Best Time to Drive from La Mesa to San Marcos

Right now (5:50 pm PDT): about 49 minutes via I-15 North, usually 39 at this time.

Only 63% 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 La Mesa to San Marcos 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	37	38	50	48	41	41	40	40	40	41	46	52	48	39	38	38	37
Tue	37	38	50	53	42	41	40	40	40	41	50	56	54	43	38	37	37
Wed	37	38	54	51	43	41	40	40	40	42	52	62	55	43	38	38	37
Thu	37	38	53	53	42	40	40	40	40	42	50	56	52	41	38	38	37
Fri	37	39	48	45	40	40	40	40	42	46	51	51	43	39	38	38	37
Sat	37	37	38	38	38	38	39	39	40	39	39	39	38	38	38	38	37
Sun	37	37	37	37	37	38	38	38	38	38	38	38	38	38	38	38	37

About this drive

On weekdays the 42-mile drive from La Mesa to San Marcos (via I-15 North) usually takes as little as 37 minutes and up to 62 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 41 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1 pm on Saturdays (40 minutes).

About 41 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.6 miles surface streets (2 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 San Marcos 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 San Marcos?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 37 minutes then, versus up to 62 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from La Mesa to San Marcos?

The 42-mile drive usually takes 37 to 62 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 41 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from La Mesa to San Marcos?

Leaving around 4 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 62 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-15 North in San Diego (19 miles) · SR-52 West in San Diego (7 miles) · I-8 East in San Diego (6 miles) · SR-78 West in San Diego (3 miles)

San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Marcos to La Mesa (return trip) · La Mesa to San Diego · La Mesa to Santa Monica · La Mesa to Chula Vista · La Mesa to Oceanside · La Mesa to Escondido · La Mesa to Carlsbad · La Mesa to Temecula · La Mesa to Murrieta · La Mesa to Vista · La Mesa to Mission Viejo

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	38	50	48	41	41	40	40	40	41	46	52	48	39	38	38	37
Tue	37	38	50	53	42	41	40	40	40	41	50	56	54	43	38	37	37
Wed	37	38	54	51	43	41	40	40	40	42	52	62	55	43	38	38	37
Thu	37	38	53	53	42	40	40	40	40	42	50	56	52	41	38	38	37
Fri	37	39	48	45	40	40	40	40	42	46	51	51	43	39	38	38	37
Sat	37	37	38	38	38	38	39	39	40	39	39	39	38	38	38	38	37
Sun	37	37	37	37	37	38	38	38	38	38	38	38	38	38	38	38	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	38	50	48	41	41	40	40	40	41	46	52	48	39	38	38	37
Tue	37	38	50	53	42	41	40	40	40	41	50	56	54	43	38	37	37
Wed	37	38	54	51	43	41	40	40	40	42	52	62	55	43	38	38	37
Thu	37	38	53	53	42	40	40	40	40	42	50	56	52	41	38	38	37
Fri	37	39	48	45	40	40	40	40	42	46	51	51	43	39	38	38	37
Sat	37	37	38	38	38	38	39	39	40	39	39	39	38	38	38	38	37
Sun	37	37	37	37	37	38	38	38	38	38	38	38	38	38	38	38	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	38	50	48	41	41	40	40	40	41	46	52	48	39	38	38	37
Tue	37	38	50	53	42	41	40	40	40	41	50	56	54	43	38	37	37
Wed	37	38	54	51	43	41	40	40	40	42	52	62	55	43	38	38	37
Thu	37	38	53	53	42	40	40	40	40	42	50	56	52	41	38	38	37
Fri	37	39	48	45	40	40	40	40	42	46	51	51	43	39	38	38	37
Sat	37	37	38	38	38	38	39	39	40	39	39	39	38	38	38	38	37
Sun	37	37	37	37	37	38	38	38	38	38	38	38	38	38	38	38	37