Sunol, California Speed Traps

CHP sometimes sits at night with lidar, for southbound I-680 traffic south of Bernal Road to Hwy 84 junction. There are several wide spots on the right side of the freeway.

Fairly new development on this road. Due to construction to be done on this freeway the newly posted speed limit sign moves the posted speed limit down to 55mph. CHP sits a mile up the freeway with radar and traps you doing 65+mph. Live, commute and learn the hard way!

After passing Main Street, which goes to the little town of Sunol, and proceeding on a long straight stretch of Highway 84 on the way to Fremont, the posted speed is 45 miles per hour. This stretch of roadway is about 1 mile in length before entering the curves of Niles Canyon. On the roadway shoulder, tucked in the trees, sits a CHP, or a Sheriff, or a Motorcycle cop with radar gun in hand.

This particular trap is off of I-680S and 84-W on Niles-Canyon Rd. There is a section when you go under a bridge and then come back up to ground level where there is a good amount of road that is good for losing track of your speed. There is a turn that curves to the left and that’s where the cop is usually waiting. It is under a tree that hides him in the shade. And since it’s a cop on a bike, you can’t see him until you get in his range to trap you. Keep a sharp lookout.

Officers in patrol cars will work both sides of Niles Canyon Road between the hours of 3pm to 8pm. Radar used is Ka band "instant-on". Officers use radar only on suspicious, lone vehicies, so radar detectors don’t get much early warning. Patrol cars are parked around bends in road to offer concealment and as little early warning to drivers as possible. Officers will cite drivers for 10+ MPH over the 45 MPH limit (traffic commonly drives 55+ through this road). Your best protection is to never drive far ahead of traffic, as they do single out loners. Note that access to Niles Canyon Road is only possible from Fremont and Pleasanton, so this alert applies to those cities as well.