State Route 242 (SR 242) is an approximately 3.4-mile (5.5 km) state highway in Contra Costa County, California that links Interstate 680 at the Pleasant Hill–Concord border to State Route 4 in Concord. Along with Interstate 580, State Route 24, Interstate 680 and State Route 4, it serves as the most direct route between the San Francisco Bay Area and the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta region.
 State Route 242 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 SR 242 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by Caltrans | ||||
| Length | 3.398 mi[1] (5.469 km) | |||
| Existed | 1987–present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end |  I-680 at the Pleasant Hill–Concord border | |||
| North end |  SR 4 in Concord | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | California | |||
| Counties | Contra Costa | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
In 2000, State Route 242 was widened to six through-traffic lanes for the entire route. Ramp metering is present at all onramps, and is used southbound in the morning and northbound in the evening. It was signed as part of State Route 24 until ca. 1987.
Route description
editThe route begins as a freeway at Interstate 680 at the Pleasant Hill–Concord border. It then heads north into Concord, meeting Clayton Road, Concord Avenue, Grant Street, and Olivera Road before meeting its north end at State Route 4 just west of the former Concord Naval Weapons Station.[2]
SR 242 is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System,[3] and is part of the National Highway System,[4] a network of highways that are considered essential to the country's economy, defense, and mobility by the Federal Highway Administration.[5]
Exit list
editThe entire route is in Contra Costa County.
| Location | mi [6][1][7][8] | km | Exit [6] | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pleasant Hill–Concord line | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1A | I-680 south – Oakland, San Jose | No access to I-680 north; south end of SR 242; I-680 north exit 50 |
| Concord | 1B | Gregory Lane, Monument Boulevard | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||
| 0.87 | 1.40 | 1 | Clayton Road – Concord | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | |
| 1.47 | 2.37 | 1C | Concord Avenue | No northbound exit | |
| 2.15 | 3.46 | 2 | Grant Street, Solano Way | ||
| 2.79 | 4.49 | 3A | Olivera Road | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | |
| 3.40 | 5.47 | 3 | SR 4 / Port Chicago Highway – Stockton, Pittsburg, Richmond, Martinez | Northbound exit and southbound entrance; signed as exits 3B (west, Port Chicago Highway) and 3C (east); north end of SR 242; SR 4 exit 15A | |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b California Department of Transportation. "State Truck Route List". Sacramento: California Department of Transportation. Archived from the original (XLS file) on September 5, 2015. Retrieved June 30, 2015.
- ^ Bay Area Metro Street Atlas (Map). Thomas Brothers. 2008.
- ^ "Article 2 of Chapter 2 of Division 1". California Streets and Highways Code. Sacramento: California Office of Legislative Counsel. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
- ^ Federal Highway Administration (March 25, 2015). National Highway System: San Francisco–Oakland, CA (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
- ^ Natzke, Stefan; Neathery, Mike & Adderly, Kevin (June 20, 2012). "What is the National Highway System?". National Highway System. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
- ^ a b "State Route 242 Freeway Interchanges" (PDF). California Numbered Exit Uniform System. California Department of Transportation. October 30, 2018. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
- ^ California Department of Transportation (July 2007). "Log of Bridges on State Highways". Sacramento: California Department of Transportation.
- ^ California Department of Transportation, All Traffic Volumes on CSHS, 2005 and 2006