California State Route 85
Highway in California / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about California State Route 85?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
State Route 85 (SR 85) is a state highway which connects the cities of southern San Jose and Mountain View in the U.S. State of California. The highway intersects with major highways such as I-280, SR 17, and SR 87. The route serves as a bypass of U.S. Route 101 (US 101) in the Santa Clara Valley area, running through the foothill cities of Los Gatos, Saratoga, Cupertino, roughly paralleling the Santa Cruz Mountains up to its interchange with I-280.
West Valley Freeway | ||||
Route information | ||||
Maintained by Caltrans | ||||
Length | 24.2 mi[1] (38.9 km) | |||
Existed | July 1, 1964[2]–present | |||
History | SR 9 in 1934, SR 85 in 1964 | |||
Restrictions | No trucks over 4.5 tons from US 101 (South) to Stevens Creek Boulevard[3] | |||
Major junctions | ||||
South end | US 101 in San Jose | |||
Major intersections |
| |||
North end | US 101 / Shoreline Boulevard in Mountain View | |||
Location | ||||
Country | United States | |||
State | California | |||
Counties | Santa Clara | |||
Highway system | ||||
|
The highway is officially known as the West Valley Freeway along its entire length. A significant portion of the route is also signed as the Norman Y. Mineta Highway, after former San Jose Mayor, U.S. Congressman, Secretary of Commerce, and Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta.[4] Its northernmost segment between I-280 and US 101, paralleling the Stevens Creek, also is known as the Stevens Creek Freeway.
SR 85 was built in two phases: the first, comprising the northern half, runs 5.7 miles from Stevens Creek Boulevard near Interstate 280 to its northern terminus at US 101 in Mountain View, was built in the 1960s. The second half, running 18.5 miles from US 101 in southern San Jose to Stevens Creek Boulevard in Cupertino, remained unbuilt until the 1980s and was opened in segments between 1991 and 1994. Prior to the construction of the freeway, the route was signed along Mathilda Avenue and De Anza Boulevard from US 101 near SR 237 southwards until its junction with SR 9 in Saratoga, which then served as its southern terminus until it was decommissioned the same day the freeway opened.