The roadway known as “The Bernal Cut” was created in the service of mobility and access from San Francisco to the Peninsula by land.  The first cut was completed in 1863 for a single railway line. In order to construct the San Francisco to San Jose Railroad this passageway was forged, cutting 35 ft deep, 25 ft wide and ¼ mile long into the hillside.  When full train service opened in 1864 it took only 3.5 hours to travel between the two cities by train, replacing the 8 hours it took by steamboat and stagecoach. The second cut was more extensive. The hillside was widened to 117 ft. The “Cut” was completed in 1930 and renamed Bernal Avenue opening up to four lanes of automobiles, two lanes for North and South steam railway and two more separate tracks for electric street cars. The road became San Jose Ave after the opening of the I-280 freeway in 1955.