Best Time to Drive from Lake Elsinore to Downey

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 72 minutes via SR-91 West and I-15 North, usually 68 at this time.

Only 28% 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	77	90	90	80	70	66	66	67	69	72	70	68	62	58	58	56
Tue	55	79	98	94	82	71	67	65	66	70	73	73	73	68	63	59	56
Wed	56	75	91	92	79	71	65	66	66	71	77	75	73	65	59	57	55
Thu	55	77	88	86	75	68	66	66	68	72	76	76	72	63	59	57	55
Fri	56	68	70	72	69	67	67	69	70	74	77	76	73	68	63	59	55
Sat	55	58	58	59	60	63	65	67	67	66	67	68	66	66	63	63	58
Sun	55	56	56	57	59	62	64	64	64	64	63	61	60	61	60	60	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 55 minutes and up to 99 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 68 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 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 55 minutes then, versus up to 99 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 61-mile drive usually takes 55 to 99 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 68 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Lake Elsinore to Downey?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 99 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	77	90	90	80	70	66	66	67	69	72	70	68	62	58	58	56
Tue	55	79	98	94	82	71	67	65	66	70	73	73	73	68	63	59	56
Wed	56	75	91	92	79	71	65	66	66	71	77	75	73	65	59	57	55
Thu	55	77	88	86	75	68	66	66	68	72	76	76	72	63	59	57	55
Fri	56	68	70	72	69	67	67	69	70	74	77	76	73	68	63	59	55
Sat	55	58	58	59	60	63	65	67	67	66	67	68	66	66	63	63	58
Sun	55	56	56	57	59	62	64	64	64	64	63	61	60	61	60	60	55

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	57	77	90	90	80	70	66	66	67	69	72	70	68	62	58	58	56
Tue	55	79	98	94	82	71	67	65	66	70	73	73	73	68	63	59	56
Wed	56	75	91	92	79	71	65	66	66	71	77	75	73	65	59	57	55
Thu	55	77	88	86	75	68	66	66	68	72	76	76	72	63	59	57	55
Fri	56	68	70	72	69	67	67	69	70	74	77	76	73	68	63	59	55
Sat	55	58	58	59	60	63	65	67	67	66	67	68	66	66	63	63	58
Sun	55	56	56	57	59	62	64	64	64	64	63	61	60	61	60	60	55

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	57	77	90	90	80	70	66	66	67	69	72	70	68	62	58	58	56
Tue	55	79	98	94	82	71	67	65	66	70	73	73	73	68	63	59	56
Wed	56	75	91	92	79	71	65	66	66	71	77	75	73	65	59	57	55
Thu	55	77	88	86	75	68	66	66	68	72	76	76	72	63	59	57	55
Fri	56	68	70	72	69	67	67	69	70	74	77	76	73	68	63	59	55
Sat	55	58	58	59	60	63	65	67	67	66	67	68	66	66	63	63	58
Sun	55	56	56	57	59	62	64	64	64	64	63	61	60	61	60	60	55