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 Highway 1 in Santa
Cruz and heads north through the Santa Cruz Mountains to San Jose.
Highway 17 is a full freeway from Santa Cruz to Scotts Valley and
from Los Gatos to San Jose but between Scotts Valley and Los Gatos,
it is a curvy 4-lane mountain highway. Highway 17 used to run from
Santa Cruz to US 101 in San Rafael but in 1984, it was renumbered
as Interstate 880 from Interstate 280 to Oakland and as Interstate
580 from Richmond to San Rafael.
Exit 377A
Exit Number Installed
Exit 377A
Exit Number Not Installed
Exit
19
North
Santa Cruz Avenue is the main road through downtown Los Gatos
which includes a number of high-end restaurants and shops.
As this exit is located before Hwy 17 returns to freeway status,
this sign may never get an exit number.
Exit
20A
North
Exit 20A is an extension of Hwy 9 east and ends at Los Gatos Blvd.
This is one of two exits to reach the Los Gatos Auto Row.
Exit
20B
North
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
21
North
Lark Avenue is a short road in northern
Los Gatos that connects Los Gatos Blvd to Santa Cruz Avenue/Winchester
Blvd. This is the second exit to reach the Los Gatos Auto Row.
Exit
22
North
Hwy 85 is also known as the West Valley Freeway and serves the
southern and western parts of Silicon Valley. The 18-mile segment
from Cupertino to south San Jose was built without any state or
federal funding and no trucks are allowed on this segment.
Exit
23
North
Camden Avenue connects Campbell and west San Jose to the Almaden
Valley region of south San Jose. San Tomas Expwy is a major north-south
commuter route connecting Campbell to Santa Clara.
Exit
25
North
Hamilton Avenue is a major east-west road that connects west San
Jose to the Willow Glen neighborhood in central San Jose. There
is a VTA light rail station located right at this interchange.
Exit
26A
North
Interstate 280 south heads into downtown San Jose before turning
north at U.S. 101 and becoming Interstate 680.
Exit
26B
North
This exit serves both Interstate 280 north heading towards San
Francisco and Stevens Creek Blvd.
This ramp is congested on a daily basis with shoppers trying to
get to the Valley Fair Mall and the Santana Row shopping complex.
Highway 17 becomes Interstate
880 after crossing Interstate 280 and continues north on its way
to Fremont, Union City, Hayward, San Leandro and Oakland
