I-680 Sunol Express Lanes Project

The Alameda County Transportation Commission (Alameda CTC), in cooperation with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), environmentally cleared the construction of an express lane on northbound Interstate 680 (I-680) from the State Route 237 (SR-237) interchange in Santa Clara County to north of the State Route 84 (SR-84) interchange in Alameda County. The project was split into two phases to expedite the delivery. Phase 1, from SR-262 to SR-84, broke ground in April 2018 and included reconfiguration of the access configuration of the southbound express lane to allow drivers to enter and exit more freely. Both the new northbound and converted southbound express lane opened to high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) traffic in October 2020. On March 31, 2023, tolling resumed on the southbound express lane and began on the northbound express lane.

Phase 1 construction included the following:
  • Widening the freeway to accommodate the express lane together with several auxiliary lanes to facilitate the smooth and safe transition of traffic between local streets and the freeway between interchanges.
  • Adding a new 9-mile express lane and associated improvements between Auto Mall Parkway and SR-84, providing congestion relief in the corridor.
  • Upgrading the I-680 Southbound Express Lane access configuration from controlled access to a near continuous access configuration.
  • Modification of bridge crossings.
  • Construction of retaining walls to accommodate the widening.
  • Repaving the full project limits.

For total project cost and phase information, see the project Fact Sheets tab.

Project Fact Sheet

Note: Tolling operations resumed on I-680 Sunol Express Lanes in March 2023.

A Ribbon Cutting Celebration

A Virtual Celebration

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Alameda CTC held its first virtual ribbon cutting for the Interstate 680 (I-680) Sunol Northbound Express Lane. The celebration commemorated completion of construction of nine miles of a high-occupancy vehicle (HOV)/continuous access express lane in the northbound direction on I-680 between State Route 262 and State Route 84 (SR-84). Additionally, the adjacent I-680 Southbound Express Lane was upgraded to improve access. Tolling operations for both directions will begin on March 31, 2023.

Work on the I-680 Sunol Northbound Express Lane (Phase I) included:
  • Widening the freeway to accommodate the HOV/express lane together with several auxiliary lanes to facilitate the smooth and safe transition of traffic between local streets and the freeway between interchanges.
  • Addition of a new northbound 9-mile HOV/express lane and associated improvements between Auto Mall Parkway and SR-84, providing congestion relief in the corridor.
  • Upgrade of the I-680 Southbound Express Lane access configuration from controlled access to a near continuous access configuration.
  • Modification of bridge crossings.
  • Construction of retaining walls to accommodate the widening.
  • Repaving the full project limits.

Event Materials









Please direct all media inquiries to:
Remy Goldsmith
Principal Program Analyst
510.208.7409
rgoldsmith@alamedactc.org
Please direct all media inquiries to:
Remy Goldsmith
Principal Program Analyst
510.208.7409
rgoldsmith@alamedactc.org

For recent press releases, visit our Press Room.

Documents

Environmental Process

Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Caltrans, in cooperation with the Alameda CTC, studied the environmental effects of this project. These studies show that the project would not significantly affect of the quality of the environment. The report that discusses these findings is called an Initial Study with Proposed Negative Declaration/ Environmental Assessment (IS/EA). Caltrans approved the Initial Study/Environmental Assessment in March 2014. The IS/EA is available for review online at www.dot.ca.gov/dist4/envdocs.htm

A Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Assessment (EIR/EA) was prepared for the I-680 Northbound HOV/express lane project for public circulation beginning in November 2014. The final EIR/EA with finding of no significant impact ("FONSI) was approved July 2015.

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Presentations