Community Corner

Obama in Silicon Valley Roadways Thursday, Friday Rush Hours

For security reasons law enforcement officials won't disclose the motorcade's route, but here's our best guess for your POTUS watch-party.

by Claudia Cruz 

Regardless of what you think of President Barack Obama's performance in The White House, there's one thing we can all agree on—his visits to the Bay Area cause a traffic headache.

Thursday, June 6

Air Force One arrives at Moffett Field, just north of Mountain View, during the evening rush hour Thursday. Soon after the presidential motorcade will scurry Obama to a reception in the Crescent Park neighborhood of Palo Alto and then head to Portola Valley for dinner

For security reasons, law enforcement officials would not disclose which streets might be closed for traffic during Obama's visit to the Palo Alto home of Mike and Marcie McCue, but expect the motorcade to hop on Highway 101 at Moffett Boulevard and travel northbound toward University Avenue.

This leg of the trip could affect tech employees heading home from Mountain View's North Bayshore since the Mountain View Police will likely block access to Hwy 101 onramps at Shoreline Boulevard, Rengstorff Avenue and San Antonio Road.

  • Consider taking East or West Bayshore Roads north; or Central Expressway to Alma Street until about 7 p.m., after that Alma could be blocked at University Avenue.
Once on University Avenue, it can be speculated that the motorcade will travel west and turn right onto Middlefield Road. That's where the Sierra Club, and other protesters, plan to gather.

After the reception, the motorcade's route to Portola Valley might take the president sightseeing through Stanford University instead of El Camino Real to Sand Hill Road to Alpine Road. (That's my bet.) This portion could affect those Menlo Park residents or venture capitalist traveling to Interstate 280.

  • Consider taking Page Mill Road and if you want to try your luck, take Sand Hill.
After Obama's $32,400 a plate dinner at the home of Vinod and Neera Khosla, scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m., he will likely head to San Jose via Highway 280. By then rush hour will be over.

Friday, June 7

The president will address attendees at The Fairmont Hotel in San Jose Friday morning on the Affordable Healthcare Act.

After the speech, set to end while rush hour is in full wing, Obama's motorcade will whisk him back up to Moffett Field. The likely route will be Highways 87 to 101 North. As anyone who commutes—or listens to the traffic reports knows—101 in the mornings can move at a snails pace.
  • Consider taking Central Expressway North.
Stay updated with traffic reports via Twitter at Silicon Valley Patch (@SiliconVPatch).


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