SVRoads Exit Guide: Interstate 680 South

INTERSTATE 680 - Sinclair Freeway

Interstate 680 connects San Jose to Sacramento and the Central Valley. It also passes through the inland East Bay cities of Dublin, San Ramon, Walnut Creek, Martinez and Benicia. A new northbound span of the Benicia Bridge opened in 2007 and is the first to feature "Open Road Tolling". Tolls are collected electronically while drivers whiz by at 65 MPH.

Interstate 680 begins at Interstate 80 west of Fairfield and heads south through the inland East Bay cities of Benicia, Concord, Walnut Creek, San Ramon and Dublin. This freeway is a major commuter route that handles traffic from the east bay, Livermore valley and the Central Valley and as a result is very, very congested during the morning commute. The current southbound carpool lane is being converted into a High Occupancy Toll lane where solo drivers can pay to use the lane while carpools still ride free.

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

Exit 9

South

Jacklin Road is the first exit after entering Santa Clara County and it serves the residential areas of Milpitas. Milpitas High School is located near this interchange.

Exit 8

South

Highway 237 is a major route that traverses the northern part of Silicon Valley. Between Interstate 880 and 680, Hwy 237 is a busy city street. West of Interstate 880, Hwy 237 is a freeway all the way to Mountain View.

Exit 6

South

Landess Avenue, which runs east of the freeway, serves the residential areas of Milpitas and San Jose.

Montague Expwy heads west towards San Jose's industrial and commercial areas. Use this exit to get the Great Mall of the Bay Area.

Exit 5

South

Capitol Avenue connects east San Jose to Milpitas and the companies located in Milpitas and north San Jose. The Alum Rock Light Rail line runs down the middle of Capitol.

Hostetter Avenue heads west to the commercial areas north of downtown and the airport.

Exit 4

South

Berryessa Road serves the residential areas of east San Jose which are located on either side of the freeway. The Berryessa Flea Market, which runs Wednesday thru Sunday, is located a couple of miles west of the freeway.

Exit 2B

South

McKee Road is lined with commercial and residential developments. McKee turn into Julian Street at U.S. 101 and heads into downtown San Jose.

Exit 2A

South

Alum Rock Avenue is also signed as State Route 130 which heads to the top of Mount Hamilton and the Lick Observatory. There was talk of building a freeway over Mt. Hamilton to Patterson that would roughly follow Hwy 130 but there is very little chance of that happening now.

Exit 1D

South

Capitol Expwy is part of the county's expressway system and it serves the residential areas of east and south San Jose. The Reid-Hillview Airport and Eastridge Mall are both located on Capitol.

Exit 1C

South

King Road serves the residential and commercial areas of east San Jose. South of the freeway is a predominately Vietnamese part of San Jose.

Exit 1B

South

U.S. 101 south heads to Los Angeles via the California coast passing through the cities of Gilroy, Salinas, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura. U.S. 101 north heads up the California, Oregon and Washington coasts.

Closer to home, U.S. 101 connects San Jose and San Francisco. Interstate 280 is the more scenic route while U.S. 101 takes a more urban route.

Southbound Interstate 680 ends as it crosses over U.S. 101 and it becomes northbound Interstate 280 which heads to San Francisco via the foothills of the coast range.

This transition from 680 to 280 is technically Exit 1A.