This is about where 280's widening
project began.
Since then the overpasses and bridges have been strengthened,
but little else has changed.
Here is I280 approaching 17 and 880. I took
this set because this was right
after the 880 signs appeared in the Bay Area.
This now has a carpool lane. The
rush hour congestion runs northbound
through here in the mornings.
Here is 280 at 880 and 17. Note how the ramps to 17 and 880 are separate. Some old timers still refer to 880 as "17" and of course it became 880 in 1985, though the signs weren't up until this was taken, in October 1986. Some old 17 signs lingered until 1991. The 880 exit is mixed into the Stevens Creek Blvd and San Carlos St. mess. 880 becomes 17. San Carlos St. becomes Stevens Creek Blvd. Is that confusing? You better believe it is.
Note the brake lights. 280 used to
bottleneck down to 2 lanes each way
here (and a two lane ramp from 17 merged onto 280, a left over from the
days when 280 started at this interchange.)
This was a nightmare commute in the boom of the 1980s. It was not that
bad in the early 1990s and I did commute on this back then.