the residents out of the city.

The map shows another freeway bridge connecting San Francisco with Oakland that never surfaced known as the Southern Crossing Bridge. The city of SF might not wanted a secondary bridge to the other side of the Bay...and most of the freeways you see on the map was vividly opposed. San Francisco takes pride in restrictions of freeway planning, which could further divided the city and not liked the resulted pollution (air, land or noise) nor traffic congestion that comes with freeways.

[NE2]

I read the unbuilt highway map and came to discover the US101 freeway was to cover a portion of Van Ness, not Fillmore street unlike what I read on the history of one neighborhood was known then as "NO More" as in vacated and deserted section of Fillmore street. Back in the 1950s, Fillmore street was a primarily Black section of San Francisco and the city council thought of turning the street to a freeway, but locals fought successfully against it, stating the freeway plan was to relocate the residents out of the city.

I bet the history you read was about the Fillmore DISTRICT, not Fillmore Street.

[Revive 755]

The Hunters Point Expressway was originally planned as a north segment of San Jose's Route 87; after 87 was truncated to the South Bay in the mid-1960s, the short connector from Geneva Avenue to 87, Route 230 was extended over the planned route.  Obviously still unbuilt though.

(Route 87 then legislatively continued north from today's Army/280 junction - what was then the north end of Route 82 and the proposed west end of the Southern Crossing - along today's 280.)

Seems odd that the Hunters Point Route as depicted by the map would not have tied in to I-280 on the west end and either I-280 or the Southern Crossing on the east end.

[Desert Man]

I read the unbuilt highway map and came to discover the US101 freeway was to cover a portion of Van Ness, not Fillmore street unlike what I read on the history of one neighborhood was known then as "NO More" as in vacated and deserted section of Fillmore street. Back in the 1950s, Fillmore street was a primarily Black section of San Francisco and the city council thought of turning the street to a freeway, but locals fought successfully against it, stating the freeway plan was to relocate the residents out of the city.

I bet the history you read was about the Fillmore DISTRICT, not Fillmore Street. 

Oh my bad...Fillmore District. I realized now it didn't come out right.

The western half of S.F. lacks a freeway except for the US101 crossing the Presidio park, where no or minimal residential development is present. The residents living in the Sunset and Richmond districts preferred no freeway in their environs, as it will make a huge difference in the quality of life. But in far-flung suburban or exurban areas, you have city and county governments approve of and support freeways to connect themselves with cities for distance commuter reasons to easily drive to and back from work.

[TheStranger]

The Hunters Point Expressway was originally planned as a north segment of San Jose's Route 87; after 87 was truncated to the South Bay in the mid-1960s, the short connector from Geneva Avenue to 87, Route 230 was extended over the planned route.  Obviously still unbuilt though.

(Route 87 then legislatively continued north from today's Army/280 junction - what was then the north end of Route 82 and the proposed west end of the Southern Crossing - along today's 280.)

Seems odd that the Hunters Point Route as depicted by the map would not have tied in to I-280 on the west end and either I-280 or the Southern Crossing on the east end.

Years ago...I had a map scanned and posted on Dan Faigin's site showing the planned Hunters Point route (what was then the Route 87 north extension from San Jose) connecting into the stub ramps at today's 280/Army Street junction...

http://cahighways.org/maps/280-army-67.jpg

[OCGuy81]

That is really cool.  Interesting to think about how some of the neighborhoods would change.  The Mission would be quite different with a freeway running through it. 

It's cool to see I-80 pushing a bit further west, and of course, it's nice to see 280 actually complete! :-)

[TheStranger]

That is really cool.  Interesting to think about how some of the neighborhoods would change.  The Mission would be quite different with a freeway running through it. 

It's cool to see I-80 pushing a bit further west, and of course, it's nice to see 280 actually complete! :-)

I feel - to this day - completing ONE link from the Golden Gate Bridge to the rest of the system (i.e. say a 101 tunnel) would be enough.  It won't happen any time soon but the fact that tunnel routes on the 19th, Fell, and Van Ness corridors WERE floated in 2001 speaks volumes to the existing traffic issues that have been unresolved.

It's fascinating that the one project that ultimately doomed the rest - the I-80 extension - actually to me seems like the least necessary of what was proposed.

[DTComposer]

I feel - to this day - completing ONE link from the Golden Gate Bridge to the rest of the system (i.e. say a 101 tunnel) would be enough.  It won't happen any time soon but the fact that tunnel routes on the 19th, Fell, and Van Ness corridors WERE floated in 2001 speaks volumes to the existing traffic issues that have been unresolved.

It's fascinating that the one project that ultimately doomed the rest - the I-80 extension - actually to me seems like the least necessary of what was proposed.

I would think it's the Junipero Serra/19th Street corridor that would bring the most benefit from a freeway upgrade, allowing from the Peninsula to Marin and vice-versa to flow freely and not bringing them near downtown. Completing the US-101 link seems to only benefit travel into and out of the city center to the Golden Gate Bridge, which, in my experience, hasn't been that major of a hassle, and should be even easier when the Doyle Drive replacement is done.

[agentsteel53]

I would think it's the Junipero Serra/19th Street corridor that would bring the most benefit from a freeway upgrade, allowing from the Peninsula to Marin and vice-versa to flow freely and not bringing them near downtown. Completing the US-101 link seems to only benefit travel into and out of the city center to the Golden Gate Bridge, which, in my experience, hasn't been that major of a hassle, and should be even easier when the Doyle Drive replacement is done.

agreed.  I-280 all the way to the bridge, perhaps?

what does long-haul traffic generally take to get through San Francisco?  Say, from San Jose to Marin County, so that I-5 isn't an option.  880/580?  or 19th?

[TheStranger]

I would think it's the Junipero Serra/19th Street corridor that would bring the most benefit from a freeway upgrade, allowing from the Peninsula to Marin and vice-versa to flow freely and not bringing them near downtown. Completing the US-101 link seems to only benefit travel into and out of the city center to the Golden Gate Bridge, which, in my experience, hasn't been that major of a hassle, and should be even easier when the Doyle Drive replacement is done.

I don't necessarily disagree, but I also think of the length of road involved (a 101 tunnel would be noticeably shorter than anything along 19th/Junipero Serra/Park Presidio).  Also depends on whether one is coming in from the populated part of the Peninsula (101) or from the more rural, residential side (280).

Had the original 280/today's 1 through SF been fully upgraded, 101-380-280 would have ended up the prime bypass of downtown for those coming from all parts of the Peninsula.

what does long-haul traffic generally take to get through San Francisco?  Say, from San Jose to Marin County, so that I-5 isn't an option.  880/580?  or 19th?

San Jose to Marin probably is mostly 880-580 (the old 17 route).  Even if 1 or 101 was fully upgraded in SF, I could still see that being the better route because of the Golden Gate Bridge's low speed limit.  NOW, had 238 been completed as freeway from 580 to 680, 680-238-580 would have allowed drivers to bypass both downtown SF and downtown Oakland.

[agentsteel53]

NOW, had 238 been completed as freeway from 580 to 680, 680-238-580 would have allowed drivers to bypass both downtown SF and downtown Oakland.

what about 880-238-580 to bypass downtown Oakland?

also, does downtown Oakland need to be bypassed?  I have always thought the problem area was the 80/580 multiplex and the MacArthur Maze.

[TheStranger]

NOW, had 238 been completed as freeway from 580 to 680, 680-238-580 would have allowed drivers to bypass both downtown SF and downtown Oakland.

what about 880-238-580 to bypass downtown Oakland?

As in the existing east-west freeway 238?  I've tried that actually on the way to San Jose one night...issue being that 880 carries traffic that was originally meant for two parallel corridors (the Nimitz corridor, and the 238/580 north-south corridor) and still gets jammed up.

also, does downtown Oakland need to be bypassed?  I have always thought the problem area was the 80/580 multiplex and the MacArthur Maze.

880 near 980 (not quite downtown, but near it) has had serious backups as of late due to ongoing construction.

[briantroutman]

what does long-haul traffic generally take to get through San Francisco?  Say, from San Jose to Marin County, so that I-5 isn't an option.  880/580?  or 19th?

As a Marin resident, I can testify that 580 to 880 would be usually be preferable–even considering the traffic through Berkeley and Emeryville–to going down 19th Ave. And toll-free.

I would think it's the Junipero Serra/19th Street corridor that would bring the most benefit from a freeway upgrade, allowing from the Peninsula to Marin and vice-versa to flow freely and not bringing them near downtown. Completing the US-101 link seems to only benefit travel into and out of the city center to the Golden Gate Bridge, which, in my experience, hasn't been that major of a hassle, and should be even easier when the Doyle Drive replacement is done.

A 19th Ave. freeway is something I'd love to see (and in almost any other city would have been built 50 years ago), but I know it will never happen.

[SimMoonXP]

Here is the I-280 and CA-87 in back in 1965 edition. The 280/87 stack lines was not yet proposed. It was only freeway proposed lines.