101 or I-5 to Southern California Thursday 11-15-18

[gary1955]

driving from San Francisco Bay Area to Southern California tomorrow.

I've been checking the CalTrans web site and it says that 101 is open. HW-1 is closed south (east) of Oxnard after it splits off of 101.

so I was wondering if the air quality might be better for most of 101 until south of Oxnard. from what I understand I-5 through the valley is hazy the whole way. 101 is half an hour to an hour longer but it might be worth it to get out of the haze for a while.

any thoughts?

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

You'll bypass the stinky stock yards and stinky Bakersfield too. Worth the extra hour and a half. Although if the wind is blowing right, you won't get it anyway.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

driving from San Francisco Bay Area to Southern California tomorrow.

I've been checking the CalTrans web site and it says that 101 is open. HW-1 is closed south (east) of Oxnard after it splits off of 101.

so I was wondering if the air quality might be better for most of 101 until south of Oxnard. from what I understand I-5 through the valley is hazy the whole way. 101 is half an hour to an hour longer but it might be worth it to get out of the haze for a while.

any thoughts?

I always used I5 when traveling between Bay Area and So Cal.

Currently, I wouldn't do 101, due to the fire/smoke issues.

 

[dotfurio]

You actually don't pass through Bakersfield on the I-5. There are plenty of cows along the route, though. The air quality hasn't been especially bad in my part of the valley compared to our normal bad air, but idk how it compares to the coast with all the recent fires.

 

[bcla]

I wouldn't worry about it. The air quality isn't so bad that driving visibility is horrible. I mean - I've had 20 ft visibility driving through Tule fog on I-580, but even in bad air there should miles of visibility.

And there's really no big issue with air quality if you're driving. Stay indoors, and get an N-95 mask if you're worried about breathing in the air during breaks.

 

[gary1955]

I always used I5 when traveling between Bay Area and So Cal.

Currently, I wouldn't do 101, due to the fire/smoke issues.

HW-1 is listed as closed past Oxnard going south, 101 currently doesn't show a closure due to the fires.

I usually use I-5 too. this time I'm thinking that the air quality for most of 101 would be better than the valley, except of course in the Oxnard - Thousand Oaks area.

I wouldn't worry about it. The air quality isn't so bad that driving visibility is horrible. I mean - I've had 20 ft visibility driving through Tule fog on I-580, but even in bad air there should miles of visibility.

And there's really no big issue with air quality if you're driving. Stay indoors, and get an N-95 mask if you're worried about breathing in the air during breaks.

I wasn't worried about visibility. just thought it would be good to get out of the haze for a few hours.

I was hoping that someone with recent experience on 101 might let us know how it was.

 

[sonnyjane]

I’d just stick with the 5. Faster. Just drove the reverse yesterday (San Diego to Washington). No problems, but lots of haze near cow country.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

You actually don't pass through Bakersfield on the I-5. There are plenty of cows along the route, though. The air quality hasn't been especially bad in my part of the valley compared to our normal bad air, but idk how it compares to the coast with all the recent fires.

Actually the city limits in fact do extend over to I-5 where it crosses the Kern River. The smell is worse along I-5 than it is downtown.

 

[gary1955]

according to this air quality map it looks like the coastal route is clearer than the valley.

https://aqicn.org/map/california/#@g/36.5317/-119.4159/7z

the only thing that is odd is the low numbers near the Malibu area.

 

[neverlandsky]

The 5. 101 is too much traffic for us.

 

[dotfurio]

Actually the city limits in fact do extend over to I-5 where it crosses the Kern River. The smell is worse along I-5 than it is downtown.

Technically yes, one tiny bit extends, but to imply the I-5 runs through Bakersfield is kind of misleading. I’m usually one of the first ones to bash Bakersfield, but I dont want people who pass by on the 5 thinking they’ve been to Bakersfield. We’re bad, but not THAT bad! Lol

 

[gary1955]

south of Salinas I actually could see blue sky and later a sunset without the smoky haze.

I didn't get to the fire area. when I got to Ventura Google maps said there was major accident ahead and directed me to Santa Clarita on 126