Best Time to Drive from Downey to Santa Clarita

Right now (12:33 pm PDT): about 59 minutes via I-5 North, usually 74 at this time.

Only 9% 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 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	45	59	79	82	81	73	69	69	69	71	73	77	75	65	57	49	45
Tue	45	60	75	84	83	80	72	69	63	69	74	83	79	66	62	53	46
Wed	44	60	76	80	84	79	71	68	66	68	74	83	79	68	64	56	46
Thu	45	58	76	81	84	76	72	70	70	71	78	86	81	68	66	59	47
Fri	45	59	71	76	76	69	70	71	73	72	74	76	69	65	66	62	47
Sat	45	46	48	50	60	70	79	74	77	75	74	75	71	71	74	64	48
Sun	45	45	45	45	46	51	59	65	70	72	76	75	69	70	71	66	51

About this drive

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 86 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 69 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Sundays (79 minutes).

About 39 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 7 miles surface streets (11 to 20 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Downey (Downey Avenue) to central Santa Clarita (Newhall Avenue) 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 Santa Clarita?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 44 minutes then, versus up to 86 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 86 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 69 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Downey to Santa Clarita?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 86 minutes.

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	45	59	79	82	81	73	69	69	69	71	73	77	75	65	57	49	45
Tue	45	60	75	84	83	80	72	69	63	69	74	83	79	66	62	53	46
Wed	44	60	76	80	84	79	71	68	66	68	74	83	79	68	64	56	46
Thu	45	58	76	81	84	76	72	70	70	71	78	86	81	68	66	59	47
Fri	45	59	71	76	76	69	70	71	73	72	74	76	69	65	66	62	47
Sat	45	46	48	50	60	70	79	74	77	75	74	75	71	71	74	64	48
Sun	45	45	45	45	46	51	59	65	70	72	76	75	69	70	71	66	51

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	45	59	79	82	81	73	69	69	69	71	73	77	75	65	57	49	45
Tue	45	60	75	84	83	80	72	69	63	69	74	83	79	66	62	53	46
Wed	44	60	76	80	84	79	71	68	66	68	74	83	79	68	64	56	46
Thu	45	58	76	81	84	76	72	70	70	71	78	86	81	68	66	59	47
Fri	45	59	71	76	76	69	70	71	73	72	74	76	69	65	66	62	47
Sat	45	46	48	50	60	70	79	74	77	75	74	75	71	71	74	64	48
Sun	45	45	45	45	46	51	59	65	70	72	76	75	69	70	71	66	51

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	45	59	79	82	81	73	69	69	69	71	73	77	75	65	57	49	45
Tue	45	60	75	84	83	80	72	69	63	69	74	83	79	66	62	53	46
Wed	44	60	76	80	84	79	71	68	66	68	74	83	79	68	64	56	46
Thu	45	58	76	81	84	76	72	70	70	71	78	86	81	68	66	59	47
Fri	45	59	71	76	76	69	70	71	73	72	74	76	69	65	66	62	47
Sat	45	46	48	50	60	70	79	74	77	75	74	75	71	71	74	64	48
Sun	45	45	45	45	46	51	59	65	70	72	76	75	69	70	71	66	51