Best Time to Drive from San Diego to La Mesa

Right now (6:02 pm PDT): about 14 minutes via I-8 East, usually 16 at this time.

Only 50% 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.

On weekdays the 13-mile drive from San Diego to La Mesa (via I-8 East) usually takes as little as 12 minutes and up to 26 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 8 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 13 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 8:30 pm on Saturdays (14 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: La Mesa to San Diego

Freeway, about 11 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 1.4 miles: 2 to 4 minutes on weekdays, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from downtown San Diego to central La Mesa along the route shown. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from San Diego to La 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	12	12	12	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	17	22	19	13	13	12	12
Tue	12	12	12	14	13	12	13	13	13	13	18	26	23	16	13	13	12
Wed	12	12	12	14	13	12	13	13	13	14	19	26	22	18	13	13	12
Thu	12	12	12	14	14	12	13	13	13	14	20	26	21	16	13	13	12
Fri	12	12	12	13	13	13	13	13	13	14	18	20	16	13	13	13	12
Sat	12	12	12	12	12	12	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	14	13
Sun	12	12	12	12	12	12	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	14	12

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 San Diego to La Mesa?

On weekdays, leave before 8 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 12 minutes then, versus up to 26 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from San Diego to La Mesa?

The 13-mile drive usually takes 12 to 26 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 13 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Diego to La Mesa?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 26 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-8 East in San Diego (11 miles)

San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow

More drives

La Mesa to San Diego (return trip) · San Diego to Escondido · San Diego to Oceanside · San Diego to El Cajon · San Diego to Carlsbad · San Diego to Los Angeles · San Diego to Irvine · San Diego to Temecula · San Diego to LAX · San Diego to Riverside · San Diego to Chula Vista · San Diego to La Jolla

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	12	12	12	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	17	22	19	13	13	12	12
Tue	12	12	12	14	13	12	13	13	13	13	18	26	23	16	13	13	12
Wed	12	12	12	14	13	12	13	13	13	14	19	26	22	18	13	13	12
Thu	12	12	12	14	14	12	13	13	13	14	20	26	21	16	13	13	12
Fri	12	12	12	13	13	13	13	13	13	14	18	20	16	13	13	13	12
Sat	12	12	12	12	12	12	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	14	13
Sun	12	12	12	12	12	12	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	14	12

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	12	12	12	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	17	22	19	13	13	12	12
Tue	12	12	12	14	13	12	13	13	13	13	18	26	23	16	13	13	12
Wed	12	12	12	14	13	12	13	13	13	14	19	26	22	18	13	13	12
Thu	12	12	12	14	14	12	13	13	13	14	20	26	21	16	13	13	12
Fri	12	12	12	13	13	13	13	13	13	14	18	20	16	13	13	13	12
Sat	12	12	12	12	12	12	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	14	13
Sun	12	12	12	12	12	12	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	14	12

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	12	12	12	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	17	22	19	13	13	12	12
Tue	12	12	12	14	13	12	13	13	13	13	18	26	23	16	13	13	12
Wed	12	12	12	14	13	12	13	13	13	14	19	26	22	18	13	13	12
Thu	12	12	12	14	14	12	13	13	13	14	20	26	21	16	13	13	12
Fri	12	12	12	13	13	13	13	13	13	14	18	20	16	13	13	13	12
Sat	12	12	12	12	12	12	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	14	13
Sun	12	12	12	12	12	12	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	14	12