Best Time to Drive from Santa Monica to Downey

Right now (10:32 pm PDT): about 26 minutes via I-10 East and I-5 South.

Only 4% 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 26-mile drive from Santa Monica to Downey (via I-10 East and I-5 South) usually takes as little as 25 minutes and up to 80 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. 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 4 pm on Saturdays (45 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Downey to Santa Monica

Freeway, about 24 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 3 miles: 4 to 9 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 Santa Monica to central Downey (Downey Avenue) 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 Santa Monica 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	25	28	34	38	35	33	33	34	38	46	60	68	65	52	37	30	27
Tue	25	29	37	40	37	34	33	35	39	48	63	76	74	59	41	32	27
Wed	25	28	36	40	37	34	34	36	41	51	67	76	74	59	43	33	27
Thu	25	28	36	40	37	34	35	37	41	52	67	78	77	61	43	34	28
Fri	25	27	33	37	35	35	37	41	48	60	71	76	73	59	44	36	28
Sat	25	26	26	27	30	32	35	39	42	44	45	45	45	41	36	33	28
Sun	25	25	25	26	26	29	31	33	35	36	37	36	35	34	33	31	27

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 Downey?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 25 minutes then, versus up to 80 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 26-mile drive usually takes 25 to 80 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 40 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Monica to Downey?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 80 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-10 East in Los Angeles (16 miles) · I-5 South in Los Angeles (7 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Downey 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	25	28	34	38	35	33	33	34	38	46	60	68	65	52	37	30	27
Tue	25	29	37	40	37	34	33	35	39	48	63	76	74	59	41	32	27
Wed	25	28	36	40	37	34	34	36	41	51	67	76	74	59	43	33	27
Thu	25	28	36	40	37	34	35	37	41	52	67	78	77	61	43	34	28
Fri	25	27	33	37	35	35	37	41	48	60	71	76	73	59	44	36	28
Sat	25	26	26	27	30	32	35	39	42	44	45	45	45	41	36	33	28
Sun	25	25	25	26	26	29	31	33	35	36	37	36	35	34	33	31	27

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	25	28	34	38	35	33	33	34	38	46	60	68	65	52	37	30	27
Tue	25	29	37	40	37	34	33	35	39	48	63	76	74	59	41	32	27
Wed	25	28	36	40	37	34	34	36	41	51	67	76	74	59	43	33	27
Thu	25	28	36	40	37	34	35	37	41	52	67	78	77	61	43	34	28
Fri	25	27	33	37	35	35	37	41	48	60	71	76	73	59	44	36	28
Sat	25	26	26	27	30	32	35	39	42	44	45	45	45	41	36	33	28
Sun	25	25	25	26	26	29	31	33	35	36	37	36	35	34	33	31	27

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	25	28	34	38	35	33	33	34	38	46	60	68	65	52	37	30	27
Tue	25	29	37	40	37	34	33	35	39	48	63	76	74	59	41	32	27
Wed	25	28	36	40	37	34	34	36	41	51	67	76	74	59	43	33	27
Thu	25	28	36	40	37	34	35	37	41	52	67	78	77	61	43	34	28
Fri	25	27	33	37	35	35	37	41	48	60	71	76	73	59	44	36	28
Sat	25	26	26	27	30	32	35	39	42	44	45	45	45	41	36	33	28
Sun	25	25	25	26	26	29	31	33	35	36	37	36	35	34	33	31	27