CALIFORNIA STATE ROUTE 17 - Nimitz Freeway

Highway 17 is the only multi-lane highway connecting San Jose and Silicon Valley to the coastal town of Santa Cruz.

Highway 17 begins at Interstate 280 in San Jose and heads south through the Santa Cruz Mountains to Highway 1 in Santa Cruz. Highway 17 is a full freeway from San Jose to Los Gatos and from Scotts Valley to Santa Cruz but between Los Gatos and Scotts Valley, it is a curvy 4-lane mountain highway. Highway 17 used to run from US 101 in San Rafael to Santa Cruz but in 1984, it was renumbered as Interstate 580 from San Rafael to Richmond and as Interstate 880 from Oakland to Interstate 280.


Exit 377A Exit Number Installed
Exit 377A Exit Number Not Installed

Exit 25
South

Hamilton Avenue is a major east-west road connecting west San Jose and Campbell to the Willow Glen neighborhood in central San Jose.

Exit 23
South

Camden Avenue Campbell and west San Jose to the Almaden Valley region of south San Jose. San Tomas Expwy is a major north-south commuter route that connects Campbell to Santa Clara.

Exit 22
South

Highway 85 is also known as the West Valley Freeway and serves the southern and western parts of Silicon Valley. The 18-mile segment between Cupertino and south San Jose was built without any state or federal funding and no trucks are allowed on this segment of Hwy 85.

Exit 21
South

Lark Avenue is a short road in northern Los Gatos that connects Los Gatos Blvd to Santa Cruz Avenue/Winchester Blvd. This is the first of two exits to reach the Los Gatos Auto Row.

Exit 20B
South

This is the northern terminus of Hwy 9 and connects the downtown areas of Los Gatos and Saratoga. Beyond Saratoga, Hwy 9 traverses the Santa Cruz Mountains passing by Big Basin State Park before ending in Santa Cruz.

Exit 20A
South

Exit 20B is an extension of Hwy 9 eastward before ending at Los Gatos Blvd. This is the second exit that leads to the Los Gatos Auto Row.