Traffic Predict
Best Time to Drive from Mira Mesa to Carlsbad
Right now (8:52 pm PDT): about 26 minutes via I-5 North, usually 26 at this time.
Only 65% 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
| Leave | 5am | 6am | 7am | 8am | 9am | 10am | 11am | 12pm | 1pm | 2pm | 3pm | 4pm | 5pm | 6pm | 7pm | 8pm | 9pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | 26 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 31 | 37 | 37 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 26 |
| Tue | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 35 | 44 | 43 | 34 | 27 | 27 | 26 |
| Wed | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 30 | 37 | 48 | 52 | 39 | 28 | 26 | 26 |
| Thu | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 39 | 51 | 49 | 38 | 28 | 27 | 26 |
| Fri | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 30 | 34 | 42 | 43 | 36 | 29 | 27 | 27 | 26 |
| Sat | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 |
| Sun | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 |
About this drive
On weekdays the 26-mile drive from Mira Mesa to Carlsbad (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 26 minutes and up to 53 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 1:30 pm or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 29 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11:30 am on Sundays (33 minutes).
About 19 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 6 miles surface streets (9 to 15 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Mira Mesa to central Carlsbad 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 Mira Mesa to Carlsbad?
On weekdays, leave before 1:30 pm or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 26 minutes then, versus up to 53 minutes at the worst times.
How long does it take to drive from Mira Mesa to Carlsbad?
The 26-mile drive usually takes 26 to 53 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 29 minutes midday.
When is traffic worst from Mira Mesa to Carlsbad?
Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 53 minutes.
Freeways on this drive
I-5 North in San Diego (17 miles) · I-805 North in San Diego (1.9 miles)
San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow
More drives
Carlsbad to Mira Mesa (return trip) · Mira Mesa to San Diego · Mira Mesa to Chula Vista · Mira Mesa to Irvine · Mira Mesa to Oceanside · Mira Mesa to Escondido