Best Time to Drive from Laguna Niguel to La Mesa

Right now (12:51 am PST): about 68 minutes via I-5 South.

Only 60% 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.

About this drive

On weekdays the 74-mile drive from Laguna Niguel to La Mesa (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 68 minutes and up to 111 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 77 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (89 minutes).

About 65 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 9 miles surface streets (11 to 16 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Laguna Niguel 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 Laguna Niguel to La Mesa?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 68 minutes then, versus up to 111 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Laguna Niguel to La Mesa?

The 74-mile drive usually takes 68 to 111 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 77 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Laguna Niguel to La Mesa?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 111 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in San Diego (36 miles) · I-5 South in Orange County (13 miles) · I-805 South in San Diego (10 miles) · I-8 East in San Diego (6 miles)

Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow · San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow

More drives

La Mesa to Laguna Niguel (return trip) · Laguna Niguel to Los Angeles · Laguna Niguel to San Diego · Laguna Niguel to Long Beach · Laguna Niguel to Inglewood · Laguna Niguel to Anaheim · Laguna Niguel to Riverside · Laguna Niguel to Santa Ana · Laguna Niguel to Irvine · Laguna Niguel to San Bernardino · Laguna Niguel to Fontana · Laguna Niguel to Moreno Valley

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