Interstate Travel Information

Interstate

Routing

Interstate 780 is the short connector between Vallejo (Interstate 80) and Benicia (Interstate 680). It was created in 1976, when Interstate 680 was re-routed over old California 21 to Fairfield. Prior to this action, the entire route of Interstate 780 was previously part of Interstate 680. Ramps from Interstate 780 extend a bit north of Interstate 80 into Vallejo.

Future Aspirations

Although there are no official current plans to do so, a potential extension could be to route Interstate 780 over California 37 (nicknamed "Blood Alley" due to the high number of accidents) west to U.S. 101. Current plans call for expansion of State Route 37 to four lanes, divided, with possible freeway expansion thereafter, so it seems logical. This would create a continuous freeway corridor from Novato (U.S. 101) east to Interstate 680 via Vallejo.

Highway Guides

Interstate 780 California

Mileage

State Mileage Cities Junctions
California 6.50 Vallejo Interstate 80, Interstate 680
Source: October 31, 2002 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

Interstate 780 California Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)

County	Begin Milepost	Location	To:	AADT
Solano	0.68	Interstate 680 - Benicia	Second Street - Benicia	51,000
Solano	2.02	Second Street - Benicia	West 7th Street - Benicia	55,000
Solano	2.96	West 7th Street - Benicia	West Benicia - Benicia	55,000
Solano	4.00	West Benicia - Benicia	Columbus Parkway - Benicia	60,000
Solano	4.77	Columbus Parkway - Benicia	Glen Cove Road - Benicia	51,000
Solano	6.00	Glen Cove Road - Benicia	Interstate 80	60,000
Solano	7.19	Interstate 80	Lemon Street - End Freeway (7.44)	38,000
Source: Caltrans, Traffic Operations Program - Traffic and Vehicle Data Systems [2002]

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Western Terminus - Interstate 80 - Vallejo, California
Perspective from Interstate 780 West
	Westbound Interstate 780 approaching Junction Interstate 80 in Vallejo. Interstate 780 ends within a half mile, but no such signage is present. Photo taken by Andy Field (12/30/01).
	Westbound Interstate 780 under Interstate 80 in Vallejo. Note the yellow warning sign indicating the end of the Interstate 780 freeway approaching. This is one of the few remaining freeway-to-freeway full cloverleaf interchanges in the Bay Area. The freeway continues beyond Interstate 780 for a quarter mile or so. Photo taken by Andy Field (12/30/01).
	An END FREEWAY placard is placed on westbound Interstate 780 as it transitions onto Curtola Parkway after the Interstate 80 overpass. Photo taken by AARoads (11/26/04).
	Westbound Interstate 780 approaching traffic light just beyond Interstate 80. Photo taken by Andy Field (12/30/01).
	Westbound Interstate 780 ends at Curtola Parkway. Like most other Interstates in the San Francisco Bay Area, there is no END sign present. The divided highway continues straight ahead as Curtola Parkway. Although not a state highway, Curtola Parkway is a quick path across southern Vallejo, connecting to California 29. Photo taken by Andy Field (12/30/01).
Perspective from Interstate 80 East
	There are only two signs along eastbound Interstate 80 that announce the pending interchange with eastbound Interstate 80. This is the first one, which is located at the Magazine Street exit one-half mile east of the Interstate 780 interchange in Vallejo. Photo taken by AARoads (11/28/04).
	Use the Interstate 780 exit to connect to westbound Curtola Parkway in Vallejo. Curtola Parkway is the local continuation of Interstate 780 after the freeway crosses under Interstate 80 and becomes a surface street. Photo taken by AARoads (11/28/04).
	Eastbound Interstate 80 at junction Interstate 780 in Vallejo. This interchange is a modified cloverleaf. Although westbound Interstate 780 transitions onto Curtola Parkway, there is no direct access to this divided highway from eastbound Interstate 80. This sign assembly is unusual in that it uses backlighting rather than reflectivity for illumination in the dark. Photo taken by AARoads (11/28/04).
	The Interstate 80/Interstate 780/Curtola Parkway interchange is a modified cloverleaf. The transition ramp to Curtola Parkway can be seen to the right in this photo. The "Frontage Road" offramp is the next exit after the Interstate 780 interchange. Photo taken by AARoads (11/28/04).

Perspective from Interstate 80 West
	The first sign for Interstate 780 along westbound Interstate 80 comes along very quickly. This sign is spotted at Exit 30B, Georgia Street to downtown Vallejo. The next exit is for Exit 30A, Junction Interstate 780 east and Curtola Parkway west. Photo taken by AARoads (11/26/04).
	Westbound Interstate 80 reaches the modified cloverleaf interchange with Interstate 780 and Curtola Parkway in Vallejo (Exit 30A). Photo taken by AARoads (11/26/04).
	The first ramp in the interchange connects to Curtola Parkway westbound, which is the local continuation of Interstate 780 after passing through the Interstate 80 interchange. Photo taken by AARoads (11/26/04).
Perspective from Curtola Parkway East
	After crossing Lemon Street, eastbound Curtola Parkway assumes freeway standards. There are no signs for Interstate 780, but there are two ramps ahead. The first ramp is to westbound Interstate 80 to Oakland and San Francisco, while the second ramp is to eastbound Interstate 80 to Fairfield and Sacramento. Photo taken by AARoads (11/26/04).
	At the transition ramp onto eastbound Interstate 80, the first sign for Interstate 780 eastbound to Benicia and Concord appears. This formerly was the northern terminus of Interstate 680, before that freeway's terminus was moved to Fairfield in 1976. Photo taken by AARoads (11/26/04).
Perspective from Lemon Street Southwest
	Shields for both Interstate 780 and Interstate 80 are placed on southwestbound Lemon Street as it approaches the traffic signal with Curtola Parkway in the city of Vallejo. A left turn on Curtola Parkway (eastbound) connects directly with Interstate 780 eastbound as well as ramps to Interstate 80 east and westbound. Photo taken by AARoads (11/26/04).
Eastern Terminus - Interstate 680 - Martinez, California
Perspective from Interstate 680 North
	As part of a project to expand the Benicia-Martinez Bridge to include a new northbound span, this picture shows the massive bridge deck being installed. Pillars for the new bridge were being placed at the time this photo was taken. Upon completion, Interstate 680 over the delta will be brought up to Interstate standards, including full shoulders. Photo taken 04/02/04.
	The next exit along northbound is Exit 58A, Junction Interstate 780 west. This exit is located just after the bridge toll plaza. Photo taken 04/02/04.
	Mileage sign along northbound Interstate 680 for Benicia (two miles) and Vallejo via Interstate 780 (nine miles). Photo taken 04/02/04.
	Northbound Interstate 680/Benicia-Martinez ("George Miller") Bridge approaches Exit 58A, Westbound Interstate 780. This sign advises that traffic en route to Vallejo via Interstate 780 should use the left lanes; through traffic on northbound Interstate 680 should use the right lanes. With the completion of the new northbound span, it is likely that this configuration will change. Photo taken 04/02/04.
	Northbound Interstate 680 crosses over the tolled Benicia-Martinez Bridge, which passes over the Sacramento and San Joaquin Delta (also known as the Carquinez Straits and Suisun Bay near Martinez). The view from the top of this bridge provides quite a view of the surrounding environs, and the industry built up along the river is clearly visible. While on the bridge, northbound Interstate 680 departs Contra Costa County and enters Solano County. Photo taken 04/02/04.
	A railroad truss bridge is visible below the Benicia-Martinez Bridge. The new northbound span for Interstate 680 is being constructed to the east of the railroad bridge. Photo taken 04/02/04.
	Northbound Interstate 680 on the Benicia-Martinez Bridge approaches Exit 58A, Junction Westbound Interstate 780. Interstate 780 leads west to Vallejo, which Interstate 680 continues north to join Interstate 80 near Cordelia en route to Fairfield, Vacaville, Davis, and Sacramento. The other signs on this sign bridge are restrictions related to the upcoming bridge toll. During rush hours, carpools with three or more occupants may cross for free, and there is a $100 penalty for not paying the toll. Photo taken 04/02/04.
	Another view of northbound as it approaches the toll plaza on the Benicia-Martinez Bridge. Note the odd "stop ahead" sign in use here. Photo taken 04/02/04.
	Another view of the toll plaza on the Benicia-Martinez Bridge as seen from the right lanes. Photo taken 04/02/04.
	Northbound Interstate 680 overhead sign for the Interstate 680/780 split (Exit 58A). The first photo shows the overhead sign as seen from the through traffic lanes, which the second photo was taken from the left lanes en route to westbound Interstate 780. This marks the eastern terminus of Interstate 780. Photo taken 04/02/04.
Perspective from Interstate 680 South
	The first indication along southbound Interstate 680 of the pending interchange with Interstate 780 is this one mile advance sign. Photo taken by AARoads (11/28/04).
	Southbound Interstate 680 approaching Junction Interstate 780 one mile. Photo taken by Andy Field (08/23/03).
	The new approach for the new northbound span of the Benicia-Martinez Bridge is visible in this picture, taken along southbound Interstate 680 approaching Junction Interstate 780 in Benicia. Photo taken by Andy Field (08/23/03).
	Southbound Interstate 680 at Junction Interstate 780 west. Interstate 780 leads west through Benicia to Vallejo; Interstate 680 continues south over the Benicia-Martinez Bridge en route to Concord, Walnut Creek, and Danville. Photo taken by Andy Field (08/23/03).
	After the Interstate 780 split, southbound Interstate 680 crosses the Carquinez Straits/Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. Traffic from eastbound Interstate 780 feed into southbound Interstate 680. As indicated in the photo, tolls are charged for northbound traffic only, so this is the free direction. Photo taken by Andy Field (08/23/03).
Perspective from Interstate 780 West
	This is the first reassurance shield for westbound Interstate 780, and it is located just beyond the Interstate 680/780 split. Photo taken by Andy Field, 10/00.
Perspective from Interstate 780 East
	This photo shows Eastbound Interstate 780 approaching Interstate 680 at the Fifth Avenue exit in Benicia. As noted on the overhead sign, the next exit is Interstate 680 northbound to Sacramento (north). All other traffic will take southbound Interstate 680 toward San Jose. Eastbound Interstate 780 ends one mile from this point. There are no END signs present. As a side note, the Interstate 680 shield is merely a cutout and is not tri-color. It overlays an old California 21 shield that was scraped off and replaced with Interstate 680. This kind of overhead sign was common along Interstate 680 prior to its reconstruction through Concord and Walnut Creek in the 1990s. Photo taken by AARoads (11/26/04).
	Much newer signs assign traffic into lanes, with the right lane following a new flyover ramp connecting eastbound Interstate 780 with northbound Interstate 680. The left two lanes merge onto southbound Interstate 680 and cross the Benicia-Martinez Bridge over the Sacramento/San Joaquin River Delta. Photo taken by AARoads (11/26/04).
	Eastbound Interstate 780 reaches Exit 7A, Junction Interstate 680 north to Fairfield. The flyover connection was added as an early part of the expansion of the Benicia-Martinez Bridge expansion project. The bridge is slated to be doubled in width with the addition of a new northbound span. The existing span will become southbound only. Photo taken by AARoads (11/26/04).
	Eastbound Interstate 780 prepares to transition onto Interstate 680 southbound at Exit 7B. The aforementioned flyover ramp is visible in the distance. Photo taken by AARoads (11/26/04).
	There is no END shield as eastbound Interstate 780 merges directly onto southbound Interstate 680. The toll plaza shown here will be removed as part of the bridge reconstruction project; a new toll plaza will be installed on the southern approach to the bridge along northbound Interstate 680. Photo taken by AARoads (11/26/04).

Page Updated May 22, 2005.