Numbered Highway "Titles"

[TheStranger]

In the Bay Area, I think the freeway names are only used for four routes on a regular basis: the Bayshore (101), the Macarthur Freeway (580 between 880 and 238), the Eastshore Freeway (80 between 880 and the Carquinez Bridge), and the Nimitz (880).  Not sure I've ever heard the other monikers used in traffic reports, maybe sporadically if at all.

[myosh_tino]

Normally I hear either the route number (101, 280, 880, 92, etc) or the freeway name (Bayshore Fwy, Eastshore Fwy, etc) on the local traffic reports on TV and radio.  Sometimes the local reporters add the word "highway" before the route number.  Since California does not allow duplication of route numbers (for example, I-180 and CA-180 would not be allowed), all numbered routes can be identified by "highway xx" regardless of their type (interstate, US or California state route).

Other "colorful" names used for Bay Area freeway segments...

* "Nasty Nimitz" - Interstate 880, entire length
* "MacArthur Maze" or simply "the Maze" - major interchange in Oakland where I-80, I-880 and I-580 come together.
* "Hospital Curve" - U.S. 101 as it nears downtown San Francisco
* "The S-Curve" - Temporary bypass structure on the S.F. Oakland Bay Bridge near Treasure Island

[TheStranger]

* "Hospital Curve" - U.S. 101 as it nears downtown San Francisco

Specifically, the segment around the Vermont Street interchange, before the 80/101 split.  It's not the only Hospital Curve out there - I know that Interstate 65 has a similarly-named stretch of road in Louisville!

How often is the Junipero Serra Freeway name used for I-280, other than on maps and one or two signs?

[Bickendan]

...or the Southern Freeway (I-280 in San Francisco itself), the James Lick Freeway/Skyway (US 101, I-80 in SF itself)?

[myosh_tino]

"James Lick" and "the Skyway" are pretty commonly used while "Junipero Serra" is rarely used by traffic reporters.  Instead of referring to I-280 as the "Southern Freeway", many refer to the segment from US 101 to King Street as "The 280 Extension".

[TheStranger]

"James Lick" and "the Skyway" are pretty commonly used while "Junipero Serra" is rarely used by traffic reporters.  Instead of referring to I-280 as the "Southern Freeway", many refer to the segment from US 101 to King Street as "The 280 Extension".

In SF, the Bayshore Freeway name applies to 101 as well as "James Lick" - which one is used more often to refer to that stretch from 80 southwards?  (Signage at the 280/101 junction has it at "Bayshore")

There are two other freeway names in the region that do get mentioned once in a while...the Central Freeway (101 between 80 and Van Ness Avenue) and, though nowhere as often as it was during the reconstruction/realignment, the Cypress Freeway (880 from 980 to 80/580 at the MacArthur Maze).