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California State Route 87

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After crossing San Francisco Bay on California State Route 84 on the Dumbarton Bridge I made my way southeast on CA 114 and US 101 to San Jose where I turned south on CA 87.


CA 87 is a 9 mile State Route which is a freeway for it's entire length through the City of San Jose starting at US Route 101 southward to CA 85.  CA 87 was created during the 1964 State Highway Renumbering and was originally meant to extend to extend all the way north to San Francisco skirting the shore of San Francisco Bay.  CA 87 was created out of the following Legislative Route Numbers:

-  LRN 292 which exists on the current CA 87 corridor on the Guadalupe Parkway.  LRN 292 was designated by the Legislature in 1961 according to CAhighways.org.

CAhighways.org on LRN 292

-  LRN 289 from US 101 northwest to San Francisco to LRN 253.  According to CAhighways.org LRN 289 was defined in 1959, this segment was ultimately never built.  Most of what was LRN 289 was deleted in 1970 but portions remained in the highway system.  The currently unbuilt section of CA 87 between US 101 and CA 237 was part of LRN 289.  Unbuilt LRN 230 in San Francisco is part of the northern extent of former LRN 289.

CAhighways.org on LRN 289

-  Parts of LRN 253 to US 40/50 in San Francisco.  LRN 253 was defined in 1959 according to CAhighways.org and would ultimately be transferred to the route of I-280 by 1968.

CAhighways.org on LRN 253

The change from all the LRNs described above to LRN/CA 87 can be observed by comparing the 1963 State Highway Map to the 1964 edition.

1963 State Highway Map

1964 State Highway Map

CAhighways.org has a detailed description on the time frame CA 87 from US 101 south to CA 85 was constructed to it's current configuration.  The below is quoted directly from CAhighways.org:

-  1963 State adopts plan designating the Guadalupe Parkway as a future feeway.
-  1970. Caltrans stops freeway planning due to budget problems.
-  1972. The Route 87/I-280 interchange is constructed. 
-  1976. A temporary 4-lane freeway is built from I-280 N to Julian Street. 
-  1988. The temporary freeway is extend from Julian N to Taylor Street.
-  1992. Median barriers installed. A new ramp from NB Guadalupe Parkway to N First Street opens. 
-  1993. Route 87 S of I-280 opens. 
-  1997. Construction begins on the completion of the Route 87 freeway. This will run underneath W Taylor Street, rising above Skyport and Airport parkways. The Taylor and Skyport interchanges will be SPUIs. Skyport will be the only entry point into the San Jose Airport from Route 87. Estimated completion for this work is 2003. The total cost of this additional work is over $225 million, and involved the movement of more than 470,000 ft² of fill. 
-  2004. The last signal light on Route 87 at the intersection with Hedding was removed in April 2004 as the northbound lanes were opened to make Route 87 in San Jose without any signal lights for its entire length. 
-  2005. Carpool lanes from Route 85 to I-280 are to be complete.

The full CA 87 page on CAhighways page can be found below.

CAhighways.org on CA 87

My approach to CA 87 as stated above was from US 101 southbound at Exit 390.  US 101 traffic is advised that San Jose International Airport can be accessed on CA 87 south.






CA 87 south traffic heading to San Jose International Airport is directed to use Exit 8.




CA 87 south quickly enters downtown San Jose and is signed as the "Lewis E. Platt Memorial Highway."  CA 87 south has a junction with CA 82 (former US 101) at Exit 6A.







At Exit 5 CA 87 south has a junction with I-280.


South of downtown CA 87 continues to CA 85.  Access CA 85 south is obtained via Exit 1A while CA 85 north is accessed via Exit 1B.







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