Best Time to Drive from Menlo Park to Modesto

Right now (6:49 pm PDT): about 129 minutes via I-580 West and SR-84 North, usually 145 at this time.

Only 20% 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 Menlo Park to Modesto 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	113	234	240	182	141	125	123	121	119	118	139	158	145	148	116	114	113
Tue	113	232	237	200	148	133	122	120	118	122	135	140	140	147	131	114	113
Wed	113	234	237	219	157	130	122	119	117	121	130	124	149	143	142	120	112
Thu	113	235	237	202	145	126	123	118	120	132	135	149	155	149	145	135	113
Fri	116	238	170	146	142	121	119	121	124	138	144	140	136	124	118	115	113
Sat	113	112	113	113	112	113	114	113	115	119	118	114	122	115	115	114	113
Sun	113	112	112	113	112	113	113	114	113	113	115	185	225	150	116	114	112

About this drive

On weekdays the 86-mile drive from Menlo Park to Modesto (via I-580 West and SR-84 North) usually takes as little as 112 minutes and up to 245 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 122 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 5 pm on Sundays (225 minutes).

About 32 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 54 miles surface streets (75 to 171 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Menlo Park to central Modesto 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 Menlo Park to Modesto?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 112 minutes then, versus up to 245 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Menlo Park to Modesto?

The 86-mile drive usually takes 112 to 245 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 122 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Menlo Park to Modesto?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 245 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-580 West in Bay Area (19 miles) · SR-84 North in Bay Area (9 miles) · I-680 North in Bay Area (3 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Modesto to Menlo Park (return trip) · Menlo Park to San Jose · Menlo Park to San Francisco · Menlo Park to Oakland · Menlo Park to Stockton · Menlo Park to Fremont

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	113	234	240	182	141	125	123	121	119	118	139	158	145	148	116	114	113
Tue	113	232	237	200	148	133	122	120	118	122	135	140	140	147	131	114	113
Wed	113	234	237	219	157	130	122	119	117	121	130	124	149	143	142	120	112
Thu	113	235	237	202	145	126	123	118	120	132	135	149	155	149	145	135	113
Fri	116	238	170	146	142	121	119	121	124	138	144	140	136	124	118	115	113
Sat	113	112	113	113	112	113	114	113	115	119	118	114	122	115	115	114	113
Sun	113	112	112	113	112	113	113	114	113	113	115	185	225	150	116	114	112

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	113	234	240	182	141	125	123	121	119	118	139	158	145	148	116	114	113
Tue	113	232	237	200	148	133	122	120	118	122	135	140	140	147	131	114	113
Wed	113	234	237	219	157	130	122	119	117	121	130	124	149	143	142	120	112
Thu	113	235	237	202	145	126	123	118	120	132	135	149	155	149	145	135	113
Fri	116	238	170	146	142	121	119	121	124	138	144	140	136	124	118	115	113
Sat	113	112	113	113	112	113	114	113	115	119	118	114	122	115	115	114	113
Sun	113	112	112	113	112	113	113	114	113	113	115	185	225	150	116	114	112

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	113	234	240	182	141	125	123	121	119	118	139	158	145	148	116	114	113
Tue	113	232	237	200	148	133	122	120	118	122	135	140	140	147	131	114	113
Wed	113	234	237	219	157	130	122	119	117	121	130	124	149	143	142	120	112
Thu	113	235	237	202	145	126	123	118	120	132	135	149	155	149	145	135	113
Fri	116	238	170	146	142	121	119	121	124	138	144	140	136	124	118	115	113
Sat	113	112	113	113	112	113	114	113	115	119	118	114	122	115	115	114	113
Sun	113	112	112	113	112	113	113	114	113	113	115	185	225	150	116	114	112