Best Time to Drive from Downey to Palmdale

Right now (6:18 pm PDT): about 88 minutes via I-5 North and SR-14 North, usually 86 at this time.

Only 21% 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 Palmdale 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	70	77	88	90	92	90	90	87	92	90	91	94	93	86	79	75	70
Tue	68	77	86	91	91	92	87	84	83	86	91	96	102	90	86	78	70
Wed	68	74	85	89	90	89	86	84	83	84	89	92	94	86	86	76	68
Thu	69	75	88	91	94	90	91	89	87	91	103	109	102	91	88	80	70
Fri	69	77	84	87	90	94	91	94	95	95	96	99	96	91	90	84	71
Sat	70	69	70	72	78	90	99	94	93	92	90	89	86	84	86	83	70
Sun	69	68	68	68	69	76	87	96	105	106	102	90	83	84	85	84	73

About this drive

On weekdays the 74-mile drive from Downey to Palmdale (via I-5 North and SR-14 North) usually takes as little as 68 minutes and up to 109 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 88 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2 pm on Sundays (106 minutes).

About 65 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 8 miles surface streets (10 to 16 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Downey to central Palmdale 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 Palmdale?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 68 minutes then, versus up to 109 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 74-mile drive usually takes 68 to 109 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 88 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Downey to Palmdale?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 109 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Los Angeles (39 miles) · SR-14 North in Los Angeles (27 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Palmdale 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	70	77	88	90	92	90	90	87	92	90	91	94	93	86	79	75	70
Tue	68	77	86	91	91	92	87	84	83	86	91	96	102	90	86	78	70
Wed	68	74	85	89	90	89	86	84	83	84	89	92	94	86	86	76	68
Thu	69	75	88	91	94	90	91	89	87	91	103	109	102	91	88	80	70
Fri	69	77	84	87	90	94	91	94	95	95	96	99	96	91	90	84	71
Sat	70	69	70	72	78	90	99	94	93	92	90	89	86	84	86	83	70
Sun	69	68	68	68	69	76	87	96	105	106	102	90	83	84	85	84	73

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	70	77	88	90	92	90	90	87	92	90	91	94	93	86	79	75	70
Tue	68	77	86	91	91	92	87	84	83	86	91	96	102	90	86	78	70
Wed	68	74	85	89	90	89	86	84	83	84	89	92	94	86	86	76	68
Thu	69	75	88	91	94	90	91	89	87	91	103	109	102	91	88	80	70
Fri	69	77	84	87	90	94	91	94	95	95	96	99	96	91	90	84	71
Sat	70	69	70	72	78	90	99	94	93	92	90	89	86	84	86	83	70
Sun	69	68	68	68	69	76	87	96	105	106	102	90	83	84	85	84	73

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	70	77	88	90	92	90	90	87	92	90	91	94	93	86	79	75	70
Tue	68	77	86	91	91	92	87	84	83	86	91	96	102	90	86	78	70
Wed	68	74	85	89	90	89	86	84	83	84	89	92	94	86	86	76	68
Thu	69	75	88	91	94	90	91	89	87	91	103	109	102	91	88	80	70
Fri	69	77	84	87	90	94	91	94	95	95	96	99	96	91	90	84	71
Sat	70	69	70	72	78	90	99	94	93	92	90	89	86	84	86	83	70
Sun	69	68	68	68	69	76	87	96	105	106	102	90	83	84	85	84	73