Interstate 280 (California)

Interstate 280 marker
Interstate 280
Map
I-280 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by Caltrans
Length57.22 mi[1] (92.09 km)
ExistedSeptember 15, 1955, by FHWA[2]
July 1, 1964, by Caltrans[3]–present
Tourist
routes
Junipero Serra Freeway between the San Mateo–Santa Clara county line and San Bruno[4]
NHSEntire route
Major junctions
South end I-680 / US 101 in San Jose
Major intersections
North endKing Street in San Francisco
Location
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CountiesSanta Clara, San Mateo, San Francisco
Highway system
SR 275 SR 281

Interstate 280 (I-280) is a 57.22-mile-long (92.09 km) major north–south auxiliary Interstate Highway in the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It runs from I-680 and US Route 101 (US 101) in San Jose to King and 5th streets in San Francisco, running just to the west of the larger cities of San Francisco Peninsula for most of its route.

From I-880 in San Jose to State Route 1 (SR 1) in Daly City, I-280 was built and dedicated as the Junipero Serra Freeway, after the Spanish Franciscan friar who founded the first nine of 21 Spanish missions in California from San Diego to San Francisco. One of the dedication signs (in Daly City) still indicates that the Junipero Serra Freeway is known as the "World's Most Beautiful Freeway"[5] due to its scenic route through the San Francisco Peninsula. From SR 1 to the James Lick Freeway (US 101) in San Francisco it is officially called the John F. Foran Freeway (after a former member of the California State Legislature). From the James Lick Freeway to its northern end at King and 5th streets, I-280 is called the Southern-Embarcadero Freeway.

I-280 is one of two auxiliary Interstate designations to appear on opposite coasts of the United States. I-110 in California and Florida is the only other designation.

I-280 was formerly shown on the app icon for Apple's iOS and macOS built-in Apple Maps. This is because the highway goes through Cupertino, the home of Apple's headquarters.

  1. ^ "Table 2: Auxiliary Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System Of Interstate and Defense Highways". FHWA Route Log and Finder List. Federal Highway Administration. December 31, 2021. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
  2. ^ "California Highways: Interstate Highway Types and the History of California's Interstates". Cahighways.org. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference cah 280 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ California Department of Transportation (August 2019). "Officially Designated State Scenic Highways and Historic Parkways" (XLSX). Sacramento: California Department of Transportation. Retrieved March 27, 2019.
  5. ^ "In the Eye of the Beholder | A Kauai Blog". Great-hikes.com. March 23, 2005. Retrieved January 26, 2013.

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