Best Time to Drive from Santa Monica to Downey

Right now (11:21 am PST): about 37 minutes via I-10 East and I-5 South, usually 43 at this time.

Only 3% 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 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	26	32	36	35	29	32	42	37	44	52	73	81	79	69	39	28	25
Tue	24	27	42	42	29	31	36	38	43	53	75	89	87	77	51	32	25
Wed	25	26	41	40	31	29	34	35	41	54	63	71	68	61	49	34	26
Thu	24	27	40	38	30	33	41	46	51	63	80	86	86	77	49	32	28
Fri	25	25	37	42	38	35	39	47	57	71	82	84	87	69	45	34	28
Sat	25	25	26	29	34	36	42	43	46	49	49	46	43	41	36	34	29
Sun	25	25	25	25	26	36	37	47	47	51	45	43	43	38	38	35	29

About this drive

On weekdays the 26-mile drive from Santa Monica to Downey (via I-10 East and I-5 South) usually takes as little as 24 minutes and up to 89 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 46 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2 pm on Sundays (51 minutes).

About 24 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (4 to 17 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 Downey (Downey Avenue) 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 Downey?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 24 minutes then, versus up to 89 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 26-mile drive usually takes 24 to 89 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 46 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Monica to Downey?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 89 minutes.

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	26	32	36	35	29	32	42	37	44	52	73	81	79	69	39	28	25
Tue	24	27	42	42	29	31	36	38	43	53	75	89	87	77	51	32	25
Wed	25	26	41	40	31	29	34	35	41	54	63	71	68	61	49	34	26
Thu	24	27	40	38	30	33	41	46	51	63	80	86	86	77	49	32	28
Fri	25	25	37	42	38	35	39	47	57	71	82	84	87	69	45	34	28
Sat	25	25	26	29	34	36	42	43	46	49	49	46	43	41	36	34	29
Sun	25	25	25	25	26	36	37	47	47	51	45	43	43	38	38	35	29

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	26	32	36	35	29	32	42	37	44	52	73	81	79	69	39	28	25
Tue	24	27	42	42	29	31	36	38	43	53	75	89	87	77	51	32	25
Wed	25	26	41	40	31	29	34	35	41	54	63	71	68	61	49	34	26
Thu	24	27	40	38	30	33	41	46	51	63	80	86	86	77	49	32	28
Fri	25	25	37	42	38	35	39	47	57	71	82	84	87	69	45	34	28
Sat	25	25	26	29	34	36	42	43	46	49	49	46	43	41	36	34	29
Sun	25	25	25	25	26	36	37	47	47	51	45	43	43	38	38	35	29

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	26	32	36	35	29	32	42	37	44	52	73	81	79	69	39	28	25
Tue	24	27	42	42	29	31	36	38	43	53	75	89	87	77	51	32	25
Wed	25	26	41	40	31	29	34	35	41	54	63	71	68	61	49	34	26
Thu	24	27	40	38	30	33	41	46	51	63	80	86	86	77	49	32	28
Fri	25	25	37	42	38	35	39	47	57	71	82	84	87	69	45	34	28
Sat	25	25	26	29	34	36	42	43	46	49	49	46	43	41	36	34	29
Sun	25	25	25	25	26	36	37	47	47	51	45	43	43	38	38	35	29