question about bay area rush hour

[EricsXJ]

Not Jeep related, but thought I'd ask all of my chapter friends in the bay area for some insight.

The wife and daughter are flying to Japan next Monday. In the past we've flown out of Reno to SFO then to Japan. But the cost of air travel is going up dramatically and it will be far more cost effective for me to drive them to SFO instead of fly.

Google maps say it is 4 hour 8 minutes from our house to SFO. The catch is at least some of that drive will be in morning rush hour. We plan on leaving our house at 5:30 or 6am. That means we would hit Sacramento about 7:30 to 8am...??

Flight is at 1pm but we were thinking of stopping at IHOP for some breakfast (either by IKEA, or the IHOP right near the airport).

So what can I expect with rush hour? How far will it set us back, time-wise?

Any advice appreciated.

 

[GordoSmasho]

So there is car pool getting across the bay bridge but you need a fasttrack(small radio transmitter in the vehicle) to use it. You can go through anyway and you will get a charcge in the mail And pay your 5 dollars. Carpool will save you some time there. Paying cash to get across the bridge could set you back 45 min depending on your approach route. However from about 7-9:30 the traffic starts getting bad in pinole. Then your about an hour and a half, with carpool, from sfo (conservatively). You should be fine with a quick breakfast stop. However i would do it closer to sfo rather than farther. You never know how long rush hour will last at the toll plaza.

 

[XJensen]

Traffic starts to get bad in Sacramento by 7:30 or 8 at the latest. Sounds like you are leaving in plenty of time though

 

[XJensen]

I'll ask my wife in the morning. She was a sales rep and traveled to the bay all the time

 

[Phil]

Eric, pm me your license plate number of the vehicle you will be driving and I can add you to my fastrak. Year/make/model optional. For the welding time at your place a while back.

5:30-6 in the car and rolling should be ok. Especially if you drop them at departures and don't have to park and haul bags.

I would have breakfast in Sac and let traffic dissipate. We like Carol's Diner in West Sac. There is a convenient ihop in Davis.

 

[Bryan C.]

Driving into SF will be a chore on I80, but once you get into SF and start heading south towards the airport traffic should be fine as you are going in the reverse commute direction. A good time frame will be for you to hit the Bay Bridge around 9:30 to 10am. The commute traffic will be mostly gone by then and that should give you plenty of time get to SFO. Fast track is a great way to go, take Phil up on his offer, it's nice to be able to just drive through the toll plaza without stopping to pay.

 

[EricsXJ]

All good advice. I will take Phil up on the offer - THANKS Phil! I'll PM you that info.

I usually hop in the carpool lanes in Sacramento but haven't been over any of the bridges in a long time. I also remember seeing various fees posted but I've never been sent anything in the mail. Maybe those fees are only charged during certain hours of the day? (Toll bridge I'm sure is always...)

 

[EricsXJ]

Flight changed to 6:45am... so that eliminates any worry about traffic. Unless the flight changes again which wouldn't surprise me.

 

[cal]

damn, i was going to say after you drop them cruise a little further south and lets do lunch.

but 645 is pretty early..

 

[cal]

(at that hour i'd cruise down the night before and grab a hotel)

 

[Boatwrench]

(at that hour i'd cruise down the night before and grab a hotel)

My thoughts exactly. There's a Hampton & La Quinta close to the north end. Higher price Marriotts and Hiltons on the south end. I believe a Holiday Inn Express by the La Quinta.

 

[bisaeff]

Phil - do you still commute to SSF from Sac daily

 

[Phil]

Phil - do you still commute to SSF from Sac daily

I quit that job probably right after Rainycon.

Now I am fat and happy in an office job in Sacramento.

I should go for runs.

I walk at lunch.