Best Time to Drive from Riverside to Downey

Right now (2:05 pm PST): about 60 minutes via SR-91 West, usually 61 at this time.

Only 36% 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 Downey 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	50	63	73	72	68	58	56	54	54	56	60	58	59	55	51	50	49
Tue	50	68	81	74	68	59	56	54	54	57	60	66	65	59	52	49	48
Wed	50	63	72	74	67	58	55	55	54	58	66	69	67	61	52	49	47
Thu	49	63	68	64	62	57	56	56	57	61	66	71	66	59	52	49	48
Fri	48	59	58	56	56	57	55	57	60	63	66	69	69	63	53	49	47
Sat	47	50	50	50	50	51	52	53	55	54	55	58	55	52	51	49	47
Sun	47	48	48	49	50	52	54	53	53	54	53	53	52	52	52	51	47

About this drive

On weekdays the 50-mile drive from Riverside to Downey (via SR-91 West) usually takes as little as 47 minutes and up to 81 minutes, when leaving around 7 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 56 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (58 minutes).

About 46 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (6 to 17 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Riverside to central Downey (Downey Avenue) 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 Downey?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 47 minutes then, versus up to 81 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Riverside to Downey?

The 50-mile drive usually takes 47 to 81 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 56 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Riverside to Downey?

Leaving around 7 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 81 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-91 West in Orange County (37 miles) · I-5 North in Orange County (7 miles) · SR-91 West in Inland Empire (3 miles)

Inland Empire traffic right now · Inland Empire traffic tomorrow · Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

Riverside to Downey over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

Downey 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	50	63	73	72	68	58	56	54	54	56	60	58	59	55	51	50	49
Tue	50	68	81	74	68	59	56	54	54	57	60	66	65	59	52	49	48
Wed	50	63	72	74	67	58	55	55	54	58	66	69	67	61	52	49	47
Thu	49	63	68	64	62	57	56	56	57	61	66	71	66	59	52	49	48
Fri	48	59	58	56	56	57	55	57	60	63	66	69	69	63	53	49	47
Sat	47	50	50	50	50	51	52	53	55	54	55	58	55	52	51	49	47
Sun	47	48	48	49	50	52	54	53	53	54	53	53	52	52	52	51	47

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	63	73	72	68	58	56	54	54	56	60	58	59	55	51	50	49
Tue	50	68	81	74	68	59	56	54	54	57	60	66	65	59	52	49	48
Wed	50	63	72	74	67	58	55	55	54	58	66	69	67	61	52	49	47
Thu	49	63	68	64	62	57	56	56	57	61	66	71	66	59	52	49	48
Fri	48	59	58	56	56	57	55	57	60	63	66	69	69	63	53	49	47
Sat	47	50	50	50	50	51	52	53	55	54	55	58	55	52	51	49	47
Sun	47	48	48	49	50	52	54	53	53	54	53	53	52	52	52	51	47

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	63	73	72	68	58	56	54	54	56	60	58	59	55	51	50	49
Tue	50	68	81	74	68	59	56	54	54	57	60	66	65	59	52	49	48
Wed	50	63	72	74	67	58	55	55	54	58	66	69	67	61	52	49	47
Thu	49	63	68	64	62	57	56	56	57	61	66	71	66	59	52	49	48
Fri	48	59	58	56	56	57	55	57	60	63	66	69	69	63	53	49	47
Sat	47	50	50	50	50	51	52	53	55	54	55	58	55	52	51	49	47
Sun	47	48	48	49	50	52	54	53	53	54	53	53	52	52	52	51	47