Alpine to Eastlake commute? (Greenfield, Del Rey: credit card, home, purchase)

[ontheGtrain]

I was wondering what this commute would be like for day working hours 7 to 430. Should I go the back way through the mountains or down the 8 and then take the toll road? Any tips?

[jksouthbay88]

About 35 mins via 805

[jkoz]

Originally Posted by ontheGtrain

I was wondering what this commute would be like for day working hours 7 to 430. Should I go the back way through the mountains or down the 8 and then take the toll road? Any tips?

I 805 is WEST of Eastlake, you want to go east. Best way would be to take the 125 Toll Road (get Fasttrack) to 8 East. I can make it to I-8 and Greenfield in about 17 minutes from my home in Eastlake, so you could add another 15 from Greenfield out to Alpine. In the morning, traffic on I-8 would be heading in the opposite direction, so the commute should be fairly easy.

[jkoz]

Originally Posted by jksouthbay88

About 35 mins via 805

Hey J.K. Your posts are always right on, but I'd have to disagree with that time frame. The O.P. would hit gridlock traffic both on one of the W.B. corridors (L or H), then gridlock going N.B. 805 at 7.a.m., then they'd have to double back and head east on 94 or 8. I think the trip via that route would be closer to an hour at that time of day. For $1.75 via the toll road (with Fasttrack), they can cut the time in half and cut the mileage down by miles. I wasn't sold on the toll road at first, but now it's the only route that makes sense when going to East County from Eastlake IMHO, especially for a morning commute.

[ontheGtrain]

How bad is the traffic on that toll raod in the morning? Is it bumper to bumper but moving or is it smooth sailing all the way from the 8 to eastlake on the toll road? And what is fasttrack? I googled it but I only come up with something in San Fran? How do I get fastrack?

[jkoz]

I don't often have to commute in the morning for my job, but traffic is sparse on the toll road so it is virtually never bumper to bumper, even in the early a.m.

With Fasttrack, you purchase a transponder that you attach with velcro to your windshield behind your rearview mirror. There are overhead sensors on the toll road. As you pass under them, your transponder will beep, and the toll is deducted. You initially open an account for $40.00 and can place it on a debit or credit card. When you've used the $40.00 in tolls, another $40 is either charged to your credit card or taken off your debit card. With Fasttrack, you pay $1.75 for a standard auto on the road one way but pay $2.50 if you pay cash and don't have Fasttrack. It seems pricey, but if you are going to Alpine every day, in the long run you'll save time, mileage and gas money.

I opened my account in person at their office, but you can go their website to obtain it also:

South Bay Expressway

[jksouthbay88]

Originally Posted by jkoz

Hey J.K. Your posts are always right on, but I'd have to disagree with that time frame. The O.P. would hit gridlock traffic both on one of the W.B. corridors (L or H), then gridlock going N.B. 805 at 7.a.m., then they'd have to double back and head east on 94 or 8. I think the trip via that route would be closer to an hour at that time of day. For $1.75 via the toll road (with Fasttrack), they can cut the time in half and cut the mileage down by miles. I wasn't sold on the toll road at first, but now it's the only route that makes sense when going to East County from Eastlake IMHO, especially for a morning commute.

I'm one of those 7AM and 415PM 805 commuters and it is rough.But for me going from East H and Del Rey back to the 125 wastes just as many mins as if I would just hop on the 805 and wait it out.That's how I look at it.i forgot that Eastlake was in the original question.My bad.
Forget my post guys.jkoz provided better information;and he lives in Eastlake,I'm all the way over here in Rancho Del Rey.

[jksouthbay88]

Originally Posted by jkoz

I don't often have to commute in the morning for my job, but traffic is sparse on the toll road so it is virtually never bumper to bumper, even in the early a.m.

With Fasttrack, you purchase a transponder that you attach with velcro to your windshield behind your rearview mirror. There are overhead sensors on the toll road. As you pass under them, your transponder will beep, and the toll is deducted. You initially open an account for $40.00 and can place it on a debit or credit card. When you've used the $40.00 in tolls, another $40 is either charged to your credit card or taken off your debit card. With Fasttrack, you pay $1.75 for a standard auto on the road one way but pay $2.50 if you pay cash and don't have Fasttrack. It seems pricey, but if you are going to Alpine every day, in the long run you'll save time, mileage and gas money.

I opened my account in person at their office, but you can go their website to obtain it also:

South Bay Expressway

I would never expect bumper to bumper traffic on SBE.I've passed by at 730 in the morning and 530 in the afternoon at at times I see no cars on it.Please tell me that it has never been even a minor slow down on the freeway.

[jkoz]

Originally Posted by jksouthbay88

I'm one of those 7AM and 415PM 805 commuters and it is rough.But for me going from East H and Del Rey back to the 125 wastes just as many mins as if I would just hop on the 805 and wait it out.That's how I look at it.i forgot that Eastlake was in the original question.My bad.
Forget my post guys.jkoz provided better information;and he lives in Eastlake,I'm all the way over here in Rancho Del Rey.

Oops, JK--I'm a SHE, but that's okay!

And you're right, I've never seen gridlock on the 125--that's its charm. I said I wasn't going to ever use it because I thought it was a ripoff, but once you start using it, you do get hooked. I did the 805 thing to East County for so many years so am glad to pay the toll.

[jksouthbay88]

Originally Posted by jkoz

Oops, JK--I'm a SHE, but that's okay!

And you're right, I've never seen gridlock on the 125--that's its charm. I said I wasn't going to ever use it because I thought it was a ripoff, but once you start using it, you do get hooked. I did the 805 thing to East County for so many years so am glad to pay the toll.

It's like drugs.You need to go to "SBE rehab".LOL
But for now I am here for you.

But on a serious note,sense the gas has been about 235 in some places I have been wanting to experiment it from say Otay Lakes up and through the 94 area and from my exit down to Brown Field.