Best Time to Drive from Costa Mesa to South Gate

Right now (5:51 pm PDT): about 39 minutes via I-405 North and I-710 North, usually 36 at this time.

None 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 Costa Mesa to South Gate 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	34	34	35	36	37	38	37	37	37	38	38	37	36	35	35	35	35
Tue	34	34	35	39	37	37	38	38	38	38	38	37	37	35	35	35	38
Wed	34	35	36	39	39	38	39	39	39	39	39	38	37	36	36	36	35
Thu	34	34	36	38	37	38	38	38	38	37	37	37	36	36	36	36	36
Fri	35	34	36	37	36	38	38	38	38	38	37	37	37	36	36	36	42
Sat	35	35	36	34	35	35	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	34
Sun	34	34	35	35	35	35	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	35

About this drive

On weekdays the 37-mile drive from Costa Mesa to South Gate (via I-405 North and I-710 North) usually takes as little as 34 minutes and up to 42 minutes, when leaving around 9 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 8 am or after 4 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 38 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (36 minutes).

About 34 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (4 to 5 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Costa Mesa to central South Gate 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 Costa Mesa to South Gate?

On weekdays, leave before 8 am or after 4 pm. The drive usually takes about 34 minutes then, versus up to 42 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Costa Mesa to South Gate?

The 37-mile drive usually takes 34 to 42 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 38 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Costa Mesa to South Gate?

Leaving around 9 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 42 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-405 North in Orange County (16 miles) · I-710 North in Los Angeles (9 miles) · I-405 North in Los Angeles (5 miles) · SR-55 North in Orange County (3 miles) · SR-73 North in Orange County (1.6 miles)

Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow · Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

South Gate to Costa Mesa (return trip) · Costa Mesa to Los Angeles · Costa Mesa to Anaheim · Costa Mesa to Riverside · Costa Mesa to Santa Ana · Costa Mesa to Irvine · Costa Mesa to San Bernardino · Costa Mesa to Fontana · Costa Mesa to Moreno Valley · Costa Mesa to Glendale · Costa Mesa to Santa Clarita · Costa Mesa to Oceanside

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	34	35	36	37	38	37	37	37	38	38	37	36	35	35	35	35
Tue	34	34	35	39	37	37	38	38	38	38	38	37	37	35	35	35	38
Wed	34	35	36	39	39	38	39	39	39	39	39	38	37	36	36	36	35
Thu	34	34	36	38	37	38	38	38	38	37	37	37	36	36	36	36	36
Fri	35	34	36	37	36	38	38	38	38	38	37	37	37	36	36	36	42
Sat	35	35	36	34	35	35	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	34
Sun	34	34	35	35	35	35	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	35

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	34	35	36	37	38	37	37	37	38	38	37	36	35	35	35	35
Tue	34	34	35	39	37	37	38	38	38	38	38	37	37	35	35	35	38
Wed	34	35	36	39	39	38	39	39	39	39	39	38	37	36	36	36	35
Thu	34	34	36	38	37	38	38	38	38	37	37	37	36	36	36	36	36
Fri	35	34	36	37	36	38	38	38	38	38	37	37	37	36	36	36	42
Sat	35	35	36	34	35	35	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	34
Sun	34	34	35	35	35	35	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	35

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	34	35	36	37	38	37	37	37	38	38	37	36	35	35	35	35
Tue	34	34	35	39	37	37	38	38	38	38	38	37	37	35	35	35	38
Wed	34	35	36	39	39	38	39	39	39	39	39	38	37	36	36	36	35
Thu	34	34	36	38	37	38	38	38	38	37	37	37	36	36	36	36	36
Fri	35	34	36	37	36	38	38	38	38	38	37	37	37	36	36	36	42
Sat	35	35	36	34	35	35	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	34
Sun	34	34	35	35	35	35	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	35