Description
The Caldecott Tunnel runs east-west through the Berkeley Hills, connecting Contra Costa and Alameda Counties. The tunnel is comprised of four bores which carry California State Route 24. The tunnel is named for Thomas E. Caldecott, a former mayor of Berkeley. The tunnel opened in 1937 with two bores, with the third and fourth bores being added in 1964 and 2013, respectively. Currently, the two older bores carry eastbound traffic and the two newer bores handle westbound traffic.
The tunnel serves as an important link between the East Bay and metro Bay Area, carrying over 160,000 commuters daily. As an alternative to driving, commuters can take Bay Area Rapid Transit which also connects Contra Costa to Alameda and San Francisco Counties, with trains passing over the tunnel itself.
Incentives for Contra Costa Commuters
If you’re tired of Caldecott Tunnel traffic, 511 Contra Costa offers a variety of incentives to try a different commute. Switch from driving alone to another type of commute, like carpooling or taking transit, at least one day a week and you can apply for the Drive Less Incentive. Choose from a $25 gift card or having 25 trees planted in your name.
And you don’t have to worry about getting stranded at work with our free Guaranteed Ride Home program. Any day you skip the solo drive to work, you can get a free ride home in case an emergency or unexpected events change your travel plans.
Current Status
For current highway information in the area of the Caldecott Tunnel, visit the Caltrans Road Information page and enter “24” where it asks for the highway number. For visual traffic congestion information, you can also click “VIew larger map” on the Google map below, click “Layers”, and then select “Traffic”.
