Lexington Reservoir to Cupertino/Sunnyvale - Commute Times (Mountain View, Santa Cruz: homes, living)

[mills741]

Hi there - I'm considering homes in Lexington Resevoir area (Lexington Hills, Chemeketa Park, Redwood Esates, etc.) and can't really find many good estimates for commute times to Silicon Valley. Given the pandemic and most people WFH right now, Google Maps isn't really the most reliable estimate of commute times either. Wondering if I can get the below estimates from those that are used to the commute or familiar with the commute times along highway 17. And, only looking for estimates of what this was like on average in 2019, pre covid, not what people think it will be like in the future, post covid.

1) Estimated commute times (rush hour) from Lexington Resevoir area to Cupertino
2) Esitamted commute times (rush hour) from Lexington Rservoir area to Sunnyvale
3) 17 Traffic during rush hour- Approx. how long would you expect the drive to be between 85 and Idylwild Rd? How about btw 85 and Black Creek Road?

Thanks for the help!

[BRinSM]

I live near Winchester and the 85 and it takes me about 20 minutes to get to Apple offices in Cupertino. I'm not familiar with traffic patterns on the 17, but I'd imagine living up above the reservoir would add another 15 minutes at least. Sunnyvale will also add more time, but the amount depends on how far north you'll need to go.

[nobodysbusiness]

Just check google maps every day for a week. From the areas you mentioned, the commute you mentioned would "usually" be doable (unless there's a bank robbery, roll-overs, trees down, etc.). Holidays and weekends are different than weekdays.

Join "Highway 17 Commuters" and "Highway 17 Rants, etc." on FB.

You would take Old Santa Cruz Highway down to the Alma crossing before getting onto 17 so you would only enter 17 from way down the hill in Los Gatos - missing other horrible traffic that might be backed up further south on 17 coming from Santa Cruz.

[silverkris]

Originally Posted by BRinSM

I live near Winchester and the 85 and it takes me about 20 minutes to get to Apple offices in Cupertino. I'm not familiar with traffic patterns on the 17, but I'd imagine living up above the reservoir would add another 15 minutes at least. Sunnyvale will also add more time, but the amount depends on how far north you'll need to go.

You must be from SoCal if you use "the" in front of the highway number. Do you shoot up (well slog up) 85 from Los Gatos to, say, DeAnza Blvd exit in the morning?

[BRinSM]

Originally Posted by silverkris

You must be from SoCal if you use "the" in front of the highway number. Do you shoot up (well slog up) 85 from Los Gatos to, say, DeAnza Blvd exit in the morning?

Can confirm, am from SoCal. Regarding the commute, after zigzagging my way to Quito, I jump on Cox, then Saratoga-Sunnyvale/De Anza up to Cupertino. If traffic is light, I'll take (the) 85 to De Anza or Stevens Creek, depending on which office I need to get to.

[silverkris]

Originally Posted by BRinSM

Can confirm, am from SoCal. Regarding the commute, after zigzagging my way to Quito, I jump on Cox, then Saratoga-Sunnyvale/De Anza up to Cupertino. If traffic is light, I'll take (the) 85 to De Anza or Stevens Creek, depending on which office I need to get to.

Yes, that makes sense. 85 NB in the morning can be really slow on that stretch, and it goes beyond Cupertino into Mountain View and to the 101-85 interchange.

[Wintermomma]

When trying to guess commute times, I use google maps and then pick a random mid-week day in January 2020.