Best Time to Drive from Santa Ana to Mead Valley

Right now (7:20 pm PDT): about 64 minutes via SR-91 East, usually 51 at this time.

Only 42% 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 Santa Ana to Mead Valley 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	53	50	57	58	57	54	57	58	62	70	75	85	87	66	55	53	48
Tue	54	52	71	66	59	55	56	57	61	75	87	87	86	68	56	54	49
Wed	50	55	69	63	59	56	58	60	65	69	79	86	87	72	58	54	49
Thu	53	52	65	67	64	60	58	61	69	70	81	89	87	70	58	52	49
Fri	49	51	61	63	64	58	62	68	79	82	95	95	93	78	59	55	49
Sat	48	50	52	52	55	56	59	61	65	70	64	66	62	58	61	53	49
Sun	48	48	49	48	49	51	54	54	66	56	63	53	50	50	50	52	49

About this drive

On weekdays the 46-mile drive from Santa Ana to Mead Valley (via SR-91 East) usually takes as little as 48 minutes and up to 96 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 64 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Saturdays (70 minutes).

About 31 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 15 miles surface streets (21 to 46 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Santa Ana to central Mead Valley 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 Santa Ana to Mead Valley?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 48 minutes then, versus up to 96 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Santa Ana to Mead Valley?

The 46-mile drive usually takes 48 to 96 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 64 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Ana to Mead Valley?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 96 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-91 East in Orange County (24 miles) · SR-57 North in Orange County (5 miles) · I-5 North in Orange County (2 miles)

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

More drives

Mead Valley to Santa Ana (return trip) · Santa Ana to Los Angeles · Santa Ana to Santa Monica · Santa Ana to Pasadena · Santa Ana to Long Beach · Santa Ana to West Covina · Santa Ana to Burbank · Santa Ana to Glendale · Santa Ana to Santa Clarita · Santa Ana to Van Nuys · Santa Ana to Torrance · Santa Ana to LAX

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	53	50	57	58	57	54	57	58	62	70	75	85	87	66	55	53	48
Tue	54	52	71	66	59	55	56	57	61	75	87	87	86	68	56	54	49
Wed	50	55	69	63	59	56	58	60	65	69	79	86	87	72	58	54	49
Thu	53	52	65	67	64	60	58	61	69	70	81	89	87	70	58	52	49
Fri	49	51	61	63	64	58	62	68	79	82	95	95	93	78	59	55	49
Sat	48	50	52	52	55	56	59	61	65	70	64	66	62	58	61	53	49
Sun	48	48	49	48	49	51	54	54	66	56	63	53	50	50	50	52	49

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	53	50	57	58	57	54	57	58	62	70	75	85	87	66	55	53	48
Tue	54	52	71	66	59	55	56	57	61	75	87	87	86	68	56	54	49
Wed	50	55	69	63	59	56	58	60	65	69	79	86	87	72	58	54	49
Thu	53	52	65	67	64	60	58	61	69	70	81	89	87	70	58	52	49
Fri	49	51	61	63	64	58	62	68	79	82	95	95	93	78	59	55	49
Sat	48	50	52	52	55	56	59	61	65	70	64	66	62	58	61	53	49
Sun	48	48	49	48	49	51	54	54	66	56	63	53	50	50	50	52	49

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	53	50	57	58	57	54	57	58	62	70	75	85	87	66	55	53	48
Tue	54	52	71	66	59	55	56	57	61	75	87	87	86	68	56	54	49
Wed	50	55	69	63	59	56	58	60	65	69	79	86	87	72	58	54	49
Thu	53	52	65	67	64	60	58	61	69	70	81	89	87	70	58	52	49
Fri	49	51	61	63	64	58	62	68	79	82	95	95	93	78	59	55	49
Sat	48	50	52	52	55	56	59	61	65	70	64	66	62	58	61	53	49
Sun	48	48	49	48	49	51	54	54	66	56	63	53	50	50	50	52	49