San Jose’s 36-year ban on cruising was lifted last fall—but the closure of 10 different highway ramps over Cinco de Mayo weekend left residents wondering whether the reversal was just symbolic.
San Jose police coordinated with Caltrans and California Highway Patrol beginning Friday evening through early Monday morning to close several on-and-off ramps heading into downtown. Traffic jams went viral on social media, and city and state officials called the citywide blockade racist. The closures limited people from accessing the city’s core during the annual Mexican celebration. The holiday brings hundreds of drivers cruising through San Jose with billowing Mexican flags and intricate auto body art on their lowriders to celebrate the culturally historic event.
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