Interchange Work at I-580/I-680 Moving Quickly

By Jay Hipps, Hacienda Network Staff Writer

The I-580 and I-680 interchange and flyover construction project is proceeding ahead of schedule and under budget, according to Francis Lo, project manager for this Alameda County Transportation Authority undertaking.

The interchange is one of the most heavily used in the Bay Area. The 280,000 cars which travel through the 580/680 connection on a daily basis is a larger number than those which travel the Bay Bridge, Low says.

Commuters now have a new connector ramp from northbound 680 to eastbound 580 that opened in early August.

"People who drive through there should be very happy. But, they should also be careful and slow down as there is a lot of construction still going on," says Lo, adding that the southbound I-680 ramp to Dublin will open in late October.

The biggest part of the project, the south-to-east flyover which spans the BART tracks, is expected to be completed this winter.

The southbound 680 to westbound 580 connector ramp to Hayward is scheduled to open in July 2001. Traffic will improve significantly, said Lo, reducing on south 680 the backup of cars in the west lane that are trying to merge onto westbound 580.

Completed in May were the on-ramp from Village Parkway in Dublin and the Hopyard Road bridge project.

Construction began in July 1998 and is expected to be completed in mid-2002, although it may be completed sooner. The entire project will ease congestion and provide better traffic flow. Construction costs are approximately $53 million and are financed by Measure B funds, which come from a half-cent sales tax that was established for transportation projects.

Photo: The south 680 to east 580 portion of the flyover, seen here, is expected to be completed this winter.

Also in this issue...