Best Time to Drive from Los Angeles to Northridge

Right now (6:24 pm PDT): about 47 minutes via US-101 North, usually 36 at this time.

Only 2% 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.

On weekdays the 25-mile drive from Los Angeles to Northridge (via US-101 North) usually takes as little as 24 minutes and up to 51 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 34 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (40 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Northridge to Los Angeles

Freeway, about 20 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 4 miles: 6 to 16 minutes on weekdays, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from Downtown LA (City Hall) to central Northridge along the route shown. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Los Angeles to Northridge 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	24	27	36	44	39	35	31	31	31	32	38	44	45	39	29	25	24
Tue	24	27	38	45	40	36	32	31	31	34	39	45	47	41	31	26	25
Wed	24	27	39	47	42	39	35	33	34	36	42	47	49	43	33	26	25
Thu	24	27	40	47	40	38	36	35	34	37	43	49	50	45	34	27	25
Fri	24	26	34	39	36	35	35	37	39	42	48	51	50	42	33	27	25
Sat	24	24	25	26	27	32	36	38	39	40	40	39	39	34	30	27	25
Sun	24	24	24	24	25	26	30	34	37	39	39	38	36	32	29	28	25

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 Los Angeles to Northridge?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 24 minutes then, versus up to 51 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Los Angeles to Northridge?

The 25-mile drive usually takes 24 to 51 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 34 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Los Angeles to Northridge?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 51 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

US-101 North in Los Angeles (20 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Northridge to Los Angeles (return trip) · Los Angeles to Santa Monica · Los Angeles to Long Beach · Los Angeles to West Covina · Los Angeles to Burbank · Los Angeles to Glendale · Los Angeles to Santa Clarita · Los Angeles to Van Nuys · Los Angeles to Torrance · Los Angeles to Hollywood · Los Angeles to Culver City · Los Angeles to El Monte

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	24	27	36	44	39	35	31	31	31	32	38	44	45	39	29	25	24
Tue	24	27	38	45	40	36	32	31	31	34	39	45	47	41	31	26	25
Wed	24	27	39	47	42	39	35	33	34	36	42	47	49	43	33	26	25
Thu	24	27	40	47	40	38	36	35	34	37	43	49	50	45	34	27	25
Fri	24	26	34	39	36	35	35	37	39	42	48	51	50	42	33	27	25
Sat	24	24	25	26	27	32	36	38	39	40	40	39	39	34	30	27	25
Sun	24	24	24	24	25	26	30	34	37	39	39	38	36	32	29	28	25

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	24	27	36	44	39	35	31	31	31	32	38	44	45	39	29	25	24
Tue	24	27	38	45	40	36	32	31	31	34	39	45	47	41	31	26	25
Wed	24	27	39	47	42	39	35	33	34	36	42	47	49	43	33	26	25
Thu	24	27	40	47	40	38	36	35	34	37	43	49	50	45	34	27	25
Fri	24	26	34	39	36	35	35	37	39	42	48	51	50	42	33	27	25
Sat	24	24	25	26	27	32	36	38	39	40	40	39	39	34	30	27	25
Sun	24	24	24	24	25	26	30	34	37	39	39	38	36	32	29	28	25

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	24	27	36	44	39	35	31	31	31	32	38	44	45	39	29	25	24
Tue	24	27	38	45	40	36	32	31	31	34	39	45	47	41	31	26	25
Wed	24	27	39	47	42	39	35	33	34	36	42	47	49	43	33	26	25
Thu	24	27	40	47	40	38	36	35	34	37	43	49	50	45	34	27	25
Fri	24	26	34	39	36	35	35	37	39	42	48	51	50	42	33	27	25
Sat	24	24	25	26	27	32	36	38	39	40	40	39	39	34	30	27	25
Sun	24	24	24	24	25	26	30	34	37	39	39	38	36	32	29	28	25