California - Friday evening traffic in Stockton?

I'm in charge of a group chartering a coach bus traveling from L.A. to an event in the hills of Napa County in a few weeks. According to Google's driving directions, the best route will be through Livermore, Walnut Creek, Benicia and Vallejo (I-5, I-580, I-680, I-780). We should be going through Concord around 3-4 pm on a Friday.

I'm exploring the possibility of having the bus go through Stockton and Fairfield (I-5, CA-12) to avoid the Bay Area traffic and to give everyone a "Delta tour". Google says it's about 10-15 miles and 20 minutes extra. I remember driving through the Benicia Bridge last year around 5-6 pm Friday and there was a 20-minute delay for the bridge. So if that's the case, time should balance out.

But what about Stockton traffic? Is there going to be any delay going through Stockton or Rio Vista on a Friday evening compared to the standard speed-limit calculation?

Traffic in Stockton is not apt to amount to more than a 3-4 minute slowdown at the worst....and certainly not worth diving into the 580-680 mess on a Friday afternoon. You're actually apt to hit more traffic transiting Fairfield on CA-12 than in Stockton on I-5...

...But both of them put together will not amount to the hassle of going through Livermore, Dublin, Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill, Benicia, and Vallejo on a Friday afternoon.

While -- thankfully! -- it's been four years since I've had first-hand knowledge, I'd have to concur with the previous poster. Unlesss things have changed radically, you'll likely get a bit of slowdown where I-205 joins I-5, a wee bit in Stockton proper, some at the CA12/CA160 intersection east of Rio Vista, and maybe some at CA12/80 (as noted).

But going 580/680/Benicia Bridge on a Friday afternoon would be pure misery. Period.

I remember driving through the Benicia Bridge last year around 5-6 pm Friday and there was a 20-minute delay for the bridge.

The new Benicia Bridge is open. I went over it at 5pm this last Friday and zipped across at 60mph in the Fastrak lane. Might take a few minutes longer if you have to stop and pay the toll (maybe a 3 min backup at the toll lanes at that time last Friday). Before the new structure opened, it was not unusual to spend an hour in traffic waiting to get over the bridge at commute time. 20 minutes would have been considered a fast crossing at commute time last year.


Tom a Benicia resident in London this week