Which way on the Bay Bridge is more dangerous, westbound or eastbound?

[sanjuro]

I just started commuting to the peninsula from the East Bay, and I decided not to cross the Bay Bridge in the morning, instead using the San Mateo Bridge. I find that the trip into San Francisco is chaotic, with so many highway connectors and off ramps, a mix of regular commuters and infrequent visitors, and lots of curves. Hwy 92 is an almost straight shot from Hayward to Foster City, plus anyone crossing at 8am is going to be a commuter who does this drive daily.

I have been going back to the East Bay via the Bay Bridge. Partly because I have traveled 880 extensively, I prefer a different route and crossing the Bay Bridge is amazing. And while there is a massive backup leading to the bridge, it is just 3 miles from Cesar Chavez. In comparison, you could be splitting the entire length of Hwy 92 then 880 during the evening commute.

Unfortunately, there was a rider killed on Friday morning on the Bay Bridge westbound, reminding me about my analysis.

I am curious if there are actually any statistics whether it is more dangerous going eastbound or westbound on the Bay Bridge.

 

[moto-rama]

Depends on the time of day, weather.

When the Fastrak "remodel" happened on the East side it created a nasty funnel for traffic. Impatient, pissed-off drivers who had been sitting in traffic, have to change lanes at least once, so it will never be an easy commute East bound on the BB.

 

[sanjuro]

When the Fastrak "remodel" happened on the East side it created a nasty funnel for traffic. Impatient, pissed-off drivers who had been sitting in traffic, have to change lanes at least once, so it will never be an easy commute East bound on the BB.

I'm sure there traffic is worse in the commute direction, i.e. westbound in the morning, eastbound in the evening.

 

[DataDan]

From a thread a few months ago, Bay Bridge crash factz:

Weekday crashes:
[table="head"]direction|time|crashes
westbound|0500-1200|31
eastbound|0500-1200|2
westbound|1201-2000|14
eastbound|1201-2000|31
[/table]

In addition, there were 18 weekend crashes and 5 weekday crashes between 8:00 pm and 5:00 am.

Data is from 2017, I-80 at 101 to Powell St. Emeryville. More data in the old thread.

 

[davidji]

When the Fastrak "remodel" happened on the East side it created a nasty funnel for traffic. Impatient, pissed-off drivers who had been sitting in traffic, have to change lanes at least once, so it will never be an easy commute East bound on the BB.

Did you mean to say west at the end? Otherwise I don't understand your post.

Dan's numbers below your post indicated 2 things to me: commute direction is worse (obvious), and west bound is worse. Which might have been what you intended to say?

 

[LittleBigGirl]

I used to commute daily to/from SF from Vallejo (both to the General and UCSF, depending on the day) and found my commute home (80E) was always worse. There are just so many merges and impatient drivers in SF and on the freeways. The merge(s) from the 101-80 is(are) the worst, I found, especially for lane-splitting -- blind spots, cambered road, trucks, lane-darting cars, cell distracted drivers, etc. #donotmiss

But that was just my experience. The crash statistics from DD say otherwise, but it always "FELT" to me like 80 eastbound from SF was more dangerous as a rider.

 

[DTM74]

I commuted from Fairfield to SF for a few years and I also felt like EB80 was worse. The morning commute (WB80) had a nice flow to it...I saw the same drivers, they stayed in their lanes, it was usually predictable. The ride home felt like a free-for-all.

 

[NoTraffic]

From a thread a few months ago, Bay Bridge crash factz:

Weekday crashes:
[table="head"]direction|time|crashes
westbound|0500-1200|31
eastbound|0500-1200|2
westbound|1201-2000|14
eastbound|1201-2000|31
[/table]

In addition, there were 18 weekend crashes and 5 weekday crashes between 8:00 pm and 5:00 am.

Data is from 2017, I-80 at 101 to Powell St. Emeryville. More data in the old thread.

After riding over the bridge westbound tonight with a glaring sun, I suspect the sun's location may attribute to vision & crashes with others on the road.

 

[sanjuro]

From a thread a few months ago, Bay Bridge crash factz:

Weekday crashes:
[table="head"]direction|time|crashes
westbound|0500-1200|31
eastbound|0500-1200|2
westbound|1201-2000|14
eastbound|1201-2000|31
[/table]

In addition, there were 18 weekend crashes and 5 weekday crashes between 8:00 pm and 5:00 am.

Data is from 2017, I-80 at 101 to Powell St. Emeryville. More data in the old thread.

Thanks.

I'm guessing there is also more traffic between 1201-8000 than 5am to noon, so even thought the westbound/morning and eastbound/evening accident totals are the same, there are more accidents per vehicle in the morning than the evening.

 

[seralat]

DataDan's info suggests the westbound direction is more dangerous if you're going during non-commute hours. Otherwise, it's a wash.

It would be interesting to see if speed is a factor in the westbound direction during non-commute hours. My purely anecdotal experience is that during non-commute hours traffic moves at higher speeds westbound until about the last 1/4 of the suspension span as you enter SF, where the reduction in lanes and left- and right- side exits at Main, Fremont, 5th and 9th cause a fair degree of confusion and merge craziness.

Eastbound traffic generally starts slower even during non-commute times because of the squeeze as you get the merging lanes when you enter the suspension span and then doesn't see quite the same degree of slowdown until you get off the span and see the slowdown from the 80N / 580E / 80S confusion, but even then, those merges and exits are not as abrupt or confusing as the SF exits.

 

[tuxumino]

been splitting the BB for 15 years now and I think the evening eastbound is worse than the morning westbound

 

[imortlfool]

Subjectively I agree the ride east is worse. Nobody is racing to work in the morning. Everybody is racing home in the evening.

 

[spdt509]

If we go back to a time before on demand ride share, even the 9 to 5 commute times (7 to 9am, then 5 to 7pm) was tolerable. that all changed when you put 10k to 13k drivers not familiar with our layout at all times of the day and think the signs are suggestions, is dangerous everywhere in the BA, not just the bay bridge.but to answer the question, west bound gets my vote....

 

[moto-rama]

Did you mean to say west at the end? Otherwise I don't understand your post.

Dan's numbers below your post indicated 2 things to me: commute direction is worse (obvious), and west bound is worse. Which might have been what you intended to say?

Yes, sorry. I meant west side. The way they force cars to merge is poorly designed, since it makes it in to a competitive thing to be ahead of the car next to you or other vehicle.


The Eastbound roadway has it's problems , too, as you know. I have yet to find a way to travel from SF on 101 to the Bridge without being forced to merge at least 2 times. That has an effect of squishing traffic, not good. The exit-only lanes are just another temptation for bad drivers.

 

[rrrdbw]

I find northbound and southbound the most dangerous on a eastbound and westbound bridge. :rofl