Best Time to Drive from Riverside to Costa Mesa

Right now (6:03 pm PDT): about 47 minutes via SR-91 West and SR-55 South, usually 45 at this time.

Only 29% 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 Riverside to Costa Mesa 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	44	58	65	65	57	47	47	45	44	45	46	47	48	45	42	42	41
Tue	43	59	71	71	62	53	48	46	46	49	47	49	48	47	42	41	41
Wed	44	60	72	72	65	52	47	46	46	47	48	49	50	48	43	41	40
Thu	42	56	64	65	57	49	47	47	47	47	47	48	50	48	43	42	41
Fri	41	51	53	52	50	48	47	48	49	48	48	49	52	49	44	42	41
Sat	40	41	42	41	43	45	49	50	51	50	49	50	48	45	44	42	40
Sun	40	41	41	41	42	45	47	47	47	45	46	43	43	42	42	42	40

About this drive

On weekdays the 45-mile drive from Riverside to Costa Mesa (via SR-91 West and SR-55 South) usually takes as little as 40 minutes and up to 74 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 47 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1 pm on Saturdays (51 minutes).

About 44 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.3 miles surface streets (2 to 3 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Riverside 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 Riverside to Costa Mesa?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 40 minutes then, versus up to 74 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Riverside to Costa Mesa?

The 45-mile drive usually takes 40 to 74 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 47 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Riverside to Costa Mesa?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 74 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-91 West in Orange County (28 miles) · SR-55 South in Orange County (15 miles)

Inland Empire traffic right now · Inland Empire traffic tomorrow · Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow

More drives

Costa Mesa to Riverside (return trip) · Riverside to Los Angeles · Riverside to Santa Monica · Riverside to Pasadena · Riverside to Long Beach · Riverside to West Covina · Riverside to Burbank · Riverside to Glendale · Riverside to Van Nuys · Riverside to Torrance · Riverside to LAX · Riverside to Hollywood

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	44	58	65	65	57	47	47	45	44	45	46	47	48	45	42	42	41
Tue	43	59	71	71	62	53	48	46	46	49	47	49	48	47	42	41	41
Wed	44	60	72	72	65	52	47	46	46	47	48	49	50	48	43	41	40
Thu	42	56	64	65	57	49	47	47	47	47	47	48	50	48	43	42	41
Fri	41	51	53	52	50	48	47	48	49	48	48	49	52	49	44	42	41
Sat	40	41	42	41	43	45	49	50	51	50	49	50	48	45	44	42	40
Sun	40	41	41	41	42	45	47	47	47	45	46	43	43	42	42	42	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	44	58	65	65	57	47	47	45	44	45	46	47	48	45	42	42	41
Tue	43	59	71	71	62	53	48	46	46	49	47	49	48	47	42	41	41
Wed	44	60	72	72	65	52	47	46	46	47	48	49	50	48	43	41	40
Thu	42	56	64	65	57	49	47	47	47	47	47	48	50	48	43	42	41
Fri	41	51	53	52	50	48	47	48	49	48	48	49	52	49	44	42	41
Sat	40	41	42	41	43	45	49	50	51	50	49	50	48	45	44	42	40
Sun	40	41	41	41	42	45	47	47	47	45	46	43	43	42	42	42	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	44	58	65	65	57	47	47	45	44	45	46	47	48	45	42	42	41
Tue	43	59	71	71	62	53	48	46	46	49	47	49	48	47	42	41	41
Wed	44	60	72	72	65	52	47	46	46	47	48	49	50	48	43	41	40
Thu	42	56	64	65	57	49	47	47	47	47	47	48	50	48	43	42	41
Fri	41	51	53	52	50	48	47	48	49	48	48	49	52	49	44	42	41
Sat	40	41	42	41	43	45	49	50	51	50	49	50	48	45	44	42	40
Sun	40	41	41	41	42	45	47	47	47	45	46	43	43	42	42	42	40