Crossing the Freeway III – Moraga Avenue Makeover, Estates Drive to Thornhill Drive

This section will explain the evolution of the interchange between Moraga Avenue and the Warren Freeway or Highway 13. Moraga Avenue comes in from Estates Drive from the left, the west intersection, and after passing under the freeway, it meets Thornhill Drive, the east intersection, lower right.

L48-05-GeoEye and US Geological Survey, Courtesy Google, (Image 1 of 26)

The placement of this preconstruction east view down Moraga Avenue circa 1950 revealing a mailbox for addresses 5908, and, in the distance, 5916, will also be established.

L48-10-Public Works Photo, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 2 of 26)

During a 2018 walking tour, Daniel Levy documented the before-and-after consequences of the new freeway.

L48-11-Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department and Daniel Levy Photo, (Image 3 of 26)

Although the freeway would only reach as far south as the Moraga Ave. crossing, the west flank portion of Moraga Avenue south of the Thornhill Drive intersection would also be altered, here seen in a preconstruction southeast view.

L48-12-Public Works Photo, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 4 of 26)

For perspective, an east view of the Moraga Avenue underpass in 1989.

L48-15-Mark Koehler Photo, Courtesy Oakland History Room, Oakland Public Library , (Image 5 of 26)

The same east view of the underpass, but here circa 1963 during construction.

L48-20-Courtesy Oakland History Room, Oakland Public Library , (Image 6 of 26)

This midconstruction north view aerial from Jun. 4, 1963 shows how the SN right-of-way was incorporated as ramps for the freeway. Compare with the next image. The removal of homes on the north corner of the west intersection of Moraga Avenue with Estates Drive will also be apparent.

L48-25-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 9760-1, Detail, (Image 7 of 26)

This Feb. 1, 1956 north aerial was taken just months prior to the opening of the second part or Unit 2 of the Mountain Boulevard Freeway. Recall that the section from Moraga Avenue just the the south of Thornhill Drive was cleared and graded in 1951, but opened for traffic with Unit 2. Match the SN tracks and right-of-way to the relative positions in the previous aerial, L48-25.

L48-30-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 4809-2 Detail, (Image 8 of 26)

This midconstruction south view aerial from Jun. 4, 1963 complements the findings in L48-25 in terms of the incorporation of the former SN right-of-way and loss of homes on the west intersection to accommodate new ramps for the reconfigured freeway.

L48-35-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 9760-2 Detail, (Image 9 of 26)

Match the SN tracks and right-of-way in this Feb. 1, 1956 south aerial to the relative positions in the previous aerial, L48-35.

L48-40-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 4809-7 Detail, (Image 10 of 26)

Next are three images from early 1952 or the completion of Unit 1 showing the freeway west intersection with Moraga Avenue. Here, a northwest view.

L48-45-Public Works Photo, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department , (Image 11 of 26)

Here a detail of a west view of the freeway west intersection, Moraga Avenue and Estates Drive, early 1952.

L48-50-Public Works Photos, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 12 of 26)

Finally, a northwest view from early 1952 just south of the east intersection, Moraga Avenue with Thornhill Drive. The graded, unopened portion of the freeway, part of Unit 2, sits to the left or west of the road and will not open to traffic until Oct. 1956.

L48-55-Public Works Photo, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 13 of 26)

Same northwest scene as in L48-55, but it is late 1951 as curbs are added to a freshly graded Moraga Avenue at the east intersection up to Thornhill Drive, bottom right. A block signal and the catenary of the SN can be seen along the right side as it climbs to the Thornhill Drive overpass.

L48-60-Public Works Photo, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 14 of 26)

Same northwest scene as the two previous, but here two images from late 1950, early 1951, showing the initial removal of the hill that will accommodate both Unit 2 and the widening of Moraga Avenue.

L48-65-Public Works Photos, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 15 of 26)

Same northwest scene as the three previous panels, but here preconstruction from early 1950. Note the street signs indicating the intersection of Moraga Avenue with Thornhill Drive, and the SN right-of-way along the right edge.

L48-70-Public Works Photo, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 16 of 26)

Another view of the hill that is to become the freeway, this time from a southwest perspective from 1951.

L48-75-Public Works Photo, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 17 of 26)

Now back to a south view just at the point where the SN track has crossed the freeway proper, left edge, as cars continue to use Moraga Avenue during construction to head west, 1951.

L48-80-Public Works Photo, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 18 of 26)

Further north from the spot in L48-80 bordering at the west intersection with Estates Drive, this east view down Moraga Avenue captures another perspective of the road construction from 1951.

L48-85-Public Works Photo, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 19 of 26)

Now revealing the intersection with Estates Drive, this east image from 1951 highlights the construction of a retaining wall to support the three homes on the south corner.

L48-90-Public Works Photo, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 20 of 26)

Four views of construction of the retaining wall at the south corner of the west intersection, starting at Moraga Avenue and Estates Drive. Although altering the esthetics of this section, the three homes were preserved, but the existence and fate of those further south around the bend remain in question.

L48-95-Public Works Photo, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 21 of 26)

Same scene as L48-90, but this east view is from prior to construction in early 1950.

L48-100-Public Works Photo, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 22 of 26)

A detail of L48-100 documenting the street signs indicating the intersection of Estates Drive and Moraga Avenue, 1950.

L48-105-Public Works Photo, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 23 of 26)

A final east view from 1950 of the mailboxes initially presented in L48-10 of the two homes that through the images in this presentation are known to have been lost to construction at the west intersection.

L48-110-Public Works Photo, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 24 of 26)

Betty Marvin and Gail Lombardi of the Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey preserved these images and provided this annotated Sanborn map showing the loss of homes on Moraga Avenue by the mid-1960s. They added that 5919 and 5931 Moraga, blue arrows, were built in 1935-1936, and demolished between 1946-1951 based on historicaerials.com and this update. The twins 5905 and 5911 featured in this update, orange arrows, were built in 1946 and survive as 5908 and 5910, respectively.

L48-115-Sanborn Map, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 25 of 26)

Appreciation to Daniel Levy for this article dating the initiation of the freeway reconfiguration.

L48-120-Courtesy Daniel Levy, (Image 26 of 26)