Best Time to Drive from Downey to Santa Clarita

Right now (11:02 pm PDT): about 46 minutes via I-5 North.

Only 13% 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.

On weekdays the 45-mile drive from Downey to Santa Clarita (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 44 minutes and up to 73 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 56 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Saturdays (60 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Santa Clarita to Downey

Freeway, about 39 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 7 miles: 11 to 15 minutes on weekdays, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from central Downey (Downey Avenue) to central Santa Clarita (Newhall Avenue) along the route shown. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Downey to Santa Clarita 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	44	50	60	65	64	59	55	54	53	56	61	65	65	59	51	47	45
Tue	44	51	61	66	65	60	55	53	53	55	60	64	65	61	52	48	46
Wed	44	51	62	65	65	61	55	54	53	55	60	66	65	60	54	49	45
Thu	44	51	62	66	65	61	57	55	54	57	62	68	68	61	53	48	45
Fri	44	50	59	63	62	60	59	59	61	64	71	73	69	63	55	50	45
Sat	45	46	47	47	49	52	56	58	60	60	59	58	55	53	50	48	46
Sun	44	44	44	45	45	47	50	53	56	58	58	56	54	53	52	51	46

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 Santa Clarita?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 44 minutes then, versus up to 73 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Downey to Santa Clarita?

The 45-mile drive usually takes 44 to 73 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 56 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Downey to Santa Clarita?

Leaving around 4 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 73 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Los Angeles (33 miles) · I-710 North in Los Angeles (4 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Santa Clarita 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 Van Nuys · Downey to LAX · Downey to Hollywood · Downey to Culver City · Downey to El Monte

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	44	50	60	65	64	59	55	54	53	56	61	65	65	59	51	47	45
Tue	44	51	61	66	65	60	55	53	53	55	60	64	65	61	52	48	46
Wed	44	51	62	65	65	61	55	54	53	55	60	66	65	60	54	49	45
Thu	44	51	62	66	65	61	57	55	54	57	62	68	68	61	53	48	45
Fri	44	50	59	63	62	60	59	59	61	64	71	73	69	63	55	50	45
Sat	45	46	47	47	49	52	56	58	60	60	59	58	55	53	50	48	46
Sun	44	44	44	45	45	47	50	53	56	58	58	56	54	53	52	51	46

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	44	50	60	65	64	59	55	54	53	56	61	65	65	59	51	47	45
Tue	44	51	61	66	65	60	55	53	53	55	60	64	65	61	52	48	46
Wed	44	51	62	65	65	61	55	54	53	55	60	66	65	60	54	49	45
Thu	44	51	62	66	65	61	57	55	54	57	62	68	68	61	53	48	45
Fri	44	50	59	63	62	60	59	59	61	64	71	73	69	63	55	50	45
Sat	45	46	47	47	49	52	56	58	60	60	59	58	55	53	50	48	46
Sun	44	44	44	45	45	47	50	53	56	58	58	56	54	53	52	51	46

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	44	50	60	65	64	59	55	54	53	56	61	65	65	59	51	47	45
Tue	44	51	61	66	65	60	55	53	53	55	60	64	65	61	52	48	46
Wed	44	51	62	65	65	61	55	54	53	55	60	66	65	60	54	49	45
Thu	44	51	62	66	65	61	57	55	54	57	62	68	68	61	53	48	45
Fri	44	50	59	63	62	60	59	59	61	64	71	73	69	63	55	50	45
Sat	45	46	47	47	49	52	56	58	60	60	59	58	55	53	50	48	46
Sun	44	44	44	45	45	47	50	53	56	58	58	56	54	53	52	51	46