Sources for Driving Information
I drive up to the house from the San Francisco Bay Area pretty often. So, naturally, people ask me what sources I use for road condition information. I’ll share some of the sources I find the most helpful.
Driving GPS App
Though I know several ways to get there by heart, I always use a GPS app to find out about delays and have an updated ETA. There are several out there, and the choice is pretty much individual preference, but some of the important features to look for include
- Downloaded Maps – you don’t want your navigation map to disappear if you hit a bad reception area. So, be sure to use an app that uses locally stored maps.
- Real-time traffic delay info – your app should tell you about traffic issues along your route and estimate their impact for you.
- Realtime route adjustments – it’s nice if the app can respond to changing conditions (like traffic accidents, etc…) and offer suggested alternatives while you’re on the go.
- Multi-stop routes – sometimes you need to plan to stop at an intermittent destination along the way. It’s nice if your app can support multi-stop routes.
The app I use is Sygic (iOS and Android). It has all of those features and more.
Weather
You’re going to need a good source of weather information. Preferably one that lets you have fine-grained control over the location and shows you hourly conditions. I use Weather Underground (iOS and Android) for this. Again, there are lots of choices out there, but that’s the one that works for me.
CalTrans Highway Information
You’ll want to know the status of I-80 and CA-267 since these are the roads you will likely drive on. The official source for that info is provided by CalTrans.
The same information if available over the phone at 1-800-427-7623 (1-800-427-ROAD)
There’s also an app called QuickMap (iOS and Android) that graphically shows you where problems or interesting things like chain control are happening. You can also tap to view real-time traffic cameras
CalTrans District 3 Twitter
CalTrans is divided into districts and District 3 has a X (formerly know as Twitter) account that they post interesting updates from time to time.
Sugar Bowl Resorts reports on Old Hwy 40
So the information above will handle most all your needs. Sometimes, it’s nice to have an alternative to I-80 between Truckee and the summit (or thereabouts). Fortunately, there is an alternate route, it’s a section of Donner Pass Road also know as “Old Highway 40”. CalTrans doesn’t report on it, but the Sugar Bowl Resort does because it directly affects their access. You can find the conditions listed on their website.
You can also get text alerts for this road sent directly to your phone by texting old40 to (855) 835-5599.
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