Nimitz Freeway

Interstate 880

Nimitz Freeway

Route information

Defined by

Maintained by Caltrans

Length:

45.698 mi (73.544 km)

History:

1930s as a state highway, 1983-84 as an interstate [1]

Major junctions

South end:

North end:

Highway system

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U.S. Route 48
Location:	French Camp–San Jose from 1926-9; Lathrop–Hayward from 1929-31
Existed:	1926–1931

U.S. Route 101E
Location:	San Rafael–San Jose
Existed:	1929–1940s

State Route 17
Location:	San Rafael–Santa Cruz
Existed:	1940s–1984 north of I-280

U.S. Route 50 Business
Location:	Oakland–Castro Valley
Existed:	?–1964

Interstate 880
Location:	West Sacramento–Sacramento
Existed:	1971–1983

Interstate 880 (I-880) is an Interstate Highway in the San Francisco Bay Area connecting San Jose and Oakland, running parallel to the northeastern shore of San Francisco Bay. For most of its route, I-880 is officially known as the Nimitz Freeway, after World War II fleet admiral Chester Nimitz, who retired to the Bay Area and lived on Yerba Buena Island.

The southern terminus of I-880 is at its interchange with Interstate 280 and State Route 17 in San Jose. From there, it heads roughly northeast past the San Jose International Airport to U.S. Route 101. The Nimitz Freeway then turns northwest, running parallel to the southeastern shore of San Francisco Bay, connecting the cities of Milpitas, Fremont, Newark, Union City, Hayward, and San Leandro before reaching Oakland. In Oakland, I-880 passes by Oakland International Airport, Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum and Downtown Oakland. The northern terminus of I-880 is in Oakland at the junction with Interstate 80 and Interstate 580 (known as the MacArthur Maze), near the eastern approach of the Bay Bridge.