Best Time to Drive from Redwood City to South San Francisco

Right now (7:20 pm PDT): about 18 minutes via US-101 North, usually 18 at this time.

Only 78% 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.

About this drive

On weekdays the 17-mile drive from Redwood City to South San Francisco (via US-101 North) usually takes as little as 16 minutes and up to 28 minutes, when leaving around 5:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 18 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (19 minutes).

About 15 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (3 to 6 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Redwood City to central South San Francisco 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 Redwood City to South San Francisco?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 16 minutes then, versus up to 28 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Redwood City to South San Francisco?

The 17-mile drive usually takes 16 to 28 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 18 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Redwood City to South San Francisco?

Leaving around 5:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 28 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 North in Bay Area (15 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

South San Francisco to Redwood City (return trip) · Redwood City to San Jose · Redwood City to San Francisco · Redwood City to Oakland · Redwood City to Stockton · Redwood City to Fremont · Redwood City to Modesto · Redwood City to Hayward · Redwood City to Sunnyvale · Redwood City to Salinas · Redwood City to Concord · Redwood City to Santa Clara

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