Travel Info, Closures for Memorial Day Weekend

People who travel this Memorial Day weekend will have plenty of company.

The California State Automobile Association estimates 4.2 million Californians will travel more than 50 miles this holiday weekend. That is a 0.2 percent increase over last year.

Oakland Airport expects 160,000 passengers from Thursday through Tuesday. That's a 1 percent increase from last year.

Rosemary Barnes, an airport spokeswoman, said flights to Hawaii have been filling up particularly quickly for the holiday weekend.

Barnes said there is plenty of parking at the airport. She added there is more information as well as discount parking coupons on the airport's website.

Good news for those driving in the Yosemite area: Caltrans officials say crews have removed the packed winter snow, cleared the debris and made the necessary repairs to open State Route 4 over Ebbetts Pass, as well as State Route 108 over Sonora Pass.

Of Californians who travel this weekend, 3.5 million are expected to drive. That's 0.4 percent less than a year ago.

Gas prices, at an average cost of $4.08 per gallon for unleaded, are $1 higher this holiday weekend compared to last year's.

Another 460,000 are expected to fly, an 11 percent jump from last year. That's despite the fact air fares nationwide are 14 percent higher than a year ago.

Weekend Travel Via Public Transit

Almost 200,000 will travel by rail, bus, watercraft or other modes. That's a 12 percent decrease from last year.

For those who ride BART, their trips may take a little longer to cross San Francisco Bay the next two weekends.

BART officials said the delays will occur as transit crews shut down one of two tracks in the Transbay Tube to perform maintenance and repair work to electric cables.

San Francisco trains coming from or going toward Dublin or Fremont will probably face delays of 20 to 40 minutes.

San Francisco trains coming from or going toward Richmond or Pittsburg/Bay Point are expected to have delays of 5 to 10 minutes.

During the hours listed below, customers who are traveling from any San Francisco or Peninsula station toward Dublin or Fremont will need to take a Pittsburg/Bay Point-bound train to travel through the Tube.

You will need to get off the train at 12th Street Station in Oakland and go downstairs to transfer to a special Dublin or a Fremont-bound train.

During the hours listed below, riders who are traveling from Fremont or Dublin to San Francisco and Daly City will need to board their usual train. These trains will be diverted to the MacArthur Station in Oakland.

This diversion is necessary because the trains originating in Fremont and Dublin during the hours that work is performed will not travel through the Tube.

• Saturday: Work starts after the last train on Friday. Work ends at 7:30 a.m. 
• Sunday: Work starts after the last train Saturday. Work ends at 2:30 p.m.
• Monday: Work starts after the last train Sunday. Work ends at 2:30 p.m. BART will also be running on a Sunday schedule on Monday for the Memorial Day holiday, which means service begins about 8 a.m.
• Saturday, June 4: Work starts after the last train Friday. Work ends at 7:30 a.m.
• Sunday, June 5: Work starts after the last train Saturday. Work ends at 2:30 p.m.

Note: AC Transit will also run Monday on a Sunday schedule, as will Samtrans and Caltrain. 

If you're looking to hit the great outdoors at a regional park, this is the weekend to do it. East Bay Regional Park District is opening up its swimming holes beginning this weekend. Though, if you want to camp, you're too late. Details here.