Ok, here's a question. You are driving North on 680 from Fremont. You want to get to 580 East (Altamont Pass). Which is the faster route:

Exit Hwy 84 East and go through Livermore

or

Stay on 680 to 580

Assume there is no traffic. Your opinions please, I checked recently and will post the results of what I found later :)

Poll question: 680 North to 580 East - What is Faster?

Poll result (9 votes) Exit Hwy 84 East and go through livermore (2 votes) Vote Stay on 680 to 580 (7 votes) Vote

When I lived in Hayward I tried as many different ways to get to to my parents house in Modesto as possible. 680 sucks when there is any traffic, but as long as there is no traffic I would think that 680 would be the fastest. More lanes on 680 and you can fly when there is no traffic.

I'm going to say 680-580 while it might be a few miles farther because you aren't going through Livermore and can usually go 75+ with no traffic.

I have never been on 84 through that area though so I have no clue how fast you can drive through there...

When I lived in Antioch and drove through there I always cut across the back way. I assumed it was faster...ESPECIALLY with traffic, but maybe i was wrong.

Matt

84 east is quicker I think, traffic or not. You can stay on there all the way thru downtown or turn on Isabel ave. and cut over to 580 at Airway Bldv. I live in Livermore and work in San Jose so I drive this route a lot!

I've timed it, and 680 to 580 is faster. Sometimes on 84 you'll get stuck behind a slow car on the 2 lane road, which is terribly frustrating.

We have a winner :) I timed it too out of curiousity. It was about 1 minute faster to take 580 to 680 than it was to take 84 and get back on 580 at Airport. That was towing the boat with absolutely no traffic (14 minutes 580 to 680 and 15 minutes on 84).

I don't know why I put this post up really, other than that I always had wondered which was really faster and I've had people tell me both ways are faster than the other. I do know if you're headed toward the bay on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, taking 84 can be a lot faster when 580 backs up.

I didn't see this thread till now, but me and Nick always are arguing this one. We finally settled on going 680-580 in the morning, without traffic we can fly 75+ and it seems faster, but in the afternoon we always come back 84 :+

When you timed it did you do it fair? Meaning going the posted speed limit both routes. Towing the boat you have to go 55mph on 680 and 580.

I just drove slightly over coming and going. How I would always drive basically. 62 ish on the fwy that kind of thing.