Best Time to Drive from Downey to Lancaster

Right now (6:18 pm PDT): about 101 minutes via I-5 North and SR-14 North, usually 101 at this time.

Only 18% 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 Downey to Lancaster 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	83	91	100	105	106	105	108	103	109	104	106	108	107	101	93	89	84
Tue	81	90	99	104	105	105	101	98	97	100	105	110	117	104	100	91	84
Wed	81	87	98	103	104	102	100	99	98	99	104	106	108	101	101	89	81
Thu	83	89	101	104	108	104	106	103	102	105	117	122	115	105	103	93	83
Fri	83	90	96	101	104	107	105	108	110	110	111	114	111	106	104	96	84
Sat	84	82	83	85	91	103	112	107	108	106	103	102	100	98	101	96	84
Sun	82	81	81	81	83	90	100	110	119	119	115	103	96	98	99	97	86

About this drive

On weekdays the 87-mile drive from Downey to Lancaster (via I-5 North and SR-14 North) usually takes as little as 81 minutes and up to 122 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 103 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2 pm on Sundays (119 minutes).

About 78 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 10 miles surface streets (11 to 17 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Downey to central Lancaster 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 Downey to Lancaster?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 81 minutes then, versus up to 122 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Downey to Lancaster?

The 87-mile drive usually takes 81 to 122 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 103 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Downey to Lancaster?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 122 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Los Angeles (39 miles) · SR-14 North in Los Angeles (39 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Lancaster to Downey (return trip) · Downey to Los Angeles · Downey to Santa Monica · Downey to Long Beach · Downey to West Covina · Downey to Burbank · Downey to Glendale · Downey to Santa Clarita · Downey to Van Nuys · Downey to LAX · Downey to Hollywood · Downey to Culver City

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	83	91	100	105	106	105	108	103	109	104	106	108	107	101	93	89	84
Tue	81	90	99	104	105	105	101	98	97	100	105	110	117	104	100	91	84
Wed	81	87	98	103	104	102	100	99	98	99	104	106	108	101	101	89	81
Thu	83	89	101	104	108	104	106	103	102	105	117	122	115	105	103	93	83
Fri	83	90	96	101	104	107	105	108	110	110	111	114	111	106	104	96	84
Sat	84	82	83	85	91	103	112	107	108	106	103	102	100	98	101	96	84
Sun	82	81	81	81	83	90	100	110	119	119	115	103	96	98	99	97	86

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	83	91	100	105	106	105	108	103	109	104	106	108	107	101	93	89	84
Tue	81	90	99	104	105	105	101	98	97	100	105	110	117	104	100	91	84
Wed	81	87	98	103	104	102	100	99	98	99	104	106	108	101	101	89	81
Thu	83	89	101	104	108	104	106	103	102	105	117	122	115	105	103	93	83
Fri	83	90	96	101	104	107	105	108	110	110	111	114	111	106	104	96	84
Sat	84	82	83	85	91	103	112	107	108	106	103	102	100	98	101	96	84
Sun	82	81	81	81	83	90	100	110	119	119	115	103	96	98	99	97	86

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	83	91	100	105	106	105	108	103	109	104	106	108	107	101	93	89	84
Tue	81	90	99	104	105	105	101	98	97	100	105	110	117	104	100	91	84
Wed	81	87	98	103	104	102	100	99	98	99	104	106	108	101	101	89	81
Thu	83	89	101	104	108	104	106	103	102	105	117	122	115	105	103	93	83
Fri	83	90	96	101	104	107	105	108	110	110	111	114	111	106	104	96	84
Sat	84	82	83	85	91	103	112	107	108	106	103	102	100	98	101	96	84
Sun	82	81	81	81	83	90	100	110	119	119	115	103	96	98	99	97	86