Bay Area Evening Rush Hour: Getting to OAK
 

I'm catching an 8PM flight at OAK on a Monday, and I'll be coming from the Modesto, CA area. What time do you reckon I need to leave there to get to OAK at a decent time to allow for car rental return, security, etc? Any input much appreciated.

Try looking at http://www.sigalert.com/map.asp?Region=Bay+Area during weekday evenings before your trip. However, the map only goes out to Livermore (Modesto is somewhat further east, so you'll have to guess / estimate the time from Modesto to Livermore and add it to the time estimated from Livermore to OAK). Of course, you'll have to add the lead time for rental car return, security, etc..

I can't give you a numerical answer but if something goes wrong on 580 the drive time could change dramatically. 511.org or dialing 511 from a mobile phone will give you (almost) the latest on that.

If it's a can't miss flight I would allow a lot of extra time and if things go well do something near the airport like visit Jack London Square.

First, at that time of day, I would cut straight across CA 132 to I-580, instead of CA99 to CA120 to I-205 to I-580.

But be careful. That's a deadly stretch of road with folks driving way too fast.

I would plan a minimum of 2 hours.

Also you may seriously consider when you are on 580, to take it all the way to the pseudo-Oakland airport exit (and then go down the hill through city streets) instead of 580 to 238 to 880, which is a disaster area at most hours of the day.

An excellent point which I'd forgotten. It goes from like 37 lanes to 2 there.

3 days a week Mrs. Boraxo does 580-238-880. During rush hour it tends to bog down right before 238, but things start moving once you get past the split, and you make up the lost time on the bay bridge approach (if you are heading into SF).

I would not recommend trying to find OAK from 580 itself. The crosstown route can be quite confusing, and you don't want to get lost in this part of town.

As to OP's question, I would leave no later than 4pm. If you can leave earlier, that would be even better as you will save yourself some time spent fuming in traffic. If you arrive with time to spare, simply head over to Jack London Square in Oakland, which is a short 15 min. from OAK.

Great, thanks for all the responses.

Let us know how it turns out

Turned out well! Left Modesto/Oakdale around 3:45, and made it to Oakland in virtually no time - around 4:30/4:45. The only traffic along the way was on the final strech on 880 North - figure that. People in CA drive fast though, and even trucks were going 15-20 mph above the speed limit... 205 is a truly horrible stretch of road - keeping up with the general speed of traffic plus the terrible state of the pavement & the construction barriers made for some concentrated driving.

Decided to kill a good hour at Jack London square, thanks for the tip - did get lost on the way though, not knowing what/where it was & with a sucky rental car company map, but I did manage to find it :).

No, it's just that people elsewhere drive slow. :D.

Improvements to 205 are coming in the next few years.