Driving help San Jose to Novato, CA
 

I'm going to be in San Jose in a few weeks. I'll be whitewater rafting during my trip (yay!) but must first brave the Bay Area traffic on a Friday afternoon to get to my carpool meeting location. My itinerary is as follows: Must drive from San Jose to Novato and be there by 6:00 p.m. My friend says to take 101N all the way up. Mapquest says to take 880N, followed by some 80E, 580W, 101N maneuvers. To all you locals out there, please advise as to which would be the most traffic/hassle/stress free route(if that's even possible)? Also, what's the latest time I can leave? Thanks

I'm sorry to say that I think Mapquest is totally out to lunch on this one! From San Jose take 280 as far as it goes. It will eventually merge into 101 and then stay on 101 from there on. Now here's the bad news. If your carpool group will leave without you if you're late, in order to be in Novato by 6 pm I would leave San Jose no later than 4 pm. I'm a worrier so I'd probably leave by 3:30. Good luck.

I agree with kam-- <BR>280 out of San Jose runs right into 19th Ave which is also 101.However, you MUST get a detail map of San Francisco area as there a couple of places you could get mixed up as280 gets close to 19 th Ave. <BR>I guess I am paranoid about SF traffic, especially Friday afternoon. I would leave at 3:00 PM. <BR>Good luck...

I'm a super duper worried traveler. If we are talking Bay Area traffic on a Friday afternoon, I'd leave SJ by 2:00. <BR> <BR>You can always stop in Sausalito for a quick munch and a great view if you make good time and are well ahead of schedule. <BR> <BR>I always error on the side of dumb drivers clogging up traffic when you have to be somehwere at a certain time! <BR> <BR>Agree Mapquest directs are terrible. <BR>Take kam's suggested route.

I just did this drive on Sunday! Kam is right, take 280 until it ends (turns into 19th avenue) follow the traffic through the city across the GG and onto 101. I'd leave at 3:00--on a Friday traffic can be really really bad (or really good, but there's no way to know). It took me 2 hours on Sunday with a stop in Sausalito to pick someone up.

<BR>In Mapquest's defense, it sometimes can be quicker to go up the Eastern Bayshore and over the Richmond-San Rafael bridge to Marin. <BR> <BR>However, since you are a novice and can't take advantage of carpool lanes, I wouldn't advise it this time. The suggestions above are best. <BR>

Amber, I didn't see that you were going on a Friday! I would agree with leaving by 3pm. I also like the suggestion of stopping in Sausalito for a pretty view and quick bite. When you get to SF you can take the 19th Ave. route or you can follow signs to Civic Center and take Van Ness through the city to the GG Bridge via Lombard. Either way is terribly congested. Easiest to follow probably would be 19th Ave. The problem with 880 is that there are lots of trucks and many more accidents which can completely shut down the freeway. 280 is a pretty drive until the merge with 101. Getting past Palo Alto and Menlo Park before 4 pm you should encounter very little traffic until farther north. Good luck.