Traffic Eases With End Of Fix 50, But Other Road Projects Ahead

[bing101]

http://www.capradio.org/articles/2014/06/19/traffic-eases-with-end-of-fix-50-but-more-projects-planned/

US-50, West business 80 aka I-305 are done for now.
Get ready for the I-5 @ Us-50 Interchange project coming soon.

[jrouse]

The new HOV lanes on I-80 across the top of Sacramento will actually have much bigger impacts than the two bridge resurfacing projects on I-5 and US-50.  In fact, I would venture to say that the HOV project on I-80 will have impacts almost to the scale of Fix50.  Traffic will be split, with 1 lane running on the opposite side of the freeway and dedicated solely to through traffic with no exits for 7 or 8 miles.  This will allow for reconstruction of the outside lanes, which are in bad shape.

[myosh_tino]

The new HOV lanes on I-80 across the top of Sacramento will actually have much bigger impacts than the two bridge resurfacing projects on I-5 and US-50.  In fact, I would venture to say that the HOV project on I-80 will have impacts almost to the scale of Fix50.  Traffic will be split, with 1 lane running on the opposite side of the freeway and dedicated solely to through traffic with no exits for 7 or 8 miles.  This will allow for reconstruction of the outside lanes, which are in bad shape.

Joe, when will those traffic shifts take place?  I'm going to be headed to Reno in mid July and I normally use I-80 to get there from San Jose.

[TheStranger]

Joe, when will those traffic shifts take place?  I'm going to be headed to Reno in mid July and I normally use I-80 to get there from San Jose.

What route do you usually take - 680 to 80?

I've found interestingly (after years of going to San Jose Sharks games from the Sacramento area) that with the work complete at 580/Isabel, the backdoor route of 680-84-580-205-5-4-99 through Stockton to Sacramento is pretty equidistant from SJ as the straightforward 680-80 routing, and the former (through Arden) would allow you to bypass any construction going on the beltline through Natomas/Del Paso Heights.

[myosh_tino]

Joe, when will those traffic shifts take place?  I'm going to be headed to Reno in mid July and I normally use I-80 to get there from San Jose.

What route do you usually take - 680 to 80?

I've found interestingly (after years of going to San Jose Sharks games from the Sacramento area) that with the work complete at 580/Isabel, the backdoor route of 680-84-580-205-5-4-99 through Stockton to Sacramento is pretty equidistant from SJ as the straightforward 680-80 routing, and the former (through Arden) would allow you to bypass any construction going on the beltline through Natomas/Del Paso Heights.

Yeah, I usually take 680 to 80 when headed to Reno.  While 680-580-205-5 is probably faster, it gets kind of boring.  Oddly enough, the last few times returning from Reno, my GPS (TomTom) would keep me on 80 to Cordelia but then sees congesting and detours me onto I-5 and through Tracy.  Apparently, the 80-50 merge in West Sacramento is a major chokepoint on weekends.

[TheStranger]

Yeah, I usually take 680 to 80 when headed to Reno.  While 680-580-205-5 is probably faster, it gets kind of boring.

For me, seeing the progress on the 84 expressway between Sunol and Livermore is interesting (and there has been quite a bit of it over the years!) as well as taking 99 and 4 out of Stockton instead of staying on 5.  It does drop you into the rush hour mess that is the Marconi Curve part of Business 80 though.

Oddly enough, the last few times returning from Reno, my GPS (TomTom) would keep me on 80 to Cordelia but then sees congesting and detours me onto I-5 and through Tracy.  Apparently, the 80-50 merge in West Sacramento is a major chokepoint on weekends.

Basically, the Yolo Causeway (six lanes only) has six lanes of I-80 and six lanes of US 50/Business 80 west feeding into it; in the years I've dealt with driving on it or taking the bus back and forth in the past from Davis to Sac, that interchange never has improved. 

[jrouse]

The new HOV lanes on I-80 across the top of Sacramento will actually have much bigger impacts than the two bridge resurfacing projects on I-5 and US-50.  In fact, I would venture to say that the HOV project on I-80 will have impacts almost to the scale of Fix50.  Traffic will be split, with 1 lane running on the opposite side of the freeway and dedicated solely to through traffic with no exits for 7 or 8 miles.  This will allow for reconstruction of the outside lanes, which are in bad shape.

Joe, when will those traffic shifts take place?  I'm going to be headed to Reno in mid July and I normally use I-80 to get there from San Jose.

It was supposed to happen this summer but with Fix50 it got pushed out.  I think they will happen next year.

[Concrete Bob]

I think it will be cool to drive in the single, separated lane on other side of the barrier on I-80 during the next phase of construction.  It will be like driving a Hot Wheel toy car on that plastic orange track I had when I was a kid.  But this time, it will be for real.  I am looking forward to trying it out !!   

[jrouse]

Plans for the I-80 HOV project can be found at http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/esc/oe/project_ads_addenda/03/03-3797U4/plans/as_advertised/

You can see the detour plans starting at sheet 331.  It looks like they will be putting two lanes on the other side of the barrier in some cases.