ALAMEDA COUNTY, Calif. – The Alameda County Transportation Commission (Alameda CTC) announced the opening of a new southbound express lane on Interstate 680 (I-680) between Alcosta Boulevard and State Route 84.
Opening to drivers on February 13, the new lane completes a critical link in the regional express lane network, creating a continuous express lane corridor connecting Alameda and Contra Costa counties.
This completion adds to the more than 260 lane-miles of express lanes in the Bay Area.
The new express lane is open to drivers and provides an additional travel option along one of the region’s busiest corridors. There will be no tolls charged for this segment of the express lane until tolling work is completed later this year.
“This important project improves mobility and makes travel more reliable across Alameda County,” said Alameda CTC Chair and County Board of Supervisors President, David Haubert. “The new segment will provide smoother, more predictable trips for drivers every day, strengthening a regional corridor while improving the quality of life for people who travel here each day to get to work and return home to their families.”
Construction was led by the California Department of Transportation, or Caltrans, and began in 2023. The total project cost of approximately $325 million was funded through a combination of local, regional, and state sources, including Alameda County’s transportation sales tax Measure BB.
“This project delivers real benefits for drivers today,” said Alameda CTC Executive Director Tony Tavares. “It also delivers on the promise we made to Alameda County voters when they passed Measure BB. This smart investment improves how people move through Alameda County and the greater region.”
Toll system installation and testing activities will continue at night to minimize impacts to drivers. Once tolling begins, the express lane will prioritize high-occupancy travel by offering toll-free access for carpools and transit, while providing solo drivers the choice to pay a toll for a more reliable trip.
For more information about the I-680 Express Lanes Project, visit https://www.alamedactc.org/programs-projects/expresslanesops.
About the Alameda County Transportation Commission
The mission of the Alameda County Transportation Commission (Alameda CTC) is to plan, fund and deliver transportation programs and projects that expand access and improve mobility to foster a vibrant and livable Alameda County. Governed by a 22-member Commission, Alameda CTC manages the county’s one-cent transportation sales tax and serves as the county’s congestion management agency. In Fiscal Year 2023-24, the agency carried out $405 million in transportation improvements that create jobs, enhance mobility and enrich communities.
