Skip to main content

California State Route 84 west from Interstate 880 over the Dumbarton Bridge

On a recent Bay Area trip I took California State 84 west from Interstate 880 over San Francisco Bay via the Dumbarton Bridge.


The Dumbarton Bridge is a 1.63 mile structure crossing San Francisco Bay near Dumbarton Point.  The Dumbarton Bridge is the southernmost bridge in San Francisco Bay and the shortest.  The current Dumbarton Bridge was completed by 1982 in a four-lane configuration and was expanded to six-lanes by 1989.

The original Dumbarton Bridge opened in 1927 and was built private money.  The 1927 Dumbarton Bridge was similar to the 1929 San Mateo-Hayward Bridge in that it featured a causeway structure and a center vertical lift span.  Like the 1929 San Mateo-Hayward Bridge the 1927 Dumbarton Bridge was purchased by the California Division of Highways in 1951.  The 1927 Dumbarton Bridge became part of Legislative Route 107 which already existed on both ends of the structure since 1933.  Said change to LRN 107 can be observed by comparing the 1951 State Highway Map to the 1952 edition.

1951 State Highway Map

1952 State Highway Map

LRN 107 and the 1927 Dumbarton Bridge would become part of CA 84 during the California Highway Renumbering of 1964.

1963 State Highway Map

1964 State Highway Map

The 1927 Dumbarton Bridge was mostly demolished in 1984 but a small portion of the eastern approach near in Newark exists as a fishing pier.

My approach to CA 84 west and the Dumbarton Bridge were from I-880 south.





CA 84 west enters the City Limits of Newark (Alameda County) west of I-880.  CA 84 west to the Dumbarton Bridge toll is a freeway grade signed at 65 MPH.


Heading west on CA 84 it is apparent some of the overhead signage has seen better days.


Tolls for the Dumbarton Bridge are collected on westbound CA 84 and are $6 dollars cash for a two axle vehicle.  The last Exit before the Dumbarton Bridge toll is at Thorton Avenue/Paseo Padre Parkway.








West of the Dumbarton Bridge toll the route of CA 84 largely falls below freeway standards and has a poor surface quality.  The speed limit over the Dumbarton Bridge is 55 MPH.









As the Dumbarton Bridge rises over San Francisco Bay it enters San Mateo County and Menlo Park.


The Dumbarton Bridge ends in Menlo Park.  CA 84 continues west over the San Cruz Mountains to CA 1 on the Pacific Ocean.  After crossing the Dumbarton Bridge I turned south on CA 109 on University Avenue.










Comments

Popular posts from this blog

2018 Mojave Road Trip Part 2; The deadly desert highway (California State Route 127 and Nevada State Route 373)

After leaving Barstow via Old Highway 58 my next destination was in Death Valley.  To access Death Valley from rural San Bernardino County required a trek on north on Interstate 15 to California State Route 127 which becomes Nevada State Route 373 at the state line. Along I-15 I encountered the road sign oddity that is Zzyzx Road about eight miles south of Baker.   Zzyzx Road is a four mile road that used to go to the Zzyzx Mineral Springs and Health Spa.   The spa was founded in the 1940s and the owner made up the name "Zzyzx" to claim it was the last word in the English Language.  The spa has been shut down since the 1970s and is now part of a Desert Studies Center for California State University. The southern terminus of CA 127 in Baker is located at I-15 exit 246.  CA 127 is a 91 mile north/south highway which runs to the Nevada State Line in Inyo County.  CA 127 is called Death Valley Road from I-15 northward.  South of CA 127 ...

Finding the Pre-Emption Road of New York State

  The Pre-Emption Road (or rather a series of roads named Pre-Emption Road) follows a survey line called the Pre-Emption Line, drawn in the early days of the United States. The story begins with Massachusetts and New York having competing land claims to modern day Western New York State that have their roots in colonial charters granted by the British. After the Revolutionary War ended, this land became the frontier of the nation and its settlement became a priority for the new American government. During this era, there were a lot of competing land claims that needed to be settled. It was no different with the land claims between New York State and Massachusetts. On November 30, 1786, Massachusetts and New York sent representatives to Hartford, Connecticut to resolve their competing land claims. In less than three weeks, the representatives had reached a compromise. Massachusetts would receive pre-emption rights, meaning the right to sell the land after the Indian title ...

What's In a Name?: When the Roads Really Do Tell a Story

  Our tagline on the Gribblenation blog is "because every road tells a story". Some roads tell different stories than others. Along our travels, we may see historic markers that tell us a little story about the roads we travel or the places we pass by. Some historic markers are more general, as to telling us who lived where or what old trail traversed between two towns. During my travels across New York State and other states or provinces, I pass by many historic markers, some with interesting or amusing references to roads. I wanted to highlight a few of the markers I've seen along my travels around the Empire State and help tell their stories. Those stories may be as specific as explaining the tales of a tree that was used to help measure a distance of eight miles from Bath to Avoca in Steuben County, as referenced on the Eight Mile Tree historical marker above. They may also help point the way along historical roads first used centuries ago, or may help tell a local l...