Best Time to Drive from La Mesa to Vista

Right now (3:21 pm PST): about 42 minutes via I-5 North and I-805 North, usually 46 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 Vista 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	40	41	44	52	50	45	43	43	43	43	47	54	53	43	42	42	41
Tue	40	41	45	58	55	46	43	43	43	44	52	61	59	48	42	42	41
Wed	40	41	45	57	54	46	44	44	44	45	54	64	63	50	43	42	41
Thu	40	41	46	56	53	46	44	44	43	46	56	64	66	51	43	42	41
Fri	40	41	44	49	44	43	44	45	48	52	60	61	53	45	42	42	40
Sat	40	40	40	41	42	44	47	49	47	45	45	45	43	42	42	42	41
Sun	40	41	40	41	41	44	52	51	51	47	48	45	43	42	42	42	40

About this drive

On weekdays the 45-mile drive from La Mesa to Vista (via I-5 North and I-805 North) usually takes as little as 40 minutes and up to 66 minutes, when leaving around 5 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 44 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Sundays (54 minutes).

About 43 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 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 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 Vista?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 40 minutes then, versus up to 66 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from La Mesa to Vista?

The 45-mile drive usually takes 40 to 66 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 44 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from La Mesa to Vista?

Leaving around 5 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 66 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in San Diego (22 miles) · I-805 North in San Diego (10 miles) · I-8 West in San Diego (8 miles) · SR-78 East in San Diego (4 miles)

San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow

More drives

Vista 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 Mission Viejo · La Mesa to San Marcos · La Mesa to Anaheim

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	41	44	52	50	45	43	43	43	43	47	54	53	43	42	42	41
Tue	40	41	45	58	55	46	43	43	43	44	52	61	59	48	42	42	41
Wed	40	41	45	57	54	46	44	44	44	45	54	64	63	50	43	42	41
Thu	40	41	46	56	53	46	44	44	43	46	56	64	66	51	43	42	41
Fri	40	41	44	49	44	43	44	45	48	52	60	61	53	45	42	42	40
Sat	40	40	40	41	42	44	47	49	47	45	45	45	43	42	42	42	41
Sun	40	41	40	41	41	44	52	51	51	47	48	45	43	42	42	42	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	41	44	52	50	45	43	43	43	43	47	54	53	43	42	42	41
Tue	40	41	45	58	55	46	43	43	43	44	52	61	59	48	42	42	41
Wed	40	41	45	57	54	46	44	44	44	45	54	64	63	50	43	42	41
Thu	40	41	46	56	53	46	44	44	43	46	56	64	66	51	43	42	41
Fri	40	41	44	49	44	43	44	45	48	52	60	61	53	45	42	42	40
Sat	40	40	40	41	42	44	47	49	47	45	45	45	43	42	42	42	41
Sun	40	41	40	41	41	44	52	51	51	47	48	45	43	42	42	42	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	41	44	52	50	45	43	43	43	43	47	54	53	43	42	42	41
Tue	40	41	45	58	55	46	43	43	43	44	52	61	59	48	42	42	41
Wed	40	41	45	57	54	46	44	44	44	45	54	64	63	50	43	42	41
Thu	40	41	46	56	53	46	44	44	43	46	56	64	66	51	43	42	41
Fri	40	41	44	49	44	43	44	45	48	52	60	61	53	45	42	42	40
Sat	40	40	40	41	42	44	47	49	47	45	45	45	43	42	42	42	41
Sun	40	41	40	41	41	44	52	51	51	47	48	45	43	42	42	42	40