Traffic Predict
Best Time to Drive from Encinitas to La Mesa
Right now (12:51 am PST): about 27 minutes via I-5 South and I-805 South and I-8 East.
Only 73% 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
| Leave | 5am | 6am | 7am | 8am | 9am | 10am | 11am | 12pm | 1pm | 2pm | 3pm | 4pm | 5pm | 6pm | 7pm | 8pm | 9pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | 27 | 27 | 28 | 32 | 32 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 40 | 48 | 42 | 31 | 28 | 28 | 28 |
| Tue | 27 | 28 | 29 | 32 | 33 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 43 | 50 | 51 | 40 | 30 | 29 | 27 |
| Wed | 27 | 28 | 28 | 32 | 33 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 45 | 50 | 51 | 38 | 29 | 27 | 27 |
| Thu | 27 | 28 | 29 | 32 | 32 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 31 | 44 | 53 | 52 | 38 | 28 | 28 | 27 |
| Fri | 27 | 28 | 28 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 32 | 45 | 47 | 39 | 33 | 29 | 28 | 27 |
| Sat | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 |
| Sun | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 31 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 27 |
About this drive
On weekdays the 30-mile drive from Encinitas to La Mesa (via I-5 South and I-805 South and I-8 East) usually takes as little as 27 minutes and up to 53 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 29 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2 pm on Sundays (31 minutes).
About 28 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (3 to 4 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Encinitas to central La Mesa 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 Encinitas to La Mesa?
On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 27 minutes then, versus up to 53 minutes at the worst times.
How long does it take to drive from Encinitas to La Mesa?
The 30-mile drive usually takes 27 to 53 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 29 minutes midday.
When is traffic worst from Encinitas to La Mesa?
Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 53 minutes.
Freeways on this drive
I-5 South in San Diego (12 miles) · I-805 South in San Diego (10 miles) · I-8 East in San Diego (6 miles)
San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow
More drives
La Mesa to Encinitas (return trip) · Encinitas to San Diego · Encinitas to Anaheim · Encinitas to Riverside · Encinitas to Santa Ana · Encinitas to Chula Vista · Encinitas to Irvine · Encinitas to Moreno Valley · Encinitas to Huntington Beach · Encinitas to Oceanside · Encinitas to Garden Grove · Encinitas to Corona