Mountain Boulevard Freeway – Revising Landvale Road

An aerial north view from Feb.1, 1956 of Broadway Terrace and the Landvale Road as part of the Mountain Boulevard Freeway. The interchange of Landvale with Broadway is at the upper border of the image. The focus of this update will be primarily the revisions made to Landvale Road.

L58-05-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 4809-1, Detail , (Image 1 of 21)

This south view from 1939 is a reminder that the Landvale Road was extended north along Lake Temescal from the point marked by the orange arrow to Tunnel Road. Note how the road ends to the south, curving east at its intersection with Pinewood Road, just south of orange arrow. Broadway Terrace is marked by the blue arrow. The SN right-of-way is marked by the yellow arrow.

L58-10-Courtesy Oakland History Room, Oakland Public Library, Detail Negative 267, (Image 2 of 21)

Another south view, this time from 1946 just north of the Broadway overpass, showing the four lane format of the Landvale Road.

L58-15-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 1175-4, (Image 3 of 21)

A undated west view from Pinewood Road showing the intersection with the Landvale Road pre-revision, and the SN berm in the background. The majority of undated images to follow were taken on either Sept. 18, 1950-Oct. 16, 1950, Feb. 2, 1951, June 13, 1951-Oct. 4, 1951, or Jan. 21, 1952.

L58-20-Public Works Photos, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 4 of 21)

This northwest view from Aug. 11, 1949 pre-dates the official period of construction of the freeway, Sept. 13, 1950. Before building the freeway, the southern half of the Landvale Road was shifted to the east, coincidently from a point just south of the SN block signals.

L58-25-Public Works Photos, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 5 of 21)

A later, but undated, northwest image similar to L58-25 shows the temporary road has been graded.

L58-30-Public Works Photos, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 6 of 21)

This northwest image from June 13, 1951 shows no visible changes to the main road. This is consistent with no actual changes to the road north of the level of the SN block signals.

L58-35-Public Works Photos, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department , (Image 7 of 21)

Another image dated Aug. 11, 1949 also shows the initial grading of the temporary road, this time viewed toward the south from a point south of Lake Temescal. The SN Broadway Terrace overpass, right, and Hamilton’s Market, background left, serve as markers.

L58-40-Public Works Photos, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 8 of 21)

Somewhat after L58-40, this undated southwest image shows the temporary road has been graded, but the surface of the Landvale Road has not yet been altered.

L58-45-Public Works Photos, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 9 of 21)

A south view, also undated, similar to L58-45 except that the end of the road to the south is visible. Compare to the next image ...

L58-50-Public Works Photos, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 10 of 21)

The temporary two-lane road has been completed in this undated south view. Note the construction of the freeway overpass at Broadway Terrace, and the metal mold and wood framing to fashion the ramp over the entrance to the park, right middle. The latter construction will be examined in greater detail in a later update.

L58-55-Public Works Photos, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 11 of 21)

The Landvale Road has been raised to the level of the SN right-of-way as the freeway and off-ramp to the west direction of Broadway Terrace are nearing completion in this undated south view.

L58-60-Public Works Photos, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 12 of 21)

The completed freeway and off-ramps with SN grade crossing signals are featured in this undated southwest view. Note how the temporary two-lane road has been incorporated as part of the ramp onto the freeway from Broadway Terrace. The presence of cars on the freeway would be consistent with a date of Jan. 21, 1952.

L58-65-Public Works Photos, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 13 of 21)

To complement the previous images, views to the southeast are shown beginning with this scene of the temporary road grading in late 1949.

L58-70-Public Works Photos, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 14 of 21)

Another southeast view, also from late 1949, showing the graded temporary road.

L58-75-Public Works Photos, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 15 of 21)

This south view dated Feb. 2, 1951 allows comparison of the timing of the sequence of events in the previous images. It features the near completed temporary road, the still intact original Landvale Road, and the framing for the freeway overpass. This scene fits the time interval separating L58-50 and L58-55.

L58-80-Public Works Photos, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 16 of 21)

Now to another set of north views, starting with this one during the grading of the south portion of the temporary road, Aug. 11, 1949.

L58-85-Public Works Photos, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 17 of 21)

Somewhat later than L58-85, the surface has been graded for the temporary road, north view, late 1949.

L58-90-Public Works Photos, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 18 of 21)

Complementary to L58-85, a north view of the initial grading for the temporary road, this time from a point south of Broadway Terrace, Aug. 11, 1949.

L58-95-Public Works Photos, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 19 of 21)

Complementary to L58-90, the surface has been graded for the temporary road, north view, late 1949.

L58-100-Public Works Photos, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 20 of 21)

Finally, the temporary road awaits a new surface, north view, May 15, 1951, as construction of the highway Broadway Terrace overpass takes shape.

L58-105-Public Works Photos, Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department, (Image 21 of 21)