#i-680

Benicia Bridge Vista Point, CA (No. 1)

The Benicia–Martinez Bridge refers to three parallel bridges which cross the Carquinez Strait just west of Suisun Bay in California; the spans link Benicia on the north side with Martinez on the south.

The original 1.2-mile (1.9 km) deck truss bridge opened in 1962 to replace the last automotive ferry service in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 1962 bridge has seven 528-foot (161 m) spans and 138 feet (42 m) of vertical clearance, now carrying four lanes of southbound traffic, as well as a path for pedestrians and bicyclists. It was named the George Miller Jr., Memorial Bridge in 1975 after California state legislator George Miller Jr. A 1.7-mile (2.7 km) bridge was built alongside and opened on August 25, 2007 with five lanes of northbound traffic. In 2007, it was named the Congressman George Miller Benicia–Martinez Bridge after U.S. Congressman George Miller, Miller Jr.'s son. The cost of the 1962 span was US$25 million and US$1.3 billion for the 2007 span. (Adjusted for inflation, equivalent to $252 million and $1.91 billion respectively.) The bridge is part of Interstate 680, a major transportation link connecting other heavily traveled freeways.

Between the two vehicle bridges is a Union Pacific Railroad bridge, the first bridge at this location, built between April 1929 and October 1930 by Southern Pacific. It is used by Union Pacific and BNSF (trackage rights) freight trains and 36 scheduled Amtrak passenger trains each weekday. Passenger trains include the long-distance trains California Zephyr and Coast Starlight and commuter-oriented Capitol Corridor services.

Benicia Bridge Vista Point, CA (No. 3)

A vista point is located on the north side of the span, providing an excellent view of the 3 parallel bridges passing over the Carquinez Strait with Mount Diablo in the background. It has ample parking, picnic tables and a large compass to provide orientation. This is typically the point where cyclists and pedestrians wishing to cross the bridge park their cars.

Benicia Bridge Vista Point, CA (No. 2)

Union Pacific Railroad's Benicia-Martinez drawbridge is between the two vehicle bridges. The railroad bridge was built between 1928 and 1930 for Southern Pacific Railroad to replace its train ferry between Benicia and Port Costa, California. It is the second-longest railway bridge in North America, and the longest railway bridge west of the Mississippi River. Before the bridge was completed, ferries were used to allow the railway to cross Suisun Bay. The original ferry, built at Oakland, California in 1879 and named the Solano, was the world's largest train ferry. In 1914 the larger Contra Costa was built. In 1926 the ferries carried 93,000 passenger cars and 142,000 freight cars across the Strait.

Train ferry service ended with the opening of the railroad bridge on October 15, 1930.

Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway and Amtrak also run here on trackage rights. The drawbridge has the smallest clearances of the three bridges — lift span horizontal clearance is 291 feet and vertical clearances are 70 feet (closed) and 135 feet (open).

The California Highway Patrol issued a SIGALERT after a vehicle crash occurred at 11:58 am Monday which has blocked the No. 1 and No 2 lanes.

The 5-vehicle crash occurred on northbound I-680 at Treat Blvd.

By 12:08 pm, the SIGALER was issued with an unknown estimated time that lanes would re-open.

CHP Log

Detail Information 12:17 PM 26 [53] ^***UPDATE SIGALERT*** REVISED LOCATION – NB I680 N/OF N.…

Growing Up in Working Class Youngstown — Freeways

From http://www.interstate-guide.com/i-680_oh.html

I was born before freeway construction began in Youngstown, but not so early that I remember the area before freeways. When I was about 6 or 7, I remember going out with my dad and walking on the roadbed of what would become I-680 on the West Side going from the Oakwood Avenue entrance toward Steel Street and the underpass at Mahoning Avenue. My…