Best Time to Drive from Santa Monica to Arcadia

Right now (7:48 pm PDT): about 39 minutes via I-10 East and I-110 North and I-210 East, usually 34 at this time.

Only 18% 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 Monica to Arcadia 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	33	35	38	36	35	34	34	35	38	43	48	51	48	39	35	34	32
Tue	31	36	36	36	36	37	36	37	40	45	48	51	52	47	38	36	32
Wed	32	35	35	36	37	37	38	37	42	49	53	55	53	47	37	34	32
Thu	34	37	39	39	38	37	36	37	42	47	55	55	53	49	40	36	33
Fri	32	38	38	38	39	38	36	42	50	56	59	57	52	48	39	36	32
Sat	36	39	38	38	37	38	37	39	44	44	46	42	42	39	36	35	31
Sun	34	37	44	39	36	36	36	36	37	39	38	38	37	38	37	36	32

About this drive

On weekdays the 32-mile drive from Santa Monica to Arcadia (via I-10 East and I-110 North and I-210 East) usually takes as little as 31 minutes and up to 59 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 40 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3 pm on Saturdays (46 minutes).

About 29 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (6 to 22 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from downtown Santa Monica to central Arcadia (West Huntington Drive) 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 Monica to Arcadia?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 31 minutes then, versus up to 59 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Santa Monica to Arcadia?

The 32-mile drive usually takes 31 to 59 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 40 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Monica to Arcadia?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 59 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-10 East in Los Angeles (13 miles) · I-110 North in Los Angeles (10 miles) · I-210 East in Los Angeles (6 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Arcadia to Santa Monica (return trip) · Santa Monica to Los Angeles · Santa Monica to Pasadena · Santa Monica to Long Beach · Santa Monica to West Covina · Santa Monica to Burbank · Santa Monica to Glendale · Santa Monica to Santa Clarita · Santa Monica to Van Nuys · Santa Monica to Torrance · Santa Monica to Culver City · Santa Monica to El Monte

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	33	35	38	36	35	34	34	35	38	43	48	51	48	39	35	34	32
Tue	31	36	36	36	36	37	36	37	40	45	48	51	52	47	38	36	32
Wed	32	35	35	36	37	37	38	37	42	49	53	55	53	47	37	34	32
Thu	34	37	39	39	38	37	36	37	42	47	55	55	53	49	40	36	33
Fri	32	38	38	38	39	38	36	42	50	56	59	57	52	48	39	36	32
Sat	36	39	38	38	37	38	37	39	44	44	46	42	42	39	36	35	31
Sun	34	37	44	39	36	36	36	36	37	39	38	38	37	38	37	36	32

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	33	35	38	36	35	34	34	35	38	43	48	51	48	39	35	34	32
Tue	31	36	36	36	36	37	36	37	40	45	48	51	52	47	38	36	32
Wed	32	35	35	36	37	37	38	37	42	49	53	55	53	47	37	34	32
Thu	34	37	39	39	38	37	36	37	42	47	55	55	53	49	40	36	33
Fri	32	38	38	38	39	38	36	42	50	56	59	57	52	48	39	36	32
Sat	36	39	38	38	37	38	37	39	44	44	46	42	42	39	36	35	31
Sun	34	37	44	39	36	36	36	36	37	39	38	38	37	38	37	36	32

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	33	35	38	36	35	34	34	35	38	43	48	51	48	39	35	34	32
Tue	31	36	36	36	36	37	36	37	40	45	48	51	52	47	38	36	32
Wed	32	35	35	36	37	37	38	37	42	49	53	55	53	47	37	34	32
Thu	34	37	39	39	38	37	36	37	42	47	55	55	53	49	40	36	33
Fri	32	38	38	38	39	38	36	42	50	56	59	57	52	48	39	36	32
Sat	36	39	38	38	37	38	37	39	44	44	46	42	42	39	36	35	31
Sun	34	37	44	39	36	36	36	36	37	39	38	38	37	38	37	36	32