Best Time to Drive from Lake Elsinore to Downey

Right now (6:49 pm PDT): about 62 minutes via SR-91 West and I-15 North, usually 59 at this time.

Only 59% 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 Downey 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	57	76	92	88	77	67	65	64	65	68	71	68	67	61	58	56	55
Tue	56	79	98	95	81	69	64	64	65	67	72	71	72	66	62	58	55
Wed	56	76	93	93	79	71	64	64	65	70	75	74	72	64	59	57	54
Thu	55	78	90	86	75	68	64	65	65	70	75	75	72	63	59	57	55
Fri	55	67	69	72	69	67	66	68	69	73	77	74	72	68	64	62	55
Sat	55	57	57	58	59	62	66	68	68	67	67	68	66	61	58	57	55
Sun	55	56	55	56	58	61	63	65	64	64	62	60	59	59	59	59	55

About this drive

On weekdays the 61-mile drive from Lake Elsinore to Downey (via SR-91 West and I-15 North) usually takes as little as 54 minutes and up to 100 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 66 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (68 minutes).

About 57 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (4 to 13 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Lake Elsinore to central Downey 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 Downey?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 54 minutes then, versus up to 100 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Lake Elsinore to Downey?

The 61-mile drive usually takes 54 to 100 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 66 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Lake Elsinore to Downey?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 100 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-91 West in Orange County (27 miles) · I-15 North in Orange County (14 miles) · I-5 North in Orange County (10 miles) · I-15 North in Inland Empire (6 miles)

Inland Empire traffic right now · Inland Empire traffic tomorrow · Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Downey 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	57	76	92	88	77	67	65	64	65	68	71	68	67	61	58	56	55
Tue	56	79	98	95	81	69	64	64	65	67	72	71	72	66	62	58	55
Wed	56	76	93	93	79	71	64	64	65	70	75	74	72	64	59	57	54
Thu	55	78	90	86	75	68	64	65	65	70	75	75	72	63	59	57	55
Fri	55	67	69	72	69	67	66	68	69	73	77	74	72	68	64	62	55
Sat	55	57	57	58	59	62	66	68	68	67	67	68	66	61	58	57	55
Sun	55	56	55	56	58	61	63	65	64	64	62	60	59	59	59	59	55

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	57	76	92	88	77	67	65	64	65	68	71	68	67	61	58	56	55
Tue	56	79	98	95	81	69	64	64	65	67	72	71	72	66	62	58	55
Wed	56	76	93	93	79	71	64	64	65	70	75	74	72	64	59	57	54
Thu	55	78	90	86	75	68	64	65	65	70	75	75	72	63	59	57	55
Fri	55	67	69	72	69	67	66	68	69	73	77	74	72	68	64	62	55
Sat	55	57	57	58	59	62	66	68	68	67	67	68	66	61	58	57	55
Sun	55	56	55	56	58	61	63	65	64	64	62	60	59	59	59	59	55

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	57	76	92	88	77	67	65	64	65	68	71	68	67	61	58	56	55
Tue	56	79	98	95	81	69	64	64	65	67	72	71	72	66	62	58	55
Wed	56	76	93	93	79	71	64	64	65	70	75	74	72	64	59	57	54
Thu	55	78	90	86	75	68	64	65	65	70	75	75	72	63	59	57	55
Fri	55	67	69	72	69	67	66	68	69	73	77	74	72	68	64	62	55
Sat	55	57	57	58	59	62	66	68	68	67	67	68	66	61	58	57	55
Sun	55	56	55	56	58	61	63	65	64	64	62	60	59	59	59	59	55