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How congested will traffic be on I-5/Grapevine on NYE? - Printable Version

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How congested will traffic be on I-5/Grapevine on NYE? - thanksharbs - 12-27-2012

Hi,

Given that NYE falls on a Monday just how congested will I-5 south be through the Grapevine?
If I leave for Pasadena from San Jose at noon will I regret it? Is it better to leave the Bay Area in the morning? Or will I sit in traffic regardless of when I depart? Will the drive take > 5 hours no matter when I leave?
Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Peace
-Ryan

Re: How congested will traffic be on I-5/Grapevine on NYE? - 97fan - 12-27-2012

I think you will be OK either way. I'd guess the Grapevine will not be any more congested than it is on a normal weekend day. Afternoon rush hour traffic in the San Fernando Valley should be lighter than usual, since many people won't be coming home from work.

Re: How congested will traffic be on I-5/Grapevine on NYE? - Embo - 12-27-2012

Here's my observation - and it's based on 13 year old experience (as in, the last time I drove to the Rose Bowl).  Here was the funny thing - I noticed no problems in traffic on the way down.  I had driven on New Year's Eve, straight down to our hotel in Burbank. 

On the way back, however, I-5 was busy.  Not traffic-jam busy, as you were going the speed limit, but the freeways were filled.  My theory is that people who go down to Southern California for the New Years Day festivities spread out the days they arrive.  However, everyone heads back to the Bay Area at the same time, meaning the morning of January 2nd.

Have fun!  Drive safely.  I have to work on New Year's Eve and on January 2nd, so I have the last flight in on Monday and the first flight out on Wednesday.

Re: How congested will traffic be on I-5/Grapevine on NYE? - 82 Card - 12-27-2012

You may want to keep an eye on the weather forecast. Grapevine gets snow once in a while. Right now, the forecast doesn't show any snow arround New Year's. These things can change.

Re: How congested will traffic be on I-5/Grapevine on NYE? - Farm93 - 12-27-2012

The NYE traffic should be fine.  Won't matter when you leave really.  Since it is NYE the LA rush hour should be OK too.  Might seem daunting to non-LA types, but the traffic will be light by LA standards.

The return traffic on the I-5 should be your area of concern.  A lot of Bay Area people come to SoCal for that break. (Family, Disney, Rose Bowl, Rose Parade, open amusement parks, etc).  And therefore that Tuesday night traffic will be a touch harder since you will get a lot of different groups returning at the same time.

However, based on my 8+ trips on the I-5 over the last four months I can tell you that gas prices have really knocked down the I-5 traffic.  Back in the day people would travel up and down the I-5 almost for any reason and the road would get crowded.  Now most of the time the I-5 is open enough to be a relatively easy drive.

The LA forecast for Monday and Tuesday is rain-free, so that should not be a big problem.  Though the fog might be an issue if you try to return on Wednesday in the early AM.

Have fun, but remember to look out for DUI dangers.

Re: How congested will traffic be on I-5/Grapevine on NYE? - M T - 12-27-2012

With kids in the L.A. area, we frequently drive from the peninsula to L.A., so here are some comments...

I'd leave at 11, not 12, depending upon how comfortable you are with driving after dark & areas that you aren't familiar with & traffic & whether you stop to eat.  The sun sets at 4:50PM.  The grapevine isn't the worst part of the trip unless you've hit snow or bad weather.  But if you're not familiar with the roads, the traffic can be a bit distressing.  I do find the driving habits there to be a bit different than in the bay area.

Drive time to the outskirts of  L.A. depends mainly on your speed on I5 and where your destination is.  In the greater L.A. area, NYE should have relatively light business traffic, but by 7PM, you will get social traffic (based on what I hit on Friday nights).  You might also hit congestion between SJ and Gilroy, or Gilroy to Los Banos, but that's gotten a lot better than years back.

FYI, if you're heading east on the 210 from I5 towards Pasadena, get over to the right in plenty of time before the exit to 210 (a mile ahead).  You do have to cut across merging traffic to get to the exit.  Even though I've done it a number of times, it always concerns me.  I believe there is still construction in that area.  (Also, if you're heading into Pasadena, there is a quirky spot you need to be over to the right just as you get to Pasadena.  It is as if you have to exit the 210 to stay on the 210.)

If you drive after dusk, fog is a risk at this time of year.  Don't forget about wind warnings too (see below) and construction.

I'm curious.  Did I miss any mention of the Rose Parade, or whether the band is in it?  Usually the two teams' bands are in the parade.  I stayed on Colorado Ave a few weeks ago and out of curiosity, asked about the pricing of the hotel (far east Pasadena): minimum 3 nights, total about $800.

A resource is
  http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo/Hourly
Also,  http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/

For instance, currently it says:
Quote:I 5
    [IN THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AREA]
    IS CLOSED TO SOUTHBOUND TRAFFIC FROM WESTERN AVE /IN GLENDALE/ TO
THE JCT OF SR 134 /IN LOS ANGELES/ (LOS ANGELES CO) FROM 0100 HRS TO 0400 HRS
ON 1/28/12 - DUE TO MAINTENANCE - A DETOUR IS AVAILABLE

    THE NORTHBOUND CONNECTOR TO EASTBOUND & WESTBOUND SR 134 /IN LOS ANGELES/
(LOS ANGELES CO) IS CLOSED FROM 0001 HRS TO 0500 HRS ON 12/28/12
- DUE TO CONSTRUCTION - A DETOUR IS AVAILABLE

  A HIGH WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 5 MI NORTH OF CASTAIC TO THE
SOUTH JCT OF SR 138 (LOS ANGELES CO) - TRAVEL IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR CAMPERS,
TRAILERS OR PERMIT LOADS   

    [IN THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA AREA]
    NORTHBOUND TRAFFIC IS REDUCED TO 1 LANE AT THE JCT OF SR 43 (KERN CO)
24 HRS A DAY 7 DAYS A WEEK - DUE TO CONSTRUCTION

    NORTHBOUND TRAFFIC IS REDUCED TO 1 LANE 10.5 MI NORTH OF THE JCT OF SR 58
/AT LERDO HIGHWAY/ (KERN CO) - DUE TO A BIG RIG FIRE


Re: How congested will traffic be on I-5/Grapevine on NYE? - Embo - 12-27-2012

(12-27-2012, 03:04 PM)MT link Wrote:I'm curious.  Did I miss any mention of the Rose Parade, or whether the band is in it?  Usually the two teams' bands are in the parade.  I stayed on Colorado Ave a few weeks ago and out of curiosity, asked about the pricing of the hotel (far east Pasadena): minimum 3 nights, total about $800.

Of course the ILSJUMB will be there.  If history repeats, there should be the current as well as multiple past versions of the tree.  They will be #29 in the list.

http://media.roseparade.net/paradeOrder.asp

Interesting that you mentioned the Pasadena hotel.  A poster on the other board was able to get a room fairly late at the Courtyard by Marriott Old Town Pasadena, which is a block from the parade route.  I had the same curiosity - I checked their website then and also saw rooms available.  The catch?  $449 a night.  Three nights minimum.  No refunds or cancellation.

Oh, one other thing - I took in the Rose Parade in 2000, and splurged for a grandstand seat.  Even before the parade began, there was an eye-poppling moment - a B-2 had a slow flyover above Colorado Boulevard.  Simply awesome.  I read today that there will be a B-2 flyover above the stadium, scheduled precisely at 2:10 PM.