Best Time to Drive from Carmichael to Modesto

Right now (7:51 pm PST): about 90 minutes via SR-99 South, usually 88 at this time.

Only 32% 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	87	89	91	93	93	93	93	93	93	92	92	97	97	92	88	89	88
Tue	87	89	90	93	93	93	92	92	92	92	93	96	99	93	88	88	88
Wed	87	89	90	95	93	93	93	93	93	93	95	102	100	94	89	89	88
Thu	88	89	90	93	93	93	92	92	92	93	95	101	100	94	89	88	88
Fri	87	89	91	94	93	93	93	94	92	93	96	99	96	92	88	89	88
Sat	88	88	89	89	89	89	89	90	89	90	91	90	89	88	89	88	88
Sun	88	88	88	88	88	88	89	89	89	90	90	89	89	89	89	89	88

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 102 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Wednesdays. 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 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 102 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 84-mile drive usually takes 87 to 102 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 93 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Carmichael to Modesto?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 102 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 · Carmichael to Roseville · Carmichael to Tracy

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	87	89	91	93	93	93	93	93	93	92	92	97	97	92	88	89	88
Tue	87	89	90	93	93	93	92	92	92	92	93	96	99	93	88	88	88
Wed	87	89	90	95	93	93	93	93	93	93	95	102	100	94	89	89	88
Thu	88	89	90	93	93	93	92	92	92	93	95	101	100	94	89	88	88
Fri	87	89	91	94	93	93	93	94	92	93	96	99	96	92	88	89	88
Sat	88	88	89	89	89	89	89	90	89	90	91	90	89	88	89	88	88
Sun	88	88	88	88	88	88	89	89	89	90	90	89	89	89	89	89	88

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	87	89	91	93	93	93	93	93	93	92	92	97	97	92	88	89	88
Tue	87	89	90	93	93	93	92	92	92	92	93	96	99	93	88	88	88
Wed	87	89	90	95	93	93	93	93	93	93	95	102	100	94	89	89	88
Thu	88	89	90	93	93	93	92	92	92	93	95	101	100	94	89	88	88
Fri	87	89	91	94	93	93	93	94	92	93	96	99	96	92	88	89	88
Sat	88	88	89	89	89	89	89	90	89	90	91	90	89	88	89	88	88
Sun	88	88	88	88	88	88	89	89	89	90	90	89	89	89	89	89	88

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	87	89	91	93	93	93	93	93	93	92	92	97	97	92	88	89	88
Tue	87	89	90	93	93	93	92	92	92	92	93	96	99	93	88	88	88
Wed	87	89	90	95	93	93	93	93	93	93	95	102	100	94	89	89	88
Thu	88	89	90	93	93	93	92	92	92	93	95	101	100	94	89	88	88
Fri	87	89	91	94	93	93	93	94	92	93	96	99	96	92	88	89	88
Sat	88	88	89	89	89	89	89	90	89	90	91	90	89	88	89	88	88
Sun	88	88	88	88	88	88	89	89	89	90	90	89	89	89	89	89	88