Thornton Ave, Cabrillo

ZOOM! Thornton Avenue is a straightaway that intersects and has an off-ramp with Interstate 880. It heads for the Dumbarton Bridge (to the Peninsula) once you cross 880 into Newark. So it makes for a super-convenient commuter route, although there are a lot of stop lights through Fremont.

Thornton Avenue passes by at least one elementary school, a junior high school (an aging eyesore), and it crosses Fremont Blvd. about halfway between two of the area high schools, American and Washington. There are lots of fast-food eateries on Thornton, including a pizzeria. Many are clustered around the intersection with Fremont Blvd., along with plenty of convenience stores and gas stations. So there is a lot of pulling on and off the street, pretty much all the way along, and thus it is very much a defensive driving zone!

There are a lot of homes and apartments on streets just off Thornton. Due to the noise related to the high volume of traffic, I would avoid living right by the street unless maybe you are in an apartment complex and set back from the street a fair amount. So check the noise factor when you are looking at property in this area, especially if it is near any school (kids coming and going), and be aware of any safety issues regarding traffic if you have small children. Consider how quiet is it indoors, and whether you spend a lot of time outside.