I-170, Airport Expansion and the downhill slide of Berkeley!

Thanks to the Bean Sisters (Leverne and Azlee) they have provide two publications about Berkeley. The first being the Annual Report of 1968. In this publication is a graphic map of the Inner-belt (I-170) that started the downhill slide of Berkeley due to the many intersecting highways and Airport expansion that sliced the city into smithereens. 


First the road called "Middleway" replaced the old streetcar line, then it later late became Hanley. Then the Inner-belt plowed down many, many homes of long established families and cleared the heart of Berkeley's business district. Next came more "Progress"...The Airport expansion destroyed three of our School Houses. Berkeley was then boxed in by I-70 on the south side and I-270 on the North side with a slice down the middle by I-170. So, you can see how Berkeley was "Quartered and Drawn" by all this "Progress" We had a name for this is the Army...we called it a "Retrograde movement to the Rear" or in civilian parlance...Retreat!  Berkeley didn't have a chance once all this "Progress" started via Eminent Domain proceedings. 


Today, if you drive through our old stomping grounds, you might have a hard time envisioning the landmarks you once knew as many reference points are GONE!


The map below gives you the big picture for the Death Knell of Berkeley! Our Icon...Berkeley High School  was left to rot before our very eyes until the Airport finally cleared the entire area of what we all loved. Progress?...that's debatable!


On the positive side, those of us who lived here before this degradation have a lot  to be thankful for as we live in Berkeley in "The Good 'Ol Days"!