So I need to get to Sacramento (near Citrus Heights) from San Jose (North Valley, close to 680) tomorrow. I need to be there by 7 PM at the latest, but am willing to leave as early as 1 or 2 PM to avoid traffic. What's the quickest route to take and best time to leave given my scenario?

All the mapping websites suggest 680N->580E->205E->5N->80E. A coworker suggested taking 680N->80E to avoid traffic heading towards Tracy.

 

yeah id take 680 to the 80 interchange.

-Ave

 

I would take 680 > 580 > 205 > 5 > 50

580/205 to 5 to bypass as much of the Bay Area as possible. Then from 5 take 50E because 80E gets real stupid.

then from 50 whichever surface street to get to Citrus Heights.. Sunrise or whatever.. might even be easier to go to Hazel and then backtrack a little depending on where you're going.

 

This is the way to go. Stay away from 680 > 80 AT ALL COSTS. You have to leave SJ before 2:30 to miss the traffic. 2:00 to be safe. That would be the best idea to avoid sitting in traffic for 3+ hours.

 

NO WAY IN HELL. ywia.

 

580/205 has horrible traffic. i dunno if it's worse than 680/80 though.

but if you leave at 1 or 2, you should be ok?

 

I think leaving early is the main thing here. From 3-7 is traffic up the ***, especially on a friday

 

580/205 is way faster than 680/80. Trust me, I did this commute for 3 years and I tried EVERY SINGLE WAY.

You will be fine if you leave by 1pm. 2pm is the latest I PERSONALLY would leave. You should get there before 5pm no problem. But then again, I would rather get there early and sit around at a mall/coffee shop or something than sit in traffic.

 

Listen to the man. He know's

Ave put down the pipe. 80 is a death trap with all that traffic.

 

thanks for all of the replies thus far. Whichever way I go it sounds like leaving around 1PM is the best bet. Bummer though as I'm gonna have a couple of hours to kill before I need to get to where I'm going. (My band is playing at the www.thekennelclublive.com *sigh*)

 

So are you gonna bother coming in to work tomorrow as you normally roll into the office around noon? Heh, heh, I keed, I keed.

 

Motto is "leave before 2 or after 7."

 

I figured management would frown upon such behavior so I took the day off. And besides, I starting to max out on vacation. Screw them for thec "oh, I need to know your vacation requests 8+ months in advance" BS...

 

I say go down 99. For various reasons....

 

Quoted for truth.