California State Route 242
Highway in California
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
State Route 242 (SR 242) is an approximately 3.4-mile (5.5 km) state highway in Contra Costa County, California that links Interstate 680 at the Pleasant Hill–Concord border to State Route 4 in Concord. Along with Interstate 580, State Route 24, Interstate 680 and State Route 4, it serves as the most direct route between the San Francisco Bay Area and the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta region.
I-680 at the Pleasant Hill–Concord border
SR 4 in ConcordState Route 242 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 SR 242 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by Caltrans | ||||
| Length | 3.398 mi[1] (5.469 km) | |||
| Existed | 1987–present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end | I-680 at the Pleasant Hill–Concord border | |||
| North end | SR 4 in Concord | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | California | |||
| Counties | Contra Costa | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
In 2000, State Route 242 was widened to six through-traffic lanes for the entire route. Ramp metering is present at all onramps, and is used southbound in the morning and northbound in the evening. It was signed as part of State Route 24 until ca. 1987.
Route description
Route 242 is defined in section 542 of the California Streets and Highways Code, and that the highway is "from Route 680 to Route 4 north of Concord".[2]
The route begins as a freeway at Interstate 680 at the Pleasant Hill–Concord border. It then heads north into Concord, meeting Clayton Road, Concord Avenue, Grant Street, and Olivera Road before meeting its north end at State Route 4 just west of the former Concord Naval Weapons Station.[3]
SR 242 is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System,[4] and is part of the National Highway System,[5] a network of highways that are considered essential to the country's economy, defense, and mobility by the Federal Highway Administration.[6]
Exit list
The entire route is in Contra Costa County.
| Location | mi [7][1][8][9] | km | Exit [7] | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pleasant Hill–Concord line | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1A |  I-680 south – Oakland, San Jose | No access to I-680 north; south end of SR 242; I-680 north exit 50 |
| Concord | 1B | Gregory Lane, Monument Boulevard | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||
| 0.87 | 1.40 | 1 | Clayton Road – Concord | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | |
| 1.47 | 2.37 | 1C | Concord Avenue | No northbound exit | |
| 2.15 | 3.46 | 2 |  Grant Street, Solano Way | Serves John Muir Health – Concord Medical Center | |
| 2.79 | 4.49 | 3A | Olivera Road | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | |
| 3.40 | 5.47 | 3B–C | SR 4 – Richmond, Stockton, Pittsburg Port Chicago Highway | Northern end of SR 242; SR 4 exit 15A; signed as exits 3B (west, Richmond, Port Chicago Highway) and 3C (east, Stockton, Pittsburg) | |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||
