Commute between Redwood Shores <-> Los Gatos (San Jose: construction, university)

[thousand]

Hello All,

We are planning to move to Redwood Shores in couple of months and I wanted to know how the commute is from Redwood Shores to Los Gatos and vice versa. I am planning to carpool with my wife. I could not find on google maps about car pool or HOV lanes. Does anyone of you know if there is car pool/ hov lanes from Redwood Shores to Los Gatos and vice versa.

Thanks

[cardinal2007]

Originally Posted by thousand

Hello All,

We are planning to move to Redwood Shores in couple of months and I wanted to know how the commute is from Redwood Shores to Los Gatos and vice versa. I am planning to carpool with my wife. I could not find on google maps about car pool or HOV lanes. Does anyone of you know if there is car pool/ hov lanes from Redwood Shores to Los Gatos and vice versa.

Thanks

Yes the carpool lanes start just before the Veterans Blvd exit going south, and end around the same area going north on 101. This means you'll be about one mile short of the Redwood Shores exit, and a little more for the Ralston/Marine Pkwy exit. You will be going with traffic up until you get close to 85, most likely see traffic when you get past University up until 85. Once you get on 85 you'll be on reverse commute all the way to Los Gatos, 101 and 85 have carpool to carpool ramp so you don't have to merge into regular traffic. 85 has a carpool lane in its entirety all the way to 101 (yeah the highway starts and end with 101). The 101 section just past University all the way to 85 is under construction, and sometimes they close the carpool lane, I haven't seen that during rush hour yet, they are adding a second carpool lane for the demand on both sides, so you can imagine the traffic.

Carpool lanes on both highways are in effect from 5am-9am, 3pm-7pm M-F, and 2 people is enough on both.

[thousand]

Thanks for the detailed info. We are planning to live at Davit Ln Redwood City, CA 94065. Sounds like whole of 85 both ways will have less traffic. Coming to once I get on 101 S from Redwood shores, until I get to 85 (and vice versa), can you tell me approximately how many miles out of the 12 miles on 101 S, there will be car pool?

Also, I see 280 as an option. Do you have thoughts on that?

BTW: Do you commute from Redwood Shores to some where near Los Gatos?

[cardinal2007]

I mostly have experience going to Mt. View and Sunnyvale for work. I used to live in Foster City and Belmont before moving to San Jose, so I'm familiar with the highways coming in and leaving from both sides, but I don't really know how it works if you avoid that area and try to get to 280. From what people tell me taking either Woodside or Oregon Expy/Page Mill have not been that good, but most people take it the other way from 280 to 101 in the morning. So you can certainly try that to avoid traffic. Don't try taking Ralston to 92 to get to 280 as the few times I have gone up the hill in the morning on Belmont the traffic backed up somewhat from the highway entrance.

280 will probably be a lot faster than 101 once you actually get in it, the path to get into it is a wildcard to me. The carpool lane there though doesn't start until past Magdalane Ave, around the Los Altos Country Club. On northbound it ends at Magdalane Ave.

You'll probably have a carpool lane for about 11 miles on 101S, the carpool lane starts about 1 1/2 miles after you get on the ramp to 101.

[thousand]

Thanks for the prompt and detailed responses.