Best Time to Drive from Downey to Northridge

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 64 minutes via I-5 North and US-101 North, usually 96 at this time.

Only 7% 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 Northridge 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	37	54	92	93	91	79	74	73	76	83	94	95	81	65	56	41	38
Tue	37	59	86	96	93	87	72	72	70	90	100	93	76	65	59	45	37
Wed	36	57	83	88	93	84	76	74	73	86	92	89	78	65	63	49	38
Thu	37	54	82	88	92	81	72	74	79	93	98	95	80	65	63	58	39
Fri	37	49	73	82	80	75	73	79	91	99	95	91	82	70	73	63	41
Sat	38	38	39	46	53	76	81	85	96	95	94	96	89	88	84	68	43
Sun	38	37	38	38	39	50	69	79	88	89	91	85	81	80	77	65	45

About this drive

On weekdays the 39-mile drive from Downey to Northridge (via I-5 North and US-101 North) usually takes as little as 36 minutes and up to 100 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 78 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Saturdays (97 minutes).

About 33 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 6 miles surface streets (9 to 23 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Downey to central Northridge 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 Northridge?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 36 minutes then, versus up to 100 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 39-mile drive usually takes 36 to 100 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 78 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Downey to Northridge?

Leaving around 3 pm on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 100 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Los Angeles (18 miles) · US-101 North in Los Angeles (9 miles) · SR-134 West in Los Angeles (6 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Northridge 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	37	54	92	93	91	79	74	73	76	83	94	95	81	65	56	41	38
Tue	37	59	86	96	93	87	72	72	70	90	100	93	76	65	59	45	37
Wed	36	57	83	88	93	84	76	74	73	86	92	89	78	65	63	49	38
Thu	37	54	82	88	92	81	72	74	79	93	98	95	80	65	63	58	39
Fri	37	49	73	82	80	75	73	79	91	99	95	91	82	70	73	63	41
Sat	38	38	39	46	53	76	81	85	96	95	94	96	89	88	84	68	43
Sun	38	37	38	38	39	50	69	79	88	89	91	85	81	80	77	65	45

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	54	92	93	91	79	74	73	76	83	94	95	81	65	56	41	38
Tue	37	59	86	96	93	87	72	72	70	90	100	93	76	65	59	45	37
Wed	36	57	83	88	93	84	76	74	73	86	92	89	78	65	63	49	38
Thu	37	54	82	88	92	81	72	74	79	93	98	95	80	65	63	58	39
Fri	37	49	73	82	80	75	73	79	91	99	95	91	82	70	73	63	41
Sat	38	38	39	46	53	76	81	85	96	95	94	96	89	88	84	68	43
Sun	38	37	38	38	39	50	69	79	88	89	91	85	81	80	77	65	45

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	54	92	93	91	79	74	73	76	83	94	95	81	65	56	41	38
Tue	37	59	86	96	93	87	72	72	70	90	100	93	76	65	59	45	37
Wed	36	57	83	88	93	84	76	74	73	86	92	89	78	65	63	49	38
Thu	37	54	82	88	92	81	72	74	79	93	98	95	80	65	63	58	39
Fri	37	49	73	82	80	75	73	79	91	99	95	91	82	70	73	63	41
Sat	38	38	39	46	53	76	81	85	96	95	94	96	89	88	84	68	43
Sun	38	37	38	38	39	50	69	79	88	89	91	85	81	80	77	65	45