Best Time to Drive from Santa Maria to Lompoc

Right now (12:51 am PDT): about 37 minutes via US-101 South.

Only 13% 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 Maria to Lompoc 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	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37
Tue	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37
Wed	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37
Thu	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37
Fri	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37
Sat	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37
Sun	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37

About this drive

On weekdays the 29-mile drive from Santa Maria to Lompoc (via US-101 South) usually takes as little as 37 minutes and up to 37 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Fridays. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 37 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Sundays (37 minutes).

About 14 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 15 miles surface streets (about 19 minutes), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Santa Maria to central Lompoc 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 Maria to Lompoc?

On weekdays, leave early in the morning or late in the evening. The drive usually takes about 37 minutes then, versus up to 37 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Santa Maria to Lompoc?

The 29-mile drive usually takes 37 to 37 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 37 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Maria to Lompoc?

Leaving around 4 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 37 minutes.

More drives

Santa Maria to Santa Barbara · Santa Maria to Fullerton · Santa Maria to San Luis Obispo

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37
Tue	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37
Wed	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37
Thu	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37
Fri	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37
Sat	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37
Sun	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37
Tue	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37
Wed	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37
Thu	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37
Fri	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37
Sat	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37
Sun	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37
Tue	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37
Wed	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37
Thu	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37
Fri	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37
Sat	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37
Sun	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37