Regional Navigation

• Arizona
• Baja California
• California
• Hawaii
• Nevada
• Oregon
• Washington

Interstate 580 West - Alameda County #2

---

Interstate 580/Arthur H. Breed, Jr. Freeway west
	After traffic from Eden Canyon Road/Palomares Road merges onto Interstate 580, this reassurance shield is posted at the end of the on-ramp. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	This mileage sign along westbound Interstate 580 provides the distance to the next three exits: Exit 37, Castro Valley Boulevard (old U.S. 50); Exit 35, Strobridge Avenue; and Exit 34, Interstate 238 north (west) to Interstate 880 (Nimitz Freeway). Photo taken 11/26/04.
	Unincorporated Castro Valley lies generally north of Interstate 580, while the city of Hayward is south of the freeway. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	Westbound Interstate 580/Arthur Breed Jr. Freeway skirts Don Castro Regional Recreation Area and reaches Exit 37, Castro Valley Boulevard. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	The next three exits along Interstate 580 west are: Exit 35, Strobridge Avenue to California 238 (Foothill Boulevard) south; Exit 34, Interstate 238 west to Interstate 880; and Exit 33, Carolyn Street/Foothill Boulevard. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	The next exit along westbound Interstate 580 is Exit 35, Strobridge Avenue, three-quarters of a mile. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	Westbound Interstate 580/Arthur H. Breed Freeway reaches Exit 35, Strobridge Avenue. To California 238, turn north on Strobridge Avenue, then west on Castro Valley Boulevard. After passing under the Interstate 580/Interstate 238 interchange, turn south on Foothill Boulevard. The next exit along westbound Interstate 580 is Exit 34, Interstate 238. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	All through trucks to Oakland must use Interstate 880 rather than Interstate 580, so watch for merging trucks prior to the Interstate 238 split. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	The next exit along westbound Interstate 580 is Exit 34, Interstate 238 west to Interstate 880 (Nimitz Freeway) and California 92/San Mateo-Hayward Bridge west to San Mateo. Interstate 238 is merely a connector that travels northwest to Interstate 880 (Nimitz Freeway) (via Interstate 580 Exit 34). The road has only one interchange, at California 185. Plans call for Interstate 238 to be widened from its current four-lane configuration. There is no direct access to southbound California 238. Photo taken 11/28/04.
	Westbound Interstate 580 and Interstate 238 split here at Exit 34. Interstate 238 travels west (signed as north) from here to the interchange with Interstate 880 (Nimitz Freeway). Note the lack of control cities on these overhead guide signs. At this point, the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) leaves the center median of Interstate 580 and assumes a separate alignment on its way northwest to Oakland. Photo taken 11/26/04.
Interstate 580/MacArthur Freeway west
	An Interstate 580 reassurance shield is posted after the Interstate 238 split. From here, Interstate 580 turns in a northwesterly direction toward San Leandro and Oakland, following old U.S. 50. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	Upon turning northwest, Interstate 580 becomes part of the MacArthur Freeway. The MacArthur Freeway designation carries Interstate 580 all the way to the Maze interchange where Interstate 580 meets Interstate 80 (Eastshore Freeway), Interstate 880 (Nimitz Freeway), and Interstate 80/San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	The next three exits along Interstate 580 west are Exit 33, Carolyn Street/Foothill Boulevard; Exit 32B, Fairmont Road; and Exit 32A, Benedict Drive. Photo taken 11/28/04.
	Exit 33 (Carolyn Street/Foothill Boulevard) is the last interchange to serve the unincorporated communities of Castro Valley and Ashland. To 164th Avenue, turn right onto Foothill Boulevard, then turn left onto 164th Avenue. One hundred sixty-fourth Avenue connects to California 185 (East 14th Street) in Ashland; California 185 will parallel Interstate 580 northwest into Oakland. Photo taken 11/28/04.
	Westbound Interstate 580/MacArthur Freeway reaches Exit 33, Carolyn Street/Foothill Boulevard. The next exits are Exit 32B, Fairmont Road and Exit 32A, Benedict Drive. Photo taken 11/28/04.
	This mileage sign provides the distance to the next three exits along Interstate 580 west: Exit 32B, Fairmont Road; Exit 32A, Benedict Drive; and Exit 31B, Estudillo Road. Photo taken 11/28/04.
	Exits 32B, 32A, and 31B all serve the city of San Leandro, which is home to 79,452 people per the 2000 Census. San Leandro is a southern suburb of Oakland, located between Oakland and unincorporated San Lorenzo. Incorporated as a town on March 21, 1872, San Leandro functioned briefly as the county seat of Alameda County prior to the 1868 Earthquake (when the courthouse at the intersection of Clarke Street and Davis Street was destroyed, and the county seat moved to Oakland). Through this section of Interstate 580, the westbound direction carries four through lanes. Photo taken 11/28/04.
	Westbound Interstate 580/MacArthur Freeway reaches Exit 32B, Fairmont Road. Use Exit 32B to Anthony Chabot Regional Park and Fairmont Ridge. Use Fairmont Drive west to the Alameda County Medical Center and the county department of health. The next two exits are Exit 32A, Benedict Drive and Exit 31B, Estudillo Road. Photo taken 11/28/04.
	This mileage sign provides the distance to the next three exits along Interstate 580 west: Exit 32A, Benedict Drive; Exit 31B, Estudillo Road; and Exit 31A, Foothill Boulevard. Photo taken 11/28/04.
	Benedict Drive parallels Interstate 580 on the northeast side of the freeway as it passes through eastern San Leandro. Photo taken 11/28/04.
	Westbound Interstate 580 reaches Exit 32A, Benedict Drive. The next exit is Exit 31B, Estudillo Road to downtown San Leandro. Photo taken 11/28/04.
	The next exit along westbound Interstate 580/MacArthur Freeway is Exit 31B, Estudillo Road, followed by Exit 31A, Foothill Boulevard and Exit 29, Golf Links Road. Photo taken 11/28/04.
	To the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station, follow Estudillo Road west to California 185/E. 14th Street north. Turn immediately onto California 61/Davis Street (secret California 112) west to the BART station. Photo taken 11/28/04.
	Westbound Interstate 580/MacArthur Freeway reaches Exit 31B, Estudillo Road, followed by Exit 31A, Foothill Boulevard and Exit 29, Golf Links Road. Photo taken 11/28/04.
	This mileage sign on westbound Interstate 580/MacArthur Freeway provides the distance to the next three exits: Exit 31A, Foothill Boulevard; Exit 29, Golf Links Road; and Exit 27, Keller Avenue. The Foothill Boulevard exit connects directly to MacArthur Boulevard, which follows old U.S. 50 through San Leandro into Oakland. Once in Oakland, MacArthur Boulevard offers a parallel alignment to Interstate 580, passing through neighborhoods such as Eastmont, Mills College, Dimond, Trestle Glen, and ultimately Downtown Oakland. Photo taken 11/28/04.
	Interstate 580 leaves San Leandro and enters the city of Oakland, which is the eighth-largest city in California (2000 Census population: 399,484 people) and contains 78.2 square miles (including water). Oakland was founded in 1852, contains dozens of villages with distinct identities, and is growing in population. Dunsmuir House and Gardens (located in Oakland's Sheffield Village neighborhood) can be seen on the knoll in the foreground after the exit ramp. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	Interstate 580/MacArthur Freeway is an official state scenic route from Exit 31A, Foothill Boulevard to downtown Oakland. Photo taken 11/28/04.
	Westbound Interstate 580/MacArthur Freeway reaches Exit 31A, Foothill Boulevard. Upon reaching this exit, trucks are restricted on Interstate 580 from here until we meet the California 24/Interstate 980 interchange. Photo taken 11/28/04.
	This Interstate 580 reassurance shield is the first to be cosigned with the California state scenic highway shield. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	The next exit along Interstate 580 west is Exit 29, Golf Links Road. Use this exit to Golf Links Road east to Oak Knoll, Knowland Park, Knowland State Arboretum, and Oakland Zoo. This exit also connects to 98th Avenue west to the Elmhurst and Brookfield Village neighborhoods of Oakland. Photo taken 11/28/04.
	This mileage sign provides the distance to the next three exits along Interstate 580 west: Exit 29, Golf Links Road; Exit 27, Keller Avenue; and Exit 26B, Seminary Avenue. Photo taken 11/28/04.
	Westbound Interstate 580 reaches Exit 29, Golf Links Road/98th Avenue. True to its name, Golf Links Road connects to Sequoyah Country Club (via Oak Hill Road north) and ultimately Lake Chabot Golf Course. This roadside sign is placed due to limited sight distance at the gore point. Photo taken 11/28/04.
	A butterfly gantry is posted at the gore point for Exit 29, Golf Links Road/98th Avenue. The next exit is Exit 27, Keller Avenue. Photo taken 11/28/04.
	This Interstate 580 shield assembly is posted after the on-ramp from Golf Links Road. Photo taken 11/28/04.
	To the east, Keller Avenue serves the Oak Knoll neighborhood of Oakland and passes by the closed U.S. Naval Hospital. The street ends at Skyline Boulevard adjacent to Anthony Chabot Regional Park. To the west, Keller Avenue enters the community of Eastmont. Photo taken 11/28/04.
	This mileage sign provides the distance to the next three exits along Interstate 580 west: Exit 27, Keller Avenue; Exit 26B, Seminary Avenue; and Exit 26A, California 13 (Warren Freeway) north. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	Westbound Interstate 580/MacArthur Freeway reaches Exit 27, Keller Avenue. The next exit is Exit 26B, Seminary Avenue. Photo taken 11/28/04.
	The next two exits on Interstate 580 west are Exit 26B, Seminary Drive and Exit 26A, California 13 (Warren Freeway) north to Berkeley and California 24 east to Walnut Creek. Photo taken 11/28/04.
	This mileage sign provides the distance to the next three exits along Interstate 580 west: Exit 26B, Seminary Avenue; Exit 26A, California 13 (Warren Freeway) north; and Exit 25, MacArthur Boulevard. Photo taken 11/28/04.
	Westbound Interstate 580/MacArthur Freeway reaches Exit 26B, Seminary Avenue. This exit serves Mills College southwest of the Interstate 580/California 13 interchange, then travels southwest into the Seminary and Melrose communities of Oakland. Photo taken 11/28/04.
	After the Seminary Avenue interchange, the right lane from the on-ramp becomes exit-only for California 13 (Warren Freeway) north to Berkeley. Photo taken 11/28/04.
	Westbound Interstate 580/MacArthur Freeway reaches Exit 26A, California 13 (Warren Freeway) north. From here, California 13 travels north on a four-lane freeway alignment, with the freeway ending at its junction with California 24/William Byron Rumford Freeway near Lake Temescal. The remainder of California 13 north of California 24 follows Tunnel Road and Ashby Avenue into Berkeley and the University of California before finding its way to Interstate 80-580/Eastshore Freeway Exit 10. At this point, Interstate 580 turns a bit more to the northwest, and the next interchange along westbound Interstate 580 is Exit 25, MacArthur Boulevard. Photo taken 11/28/04.
	Passing under the ramp connecting California 13 south with Interstate 580 east, the next exit along Interstate 580 (Exit 25, MacArthur Boulevard) serves as the primary route to historic Mills College. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	Westbound Interstate 580/MacArthur Freeway meets MacArthur Boulevard for a second time at Exit 25. In addition, Exit 25 connects with High Street via MacArthur Boulevard north. High Street is a major east-west thoroughfare from Interstate 580 west to Interstate 880 and the city of Alameda via a bridge over the tidal canal separating the mainland from Alameda. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	This mileage sign provides the distance to the next three exits along Interstate 580 west: Exit 24, Coolidge Avenue/Fruitvale Avenue; Exit 22B, 14th Avenue/Beaumont Avenue; and Exit 22A, Lake Park Avenue/Lakeshore Avenue. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	Upon exiting at Exit 24, the off-ramp becomes a frontage road (Montana Street) that parallels Interstate 580 for several blocks, connecting the freeway with Coolidge Avenue, Rhoda Avenue, Laguna Avenue, Wilson Avenue, Boston Avenue, Champion Street/Lincoln Avenue, and Fruitvale Avenue. Use Coolidge Avenue southwest to Patten University and Patten Academy High School. North-south Fruitvale Avenue also serve Patten University and serves as the principal route through the Fruitvale neighborhood. At this point, Interstate 580 is traveling west-northwest. Note the pull-through sign, which has space for a U.S. 50 shield. U.S. 50 was officially decommissioned west of Sacramento in 1964, but shields and signs remained in place along this section of Interstate 580 until the early 1970s. Maps also showed U.S. 50 until this time, and it extended into the San Francisco Bay Area for several years after nearby U.S. 40 signs were removed. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	Westbound Interstate 580/MacArthur Freeway reaches Exit 24, Coolidge Avenue/Fruitvale Avenue to Patten University. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	This mileage sign provides the distance to the next three exits along Interstate 580 west: Exit 22B, 14th Avenue/Beaumont Avenue; Exit 22A, Lake Park Avenue/Lake Shore Avenue; and Exit 21B, Grand Avenue. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	Westbound Interstate 580 reaches Exit 22B, 14th Avenue/Beaumont Avenue. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	This mileage sign provides the distance to the next three exits along Interstate 580 west: Exit 22A, Lake Park Avenue/Lake Shore Avenue; Exit 21B, Grand Avenue; and Exit 21A, Harrison Street. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	Lake Shore Avenue travels along the east shore of Oakland's Lake Merritt and ends at the First Avenue/International Boulevard interchange at the southern end of the lake. Use this exit to Peralta Park, Camron-Standford Home, Oakland Library, County Administration Building, and Oakland Museum of California. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	Westbound Interstate 580 reaches Exit 22A, Lake Shore Avenue. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	This mileage sign provides the distance to the next three exits along Interstate 580 west: Exit 21B, Grand Avenue; Exit 21A, Harrison Street; and Exits 19D-C, Interstate 980/Grove Shafter Freeway west to downtown Oakland and California 24/William Byron Rumford Freeway east to Walnut Creek. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	Grand Avenue travels from the Interstate 80-880 interchange through Oakland, passes through downtown Oakland, skirts the north shore of Lake Merritt, then enters the city of Piedmont. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	Westbound Interstate 580/MacArthur Freeway reaches Exit 21B, Grand Avenue. The next exit along westbound is Exit 21A, Harrison Street. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	This mileage sign provides the distance to the next three exits along Interstate 580 west: Exit 21A, Harrison Street (and Auto Row, Broadway, and Piedmont Avenue); Exit 19D, Interstate 980/Grove Shafter Freeway west to downtown Oakland; and Exit 19C, California 24/William Byron Rumford Freeway east to Berkeley and Walnut Creek. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	The left four lanes of Interstate 580 continue northwest toward the Interstate 980/California 24 symmetrical stack interchange and eventually the Maze interchange, while the right two lanes prepare to depart onto the Exit 21A off-ramp for Harrison Street. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	Westbound Interstate 580 reaches Exit 21A, Harrison Street/MacArthur Boulevard and friends. The next exit is the symmetrical stack interchange that contains two freeway to freeway ramps: Exit 19D, Interstate 980/Grove Shafter Freeway west to downtown Oakland and Exit 19C, California 24/William Byron Rumford Freeway east to Berkeley and Walnut Creek. Interstate 980 is a freeway connector between Interstate 580 and Interstate 880 while offering several exits into downtown Oakland via 17th Street and 11th Street. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	This mileage sign provides the distance to the next three exits along Interstate 580 west: Exit 19D, Interstate 980/Grove Shafter Freeway west to downtown Oakland (shown as the "Downtown Oakland Exit"); Exit 19C, California 24/William Byron Rumford Freeway east to Berkeley and Walnut Creek (shown as the "Berkeley Exit"); and Exit 19B, West Street. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	Use Exit 19D to Interstate 980/Grove Shafter Freeway west to downtown Oakland and to Interstate 880. In the years following the disastrous Loma Prieta Earthquake of 1989, Interstate 880 between Interstate 980 and Interstate 80 was taken out of service. While the freeway was being rebuilt on its new alignment (completed in 1998), Interstate 980 and Interstate 580 served as the connecting route between Interstate 80 and Interstate 880. With the completion of Interstate 880, Interstate 980 has reverted to its role as a collector distributor for local downtown Oakland traffic. Note that there is no access to Interstate 880 north via Interstate 980 west. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	Westbound Interstate 580/MacArthur Freeway meets Interstate 980 and California 24 at this major interchange. The first ramp (Exit 19D) connects to Interstate 980 west to downtown Oakland. The second right (Exit 19C) connects to California 24 east to Berkeley and Walnut Creek via the Caldecott Tunnel. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	The right two lanes transition onto Exit 19C, California 24/William Byron Rumford Freeway east to Berkeley and Walnut Creek. The left three lanes continue northwest on Interstate 580 toward the Maze interchange with Interstate 80. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	This view of the symmetrical stack interchange with Interstate 980 and California 24 is seen from westbound Interstate 580. The bottom level is Interstate 980 and California 24, while the second level is Interstate 580. The top two levels are the connecting ramps. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	The next exit along westbound Interstate 580 is Exit 19B, West Street and San Pablo Avenue. Photo taken 11/26/04.

After the California 24 and Interstate 980 interchange, a set of overheads on the transition ramp from California 24 west to Interstate 580 west can be seen to the right of the westbound main lanes. The freeway now enters the Maze, where Interstate 580, Interstate 80, and Interstate 880 all merge together to connect with the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. Photos taken 11/26/04 and 05/08/05.

	An Interstate 580 reassurance shield is posted shortly after traffic from California 24 merges onto the freeway. Photo taken 04/06/09.
	For the Juan Bautista de Anza Historic Trail, follow Interstate 80 east/Interstate 580 west (Eastshore Freeway north). Photo taken 04/06/09.

		The next exit along westbound Interstate 580/MacArthur Freeway is Exit 19A, which is part of the infamous Maze Interchange: the confluence of Interstate 80, Interstate 580, Interstate 880, and a host of surface streets (including California 123, which is not signed from the freeway). The left lanes exit onto Interstate 80 west (Bay Bridge to San Francisco), while the right lanes carry Interstate 580 west toward Richmond/San Rafael and Interstate 80 northeast to Vallejo and Sacramento. Photos taken 04/06/09 and 05/08/05.
	The elevated, five-lane freeway bends toward the west to its junction with Interstate 80 and Interstate 880 at the Maze. Photo taken 05/08/05.

These signs are so old that the green overlay panels cover old U.S. 40 and U.S. 50 shields. U.S. 40 is the original designation for Interstate 80, and U.S. 50 is the original designation for Interstate 580. Prior to 1985, this was the western terminus of Interstate 580. It was extended to Marin County via the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, so now Interstate 580 westbound merges with eastbound Interstate 80 for about five miles. Photos taken 04/06/09, 11/28/04, and 05/08/05.

	Transitioning onto the northbound Eastshore Freeway, Interstate 580 west reduces to two through lanes for the first time since leaving the Central Valley. This elevated viaduct takes the freeway through the Maze and will connect it with Interstate 80 east. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	Winding its way through the Maze, westbound Interstate 580 finds itself sandwiched between the transition ramp from Interstate 880 north to Interstate 80-580 north and the ramp from Interstate 580 west to Interstate 80/San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge west. Note the differences in elevation. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	Approaching ground level, the transition ramp from Interstate 880 north flies overhead. Westbound Interstate 580 will merge with eastbound Interstate 80. Despite the difference in directions (how can one be going east and west at the same time), the Eastshore Freeway travels almost due north along the east shore of the San Francisco Bay. At this point, Interstate 580 leaves the city of Oakland and enters the city of Emeryville. Home to 6,882 people as of the 2000 Census, Emeryville is bounded by Oakland to the south and east and by Berkeley to the north. Use Exit 9 (next exit) to Eastshore State Park and the Emeryville Fishing Pier. Photo taken 11/26/04.
	Interstate 580 west prepares to merge with Interstate 80 east. Photo taken 05/08/05.
	With the Interstate 880 north transition ramp still above the freeway, Interstate 580 west merges with Interstate 80 east. The Interstate 80 traffic arrives from the left. The first exit on the combined Interstate 80-580/Eastshore Freeway is Exit 9, Powell Street/Emeryville. The exit numbers on the combined section uses Interstate 80's mileage. Photo taken 05/08/05.
Transition from Interstate 580 west to Interstate 80/Bay Bridge west
	Now looking at the transition ramp from Interstate 580 west to Interstate 80 west, this view shows the three-lane ramp swinging northwest through the Maze. Photo taken 04/06/09.

As the ramp turns, the San Francisco Bay comes into view. The toll plaza for the Bay Bridge is located after the base of the ramp. Photos taken 04/06/09.

	A high occupancy vehicle lane forms on the left side of the freeway ramp. Mainline Interstate 80 traffic merges in from the right. Photo taken 04/06/09.
	The next exit along Interstate 80 west will be Exit 8A, West Grand Avenue. After that exit, Interstate 80 will ascend the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge en route to the city of San Francisco. Photo taken 04/06/09.
Interstate 80 east, Interstate 580 west, and Eastshore Freeway north
For pictures of the shared alignment between Interstate 580 and Interstate 80, please see the eastbound Interstate 80 in Alameda and San Francisco Counties page.
Interstate 580/John D. Knox Freeway west
	Interstate 580 departs from Interstate 80 after Interstate 80's Exit 13B. Two lanes carry Interstate 580 west under the lanes of Interstate 80 (Eastshore Freeway). This section of Interstate 580, from here to the Contra Costa County line, was the last section of Interstate 580 to be opened to traffic (the structure was complete in 1991 according to the Caltrans bridge log). Photo taken 05/08/05.
	A third lane is added to Interstate 580/John D. Knox Freeway west after clearing the northern Interstate 80 interchange. Photo taken 05/08/05.
	A standalone reassurance shield for Interstate 580 is posted shortly thereafter. Photo taken 05/08/05.
	The next exit along Interstate 580/Knox Freeway west is Exit 12, Central Avenue. At the gore point, Interstate 580 leaves Alameda County/City of Albany and enters Contra Costa County/city of Richmond. Photo taken 05/08/05.

---

Page Updated April 10, 2009.