International Boulevard, Oakland, California
Encyclopedia
International Boulevard is a street in Oakland, California
(formerly known as East 14th Street) that changes names while stretching from suburban Hayward
(where it is known as Mission Boulevard and as such, also runs through Union City
, Fremont
(where it passes the historic Mission San José), and eventually the city of San Jose
), through San Leandro (where it retained the original name of East 14th after the name was changed inside the Oakland city limits in 1996), and East Oakland
(known since 1996 as International). South of 42nd Avenue, the street is signed as California State Route 185
(SR 185, or simply referred to as Highway 185); after the junction with Highway 92
(which carries the San Mateo Bridge
) in Hayward, it is signed as part of Highway 238
. As such, it is one of the longest continuous streets in the Bay Area.
For years, from about the late 1970s to today, East Oakland experienced social and economic decline as more affluent middle class residents relocated to the nearby suburbs. As a result, much of the portion of East 14th in the city of Oakland increasingly became a scene of closed and boarded-up storefronts, graffiti, prostitution, drug dealings and murders, furthering Oakland's regional reputation as a dangerous city. Girls are often snachted and impressed
into prostitution
simply by walking down this street, according to the New York Times. In order to improve this image and jump-start redevelopment efforts, in 1996 the Oakland city council changed the name of East 14th Street (within the Oakland city limits) to International Boulevard, including the portion maintained by the city between Lake Merritt
and 42nd Avenue as well as the alignment under SR 185's designation as it approached suburban San Leandro, which opted to keep the East 14th name for its alignment of the street. Eventually the bad reputation continued until the California Highway Patrol
stepped in years later (as a state-funded road, SR 185 is under CHP jurisdiction) to curtail crime in that portion of Oakland.
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
(formerly known as East 14th Street) that changes names while stretching from suburban Hayward
Hayward, California
Hayward is a city located in the East Bay in Alameda County, California. With a population of 144,186, Hayward is the sixth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area and the third largest in Alameda County. Hayward was ranked as the 37th most populous municipality in California. It is included in...
(where it is known as Mission Boulevard and as such, also runs through Union City
Union City, California
Union City is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It was incorporated in 1959, combining the communities of Alvarado and Decoto. Alvarado was the original county seat of Alameda County, and the site of the first county courthouse is a California Historical Landmark . The city...
, Fremont
Fremont, California
Fremont is a city in Alameda County, California. It was incorporated on January 23, 1956, from the merger of five smaller communities: Centerville, Niles, Irvington, Mission San Jose, and Warm Springs...
(where it passes the historic Mission San José), and eventually the city of San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
), through San Leandro (where it retained the original name of East 14th after the name was changed inside the Oakland city limits in 1996), and East Oakland
East Oakland, Oakland, California
East Oakland is the southeastern portion of Oakland, California, and takes up the largest portion of the city's land area. It stretches between Lake Merritt in the northwest and San Leandro in the southeast...
(known since 1996 as International). South of 42nd Avenue, the street is signed as California State Route 185
California State Route 185
State Route 185 is a state highway in the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. It runs along sections of Mission Boulevard in Hayward, East 14th Street in San Leandro and International Boulevard in Oakland.-Route description:...
(SR 185, or simply referred to as Highway 185); after the junction with Highway 92
California State Route 92
State Route 92 is an east-west highway in the San Francisco Bay area between Half Moon Bay near the coast in the west and downtown Hayward at its junction with State Route 238 and State Route 185. It is most notable for being the route that traverses the San Mateo Bridge. It has interchanges with...
(which carries the San Mateo Bridge
San Mateo – Hayward Bridge
The San Mateo – Hayward Bridge is a bridge crossing California's San Francisco Bay, linking the San Francisco Peninsula with the East Bay. The bridge's west end is in Foster City, the most recent urban addition to the eastern edge of San Mateo. The east end of the bridge is in Hayward...
) in Hayward, it is signed as part of Highway 238
California State Route 238
State Route 238 is a north–south highway in the U.S. state of California. The route is a divided multilane surface highway in the southeastern part of the San Francisco Bay Area. SR 238 connects Interstate 580 in Castro Valley and Interstate 680 in Fremont.-Route description:SR 238 goes...
. As such, it is one of the longest continuous streets in the Bay Area.
For years, from about the late 1970s to today, East Oakland experienced social and economic decline as more affluent middle class residents relocated to the nearby suburbs. As a result, much of the portion of East 14th in the city of Oakland increasingly became a scene of closed and boarded-up storefronts, graffiti, prostitution, drug dealings and murders, furthering Oakland's regional reputation as a dangerous city. Girls are often snachted and impressed
Impressment
Impressment, colloquially, "the Press", was the act of taking men into a navy by force and without notice. It was used by the Royal Navy, beginning in 1664 and during the 18th and early 19th centuries, in wartime, as a means of crewing warships, although legal sanction for the practice goes back to...
into prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
simply by walking down this street, according to the New York Times. In order to improve this image and jump-start redevelopment efforts, in 1996 the Oakland city council changed the name of East 14th Street (within the Oakland city limits) to International Boulevard, including the portion maintained by the city between Lake Merritt
Lake Merritt
Lake Merritt is a large tidal lagoon that lies just east of downtown Oakland, California. It is surrounded by parkland and city neighborhoods. A popular 3.1 mile walking and jogging path runs along its perimeter...
and 42nd Avenue as well as the alignment under SR 185's designation as it approached suburban San Leandro, which opted to keep the East 14th name for its alignment of the street. Eventually the bad reputation continued until the California Highway Patrol
California Highway Patrol
The California Highway Patrol is a law enforcement agency of the U.S. state of California. The CHP has patrol jurisdiction over all California highways and also acts as the state police....
stepped in years later (as a state-funded road, SR 185 is under CHP jurisdiction) to curtail crime in that portion of Oakland.