<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by First D:
If you REALLY want to get here during rush hour, a possible alternative is to go east (using 138?), across the 14 and then hit the 15 west freeway. If you go that way, you will be going opposite traffic (15 east goes to Vegas) then hit the 91 west which takes you right by my house. There's a toll road next to my house ($2.25+$1.00 to get to Irvine). Longer but much less traffic.
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Ha, finally something I can sound like I know about! I drive from the 138 to South Orange County 2-5 times a week....
The 138 is a 2 lane without much passing room (occasional passing lanes, nobody pulls over, occasional snow, and there are signs along the road with cute slogans like "138, a lawyer's road to retirement" and "138, highway to heaven or Road to Hell?" because there are far too many ditzes who can't figure out that pulling in front of trucks is unhealthy). On a Friday afternoon in January it could easily be limited to 50-55MPH due to skiers heading to the mountains (the road peaks at about 4800 ft, and is the only path to some of the local ski areas), but chances are it will be clear. A worse problem in spots is trucks that misjudge the hills.... It also is about the least fun "mountain road" you'll encounter (at least, the stretch from the 14 to 15 is... past the 15 it is actually one of the better twisty roads in the area.)
But it can be a good route around LA.
If you get on the 14, you don't have a lot of options...it'll be 138 to the 15 or it'll be extra distance...but after that, it depends on where you are headed.
If you are going down to the SJC area directly, you've got many choices.... in order of TYPICAL speed:
1) 91 to the 241 (toll $2.25) to the 133 (toll $1.25) to the 5 south. This can totally jammed at random times because the toll roads aren't all that well designed, but it shaves a few miles off the route and the average traffic is much better than the interstates at that time of day.
2) 60 to the 57 to the 5. This is all freeway, and could be fairly jammed, but it is less likely to be jammed than any other freeway route at that time.
3) 91 to the 241 (toll $2.25) to Santiago Canyon road (a *slighly* twisted 55MPH scenic back route). Saves $1.25 and is much more interesting than #1, but adds about three miles of surface streets to get to the 5 freeway. If you take that route, hang a left at Live Oak Canyon (I think that's the name. There is a bar called Cook's Corner, locally famous) when you should go straight, you'll have a nice little twisty back country road (short but sweet) and be only a few minutes off track for getting on the freeway.
4) 91 to the 55 to the 5. This is probably the shortest non-toll route, but it has the most traffic and the least interest.
I don't know if the 2 is open all the way through, or I would put it as the slowest but best daylight alternate route. That would be 138 to the 2 to the 210 to wherever you want to go. In summer it is about two (or three+ if you follow the speed limits) hours of twisty mountain road. But it is probably closed to through traffic due to snow.