Impressive Views of Freeways - Oakland

Aerial view of the MacArthur Maze, Oakland & Emeryville, California ³

Oakland has several, multi-lane freeways routing through it (did you know that the MacArthur Freeway was once voted the most beautiful urban highway in America?). These freeways are massive constructions designed into the landscape. In some cases, they hold a towering presence (such as at Telegraph and 34th) and in others, they attempt subtlety (at Adams and MacArthur). As in many cities, freeways are a part of everyday life in Oakland, viewed from vehicle and foot alike.

This page catalogs views of Oakland's Freeways, especially those accessible from outside the freeways, accessible by foot.

Environmental Realities

Gasoline-powered cars contribute a significant portion of pollution, such as in the form of greenhouse gases. Unfortunately, in the United States, there has not been much progress on reducing our dependency on cars, beyond some fuel-efficiency regulations. This negatively impacts efforts to cease contributing to global warming. ¹ It is also worth noting that cars (gasoline powered or otherwise) are a notable source of water pollution because of the wear on tires, brakes, etc. as they travel the roads. Those contaminants are then washed into the watershed.

Risks and Safety

Cars also pose an acute safety risk for drivers, passengers, as well as by-standers such as pedestrians, cyclists, etc. According to a study focused on year 2000 data, 43,000 people are killed each year in the United States alone due to traffic collisions, a number greater than each total of deaths by firearms, STIs, and drug abuse. ²