Best Time to Drive from Carmichael to Modesto

Right now (5:48 pm PDT): about 109 minutes via SR-99 South, usually 93 at this time.

Only 30% of this drive is measured by working traffic sensors right now. The rest is estimated from nearby sensors, typical speeds and street traffic, so times can be off. Why so few sensors work.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Carmichael to Modesto by day and time you leave (local time)
Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	88	90	91	93	94	93	94	94	94	93	93	99	104	94	89	89	89
Tue	88	89	90	93	93	92	92	93	92	92	93	98	98	93	88	88	88
Wed	88	89	91	95	93	93	93	92	93	93	95	103	99	93	89	88	88
Thu	88	89	90	92	92	92	93	92	93	93	96	101	99	93	89	88	88
Fri	88	91	99	99	97	98	99	105	92	99	97	104	99	93	88	89	88
Sat	88	88	89	89	89	90	90	90	90	89	91	91	88	88	88	88	88
Sun	88	88	88	88	88	89	89	89	90	90	89	89	89	88	89	89	87

About this drive

On weekdays the 84-mile drive from Carmichael to Modesto (via SR-99 South) usually takes as little as 87 minutes and up to 105 minutes, when leaving around 12 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 3:30 pm or after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 93 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (91 minutes).

About 39 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 45 miles surface streets (19 to 20 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Carmichael to central Modesto along the route on the map. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Simulated from typical freeway speeds at each point of the drive for the time you would reach it, from every 5-minute reading we have recorded. We don't have sensors on surface streets yet, so the time on them is estimated from how congested the freeways around each end of the drive are at that time, in both directions: streets jam when the freeways do.

Questions

What is the best time to drive from Carmichael to Modesto?

On weekdays, leave before 3:30 pm or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 87 minutes then, versus up to 105 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Carmichael to Modesto?

The 84-mile drive usually takes 87 to 105 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 93 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Carmichael to Modesto?

Leaving around 12 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 105 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-99 South in Bay Area (22 miles) · SR-99 South in Sacramento (12 miles) · US-50 West in Sacramento (6 miles)

Sacramento traffic right now · Sacramento traffic tomorrow

More drives

Carmichael to Sacramento

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	88	90	91	93	94	93	94	94	94	93	93	99	104	94	89	89	89
Tue	88	89	90	93	93	92	92	93	92	92	93	98	98	93	88	88	88
Wed	88	89	91	95	93	93	93	92	93	93	95	103	99	93	89	88	88
Thu	88	89	90	92	92	92	93	92	93	93	96	101	99	93	89	88	88
Fri	88	91	99	99	97	98	99	105	92	99	97	104	99	93	88	89	88
Sat	88	88	89	89	89	90	90	90	90	89	91	91	88	88	88	88	88
Sun	88	88	88	88	88	89	89	89	90	90	89	89	89	88	89	89	87

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	88	90	91	93	94	93	94	94	94	93	93	99	104	94	89	89	89
Tue	88	89	90	93	93	92	92	93	92	92	93	98	98	93	88	88	88
Wed	88	89	91	95	93	93	93	92	93	93	95	103	99	93	89	88	88
Thu	88	89	90	92	92	92	93	92	93	93	96	101	99	93	89	88	88
Fri	88	91	99	99	97	98	99	105	92	99	97	104	99	93	88	89	88
Sat	88	88	89	89	89	90	90	90	90	89	91	91	88	88	88	88	88
Sun	88	88	88	88	88	89	89	89	90	90	89	89	89	88	89	89	87

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	88	90	91	93	94	93	94	94	94	93	93	99	104	94	89	89	89
Tue	88	89	90	93	93	92	92	93	92	92	93	98	98	93	88	88	88
Wed	88	89	91	95	93	93	93	92	93	93	95	103	99	93	89	88	88
Thu	88	89	90	92	92	92	93	92	93	93	96	101	99	93	89	88	88
Fri	88	91	99	99	97	98	99	105	92	99	97	104	99	93	88	89	88
Sat	88	88	89	89	89	90	90	90	90	89	91	91	88	88	88	88	88
Sun	88	88	88	88	88	89	89	89	90	90	89	89	89	88	89	89	87