California State Route 130 - Future

Future

Money had been set aside by the state to study the feasibility of turning part of SR 130's legislative route from San Antonio Valley Rd east to Interstate 5 into a freeway. The road was intended to facilitate traffic between the Santa Clara Valley and the Central Valley, the latter is experiencing population growth and real estate development. The project's main proponent was former United States Representative Richard Pombo, who was the House Resources Committee chair when in Congress and himself a member of a family with extensive Central Valley property holdings near the proposed freeway's path.

The proposed freeway's path west of San Antonio Valley Road would have bypassed Mt. Hamilton either to the north toward State Route 237 or to the south toward the San Jose's Evergreen district. The feasibility of the project had come into question, however, as crossing a freeway over the Diablo range near three of its highest peaks (Mt. Hamilton included) would have been very difficult. The project also faced stiff opposition from taxpayers, environmentalists, residents of the area looking to preserve their area's local charm and from the Lick Observatory. (A freeway through the mountains near the observatory would render it useless due to light pollution.) The freeway plan has been quietly abandoned after Congressman Pombo failed in his reelection bid in 2006.