Its northern terminus is in Oakland where it meets Interstate 80, at the east approach of the Bay Bridge. Its southern terminus is at Interstate 280 in San Jose. In between, it passes through Alameda, San Lorenzo, Hayward, Union City, Newark, Fremont and Milpitas.
A large section in Oakland, known as the Cyprus Structure, collapsed during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, causing the greatest loss of life of said earthquake. Rebuilding that section of the freeway was delayed for over a decade, due to environmental impact concerns, the feeling that the freeway divided the neighborhood, and design considerations.