Best Time to Drive from Lake Elsinore to Costa Mesa

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 61 minutes via I-15 North and SR-91 West and SR-55 South, usually 59 at this time.

Only 27% 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 Lake Elsinore to Costa Mesa 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	50	74	86	86	74	64	58	57	57	57	57	55	54	52	51	51	50
Tue	49	75	92	89	77	63	59	57	57	57	57	56	57	55	54	53	50
Wed	50	71	84	86	74	64	57	57	56	57	58	56	57	53	51	50	49
Thu	49	73	85	82	71	61	59	57	58	57	58	57	59	53	51	50	49
Fri	49	64	68	69	62	59	59	59	59	59	61	59	58	57	54	52	49
Sat	49	51	51	53	54	56	60	60	60	59	58	59	58	59	56	56	52
Sun	49	50	49	51	53	55	58	58	58	57	56	54	54	54	52	52	49

About this drive

On weekdays the 55-mile drive from Lake Elsinore to Costa Mesa (via I-15 North and SR-91 West and SR-55 South) usually takes as little as 49 minutes and up to 95 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 58 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (60 minutes).

About 53 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.4 miles surface streets (about 2 minutes), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Lake Elsinore to central Costa 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 Lake Elsinore to Costa Mesa?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 49 minutes then, versus up to 95 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Lake Elsinore to Costa Mesa?

The 55-mile drive usually takes 49 to 95 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 58 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Lake Elsinore to Costa Mesa?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 95 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-91 West in Orange County (18 miles) · SR-55 South in Orange County (15 miles) · I-15 North in Orange County (14 miles) · I-15 North in Inland Empire (6 miles)

Inland Empire traffic right now · Inland Empire traffic tomorrow · Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow

More drives

Costa Mesa to Lake Elsinore (return trip) · Lake Elsinore to Los Angeles · Lake Elsinore to San Diego · Lake Elsinore to Lakewood · Lake Elsinore to Long Beach · Lake Elsinore to Anaheim · Lake Elsinore to Riverside · Lake Elsinore to Santa Ana · Lake Elsinore to Irvine · Lake Elsinore to Rancho Cucamonga · Lake Elsinore to San Bernardino · Lake Elsinore to Fontana

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	74	86	86	74	64	58	57	57	57	57	55	54	52	51	51	50
Tue	49	75	92	89	77	63	59	57	57	57	57	56	57	55	54	53	50
Wed	50	71	84	86	74	64	57	57	56	57	58	56	57	53	51	50	49
Thu	49	73	85	82	71	61	59	57	58	57	58	57	59	53	51	50	49
Fri	49	64	68	69	62	59	59	59	59	59	61	59	58	57	54	52	49
Sat	49	51	51	53	54	56	60	60	60	59	58	59	58	59	56	56	52
Sun	49	50	49	51	53	55	58	58	58	57	56	54	54	54	52	52	49

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	74	86	86	74	64	58	57	57	57	57	55	54	52	51	51	50
Tue	49	75	92	89	77	63	59	57	57	57	57	56	57	55	54	53	50
Wed	50	71	84	86	74	64	57	57	56	57	58	56	57	53	51	50	49
Thu	49	73	85	82	71	61	59	57	58	57	58	57	59	53	51	50	49
Fri	49	64	68	69	62	59	59	59	59	59	61	59	58	57	54	52	49
Sat	49	51	51	53	54	56	60	60	60	59	58	59	58	59	56	56	52
Sun	49	50	49	51	53	55	58	58	58	57	56	54	54	54	52	52	49

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	74	86	86	74	64	58	57	57	57	57	55	54	52	51	51	50
Tue	49	75	92	89	77	63	59	57	57	57	57	56	57	55	54	53	50
Wed	50	71	84	86	74	64	57	57	56	57	58	56	57	53	51	50	49
Thu	49	73	85	82	71	61	59	57	58	57	58	57	59	53	51	50	49
Fri	49	64	68	69	62	59	59	59	59	59	61	59	58	57	54	52	49
Sat	49	51	51	53	54	56	60	60	60	59	58	59	58	59	56	56	52
Sun	49	50	49	51	53	55	58	58	58	57	56	54	54	54	52	52	49