S.F. Bay Area’s MacArthur Maze Headed for Major Upgrade

An upcoming project will raise the clearance height of connectors, but construction is expected to bring even more delays to the heavily used network.

1 minute read

March 8, 2019, 9:00 AM PST

By Camille Fink


MacArthur Maze Bay Area

Basil D Soufi / Wikimedia Commons

Phil Matier reports that Caltrans has plans for a major rebuild of parts of the MacArthur Maze in the San Francisco Bay Area’s East Bay. The upgrades are necessary, say Caltrans officials, because some of the interchange’s connectors do not meet current height requirements.

The problems have gotten worse over the years as trucks have become bigger and taller and are unable to use the Maze. "That means they have to go around it, adding to the truckers’ costs and making them burn more fuel, which in turn impacts the environment," says Matier.

The project will start in April 2022 and will take 10 to 36 months. Caltrans is planning a series of lane closures, some of which will divert traffic to surface streets in the area. As a result, travel delays will likely increase during the upgrade, particularly since congestion is already a regular occurrence on the interchange.

Sunday, March 3, 2019 in San Francisco Chronicle

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Concrete Brutalism building with slanted walls and light visible through an atrium.

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities

How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

February 28, 2025 - Justin Hollander

Complete Street

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge

Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

February 27, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Green electric Volkswagen van against a beach backdrop.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan

Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

March 3, 2025 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

View of mountains with large shrubs in foreground in Altadena, California.

Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire

In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.

March 9 - Pasadena NOw

Aerial view of single-family homes with swimming pools in San Diego, California.

San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule

The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.

March 9 - Axios

Close-up of row of electric cars plugged into chargers at outdoor station.

Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives

A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.

March 9 - UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation