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San Francisco Freeways
There are only two freeways within San Francisco city limits because community opposition thwarted plans to build a larger network throughout the city during the highway construction boom of the 1950’s and 60’s. Unlike Los Angeles and other American cities, San Francisco saved many of its neighborhoods from freeway blight. But both built and unbuilt freeways have shaped San Francisco’s development and character. The only existing downtown freeways (US-101 and Interstate-280) have been a significant burden to neighborhoods in the area. In addition, partially completed freeways from the original plan — the Embarcadero Freeway and the Central Freeway — have since been demolished, reviving areas that had undergone years of decay [1].
Freeway Revolts
Freeway plans first emerged in 1948 and were amended frequently through the mid-1960’s [2]. The most comprehensive proposal, known as the San Francisco Trafficways Plan, would have criss-crossed the entire city with double-decker and depressed freeway structures. It was adopted in 1951 and amended in 1955. However, vigorous community opposition led the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to vote in 1959 to cancel 7 of the 10 proposed routes. Despite the setback, highway builders continued to revive various plans and meet predictable public resistance [1]. A 1964 proposal to plow a freeway through Golden Gate Park sparked massive protests that again led the Board of Supervisors to cancel construction.
Freeways Completed
The existing freeway system within San Francisco can be seen along the southeastern edge of the city and was part of the original Trafficways plan:
Southern Freeway (I-280)
Bayshore Freeway (US Route -101 or Highway 101) – The route is most commonly referred to as “The 101”, but is also known as the James Lick Freeway within city limits and the Bayshore Freeway south of the city.
The Highway 101 and Interstate 280 pair carry traffic from the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge southward toward the San Francisco Airport and south bay cities of Daly City, Palo Alto and San Jose. The section of Highway 101 that approaches the city is known for high speeds, traffic accidents and frequent bottlenecks [1].
The 101 and the 280 completely isolate the waterfront area south of the Bay Bridge (namely the Central Waterfront, Hunters Point and the Bayview District) from the rest of the city. In addition, neighborhoods sandwiched between the two massive roads, such as Potrero Hill, have suffered the effects freeway development.
Freeways Partially Constructed and Demolished
Central Freeway – The short stub of the Central Freeway north of Market Street was damaged in the 1989 earthquake. It was removed and replaced with the surface-level Octavia Boulevard in 2005, which has helped to revive the Hayes Valley neighborhood that had been blighted by the elevated freeway. However, the freeway still exists in the light industrial area south of Market street.
Freeways Planned But Never Realized
Between 1959 and 1965, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors either canceled or declined to pursue the following 10 freeway projects [3]:
1) Golden Gate Freeway (I-480) – The Golden Gate Freeway was to run across the northern waterfront to meet the Golden Gate Bridge. It would have connected with the Embarcadero freeway, forming a continuous route from the Bay Bridge to the Golden Gate Bridge.
2) Embarcadero Freeway Extension (I-480) – The original plan was to build the Embarcadero Freeway around the entire northeastern shore, connecting with the proposed Golden Gate Freeway to the bridge. The Embarcadero extension was revived in 1964 and again voted down.
3) Central Freeway Extension (US 101) – The Central Freeway was supposed to extend Hwy 101 northward to meet the Golden Gate Freeway just before the Golden Gate Bridge along the northern waterfront.
4) Western Freeway – This double-decker freeway was to extend westward across the city through Golden Gate Park to meet the Park-Presidio Freeway.
5) Park-Presidio Freeway –This highway was to be the main north-south route along the western edge of the city, approximating the path of the current CA-1 [3] . It would have begun where the Golden Gate Bridge exits into the Presidio and cut southward through Golden Gate Park before bisecting into two freeways that would meet I-280 (Southern Freeway) at the southern edge of the city. A small portion of the Park-Presidio was built just off the bridge; it exists today as Route 1 through the Presidio [4].
6) and 7) Junipero Serra and Crosstown Freeways - The Park-Presido Freeway was to split into a western spur (Serra) and an eastern spur (Crosstown), each connecting with I-280 at different points.
8) Mission Freeway – The north-south Mission Freeway would have run parallel along Mission Blvd through the cherished Mexican neighborhood known as “The Mission”.
9) Hunter’s Point Freeway – The Hunter’s Point Freeway survived the 1959 freeway revolt but construction plans never went forward. It would have run along the far eastern edge of the city along the waterfront (western coast of SF bay) through the impoverished Hunter’s Point neighborhood. The freeway was planned as a connection to a second bridge to Oakland known as the Southern Crossing. Neither the bridge nor the freeway was ever built.
10) Panhandle-Golden Gate Park Freeway – This plan to run a freeway through the long green known as the “Panhandle” in Golden Gate Park was defeated by a 1964 protest.
Existing Freeways Proposed for Demolition
Given the rise in property values after recent freeway demolitions and the amount of money spent to maintain existing freeways [1], the city is considering other highway removal projects.
Central Freeway Off-Ramps
Portions of I-280 -In spring 2009, Mayor Gavin Newsom announced plans to remove portions of Interstate-280 and rezone the area for housing and park space [5].
ALSO ON THE LIVABLE STREETS NETWORK
REFERENCES
Each source is referred to by the same number every time it is cited. Please keep citation style consistent.
[1] Carlsson, Chris. Revisiting the San Francisco Freeway Revolt. Streetsblog San Francisco. June 11, 2009.
[2] Rapaport, Richard. Freeway Revolt Set S.F. on NIMBY Course. San Francisco Chronicle, October 11, 2009.
[3]Faigin, Daniel. The History of San Francisco Bay Area Freeway Development. Part 1 – The City of San Francisco. California Highways.
[4] Freeway and Expressway Revolts. Wikipedia
[5] Roth, Matthew. Mayor Newsome, Caltrans Announce Plans to Remove Portions of I-280. Streetsblog San Francisco. April 1, 2009.
PICTURE REFERENCES
Pictures are cited in the order they appear above. Please keep citation style consistent.
[1] San Francisco’s freeways (unbuilt freeways drawn in color). Map created by Andrew Lynch via Streetsblog San Francisco.
[2] San Francisco via Google Maps.
FURTHER READING
- Upton, John. Quake cracked freeway-focused policy. San Francisco Examiner. October 14, 2009.
KEYWORDS
San Francisco, freeways, highway removal, neighborhoods, revitalization
