California Roads - I-280 NB - Exits 1-12B

Exits 1-12B



Up to Exit 1A, he last two photos are left and right on the same gantry.


The last photo is on the Exit 3 ramp and the two before that are on the left and right of the same gantry. CA 87 is patched onto the distance sign because that sign predates the completion of the CA 87 freeway, which is why the other CA 87 exit signs look newer. It would have said Julian Street, the only destination open until 1988.


Just like the SB side, the onramp from Almaden Blvd. (SB Exit 2B) braids through the CA 87 interchange with the NB Exit 3B to Bird Ave. without interacting with CA 87 at all.


This photo is for the birds. And here I am just a mile from Bird Ave.


The last two photos are both onramps from Meridian Ave. (SB Exit 4). Here's how that works: Meridian Ave. NB has a loop into the NB Exit 5A ramp to Leigh/Bascom Aves., which then splits onto I-280. Meridian Ave. SB has no such fortune and must follow Parkmoor Ave., which acts as a frontage road here. Once Exit 5A merges into Parkmoor, there's then a chance for SB traffic to join I-280.


Interestingly, both CA 17 SB and I-880 NB are Exit 5B even though there are two separate ramps in this direction. That only matters if Caltrans ever signs the exit number here. The last 4 photos are two sets of left/right pairs on the same consecutive bridges. All of these signs predate the conversion of CA 17 from here north to I-880 in 1984.


All signs pertaining to Exit 7, the last on Saratoga Ave. NB.


The last two photos are left and right on the same structure. Before that, De Anza Blvd. was renamed from being more of Sunnyvale-Saratoga Rd.


I cropped in the underside of the last sign structure so you could see how the "boxes" are put together. You have no way to know it, but that's Exit 12B and the end of this page. Click on the second photo for a closeup of the whole assembly.

Continue north on I-280 NB
Over to the southbound side

Back east to I-680 SB
Back to I-280 main page

Exit 3 to CA 87
Exit 5B to I-880
Exit 5B to CA 17
Exit 12 to CA 85
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