Traffic Predict
Best Time to Drive from Rancho Santa Margarita to Costa Mesa
Right now (5:50 pm PDT): about 29 minutes via SR-241 North and I-405 North, usually 25 at this time.
Only 62% 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 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 24 |
| Tue | 23 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 24 | 24 | 24 |
| Wed | 24 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 24 | 24 |
| Thu | 23 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 24 |
| Fri | 23 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 24 |
| Sat | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 |
| Sun | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 |
About this drive
On weekdays the 26-mile drive from Rancho Santa Margarita to Costa Mesa (via SR-241 North and I-405 North) usually takes as little as 23 minutes and up to 27 minutes, when leaving around 5:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 4:30 pm or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 25 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (25 minutes).
Drive times are measured from central Rancho Santa Margarita to central Costa Mesa 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 Rancho Santa Margarita to Costa Mesa?
On weekdays, leave before 4:30 pm or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 23 minutes then, versus up to 27 minutes at the worst times.
How long does it take to drive from Rancho Santa Margarita to Costa Mesa?
The 26-mile drive usually takes 23 to 27 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 25 minutes midday.
When is traffic worst from Rancho Santa Margarita to Costa Mesa?
Leaving around 5:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 27 minutes.
Freeways on this drive
SR-241 North in Orange County (10 miles) · I-405 North in Orange County (7 miles) · SR-133 South in Orange County (4 miles) · SR-55 South in Orange County (4 miles) · SR-241 South in Orange County (1.3 miles)
Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow
More drives
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