New traffic data shows that the Bay Area commute is reappearing, but it looks different than it used to.
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission says traffic at the Bay Bridge from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. is heavier now than it was this time last year. However, the early morning commute in the 4 a.m. hour is half of what it used to be. The metering lights at the Bay Bridge toll plaza are turning on much later than average and public transit systems continue to see far fewer passengers than before.
That could mean that as people return to their commutes, their habits are changing. Transportation experts say people who use to take BART are now choosing to drive and with downtown San Francisco still much quieter, drivers can leave later because they have less competition for a parking space.
Carpooling may also be on the decline to allow for social distancing.
“We are monitoring the performance of the freeway system not just in the Bay Bridge corridor but all around the region,” said MTC spokesman John Goodwin. “And we are also monitoring public health guidance and trying to thread the needle as best we can.”
One way that transit experts can respond to the public health crisis is through carpool requirements. Lowering the carpool requirement on I-80 from three people to two would give people more space within the car.
“On the one hand we want to maximize social distancing within vehicles to the degree we can,” Goodwin said. “On the other we want to maximize the efficiency of the regional freeway network and those goals are not entirely compatible.”
The MTC is keeping an eye on how travel levels may be changing before recommending that Caltrans change the carpool requirement.
The Bay Area Council estimates that regional travel is still far below average, at 52% of pre-pandemic levels based on anonymized cellphone data.