Best Time to Drive from Carmichael to Tracy

Right now (6:51 pm PDT): about 85 minutes via I-5 South and US-50 West, usually 82 at this time.

Only 24% 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 Tracy 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	81	82	83	86	85	84	85	85	84	85	86	91	88	83	82	82	82
Tue	81	82	84	87	86	85	85	85	85	85	87	91	92	86	82	82	82
Wed	81	82	84	88	86	85	85	85	85	85	88	95	94	88	82	82	82
Thu	82	82	83	87	86	84	85	85	85	85	92	96	96	87	82	82	82
Fri	82	82	83	85	85	85	85	85	86	89	94	95	92	84	82	82	82
Sat	82	81	81	81	82	82	83	83	83	83	83	83	82	82	82	82	82
Sun	82	81	81	81	81	82	82	83	83	83	84	84	83	82	82	82	82

About this drive

On weekdays the 79-mile drive from Carmichael to Tracy (via I-5 South and US-50 West) usually takes as little as 81 minutes and up to 97 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 3 pm or after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 85 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Sundays (85 minutes).

About 37 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 42 miles surface streets (22 to 23 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Carmichael to central Tracy 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 Tracy?

On weekdays, leave before 3 pm or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 81 minutes then, versus up to 97 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 79-mile drive usually takes 81 to 97 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 85 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Carmichael to Tracy?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 97 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Bay Area (17 miles) · I-5 South in Sacramento (11 miles) · US-50 West in Sacramento (8 miles)

Sacramento traffic right now · Sacramento traffic tomorrow · Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Tracy to Carmichael (return trip) · Carmichael to Sacramento · Carmichael to Modesto · Carmichael to Roseville

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	81	82	83	86	85	84	85	85	84	85	86	91	88	83	82	82	82
Tue	81	82	84	87	86	85	85	85	85	85	87	91	92	86	82	82	82
Wed	81	82	84	88	86	85	85	85	85	85	88	95	94	88	82	82	82
Thu	82	82	83	87	86	84	85	85	85	85	92	96	96	87	82	82	82
Fri	82	82	83	85	85	85	85	85	86	89	94	95	92	84	82	82	82
Sat	82	81	81	81	82	82	83	83	83	83	83	83	82	82	82	82	82
Sun	82	81	81	81	81	82	82	83	83	83	84	84	83	82	82	82	82

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	81	82	83	86	85	84	85	85	84	85	86	91	88	83	82	82	82
Tue	81	82	84	87	86	85	85	85	85	85	87	91	92	86	82	82	82
Wed	81	82	84	88	86	85	85	85	85	85	88	95	94	88	82	82	82
Thu	82	82	83	87	86	84	85	85	85	85	92	96	96	87	82	82	82
Fri	82	82	83	85	85	85	85	85	86	89	94	95	92	84	82	82	82
Sat	82	81	81	81	82	82	83	83	83	83	83	83	82	82	82	82	82
Sun	82	81	81	81	81	82	82	83	83	83	84	84	83	82	82	82	82

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	81	82	83	86	85	84	85	85	84	85	86	91	88	83	82	82	82
Tue	81	82	84	87	86	85	85	85	85	85	87	91	92	86	82	82	82
Wed	81	82	84	88	86	85	85	85	85	85	88	95	94	88	82	82	82
Thu	82	82	83	87	86	84	85	85	85	85	92	96	96	87	82	82	82
Fri	82	82	83	85	85	85	85	85	86	89	94	95	92	84	82	82	82
Sat	82	81	81	81	82	82	83	83	83	83	83	83	82	82	82	82	82
Sun	82	81	81	81	81	82	82	83	83	83	84	84	83	82	82	82	82