Best Time to Drive from Downey to Santa Clarita

Right now (3:35 pm PST): about 63 minutes via I-5 North, usually 79 at this time.

Only 11% 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	56	74	77	76	72	67	66	67	67	71	77	76	66	59	50	46
Tue	45	57	73	81	79	77	68	65	62	66	71	80	76	65	61	51	46
Wed	44	57	73	77	78	75	68	66	66	68	71	79	77	65	62	53	46
Thu	45	56	72	74	78	72	67	67	67	69	73	81	82	70	64	59	46
Fri	45	56	69	74	72	67	67	69	69	69	69	71	67	63	64	59	46
Sat	45	46	47	49	53	62	65	63	67	68	69	69	68	68	69	62	48
Sun	45	45	45	45	46	49	57	62	65	68	70	71	68	70	69	62	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 82 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 67 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Sundays (72 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 21 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 82 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 82 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 67 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Downey to Santa Clarita?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 82 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

Downey to Santa Clarita over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

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	56	74	77	76	72	67	66	67	67	71	77	76	66	59	50	46
Tue	45	57	73	81	79	77	68	65	62	66	71	80	76	65	61	51	46
Wed	44	57	73	77	78	75	68	66	66	68	71	79	77	65	62	53	46
Thu	45	56	72	74	78	72	67	67	67	69	73	81	82	70	64	59	46
Fri	45	56	69	74	72	67	67	69	69	69	69	71	67	63	64	59	46
Sat	45	46	47	49	53	62	65	63	67	68	69	69	68	68	69	62	48
Sun	45	45	45	45	46	49	57	62	65	68	70	71	68	70	69	62	51

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	45	56	74	77	76	72	67	66	67	67	71	77	76	66	59	50	46
Tue	45	57	73	81	79	77	68	65	62	66	71	80	76	65	61	51	46
Wed	44	57	73	77	78	75	68	66	66	68	71	79	77	65	62	53	46
Thu	45	56	72	74	78	72	67	67	67	69	73	81	82	70	64	59	46
Fri	45	56	69	74	72	67	67	69	69	69	69	71	67	63	64	59	46
Sat	45	46	47	49	53	62	65	63	67	68	69	69	68	68	69	62	48
Sun	45	45	45	45	46	49	57	62	65	68	70	71	68	70	69	62	51

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	45	56	74	77	76	72	67	66	67	67	71	77	76	66	59	50	46
Tue	45	57	73	81	79	77	68	65	62	66	71	80	76	65	61	51	46
Wed	44	57	73	77	78	75	68	66	66	68	71	79	77	65	62	53	46
Thu	45	56	72	74	78	72	67	67	67	69	73	81	82	70	64	59	46
Fri	45	56	69	74	72	67	67	69	69	69	69	71	67	63	64	59	46
Sat	45	46	47	49	53	62	65	63	67	68	69	69	68	68	69	62	48
Sun	45	45	45	45	46	49	57	62	65	68	70	71	68	70	69	62	51