MacArthur Maze

The MacArthur Maze in Oakland, California is a freeway interchange next to the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. But local traffic reporters and residents generally refer to "The Maze" as the series of freeway interchanges in that general area. The MacArthur Maze is named after nearby MacArthur Boulevard, which in turn is named after Douglas MacArthur.

The official MacArthur Maze interchange is comprised of four freeway segments (i.e. there are four freeway 'paths' of travel into the complex):

• Interstate 80, going west across the Bay Bridge.
• Interstate 580, headed east towards Stockton and Los Angeles.
• Interstate 80 / Interstate 580 multiplex, headed towards Richmond and Sacramento.
• Interstate 880 going south to San Jose, California.

In addition, local residents refer to the two freeway interchanges less than a mile away as part of the MacArthur Maze:

• The I-580 / Interstate 980 / California State Highway 24 interchange.
• The I-880 / I-980 interchange.

The MacArthur Maze is one of the busiest freeway interchange complexes in the United States since it is the primary connection from San Francisco to the cities and communities on the East Bay.

Effects of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake

During the October 17, 1989, Loma Prieta earthquake, which measured 7.1 on the Richter scale, the double-decked "Cypress Structure" on I-880 between I-80 and I-980 collapsed, crushing cars and killing 42 people. Traffic on the MacArthur Maze headed towards I-880 was re-routed to I-580 and I-980.

The Cypress Structure was demolished soon after the earthquake, but was not rebuilt until July 1997, due to lawsuits by environmentalists and local residents. The rebuilt highway was no longer a double-decker structure. It was constructed around the outskirts of West Oakland, rather than bisecting it, as the Cypress structure did.