Best Time to Drive from Lafayette to Modesto

Right now (6:51 pm PDT): about 96 minutes via I-580 West and I-680 South, usually 90 at this time.

Only 42% 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 Lafayette to Modesto 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	82	163	170	140	102	91	90	89	88	86	94	110	102	99	83	84	82
Tue	82	161	167	154	114	93	90	89	87	89	97	99	100	107	90	83	82
Wed	82	163	167	168	114	96	89	88	87	88	94	92	107	103	98	86	82
Thu	82	164	167	155	103	91	89	87	88	94	95	108	107	101	95	89	82
Fri	82	167	130	100	100	89	88	89	92	101	104	101	98	91	85	83	82
Sat	81	82	83	83	83	83	84	85	85	87	87	87	97	87	85	83	82
Sun	82	82	82	82	82	83	84	84	84	85	86	116	155	113	86	84	82

About this drive

On weekdays the 74-mile drive from Lafayette to Modesto (via I-580 West and I-680 South) usually takes as little as 82 minutes and up to 172 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 90 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 5 pm on Sundays (155 minutes).

About 45 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 29 miles surface streets (33 to 82 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Lafayette to central Modesto 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 Lafayette to Modesto?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 82 minutes then, versus up to 172 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Lafayette to Modesto?

The 74-mile drive usually takes 82 to 172 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 90 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Lafayette to Modesto?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 172 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-580 West in Bay Area (27 miles) · I-680 South in Bay Area (16 miles) · SR-24 East in Bay Area (3 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Modesto to Lafayette (return trip) · Lafayette to San Jose · Lafayette to San Francisco · Lafayette to Sacramento · Lafayette to Oakland · Lafayette to Stockton · Lafayette to Fremont

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	82	163	170	140	102	91	90	89	88	86	94	110	102	99	83	84	82
Tue	82	161	167	154	114	93	90	89	87	89	97	99	100	107	90	83	82
Wed	82	163	167	168	114	96	89	88	87	88	94	92	107	103	98	86	82
Thu	82	164	167	155	103	91	89	87	88	94	95	108	107	101	95	89	82
Fri	82	167	130	100	100	89	88	89	92	101	104	101	98	91	85	83	82
Sat	81	82	83	83	83	83	84	85	85	87	87	87	97	87	85	83	82
Sun	82	82	82	82	82	83	84	84	84	85	86	116	155	113	86	84	82

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	82	163	170	140	102	91	90	89	88	86	94	110	102	99	83	84	82
Tue	82	161	167	154	114	93	90	89	87	89	97	99	100	107	90	83	82
Wed	82	163	167	168	114	96	89	88	87	88	94	92	107	103	98	86	82
Thu	82	164	167	155	103	91	89	87	88	94	95	108	107	101	95	89	82
Fri	82	167	130	100	100	89	88	89	92	101	104	101	98	91	85	83	82
Sat	81	82	83	83	83	83	84	85	85	87	87	87	97	87	85	83	82
Sun	82	82	82	82	82	83	84	84	84	85	86	116	155	113	86	84	82

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	82	163	170	140	102	91	90	89	88	86	94	110	102	99	83	84	82
Tue	82	161	167	154	114	93	90	89	87	89	97	99	100	107	90	83	82
Wed	82	163	167	168	114	96	89	88	87	88	94	92	107	103	98	86	82
Thu	82	164	167	155	103	91	89	87	88	94	95	108	107	101	95	89	82
Fri	82	167	130	100	100	89	88	89	92	101	104	101	98	91	85	83	82
Sat	81	82	83	83	83	83	84	85	85	87	87	87	97	87	85	83	82
Sun	82	82	82	82	82	83	84	84	84	85	86	116	155	113	86	84	82