County Route G21 (California)

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County Route G21

Capitol Expressway / Capitol Expressway Auto Mall
Length	9.5 miles
Direction	West/East
From	Almaden Expressway
Major junctions	SR 87 US 101
To	Interstate 680
Major cities	San Jose, California
Established	1978
System	Santa Clara County Expressway System

Santa Clara County Route G21, more commonly known as Capitol Expressway for the majority of its length is a 9.5 mile (15 km) long east-west expressway completely in San Jose, California, USA along the eastern side of the Silicon Valley. Capitol Expressway is part of the Santa Clara County Expressway System.

1 Route summary
2 History and legislative status
3 Landmarks and points of interest
4 Major cities
5 See also

[edit] Route summary

G21 begins as Capitol Expressway Auto Mall in the west at its separated grade junction with Almaden Expressway as a continuation of Hillsdale Avenue. It travels east along Capitol Expressway Auto Mall as an unsigned city maintained street until the road reaches California State Route 87. Along this section Capitol Expressway is lined with many car dealerships with mulitple driveways and turnoffs in addition to at grade crossings with smaller roads. At the interchange with CA-87 the road becomes Capitol Expressway and takes on a more traditional expressway appearance with limited turnoffs and most entrances being solely at large intersections.

Capitol Expressway continues south east to a junction with Highway 101 and then into East San Jose. In East San Jose Capitol Expressway makes an abrupt turn to the northeast area of Berryessa, though Capitol Ave continues on towards Milpitas, and serves as a major corridor through the North Valley. Capitol Expressway reaches its eastern terminus at I-680 just before I-680 makes the turn to the north.

[edit] History and legislative status

Capitol Expressway was designated in 1978 from Almaden Expressway to US-101. Construction on the eastern portion from US-101 to I-680 was not completed until 1997.

In the late 1990s the portion of the Expressway from Almaden Expressway to CA-87 was transferred from Santa Clara County to the city of San Jose. The road was then renamed Capitol Expressway Auto Mall.

Capitol Expressway is currently unsigned from Almaden Expressway to CA-87 however it is signed east of CA-87.