Traffic Predict
Best Time to Drive from La Mesa to Chula Vista
Right now (6:53 pm PDT): about 20 minutes via I-8 West and I-15 South and I-5 South, usually 19 at this time.
Only 50% 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 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 23 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 26 | 28 | 23 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Tue | 18 | 18 | 19 | 28 | 24 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 27 | 28 | 24 | 22 | 19 | 18 | 18 |
| Wed | 18 | 18 | 19 | 29 | 24 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 29 | 26 | 25 | 22 | 19 | 18 | 18 |
| Thu | 18 | 18 | 20 | 29 | 23 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 30 | 28 | 34 | 31 | 19 | 18 | 18 |
| Fri | 18 | 18 | 19 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 24 | 29 | 24 | 22 | 20 | 18 | 18 |
| Sat | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 22 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 |
| Sun | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
About this drive
On weekdays the 19-mile drive from La Mesa to Chula Vista (via I-8 West and I-15 South and I-5 South) usually takes as little as 18 minutes and up to 34 minutes, when leaving around 5 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 19 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 8:30 am on Saturdays (25 minutes).
About 16 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (4 to 5 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central La Mesa to central Chula Vista 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 La Mesa to Chula Vista?
On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 18 minutes then, versus up to 34 minutes at the worst times.
How long does it take to drive from La Mesa to Chula Vista?
The 19-mile drive usually takes 18 to 34 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 19 minutes midday.
When is traffic worst from La Mesa to Chula Vista?
Leaving around 5 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 34 minutes.
Freeways on this drive
I-8 West in San Diego (6 miles) · I-15 South in San Diego (6 miles) · I-5 South in San Diego (4 miles)
San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow