County Route G2 (California)

Infobox road
state=CA
type=CR
route=G2
marker_

alternate_name=Lawrence Expressway, Quito Road
maint=Santa Clara County Expressway System


length_mi=9.7
length_round=0
length_ref=
established=1962
direction_a=South
terminus_a=jct|state=CA|SR|85 in Saratoga
junction=jct|state=CA|I|280 in San Jose
jct|state=CA|SR|82 in Santa Clara
jct|state=CA|CR|G6|county1=Santa Clara in Santa Clara
jct|state=CA|US|101 in Sunnyvale
direction_b=North
terminus_b=jct|state=CA|SR|237 in Sunnyvale

County Route G2 more commonly known as Lawrence Expressway and Quito Road is a busy 9.7 mile (16 km) long north-south link through Silicon Valley in Northern California. The majority of G2 is part of the Santa Clara County Expressway System.

Route summary

G2 runs from the Quito Road overcrossing of SR 85 in Saratoga, north along Quito Road. G2 is not signed along this section and is not commonly recognized as existing along this 2 lane road by both locals and mapmakers. The Quito Road portion is also maintained by the City of Saratoga rather than Santa Clara County. [City of Saratoga Dept of Public Works]

As the road leaves Saratoga and enters San Jose it widens to a 6 lane county maintained expressway with a concrete island divider and is renamed Lawrence Expressway. It is the Lawrence Expressway section from just south of Saratoga Avenue that is more readily recognized as G2. Indeed local residents almost exclusively refer to G2 as Lawrence Expressway. The road continues north with access usually restricted to major intersections which are controlled via traffic lights.

Lawrence Expressway continues northeasterly and junctions with I-280 and Stevens Creek Boulevard over a complex shared separated grade crossing. Lawrence proceeds under I-280 before immediately rising over Stevens Creek. Lawrence Expressway and Stevens Creek also share ramps for access to I-280 with the exception of the onramp to Southbound I-280 which is accessed directly from Lawrence Expressway, a frequent cause of confusion for drivers on Stevens Creek wishing to access I-280 due to unclear signage.Fact|date=July 2007 Lawrence Expressway continues north into Santa Clara and widens to 8 lanes with an HOV lane occupying the far right lane.

Lawrence Expressway also has another separated grade interchange with El Camino Real (SR 82) with Lawrence Expwy. passing over El Camino Real just prior to Lawrence Expressway entering Sunnyvale. Lawrence Expressway also passes under Central Expressway (G6) on a separated grade interchange and over US 101 on a separated grade interchange. The US 101 interchange was recently upgraded to include traffic light control on G2.

G2 reaches its northern terminus at the end of Lawrence Expressway at the SR 237 Freeway. The physical road continues north as Caribbean Drive.

History and legislative status

G2 was first signed as a Santa Clara County Route in 1962. County Route G2 was originally planned to link up with SR 85 when it was built. At the time of G2's inception SR 85 was in the early planning stages and an interchange had been envisioned at Quito Road. However opposition to the freeway was intense in Saratoga and the planned interchange between SR 85 and G2 along with an interchange further north at Prospect Road were abandoned in favor of the existing Saratoga Avenue interchange. G2 is unsigned from SR 85 to Saratoga Avenue along Quito Road. North of Saratoga Avenue Lawrence Expressway is currently signed as G2.

In the 1990s Lawrence Expressway was widened north of I-280 to 8 lanes to accommodate an HOV carpool lane.

The section of Quito Road between Bucknall Road and Saratoga Avenue in Saratoga is slated for expansion to 3 lanes in the fall of 2006.

Landmarks and points of interest

* The original Fry's Electronics store (located just north of Arques Avenue in Sunnyvale)

Major cities

*Saratoga, California
*San Jose, California
*Santa Clara, California
*Sunnyvale, California

Major intersections

References