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Interstate 80

Interstate 80

] , in the San Francisco Bay Area (seen here in Berkeley, California)]] Interstate 80 is the second-longest interstate highway in the United States. It connects San Francisco, California at U.S. Highway 101 in the west to Teaneck, New Jersey at Interstate 95 in the east, just outside New York City. The highway roughly traces some historically significant travel corridors, particularly in the western U.S. These include the Oregon Trail in Nebraska and westward, the California Trail in Nevada and California, and the Lincoln Highway along portions of the route in Utah, Nevada, and California.

Length

Major cities along the route

Bolded cities are officially-designated control cities for signs.
- San Francisco, California
- Oakland, California
- Sacramento, California
- Reno, Nevada
- Elko, Nevada
- Salt Lake City, Utah
- Evanston, Wyoming
- Rock Springs, Wyoming
- Cheyenne, Wyoming
- Sidney, Nebraska
- North Platte, Nebraska
- Kearney, Nebraska
- Grand Island, Nebraska
- Lincoln, Nebraska
- Omaha, Nebraska
- Council Bluffs, Iowa
- Des Moines, Iowa
- Iowa City, Iowa
- Quad Cities, Iowa-Illinois (Davenport, Iowa)
- Peru, Illinois
- La Salle, Illinois
- Joliet, Illinois and other south suburbs of Chicago, Illinois
- Gary, Indiana
- South Bend, Indiana
- Toledo, Ohio
- South suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio
- Youngstown, Ohio
- Sharon, Pennsylvania
- North suburbs of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Clarion, Pennsylvania
- Du Bois, Pennsylvania
- Clearfield, Pennsylvania
- Bellefonte, Pennsylvania
- South of Williamsport, Pennsylvania
- Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
- Hazleton, Pennsylvania
- Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
- Delaware Water Gap, Pennsylvania
- Paterson, New Jersey
- New Jersey suburbs of New York City, New York

Intersections with other Interstates


- Interstate 505 at Vacaville, California
- Interstate 5 in Sacramento, California
- Interstate 15 in Salt Lake City, Utah. They stay joined for 3 miles into South Salt Lake, Utah
- Interstate 84 in Echo, Utah (near Coalville, Utah)
- Interstate 25 in Cheyenne, Wyoming
- Interstate 76 near Big Springs, Nebraska
- Interstate 29 in Council Bluffs, Iowa
- Interstate 35 around Des Moines, Iowa. They stay joined for 14 miles around the north and west sides of the metro area, from West Des Moines to Altoona.
- Interstate 74 in Bettendorf, Iowa
- Interstate 88 near Moline, Illinois
- Interstate 74 near Moline, Illinois
- Interstate 39 in La Salle, Illinois
- Interstate 55 in Joliet, Illinois
- Interstate 355 in New Lenox Illinois.
- Interstate 294 in Homewood, Illinois. They stay joined until Lansing, Illinois, forming part of the Tri-State Tollway.
- Interstate 94 in Lansing, Illinois. They stay joined until Lake Station, Indiana. Known as the Robert Kingery Expressway in Illinois and the Frank Borman Expressway in Indiana.
- Interstate 90 in Lake Station, Indiana. They stay joined until Elyria, Ohio. Known as the Indiana Toll Road in Indiana and the Ohio Turnpike in Ohio.
- Interstate 65 in Gary, Indiana
- Interstate 69 near Fremont, Indiana
- Interstate 75 in Toledo, Ohio
- Interstate 71 in Strongsville, Ohio
- Interstate 77 in Brecksville, Ohio
- Interstate 76 in Niles, Ohio
- Interstate 79 in Pardoe, Pennsylvania (near Mercer, Pennsylvania)
- Interstate 99 in State College, Pennsylvania
- Interstate 81 in St. Johns, Pennsylvania (near Hazleton, Pennsylvania)
- Interstate 95 in Teaneck, New Jersey ([http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Teaneck,+NJ&ll=40.851216,-73.999443&spn=0.116940,0.180038&hl=en Map])

Spur routes


- San Francisco Bay Area - I-280, I-380, I-580, I-680, I-780, I-880, I-980
  - The interchange with I-580 and I-880 in Oakland is known as the MacArthur Maze
  - I-280, I-380, and I-980 do not directly connect with I-80
  - I-480, later California 480, once connected to I-80 near Downtown San Francisco but was demolished after the Loma Prieta earthquake
  - A portion of I-580 along the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge was once designated I-180
- Cheyenne, Wyoming - I-180
- Lincoln, Nebraska - I-180
- Omaha, Nebraska - I-480, I-680
- Spur to Waterloo, Iowa - I-380
- The Quad Cities - I-280
- Spur to Hennepin, Illinois - I-180
- Toledo, Ohio - I-280
- Cleveland, Ohio - I-480
- Youngstown, Ohio - I-680
- Spur to Williamsport, Pennsylvania - I-180
- Spur to Scranton, Pennsylvania - I-380
- Spur to Newark, New Jersey - I-280

Notes

I-280 The highway reaches a maximum elevation of 8,640 feet (2,633 m) above sea level between Cheyenne and Laramie, Wyoming. Farther west in Wyoming, the interstate passes the Continental Divide twice because two lines of mountains form a closed-off basin. Among many picturesque sections of I-80 are the crossing of San Francisco Bay over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge (toll paid westbound only), the traverse above Donner Pass and Donner Lake (near Lake Tahoe) in California, and its run along the Truckee River both west and east of Reno, Nevada. Interstate 80 crosses the southern end of Great Salt Lake west of Salt Lake City, Utah, providing views of various mountains, although it incorporates a very long stretch of straight roadway that can induce some drivers to fall asleep. I-80 intersects I-90 near Elyria, Ohio and they share a route all the way to Portage, Indiana, where I-90 splits off but I-80 then runs concurrently with I-94 until the Chicago suburb of South Holland, Illinois. I-80 then runs concurrently with I-294 until Markham, Illinois. All of I-80 in Indiana is duplexed with another interstate, such as I-90 or I-94. Although Interstate 80 does not enter Colorado, it does manage to come within a mile of the border between Nebraska and Colorado at the junction of Interstates 80 and 76. This intersection is visible from Colorado as one approaches it from the west on I-76. Although it never enters Michigan, Interstate 80 (with Interstate 90) lies within ten miles (16.1 km) of the Michigan state line between La Porte, Indiana and Toledo, Ohio. Looking north at the intersection of Indiana State Highway 9 and I-80, the "Welcome to Michigan" sign is visible in the distance. I-80 does not go all the way to New York City via the George Washington Bridge. Its designated end is about four miles (6.4 km) short of New York City in Teaneck, New Jersey. There, it joins and becomes designated as I-95, which does cross the bridge. The tolled section of the New Jersey Turnpike ends at exit 18, which is actually just the toll plaza at the northern terminus. The next exit on I-95 is exit 68, which is consistent with the exit structure on I-80. (The truth is that the exit numbers on this section of I-95 match the mile markers on I-95 had the Somerset Freeway been built. The fact that they are similar to what the exit numbers are on I-80 is just a coincidence.)

Related highways

Interstate 80 had five branches, the most of any interstate highway. However, because suffixes were not allowed on any Interstate (save for the I-35 freeways in Dallas-Fort Worth and Minneapolis-St. Paul), all five branches have since been renumbered. There were three branches called I-80N, and two of them were I-80S (both of which were renamed I-76). The most noticeable I-80N went from Portland, Oregon to Salt Lake City. In 1980, it was re-signed as the western half of I-84. The other two former I-80N routes were in western Iowa (near Omaha) (I-680) and Cleveland/Youngstown (incorporated by both I-480 and I-680). Part of Interstate 80 in Nebraska is known as the Blue Star Memorial Highway. Interstate 180, between San Rafael and Richmond, California, is now an extension of Interstate 580. Interstate 180 in Cheyenne, Wyoming is an interstate with traffic lights. Interstate 180 in Illinois runs south from I-80 to serve the town of Hennepin. Interstate 180 in Pennsylvania, connecting Milton, Pennsylvania with Williamsport, Pennsylvania originally had no exit numbers on its exits. Since 2002, exit numbers have been added, and the highway will eventually connect with Interstate 99 when U.S. Highway 15 is constructed to Interstate Highway standards. Interstate 280 in New Jersey connects Northern New Jersey to the New Jersey Turnpike. Interstate 280 in Toledo, Ohio serves traffic from the Ohio Turnpike to downtown Toledo, as well as traffic from points east heading toward Detroit. Interstate 280 in Iowa and Illinois, which makes up the western and southern edges of the Quad Cities. Interstate 80 makes up the northern and eastern borders; both interstates connect at the northwestern and southeastern edges (in Davenport and Colona, Illinois, respectively). Interstate 280 in California connects San Jose, California with San Francisco, California. Interstate 380 in Iowa, connecting the highway to Cedar Rapids and Waterloo. Interstate 380 in California begins at Interstate 280 in San Bruno, California and ends at the San Francisco International Airport. Interstate 380 in Pennsylvania originally was signed as Interstate 81E before 1976, and became an east-west Interstate after suffixed Interstates were dropped in the mid-1970's. In 2002, it became a north-south Interstate when Pennsylvania changed its exit numbers from a sequential system to the milepost system. In addition, the original east-west configuration began in Scranton along with Interstate 84, but has since been truncated at the I-84/I-380 interchange. Interstate 480 was a double-decker freeway that parallelled the Embarcadero in San Francisco. The freeway was damaged when the Loma Prieta Earthquake shook the San Francisco Bay Area in 1989 and was completely demolished a short time later. Interstate 480 in Nebraska and Iowa, an interstate route through Omaha and Council Bluffs to Interstate 29. Interstate 480 in Ohio serves the southern suburbs of Cleveland. The section that I-480 shares with I-271 is the only road in the United States to carry two 3-digit Interstates simultaneously. Interstate 580 is the secret name for the US 395 freeway in Reno, Nevada. Interstate 580 in Omaha, Nebraska shared a freeway with US 75. Interstate 580 in California runs from San Rafael, California across the San Francisco Bay on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge until it reaches Interstate 5 southeast of Tracy, California. Interstate 680 in Nebraska and Iowa, which runs through western and northern Omaha before crossing the Missouri River and continuing to its connection with Interstate 80 in eastern Pottawattamie County, Iowa. Interstate 680 in California travels from Fairfield, California, to San Jose, California. Interstate 680 in Youngstown, Ohio connects I-80 to the Ohio Turnpike (I-76). Interstate 780 in California is a 6.5-mile connection from I-80 in Vallejo, California to I-680 in Benicia, California. Interstate 880 in California runs from the MacArthur Maze in Oakland to its junction with I-280 in San Jose. The road is also known in Alameda County as the Nimitz Freeway. The Cypress Structure, a two-level portion of I-880 in West Oakland, was severely damaged in the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake. This damaged section has since been replaced by a one-level roadway in a different location. Interstate 880 was also used at one time for the current I-80 freeway passing to the west and north of Sacramento, California. I-80 once passed directly through the city along present-day freeway segments of US 50, unsigned I-305, and unsigned California 51. That route is now signed as Business Loop Interstate 80 (Sacramento). Interstate 980 in California is a short Interstate that connects I-580 and California State Highway 24 with I-880.

Major bridges on I-80


- San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge
- Fred Schwengel Memorial Bridge
- Al Zampa Bridge; the newest suspension bridge in the United States

Des Plaines River, Illinois

The I-80 bridge over the Des Plaines River is a cantilever bridge that is six lanes wide -- three lanes traveling eastbound and westbound. It is actually a fairly dangerous section of road, as the bridge is thirty feet (9.1 m) below the surrounding elevation of the highway. A pair of downhill s-curves approach the bridge, and the speed is reduced to 45 mph (70 km/h) from 65 mph (100 km/h). This catches many drivers by surprise, since for at least a hundred miles (161 km) on either side of the bridge, the road is mainly flat and straight. The bridge is located on the south side of Joliet, Illinois and connects U.S. Highway 6 and U.S. Highway 52/Illinois State Route 53.

See also


- Interstate 80 in New Jersey

Sources


- 2005 Rand McNally Road Atlas
- [http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/refdata/sldiag/ NJDOT] Straight Line Diagrams
- [http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/traffops/signtech/calnexus/ Cal-Nexus]
- [http://www.westernexitguide.com/ Western Exit Guide]
- [http://www.members.aol.com/utahroads/ Utah Roads]
- [http://www.rockymountainroads.com/ Rocky Mountain Roads]
- [http://www.ajfroggie.com/triskele/ Highway heaven]
- [http://iowahighways.home.mchsi.com/ Iowa Highways]
- [http://www.roadfan.com/ Roadfan.com]
- [http://www.roadgeek.org Roadgeek.org]
- [http://www.pahighways.com/ Pennsylvania Highways] 80 80 80 80 80 80 80 80 80 80 80

San Francisco Bay Area

]] The San Francisco Bay Area, referred to locally as The Bay Area, is the metropolitan area that surrounds San Francisco Bay in northern California. Home to more than 7 million people, it is composed of cities, towns, villages, military bases, airports, and regional, state, and national parks sprawled over nine counties, connected by a massive network of roads, highways, rail, and commuter rail. Because San Francisco was the largest city in the region (it was surpassed by San Jose in the 1990 census) and remains the traditional and cultural center, the region is often identified by outsiders with the city of San Francisco proper. However, San Francisco has only 11% of the Bay Area's population. The Bay Area also differs from most other metropolitan areas in that, instead of having a single urban center surrounded by dependent suburbs, its population is distributed across several regional urban and suburban centers. Realizing the independent and relatively 'Balkanized' nature of the region, it is referred to as the "Bay Area" instead by its residents. Ultimately, the city of San Francisco with Oakland and San Jose comprises the fifth largest metropolitan area in the United States, after New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington, D.C.-Baltimore.

The region

Washington, D.C.-Baltimore Washington, D.C.-Baltimore
- The City and County of San Francisco is generally placed in a category by itself geographically, mentally, and culturally. It is separated by water from the north and east, and by a county line from its neighbor cities to the South. San Francisco serves as the cultural and financial center of the region, and once was the population and economic center.
- The eastern side of the bay, dominated by the city of Oakland but also including Fremont, Livermore, Hayward and several small cities, is known as the East Bay. The East Bay is split into two regions, the inner East Bay, which sits on the Bay coastline, and the outer East Bay, consisting of inland valleys separated from the inner East Bay by hills and mountains.
  - The inner East Bay consists of Oakland, Hayward, Fremont, Berkeley, and smaller suburbs surrounding or surrounded by these four major cities, such as Emeryville, San Leandro, and Richmond. The inner East Bay is more urban, more densely populated, has a much older building stock (built before World War II) and a more ethnically diverse population. Oakland is the region's chief seaport. The East Bay regional basketball, football, and baseball teams play from Oakland.
  - The outer East Bay consists of the cities of Walnut Creek, Concord, and Antioch, to the north (also referred as Central Contra Costa County) and the cities of Dublin, Livermore, Danville, San Ramon to the south (sometimes referred to as the Livermore-Amador Valley or the Tri-Valley), as well as other smaller towns, such as Alamo and Orinda. They are connected to the inner East Bay by BART and by highways and the Caldecott Tunnel. The outer East Bay is mostly suburban to rural and was mostly built after World War II.
- The communities along the southern edge of the Bay are known as the South Bay and Silicon Valley, although some Peninsula and East Bay towns are sometimes included in the latter. It includes the city of San Jose, and its smaller neighbors including Gilroy and the high-tech hubs of Santa Clara, Cupertino and Sunnyvale, as well as many other suburbs. A booming Silicon Valley has shifted the regional population and economic center away from San Francisco and Oakland and towards the South Bay; San Jose is now the largest city in the region. The technology boom has also brought large numbers of immigrants and driven housing and rent prices to the highest in the nation.
- The area between the South Bay and the City and County of San Francisco is known as the San Francisco Peninsula, locally just as The Peninsula. This area consists of a series of small cities and suburban communities along the Bay such as Palo Alto and Stanford University, San Mateo, and Foster City, as well as various towns along the Pacific coast, such as Pacifica and Half Moon Bay. Because of the influence of Stanford University, lack of space, and high cost of living, Silicon Valley has been slowly creeping up the peninsula.
- The region north of the Golden Gate Bridge is known as the North Bay. This area consists of Marin County and extends northward into Napa, Sonoma County and eastward to Solano County. With some exceptions, this region is extremely affluent, and is generally the least urbanized part of the Bay Area, with many areas of undeveloped park and farm land. It is the only section of the Bay Area that is not served by a commuter rail transit service, though Sonoma-Marin service has entered the planning phase.

The wealthiest region in the nation

The San Francisco Bay Area is one of the wealthiest regions in the United States. According to the United States Census Bureau, of the 280 defined metropolitan areas, the San Francisco Bay Area has the highest median household income in the nation with $62,024. Washington-Baltimore Metro, Anchorage, Alaska, Minneapolis-St. Paul (Twin Cities), and Greater Boston make up the rest of the top 5. Six of the top ten California places with the highest per capita income are in the San Francisco Bay Area:
- 1. Belvedere, California $113,595
- 3. Atherton, California $112,408
- 5. Woodside, California $104,667
- 6. Portola Valley, California $99,621
- 8. Hillsborough, California $98,643
- 9. Diablo, California $95,419 Of the 100 highest income counties by per capita income in the United States, (richest counties), six are in the San Francisco Bay Area:
- 1. Marin County, California $44,962
- 14. San Mateo County, California $36,045
- 19. San Francisco County, California $34,556
- 25. Santa Clara County, California $32,795
- 45. Contra Costa County, California $30,615
- 96. Alameda County, California $26,680 Of the top highest income counties by personal per capita income, five San Francisco Bay Area Counties made the top 50:
- 3. Marin County, California $67,710
- 7. San Mateo County, California $58,913
- 10. San Francisco County, California $55,735
- 12. Santa Clara County, California $54,188
- 32. Contra Costa County, California $44,484 Of the top 100 highest income counties by median household income, eight California Counties made the list, and half of those are in the San Francisco Bay Area:
- 9. Santa Clara County, California $74,335
- 14. Marin County, California $71,306
- 18. San Mateo County, California $70,819
- 45. Contra Costa County, California $63,675 According to Forbes Magazine, published in 2005, 29 out of the top 50 most expensive Zip Codes are located in California, of which 12 are in the Bay Area. The dollar figures are denoted by median home sale price in 2004:
- 1. 94027 Atherton, CA $2,496,553
- 6. 94957 Ross, CA $1,910,263
- 18. 94528 Diablo, CA $1,452,500
- 19. 94920 Belvedere Tiburon, CA $1,421,336
- 20. 94022 Los Altos, CA $1,392,522
- 23. 94946 Nicasio, CA $1,370,000
- 27. 94028 Portola Valley, CA $1,316,417
- 29. 94024 Los Altos, CA $1,306,432
- 31. 95030 Los Gatos, CA $1,278,645
- 37. 94123 San Francisco, CA $1,183,307
- 40. 94010 San Francisco, CA $1,152,066

Weather

Because the hills, mountains, and large bodies of water produce such vast geographic diversity within this region, the Bay Area offers a significant variety of microclimates. The areas near the Pacific Ocean are generally characterized by relatively small temperature variations during the year, with cool foggy summers and mild rainy winters. Inland areas, especially those separated from the ocean by hills or mountains, have hotter summers and colder overnight temperatures during the winter, with an occasional snowfall dusting the highest peaks (including Mount St. Helena, Mount Hamilton, Mount Diablo, Mount Tamalpais). The Bay Area is generally subdivided into several smaller subregions.

Transportation

Airports


- San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
- :The largest and oldest airport in the region, and a major international hub airport in California second only to LAX (Los Angeles).
- Oakland International Airport (OAK)
- :The second largest airport in the region and a hub for mostly low-cost domestic flights.
- Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC)
- :The smallest of the major airports. Undergoing a major expansion and renovation to handle more major flights.

Public transportation

Bus

Numerous and often overlapping bus transit agencies service the area: see Muni, AC Transit, SamTrans, VTA, County Connection and Golden Gate Transit

Light rail

Muni and VTA also operate light rail networks.

Mass transit

The Bay Area is served by a number of mass transit systems:
- Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) - A subway/commuter rail service that serves parts of the Bay Area, including San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, Fremont, and Walnut Creek. It has a direct connection to San Francisco's airport while a direct connection to Oakland's airport is in the planning stages.
- Caltrain - A commuter rail service that connects San Jose and cities along the Peninsula with San Francisco, California, and with the BART system by way of the Millbrae Transit Station.
- Amtrak - There are several Amtrak stations throughout the Bay Area. Major stations in Martinez and Emeryville feature Coast Starlight and California Zephyr service. The Starlight also services Oakland and San Jose. The Capitol Corridor connects Bay Area cities to Sacramento, and features BART transfer stations at Richmond and the Oakland Coliseum.
- ACE - Altamont Commuter Express; a rail service that mainly serves commuters to and from the Central Valley to the Silicon Valley. It travels from Stockton through Pleasanton, Fremont, Santa Clara, and ends at San Jose. It operates only during commute hours on weekdays.

Ferries

Public ferry services cross the bay to serve both commuters and leisure travelers. Operators include Golden Gate Transit, Blue and Gold Fleet, and Red and White.

Freeways and highways

Red and White and the East Bay.]] Red and White as the Eastshore Freeway). This section of freeway is among the busiest in the region, carrying a peak average of roughly 300,000 cars per day.]] The Bay Area possesses an extensive freeway and highway system. ;Trans-bay crossings
- Interstate 80 - The western terminus of I-80 is located in San Francisco, just west of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. The interstate continues to the east, connecting to Oakland and the north coast of the East Bay, and then on to Sacramento, Reno, and New Jersey.
- Interstate 580 - This spur route's western terminus is in Marin County. The Interstate crosses the San Pablo Bay over the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, passes through Oakland, then continues to Livermore, through the Altamont Pass to Tracy, where it intersects with Interstate 5.
- California State Route 92 - CA-92's western terminus is in Half Moon Bay. The two-lane highway crosses the Santa Cruz Mountains, connecting to Interstate 280 and U.S. Highway 101, becoming a freeway as it passes through San Mateo before crossing the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge to Hayward.
- California State Route 84 - CA-84 begins at the Pacific Coast near San Gregorio State Beach, and crosses the Santa Cruz Mountains on a scenic route between La Honda and Woodside. It then crosses the Bay over the Dumbarton Bridge from Redwood City to Newark. The route then passes through Fremont, continuing as Niles Canyon Road to Sunol and Livermore. ;The Peninsula to the South Bay
- Interstate 280 and U.S. Highway 101 - Eight-lane and, in some parts, 10-lane freeways connecting San Francisco to San Jose, passing through the Peninsula. Highway 101 continues south to Gilroy and Salinas, California, before continuing to Los Angeles. For most of its route I-280 runs along the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, and is very scenic, while 101 is highly urban and is locally known as "the world's longest parking lot."
- California State Routes 1 and 35 - Two-lane highways also traveling down the Peninsula, CA-1 along the Pacific coast, and CA-35 near the ridge of the Santa Cruz Mountains. CA-1 connects to Half Moon Bay, Santa Cruz, and Monterey, before continuing to Los Angeles.
- California State Routes 17 and 9 - Highways through the Santa Cruz Mountains, connecting the South Bay to Santa Cruz. Part of CA-17 in San Jose is an 8 lane freeway.
- California Routes 237 and 85 - Freeways connecting the west Santa Clara Valley to the east Santa Clara Valley, bypassing Downtown San Jose.
- California State Route 87 - North-south freeway entirely in San Jose, connecting Downtown to the Almaden Valley.
- California State Route 152 - Two-lane highway from Watsonville, crosses the Santa Cruz Mountains to Gilroy, then crosses the Diablo Range through Pacheco Pass to I-5 near Los Banos.
- California State Route 82 - Highway running from San Jose to Interstate 280 in San Francisco. It is designated a State Route, although it is more similar to an inner-city boulevard, and contains either 2, 4, or 6 lanes. Through much of the San Mateo County, it is also known as El Camino Real. It runs from Daly City in the north through the Peninsula and beyond.
- The freeway system in Santa Clara county is augmented by its expressway system. ;North Bay
- US-101 and CA-1 - Continue north of San Francisco, crossing the Golden Gate Bridge and connecting San Francisco to Marin and Sonoma counties, and eventually to Oregon.
- California State Route 29 - Four-lane expressway connecting Interstate 80 in Vallejo in Solano County to the towns of American Canyon and Napa. North of Napa, SR-29 is a two-lane rural highway through the towns of the Napa Valley, California's Wine Country, to Clear Lake.
- California State Route 37 - Four- and two-lane expressway connecting US-101 in Novato with Interstate 80 in Vallejo, along the northern shore of San Pablo Bay.
- California State Route 12 - A highway connecting Santa Rosa with suburbs to the east and west. ;East Bay
- Interstates 880 and 680 travel up the East Bay from San Jose, 880 close to the bay to Oakland, and 680 inland from San Jose north through Fremont, Pleasanton and Concord; then crosses the Benicia-Martinez bridge and ends at Interstate 80 in Fairfield.
- Interstate 980 is entirely in Downtown Oakland and begins at Interstate 880 and travels north to become California State Route 24 at Interstate 580.
- California State Route 13, or the Warren Freeway, is entirely in the Oakland Hills and travels north from Interstate 580 to California State Route 24, where the freeway portion ends. Beyond SR 24, SR 13 is Berkeley's Ashby Avenue.
- California State Route 24 begins at Interstate 580 in Oakland and travels east through the Caldecott Tunnel to Interstate 680 in Walnut Creek.
- California State Route 238/Interstate 238 (Mission Boulevard) is an arterial from Fremont to Hayward, along the base of the hills, then becomes a freeway near Oakland.
- California State Route 4 - Western terminus at Interstate 80 in Hercules, travels east through Martinez, Pittsburg, and Antioch, where the freeway portion ends. The highway continues to Brentwood and east to Stockton.

Bridges

Due to the central location of the San Francisco Bay, several bridges cross the Bay or Bay tributaries.
- The Golden Gate Bridge, connecting San Francisco with Marin County
- The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge
- The San Mateo-Hayward Bridge
- The Dumbarton Bridge, connecting Menlo Park in San Mateo County with Fremont in Alameda County
- The Richmond-San Rafael Bridge
- The Carquinez Bridge, connecting Vallejo in Solano County with Crockett in Contra Costa County
- The Benicia-Martinez Bridge, connecting Solano and Contra Costa Counties
- The Antioch Bridge, connecting Antioch in Contra Costa County with Sacramento County

Universities & colleges

The region is home to several universities and seminaries, most notably the University of California, Berkeley and Stanford University. Most studies rank the San Francisco Bay Area population at or near the top in the Nation for overall education level. (The other two candidates would be Greater Boston and Washington D.C.)

Religious Life

The San Francisco Bay Area has a very diverse religious life with thousands of churches, mosques, temples, and religious centers. The Bay Area is home to Budhist, Sikh, Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Shiite-Muslim [http://www.basma.us], Sunni-Muslim, and numerous other religious communities.

Sports

Regional counties, cities and suburbs

The following lists are based on the ten-county definition of the Bay Area. Cities in bold serve as county seat. Those places listed in italics would be excluded by the nine-county definition that excludes Santa Cruz County.

Counties

Cities with more than 500,000 inhabitants


- San Francisco
- San Jose

Cities with 100,000 to 500,000 inhabitants

Suburbs with 10,000 to 100,000 inhabitants

Suburbs with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants

;A through La

Continued...

;L through Y

See also


- Islands of San Francisco Bay
- List of San Francisco Bay Area writers
- List of San Francisco Bay Area wildflowers
- United States metropolitan area

External links


-
- [http://www.bayareaexperiences.com Bay Area Experiences.com] Community-built site with fun, non-touristy things to do in San Francisco and surrounding areas.
- [http://www.basma.us Bay Area Shiite-Muslims Association] Meet the Bay Area Shia Category:Geography of California Category:Metropolitan areas of the United States
- ja:ベイエリア (サンフランシスコ湾)

Interstate Highway

The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly called the Interstate Highway System, is a network of highways in the United States. The Interstate Highway System is a separate system within the larger National Highway System. With very few exceptions, Interstate highways are controlled-access freeways, allowing for safe high-speed driving when traffic permits. They are assigned a special level of funding at the federal level. Despite this federal funding, these highways are owned, designed, built and maintained by the state in which they are located, with the only exception being the federally-owned Woodrow Wilson Bridge on the Capital Beltway (I-95/I-495). The highways in the system are typically known as Interstate XX or I-XX; sometimes Interstate Highway XX (IH XX) or Interstate Route XX (IR XX) is used. In some areas the more generic Route XX or Highway XX is used. The system serves all major U.S. cities, and unlike its counterparts in most industrialized countries, often goes right through downtown areas rather than bypassing them. This facilitated the emergence of automobile-oriented postwar suburban development patterns, often pejoratively referred to as "urban sprawl". The system is prominent in the daily lives of most Americans. Virtually all goods and services are delivered via the Interstate Highways at some point. Many residents of American cities use the urban segments of the system to go to and from their jobs. Most long-distance journeys (for vacation or business) of less than 300 miles (500 km) use the interstate highway system at some point. Hawaii has several signed Interstates, but Alaska and Puerto Rico do not. The latter two do have roads designated as Interstates for funding purposes, but they are not currently or planned to be built to Interstate standards. The public controlled-access highways of Puerto Rico are the Autopistas (PR-22, PR-52, and PR-53).

History

Autopistas The interstate system was authorized by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, popularly known as the National Interstate and Defense Highways Act of 1956. It was lobbied for by major U.S. automobile manufacturers and championed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, and was influenced by both his experiences as a young soldier crossing the country in 1919 following the route of the Lincoln Highway, and by his appreciation of the German autobahn network. Planning for a system of new superhighways began in the late 1930s, even before federal commitment to build the Interstate highway system came in the 1950s. Construction on the world's first public limited-access highway, the Bronx River Parkway, had begun in New York as early as 1907. By the 1920s, longer highways such as the New York City parkway system had been built as part of local or state highway systems. As automotive traffic increased, planners saw a need for such an interconnected national system to supplement the existing, largely non-freeway, U.S. Highway system.The General location of national system of interstate highways, including all additional routes at urban areas designated in September, 1955 maps what became the interstate system, and is informally known as the Yellow Book. Although construction on the Interstate Highway system continues, it was officially regarded as complete in 1991 (though 1.5 miles of the original planned system remain unconstructed as of 2005 [http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/programadmin/interstate.html]). The initial cost estimate for the system was $25 billion over twelve years; it ended up costing $114 billion, taking 35 years to complete. As of 2004, the system contains over 42,700 miles (68,500 km) of roads, all at least four lanes wide.

Standards

:Main article: Interstate Highway standards The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) has defined a set of standards that all new Interstates must meet unless a waiver from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is obtained. These standards have become stricter over the years. One almost absolute standard is the controlled access nature of the roads. Except for a few exceptions, traffic lights (and cross traffic in general) are limited to toll booths and ramp meters (metered flow control for lane merging during rush hours).

Speed limits

Speed limits vary according to location. By initial planning, the Interstate system was designed to provide reasonable road safety at speeds of 75 to 80 miles per hour (120 to 130 km/h) except in limited stretches (such as steep mountain passes or urban cores) where many vehicles cannot maintain such speeds. Many western states had high speed limits. Kansas, for example, had a posted limit of 80 mph (130 km/h)[http://people.smu.edu/acambre/blog/PermaLink,guid,5575625c-bbd4-47a3-be9f-9d5517d3a06f.aspx]. Some states, such as Oregon, defined the limit as whatever was "reasonable and proper", which would not be allowed today (see Montana reference below). In 1974, the federal government enacted 55 mph (90 km/h) as a gasoline conservation measure in response to the 1973 energy crisis. After the end of the embargo this restriction was continued as a safety measure. It was very unpopular, especially in western states. The 55 mph cap was relaxed in 1987 to allow 65 mph (105 km/h) speeds on rural Interstates if the states so chose. During this interim period, some roads (such as I-335 in Kansas) were specifically designated as Interstates to take advantage of this higher speed limit. Shortly thereafter, 65 mph limits were allowed on roads not numbered as interstates but which were built to interstate standards. The 55/65 mph caps were eliminated in late 1995, fully returning speed limit control to the states. Many states maintain several different limits. For example, in California, most interstates are limited to 55 mph within a major city, 65 mph (105 km/h) for most of the suburban highway stretches, and up to 70 mph (115 km/h) throughout the desert and rural stretches of the state. In some states, commercial trucks have a lower speed limit than passenger automobiles. In some mountainous regions, the condition of the roadway mandates a lower speed limit than would otherwise have applied. While some states have maintained the 65 mph limit, other states have increased the limits to 70 or 75 mph (110 or 120 km/h). Generally, the highest speed limits are found in the South and Southwest, while the lowest are found in the Northeast. Soon after the end of the National Maximum Speed Limit, the state of Montana ended daytime speed limits for automobile traffic on Interstate Highways in the state, instead instructing motorists to maintain a "reasonable and prudent" speed. A few years later, the "reasonable and prudent" law was declared unconstitutional for being too vague and a limit of 75 mph (120 km/h) was enacted in its place. Texas recently enacted a law allowing 80 MPH speed limits on certain portions of Interstates 10 and 20 in far west Texas. However, these limits are on hold pending further study by the Texas Department of Transportation.

Dual-purpose design

In addition to being designed to support automobile and heavy truck traffic, interstate highways are also designed for use in military and civil defense operations within the United States, particularly troop movements. One potential civil defense use of the Interstate Highway System is for the emergency evacuation of cities in the event of a potential nuclear war. Although this use has never happened, the Interstate Highway System has been used to facilitate evacuations in the face of hurricanes and other natural disasters. An option for maximizing throughput is to reverse the flow of traffic on one side so that all lanes become outbound lanes. This procedure is known as Contraflow, and could be seen in the evacuations of New Orleans, Louisiana and Houston, Texas prior to hurricanes Katrina and Rita, respectively. Several Interstates in the South, including I-16 in Georgia, I-40 in North Carolina, I-65 in Alabama, I-10 & I-59 in Louisiana, and I-59 in Mississippi, are equipped and signed specifically for contraflow, with crossovers inland after major interchanges to distribute much of the traffic. This is however not limited to Interstates; US 49 from Gulfport to Jackson and State Road 528, in Central Florida, have the same setup. A widespread but false urban legend states that one out of every five miles of the Interstate highway system must be built straight and flat, so as to be usable by aircraft during times of war.[http://www.tfhrc.gov/pubrds/mayjun00/onemileinfive.htm] However, the Germans in World War II used the Autobahns for just such a purpose.

Terminology

While the name implies that these highways cross state lines, many Interstates do not. Rather, it is the system of interstates that connects states. There are interstate highways in Hawaii, funded in the same way as in the other states, but entirely within the populous island of Oahu. They have the designation of H-X, and connect military bases. Similarly, both Alaska and Puerto Rico have public roads that receive funding from the Interstate program, though these routes are not signed as Interstate Highways.

Primary routes

The numbering scheme for the Interstate Highway System (as well as the U.S. Highway System) is coordinated by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), though their authority is occasionally trumped by a number written into Federal law. Within the continental United States, primary Interstates (also called main line Interstates or two-digit Interstates) are given one- or two-digit route numbers. Most Interstates have two numbers; there are only three one-digit Interstates in the system: I-4, I-5 and I-8. Within this category, east-west highways are assigned even numbers, and north-south highways are assigned odd-numbers. Odd route numbers increase from west to east, and even numbered routes increase from south to north. Numbers divisible by 5 are intended to be primary routes, carrying traffic long distances. For example, I-5 runs from Canada to Mexico along the west coast (the only interstate to do so) while I-95 runs from Miami north to Canada. In addition, I-10 runs from Los Angeles, California to Jacksonville, Florida while I-90 runs from Seattle to Boston. However, not all primary routes traverse long distances. I-45 runs from Galveston, Texas north to Dallas, Texas, a distance of only 284 miles. It is the only primary route that does not cross state lines (see List of intrastate Interstate Highways). It should be noted that I-50 and I-60 do not exist (and there are no even-numbered Interstates between 46 and 62), mainly because they would most likely have passed through the same states that already have US 50 and US 60. AASHTO rules discourage Interstate and US Highways with the same number to exist in the same state, although I-24 and US 24 exist at opposite ends of Illinois. Some planned Interstates do not follow this guideline - I-69 will enter Texas (which has US 69), I-74 will have a multiplex with US 74 in North Carolina, and I-41 will do the same with US 41 in Wisconsin. Several two-digit numbers are shared between two roads at opposite ends of the country, namely I-76, I-84, I-86 and I-88. Some of these were the result of a change in the numbering system in the 1970s; previously letter-suffixed numbers were used for long spurs off primary routes; for example, western I-84 was I-80N, as it went north from I-80. In the 1970s, AASHTO decided to eliminate these; some became additional two-digit routes, while others became three-digit routes (see below). Only two pairs of these exist; I-35 splits into I-35W and I-35E through both the Dallas-Fort Worth and the Minneapolis-St. Paul areas. Strict adherence to the directional nature of the system results in some amusing oddities. For a ten-mile stretch east of Wytheville, Virginia, the driver can be traveling on both North I-81 and South I-77 at the same time (and vice versa) (see also Wrong-way multiplex). For the sake of efficiency, some Interstates double up for short or sometimes long distances, as in the example above. Another notable example are Interstates I-90 and I-94, which double and then separate several times as they criss-cross the upper Midwest and Great Plains.

Three-digit Interstates

Three-digit route numbers, consisting of a single digit prefixed to the number of a primary Interstate highway, are used to designate usually short spur or loop routes from their "parent" route, either directly or via another three-digit Interstate. A route that spurs from its parent and ends at an intersection with no other Interstates is given an odd first digit; a route that returns to its parent is given an even first digit. The number given to the first digit of a route that spurs from the parent and ends at another Interstate depends on the state; some consider these routes spurs and give them odd numbers, while others consider them loop-style connectors and give them even numbers. For instance, I-90 in New York has a full set of three-digit Interstates - I-190, I-290, I-390, I-490, I-590, I-690, I-790, I-890 and I-990. Due to the large number of these routes, they can be repeated in different places along the mainline; no two three-digit Interstates in the same state can share a number. The Minneapolis-St. Paul area has a single loop around the entire Metro area. I-94 intersects the loop in two spots and runs directly through it separating it into a northern and southern half. The southern half of it is labeled I-494 while the northern half of it is labeled I-694. Charlotte, North Carolina has a single loop around the city that intersects with both I-77 and I-85, but the entire loop is known as I-485. The Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area has several spur routes off of I-95. The area has I-195, I-295, I-495, I-795 and I-895. It also has two routes numbered I-395 (in Baltimore and Washington) and two I-695s (one is signed, the other is a secret designation), as well as an unsigned route called I-595. No I-995 exists anywhere. New York City has numerous spur routes off of I-78 and I-95, but none of I-78's spur routes actually intersect with I-78. A three-digit spur off a letter-suffixed two-digit Interstate (see above) was given a number without a letter suffix, except for one case - I-184 in Idaho was I-180N.

Exceptions

:Main article: List of gaps in Interstate Highways Interstate 238 near Oakland, California is one of two major exceptions to the numbering scheme, as no Interstate 38 exists. This number exists because Interstate 238 replaced a segment of California Highway 238, and no appropriate number was available. The other exception is I-99 in Pennsylvania, which was written into law as I-99 by Pennsylvania Congressman Bud Shuster; I-99 (which is also U.S. Highway 220) is west of several Interstates that are numerically less than 99, and was the nearest available unused two-digit number. Some proposed future Interstate routes have been given similarly non-conforming designations by their legislative proponents. For example, backers of the proposed Third Infantry Division Highway, a route in Georgia and Tennessee, have suggested it be named Interstate 3, in honor of the division for which the highway is named [http://www.interstate-guide.com/i-003.html].

Other notable examples


- I-82 lies fully north of I-84, but I-84 was I-80N when I-82 got its number.
- I-85 diverts west of I-75 (intersecting it near Atlanta, Georgia) The following two-digit Interstates change signed direction from their normal (even=east-west, odd=north-south) direction:
- I-69
- I-76 (west) Two-digit interstates in Hawaii, as well as the "paper" interstates of Alaska and Puerto Rico, are numbered sequentially in order of funding, without regard to the rules on odd and even numbers. Business Loop and Business Spur Interstates are not subject to any of the Interstate standards. Their designation is simple - a Business Loop heads into a downtown area from its parent and returns to its parent; a Business Spur ends downtown, occasionally continuing from the end of the main Interstate. Business routes can split from either two- or three-digit Interstates, and can be repeated within a state. In a few cases, where an Interstate has been realigned, the old road has been designated a Business Loop because it is not up to standards.

Financing

About 72% ([http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policy/ohim/hs03/htm/hf10.htm 2003 FHWA summary]) of the construction and maintenance costs are funded through user fees, primarily gasoline taxes, collected by states and the federal government, and tolls collected on toll roads and bridges. The rest of the costs come out of the federal budget. In the eastern United States, large sections of some Interstate Highways planned or built prior to 1956 are operated as toll roads. The taxes dedicated to the construction and maintenance of highways are often criticized as a direct subsidy from the government to promote and maintain auto-oriented development as we know it today. The dominant role of the federal government in road finance has enabled it to pass laws in areas outside of the powers enumerated in the federal Constitution. By threatening to withhold highway funds, the federal government has been able to force state legislatures to pass a variety of laws. Examples include increasing the legal drinking age to 21, for a number of years reducing the maximum speed limit to 55 miles per hour, passing Megan's Law legislation, lowering the legal intoxication level to 0.08/1000, and other laws. This has proved to be controversial. Those who support this feel that it is a way to provide an impetus to states to pass uniform legislation. Others feel that using highway dollars in this fashion upsets the balance between federal and states' rights in favor of the federal government, and effectively holds funds as ransom in order to coerce state governments into passing laws that would not have otherwised been introduced. As American suburbs push ever outward, the costs incurred of maintaining freeway infrastructure has started to catch up with the economy, leaving little in the way of funds for new interstate construction. This has led to the proliferation of the toll road (turnpike) as the new method of building limited-access highways in suburban areas. Also, some interstates are being privately maintained now (VMS in Texas, I-35) in order to cut rising costs of maintenance and allow state departments of transportation to focus on serving the fastest growing regions in their respective states. The future of the interstate system as we know it is in question. It is entirely possible that parts of the system will have to be tolled in the future to meet maintenance and expansion demands, as is done with adding toll HOV/HOT lanes in certain cities like Minneapolis, Houston, Dallas, and Washington D.C.

Non-chargeable Interstate routes

In addition to Interstate highways financed with federal funds (Chargeable Interstate routes), federal laws allow other highways to be signed as Interstates, if they meet the Interstate Highway standards and that they are logical additions or connections to the System. Called Non-Chargeable Interstate routes, these additions fall under two categories: # Routes that already meet Interstate standards. They can immediately be signed as Interstates once their proposed number is approved. # Routes designated as a future part of the system once they are upgraded to Interstate standards. Until then, it cannot be signed as an Interstate yet.

Signage

dollar Interstate Highways are signed by a number on a red, white and blue sign as shown to the right. In the original design, the state was formerly listed above the highway number, but in many states, this area is now left blank. The sign itself measures 36 inches high, and is 36 inches wide for two-digit interstates, or 45 inches for three-digit interstates. Business Loop and Business Spur Interstates use a special shield where the red and blue are replaced with green; the word BUSINESS appears instead of INTERSTATE, and the word SPUR or LOOP usually appears above the number. The majority of Interstates have exit numbers. All traffic signs and lane markings on the Interstates are supposed to be designed in compliance with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). However, there are many local and regional variations in signage. The state of California is now adapting to an exit numbering system after many years as being the only state in the country that did not use such a system. In most states, the exit numbers correspond to the mileage markers on the Interstates (with an exception being I-19 in Arizona, whose length is measured in kilometers instead of miles). Many northeastern states label exit numbers sequentially, regardless of how many miles have passed between exits. On even-numbered Interstates, mileage increases to the east and decreases to the west; and on odd-numbered Interstates, mileage increases to the north and decreases to the south. In both cases, the exit numbers increase and decrease accordingly.

Interstate oddities


- Vinita, Oklahoma — A McDonalds is built over the top of Interstate 44. It goes from one side of the interstate to the other, passing over the interstate. Customers can sit inside and eat while traffic drives beneath them. It is also purported to be the "world's largest".
- Kearney, Nebraska — The Great Platte River Road Archway Museum is built over top of Interstate 80. The 1,500 ton structure spans 308 feet across the interstate and houses a museum dedicated to frontier culture.
- Reno, Nevada — A Walgreens store sits on top of a segment of Interstate 80 in downtown Reno.
- Newton, Massachusetts — A Star Market supermarket is built over the top of Interstate 90. Traffic reporters refer to this point on the highway as the "Star Market overpass".
- Newton, Massachusetts — A Sheraton hotel is built over the top of Interstate 90.
- Boston, Massachusetts — The Prudential Tower in downtown Boston is built over top of Interstate 90 as well. A less known fact about Interstate 90 is that it is built over what used to be the largest railroad corridor in New England; photos from the 1950s show huge rail yards where I-90 now comes into the city. Many of the oddities on I-90 are the result of deals struck by the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, Perini Corporation (which constructed the majority of the highway), and existing buildings at the time of construction. In return for not obstructing the highway project, the MTA went to lengths such as preserving the aforementioned Star Market.
- Atlanta, Georgia — The Civic Center MARTA station is located over the Downtown Connector (Interstate 75/85) at West Peachtree Street, making it the only subway station built over an Interstate highway.
- Illinois — The Illinois Tollway oasis is a type of rest area which spans the top of the interstate highway it is on. There are seven of them which are on the Tri-State Tollway (Interstates 80, 94 & 294), Northwest Tollway (Interstate 90) and the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway (Interstate 88). Customers are able to sit inside the Oases and eat while traffic goes by beneath them. This type of development is common in the UK.
- Seattle, Washington — The [http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/parks/parkspaces/FreewayPark.htm Seattle Freeway Park] sits on top of Interstate 5 (NB and SB, including HOV express lanes). The park is connected to the [http://www.wsctc.com Washington State Convention Center] connecting downtown to the [http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/tour/capitol.htm Capitol Hill] and First Hill districts (locally, First Hill is also known as "Pill Hill" as this is Seattle's medical district). The park is multi-level and as such, there are areas where visitors are able to watch traffic pass by.
- Breezewood, Pennsylvania — There is a sign of a policeman pointing at you saying, "You! Slow Down!" You then have to drive a few blocks on US 30 before returning to I-70. This is a rare instance of a traffic light on an interstate.
- Jersey City, New Jersey — Interstate 78 follows a pair of one-way streets for a short distance between the Newark Bay Extension of the New Jersey Turnpike and the Holland Tunnel, which leads into New York City. Along with the aforementioned I-70, this is the only other primary interstate with traffic lights.

Criticism

In addition to the various economic issues, the system has roused criticism on aesthetic grounds. The efficiency and faster speeds of the system, made possible in part by engineering techniques that often tend to cut through the land rather than merely following it as with the older U.S. Highway, have inevitably resulted in a safer but less-scenic drive. When the cross-country I-40 was finally finished in the late 1980s, by completing the segment between Raleigh, North Carolina and Wilmington, North Carolina, Charles Kuralt stated, "It is now possible to travel from coast to coast without seeing anything!"

References

# 65 MPH Approved for Route, Wichita Eagle-Beacon, October 24, 1987 # Field, David. "On 40th birthday, interstates face expensive midlife crisis." Insight on the News, 29 July 1996, 40-42.

See also


- Autobahn
- Freeway
- Gas tax
- Highway patrol
- Non-motorized vehicle access on freeways
- List of roads and highways
- Mile-log
- Parkway
- Ramp meter
- Speed limit
- Toll road
- Traffic light
- United States highway
- National Highway System
- List of major freeway systems
- Controlled-access highway

External links


- [http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/programadmin/interstate.html Interstate Highway information]
- [http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/reports/routefinder/index.htm FHWA Route Log and Finder List]
- [http://www.tfhrc.gov/pubrds/septoct00/urban.htm FHWA Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center] - Analysis and History of Interstate Highway System
- [http://www.kurumi.com/roads/3di/ 3-digit Interstate Highways]
- [http://www.aaroads.com/ Pictures of all Interstates]
- [http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?doc=88 One] of 100 milestone documents of American history
- Federal Highway Administration's [http://www.tfhrc.gov/pubrds/summer96/p96su10.htm article on the act]
- Fortune magazine on [http://www.fortune.com/fortune/fortune500/articles/0,15114,574088,00.html history of the Interstate Highway System]
- [http://www.geocities.com/michelleskinnerfreeway Another great Interstate Page], with facts on all 2-digit Interstates and links to their exit lists
- [http://www.ajfroggie.com/triskele Highway Heaven] Contains exit lists for most Interstate highways
- [http://www.triskele.com/fonts/index.html RoadGeek] - A complete set of TrueType fonts for simulating Interstate and other highway signage ja:ドワイト・デーヴィッド・アイゼンハワー全米州間国防高速道路網

San Francisco, California

: The City and County of San Francisco (2004 estimated population 744,230) is the fourth-largest city in the state of California, in the United States. A consolidated city-county, mainland San Francisco is located on the tip of the San Francisco Peninsula. Insular San Francisco includes several islands in the San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate Strait, notably Alcatraz, Treasure Island, and the Farallon Islands 27 miles offshore in the Pacific Ocean and also most of the privately owned Red Rock Island near the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. (See Islands of San Francisco Bay) The city is a focal point of the San Francisco Bay Area, and forms part of the greater San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland Combined Statistical Area (CSA), whose population is over 7 million. U.S. census data show that San Francisco has the highest population density of any major U.S. city aside from New York City. The first Europeans to settle in San Francisco were the Spanish, in 1776. With the advent of the California gold rush in 1848 the city entered a period of rapid growth. Devastated by the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, the city was quickly rebuilt. The phoenix on the city's flag represents San Francisco's "rebirth" from the ashes of the fire that resulted from the quake. Long enjoying a bohemian reputation the city became a counterculture magnet in the second half of the 20th century. It was a center of the dot-com boom and explosive growth of the internet at the end of the century. San Francisco has unique characteristics when compared to other major cities in the U.S., including its steep rolling hills, an eclectic mix of architecture including both Victorian style houses and modern skyscrapers, and unmatched physical beauty, surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay. San Francisco's famous hallmarks include its cable cars and the Golden Gate Bridge, which are recognized worldwide.

History

Golden Gate Bridge European visitors to the Bay Area were preceded 10,000 to 20,000 years earlier by Native Americans. When Europeans arrived, they found the area inhabited by the Yelamu tribe, belonging to a linguistic grouping later called the Ohlone (a Miwok Indian word meaning "western people") living in the coastal area between Point Sur and the San Francisco Bay. San Francisco's characteristic foggy weather and geography led early European explorers, including Juan Cabrillo and Sir Francis Drake (who would instead land a few miles north in Point Reyes), to pass by the Golden Gate and miss the San Francisco Bay. Eventually, a Spanish party, led by Don Gaspar de Portolà, discovered the bay in 1770, claiming it in the name of Spain. In 1776, Juan Bautista de Anza arrived and established the sites for the Presidio of San Francisco and Mission San Francisco de Asis (named for Saint Francis of Assisi and now popularly known as "Mission Dolores"). In 1792 British explorer George Vancouver set up a small settlement near the village of Yerba Buena (later downtown San Francisco) which became a small base for English, Russian, and other European fur traders, explorers, and settlers. Due to its distance from Mexico City and the decline of Spanish power, the area was isolated, remaining sparsely populated and undeveloped. It became part of an independent Mexico in 1821. Following the passing of the Secularization Act of 1833, effectively ending the Mission period, Mission San Francisco de Asis was abandoned. The local indigenous tribes of Ohlone and Miwok had became virtually extinct by this time due to disease and warfare with the European settlers. In addition to Spanish and European settlers, Russian colonists also visited the Bay area. From 1770, lasting through 1841, Russia colonized an area that ranged from Alaska south to Fort Ross in Sonoma County, California. The naming of San Francisco's Russian Hill neighborhood is attributed to the remains of Russian fur-traders and sailors found there. Serious development by non-Spanish speakers began in 1822, when William Richardson, an English whaler redeveloped a section of Yerba Buena in what is now Portsmouth Square in Chinatown. Yerba Buena remained a small town until the Mexican-American War broke out in 1846. The British Empire briefly entertained the idea of purchasing the bay from Mexico in 1841, claiming it would "Secure to Great Britain all the advantages of the finest port in the Pacific for her commercial speculations in time of peace, and in war for more easily securing her maritime ascendency". However little came of this, and San Francisco become a prize of United States continental imperialism rather than that of British thalassocratic power. A naval force under Commodore John D. Sloat claimed it in the name of the United States and renamed it "San Francisco" on January 30, 1847. Situated at the tip of a windswept peninsula without water or firewood, San Francisco lacked most of the basic facilities for a nineteenth century settlement. These natural disadvantages forced the town's residents to bring water, fuel and food to the site. The first of many environmental transformations was the city's reliance on filled marshlands for real estate. Much of the present downtown is built over the former Yerba Buena Cove, granted to the city by military governor Stephen Watts Kearny in 1847. Stephen Watts Kearny The California gold rush starting in 1848 led to a large boom in population, including considerable immigration. Between January 1848 and December 1849, the population of San Francisco increased from 1,000 to 25,000. This included many workers from China who came to work in the gold mines and later on the Transcontinental Railroad. The Chinatown district of the city became and is still one of the largest in the country; the city as a whole is roughly one-fifth Chinese, one of the largest concentrations outside of China. Many businesses founded to service the growing population exist today, notably Levi Strauss & Co. clothing, Ghirardelli chocolate, and Wells Fargo bank. Many famous railroad, banking, and mining tycoons or "robber barons" such as Charles Crocker, Mark Hopkins, Collis P. Huntington, and Leland Stanford settled in the city in its Nob Hill neighborhood. The sites of their mansions are now famous and expensive San Francisco hotels (Mark Hopkins Hotel and the Huntington Hotel). Huntington Hotel, 1856.]] As in many mining towns, the social climate in early San Francisco was chaotic. This was exacerbated by squabbling in the United States Senate, where the Compromise of 1850 was igniting a fierce fight over slavery. Committees of Vigilance were formed in 1851, and again in 1856, in response to crime and government corruption, but also had a strong element of anti-immigrant violence, and arguably created more lawlessness than they eliminated. This popular militia movement lynched 12 people, kidnapped hundreds of Irishmen and government militia members, and forced several elected officials to resign. The Committee of Vigilance relinquished power both times after it decided the city had been "cleaned up." This mob activity later focused on Chinese immigrants, creating many race riots. These riots culminated in the creation of the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882 that aimed to reduce Chinese immigration to the United States by limiting immigration to males and reducing numbers of immigrants allowed in the city. The law was not repealed until 1943. Chinese Exclusion Act San Francisco County was one of the original counties of California, created in 1850 at the time of statehood. The parts of the county not in the city limits were split off to form San Mateo County in 1856. San Francisco became America's largest city west of the Mississippi River, until it lost that title to Los Angeles. It was also briefly the state capital in 1851, until San José received the title. (Sa