If you're still making plans for the weekend or wondering what traffic problems might be on the horizon, then you have come to the right place. KCBS Radio traffic reporter Bob Pryor is out with his guide to the biggest events around the Bay Area and tips for getting around the region.
Don't forget that we broadcast traffic updates every 10 minutes "on the eights" on 106.9 FM and 740 AM or you can stay up to date by following @KCBSAMFMTraffic on Twitter.
With the Super Bowl on Sunday afternoon, there will be dozens of watch parties around the Bay Area. If you're driving and had too much to drink, remember that AAA will run its Tipsy Tow service from 6pm Sunday to 6am Monday for a free tow of up to 10 miles. Call 1-800-AAA-HELP [222-4357) to get a lift.
The sprawling and exciting Chinese Flower Market Fair will take over a large section of San Francisco's Chinatown. There are a lot of attractions, especially for shoppers getting items like flowers, fruit and candy for the upcoming Lunar New Year festivities. But there will also be a significant number of street closures through the weekend.
San Jose will see its traffic flow interrupted by the "408K Race to the Row," a 5-mile run from the SAP Center to the shops and restaurants of Santana Row on Sunday morning.
Lastly, if you're driving through Solano County on Sunday or Monday night, be aware that the Rio Vista Bridge will be shut down.
SOUTH BAY:
Sun, Feb 3 at 8am: San Jose’s “408K Race to the Row” is an 8K (approximately 5-mile) footrace that starts at the SAP Center and ends on Santana Row. About 6,000 people are expected to run, so there will be a lot of street closures in downtown San Jose. A map of the race route can be found here.
- Pro tip: Runners should check out the race organizers’ webpage on Parking and Getting Around. For public transit users, this would be an ideal time to try out VTA’s trip planner. A quick look at VTA’s comprehensive bus and rail map couldn’t hurt either.
- Areas and roadways affected: In downtown San Jose, streets affected will include portions of Santa Clara Ave, The Alameda. Naglee Ave, Park Ave, Dana Ave, Emory Street, Hedding Street, Monroe Street, Stevens Creek Blvd, and Santana Row.
EAST BAY:
Sun, Feb 3 from starting at noon: Berkeley: Gilman Brewing Company follows Gears & Beers, their monthly noon-to 3pm Hot Rod and Classic Car Show, with a Super Bowl Watch Party. Start with classic cars parked in the back and food trucks parked out front; finish with yourself parked, beer in hand, in front of the Patriots-Rams matchup.
- Pro tip: AC Transit Line 72 will get you to San Pablo Avenue and Gilman Street, from which it’s a short, 5-minute walk to the festivities. Or, the 511 Trip Planner can help you plan a trip from one of the Berkeley BART stations out to Gilman Street.
PENINSULA:
Now through late 2019: CalTrain’s Hillsdale Station in San Mateo has just eliminated more than 60 parking spaces in the southern portion of the parking lot so CalTrain can build a power regulating station.
- Pro tip: Go here to see a map showing where CalTrain is eliminating parking, where parking will continue to remain available, and where CalTrain has added additional parking.
SAN FRANCISCO:
Sat, Feb 2 (10am-8pm) and Sun, Feb 3 (9am-6pm): In San Francisco’s Chinatown: The Chinese Flower Market Fair takes place along Grant Avee. and Pacific Ave, Jackson Street, and Washington Street between Stockton and Kearny Streets. This event, which features Chinese acrobats, folk dancers, and opera, along with traditional and modern shopping, kicks off the festivities for Lunar Year 4717, the Year of the Pig.
- Pro tip: Parts of Grant Avenue, Pacific Avenue, Jackson Street and Washington Street will be closed to traffic from 11pm on Friday to 11pm on Sunday. Check out the map here for a quick visual understanding of where the fair will be taking place and information about buses that will be re-routed.
- Areas and roadways affected: All of San Francisco’s Chinatown, especially the more northerly portion, from Clay Street to Broadway.
Sun, Feb 3 from 8am-noon: 36th Annual Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Half Marathon, 10k and 5k takes place in and around Golden Gate Park.
- Pro tip: This page does a great job of laying out the road closures you can expect, the times those roads will be closed, and which roads to take instead (Spoiler: Divisadero and Crossover Drive will be open, but the Great Highway will be closed from 8am to noon). If you’re participating in the race or dropping off someone who’s running, this page is a must-read.
- Areas and roadways affected: In San Francisco: Roads in Golden Gate Park, the Panhandle, and Sloat Blvd.
NORTH BAY/SOLANO:
Sun, Feb 3 from 9pm-5am: The Rio Vista Bridge over Highway-12 in Rio Vista will be closed Sunday night into Monday morning for maintenance. This same work will also take place Monday night, extending into Tuesday morning. The applicable Caltrans press release features a map showing that, for some drivers, this may involve a detour of up to 78 miles.
- Pro tip: If coming from Sacramento, or anywhere along the I-80 corridor leading to/from Sacramento, Caltrans recommends using Highway-113. Coming from Fairfield, Highway-12 is also a direct route in and out of Rio Vista.
