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Health & Fitness

East Shore Freeway Affects Alvarado

The creation of the East Shore Freeway took traffic and customers from Alvarado.

In November, 1957, a 5.9 mile link in the new East Shore Freeway (now known as I-880) was opened between Jackson Street in Hayward and Alvarado Road in Fremont. The East Shore Freeway, then designated as Highway 17, replaced the older route of Highway 17, that came down Hesperian from Hayward and turned down Horner street toward Fremont. Before the freeway, the two routes from Oakland to San Jose where Highway 17 and Mission Blvd.

With the change in traffic to the freeway and off of the old route, businesses in Alvarado were greatly affected.

Antone Santos, owner of a Shell gas station on Horner Street, reported that he was pumping 800 gallons a day and after the freeway opened, he was down to 300 gallons a day. John Matchitelli, owner of another gas station reported that he was down 50% on his gas sales. Ambrose Loyola's gas station was also down 50%, but his auto repair business was unaffected. Elmer Andrade reported that his gas sales were down 30%, but grocery and soda fountain sales were up.

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Fernando Paredes of the Alvarado Hotel reports that has restaurant and bar sales are down. Walter Oakley of the First Western Bank says that they have noticed a change in business. Quan Yut's meat market reports a drop in sales. Manuel Priego's market has actually seen an increase in sales. Mr. Preigo attributes this to the lack of traffic making it easier for local residents to cross Union City Blvd to get to his store. Jacinto's, Lee's and Dinsmore stores have all seen a drop in grocery sales. Matsumoto's Japanese specialty grocery store has not seen a drop in sales. His customers have no other local stores that carry the same items.

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