Welcome to the weekly Major Timsaver report designed to help you avoid traffic agitation and maximize your fun on Bay Area weekends. Reporter Bob Pryor keeps a lookout for the biggest events in all corners of the region as well as projects that might slow down your trip, whether you're driving or on mass transit. Get the report sent to your phone every Friday by downloading the Radio.com app and marking KCBS Radio as one of your "favorite" stations.
As we transition into April, it's time to say goodbye winter and hello spring. Two ways to do that this weekend are the car-free Sunday Streets pedestrian festival in San Francisco's Excelsior District and the Thunder Over the Bay air show at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield.
While the good weather holds, Caltrans plans to get some night-time road work done on the always challenging Nimitz Freeway in Oakland. Drivers will want to take note of that.
SOUTH BAY:
Sun, Mar 31: San Jose, events starting at 7:40am: Hellyer Half Marathon, which actually comprises four races, alongside Cottonwood Lake in Hellyer County Park and on Coyote Creek Parkway/Coyote Creek Trail as far south as Metcalf Park. The races start and finish in the Silver Creek Sportsplex.
- Pro tip: The good news for motorists is that all these runners will be on trails, paved bike paths, and the like, which means there will be no street closures. The good news for participants is that there’s usually ample parking at the Silver Creek Sportsplex, where the race starts and finishes (although the organizers do encourage carpooling).
EAST BAY:
Ongoing nightly from 8pm-6am, ending Sun, Apr 7 at 6am: Oakland: On I-880 between 23rd Ave and 29th Ave, Caltrans will close various lanes in both directions in order to do paving and median barrier work. Electronic signs will be in place. Drivers are advised to expect delays and allow extra travel time.
- Pro tip: The best case scenario is that there will be only minor delays only. But with the Oakland A's playing at the Coliseum on Friday and Saturday nights, plus a Sunday day game and popular Indian singers Sonu Nigam and Neha Kakkar performing on Saturday night at Oracle, it could get hectic.
- Areas and roadways affected: I-880 in Oakland in the area of 23rd and 29th Avenues, two miles north of the Coliseum
PENINSULA:
Sat, Mar 30 from 11am-4pm: Daly City: Jefferson High School hosts the third annual District 5 Together Culture and Resource Fair. In addition to a variety of up-and-coming local deejays, Irish dancers, a youth orchestra, and food, this free, family-friendly event features about 50 resource tables from various county departments and nonprofits to educate the public on services. Event is also a platform to promote the county’s effort to be sure and count all residents in the upcoming Census 2020.
- Areas and roadways affected: Negligible traffic impact.
SAN FRANCISCO:
Sun, Mar 31 from 11am-4pm: Sunday Streets in the Excelsior takes place on the over-a-mile-long stretch of Mission Street between Geneva Avenue and Avalon Avenue/Theresa Street; and on the one-block portion of Ocean Ave between Mission Street and Persia Avenue. The route will be towed of all vehicles beginning at 8am, and no stopping or parking will be allowed after that (although you can still drive on the route until 10am).
- Pro tip: All cars left on the route will get towed beginning at 8am. If you need to drive through the neighborhood, traffic will be diverted to Alemany Boulevard. The 29 Sunset Muni route will operate normally across the event route; several other Muni routes will be re-routed. There will be 4 “activity hubs” along the route, as described here.
- Areas and roadways affected: In San Francisco’s Excelsior District, there are likely to be delays on the following streets: Geneva, Silver, Persia, Theresa, and Avalon.
Fri, Mar 29 at 7am continuing until Sun, Mar 31 at 7am (48 hours): San Francisco: The eastbound I-80 off-ramp to 4th and Bryant Streets will have two lanes closed out of four so crews can:work on MUNI's Central Subway project and perform repave some potholes. There will be temporary lane closures on Bryant Street too.
- Pro tip: Drivers are advised to expect delays and if possible use alternate routes. This is one of those situations where, unless you’re willing to take the ferry or drive way out of your way, to, say, the San Mateo Bridge, there’s really not much that can be done to avoid the congestion.
- Areas and roadways affected: All traffic heading from San Francisco to Oakland via the eastbound Skyway to the lower deck of the Bay Bridge.
NORTH BAY/SOLANO:
Sat, Mar 30 and Sun, Mar 31 from 10am-4pm: Fairfield: Travis Air Force Base hosts the “Thunder Over the Bay” sir show, featuring the Air Force Thunderbirds, the U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team, and other performers in flyovers, demos, and static displays. The theme of this year's show is "hometown heroes," highlighting Californians who helped during last year's destructive wildfires.
- Pro tip: This map shows the location of the public parking and spectator areas. Up-to-date information is also available by following the Base’s Twitter and Instagram accounts.
- Areas and roadways affected: Likely substantial extra traffic on Airbase Parkway in Fairfield.
