Best Time to Drive from Sawtelle to Palmdale

Right now (6:52 pm PDT): about 60 minutes via SR-14 North and I-405 North, usually 57 at this time.

Only 16% 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 Sawtelle to Palmdale 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	55	55	55	55	58	59	60	62	65	71	90	99	102	88	67	59	57
Tue	54	55	56	55	57	57	57	59	60	68	85	101	107	89	72	62	57
Wed	55	54	54	55	56	56	58	58	61	67	85	93	101	90	74	60	55
Thu	56	56	56	59	60	61	60	63	66	69	85	103	102	85	72	61	56
Fri	55	56	55	57	57	62	62	64	67	73	86	95	95	83	70	63	56
Sat	55	55	54	55	56	58	64	66	61	63	60	61	59	57	57	58	55
Sun	54	54	54	54	54	56	62	69	76	75	74	62	59	59	58	57	55

About this drive

On weekdays the 58-mile drive from Sawtelle to Palmdale (via SR-14 North and I-405 North) usually takes as little as 54 minutes and up to 107 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 11 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 63 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Sundays (76 minutes).

About 51 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 7 miles surface streets (9 to 15 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Sawtelle to central Palmdale 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 Sawtelle to Palmdale?

On weekdays, leave before 11 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 54 minutes then, versus up to 107 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Sawtelle to Palmdale?

The 58-mile drive usually takes 54 to 107 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 63 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Sawtelle to Palmdale?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 107 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-14 North in Los Angeles (27 miles) · I-405 North in Los Angeles (20 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (5 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Palmdale to Sawtelle (return trip) · Sawtelle to Lancaster

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	55	55	55	55	58	59	60	62	65	71	90	99	102	88	67	59	57
Tue	54	55	56	55	57	57	57	59	60	68	85	101	107	89	72	62	57
Wed	55	54	54	55	56	56	58	58	61	67	85	93	101	90	74	60	55
Thu	56	56	56	59	60	61	60	63	66	69	85	103	102	85	72	61	56
Fri	55	56	55	57	57	62	62	64	67	73	86	95	95	83	70	63	56
Sat	55	55	54	55	56	58	64	66	61	63	60	61	59	57	57	58	55
Sun	54	54	54	54	54	56	62	69	76	75	74	62	59	59	58	57	55

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	55	55	55	55	58	59	60	62	65	71	90	99	102	88	67	59	57
Tue	54	55	56	55	57	57	57	59	60	68	85	101	107	89	72	62	57
Wed	55	54	54	55	56	56	58	58	61	67	85	93	101	90	74	60	55
Thu	56	56	56	59	60	61	60	63	66	69	85	103	102	85	72	61	56
Fri	55	56	55	57	57	62	62	64	67	73	86	95	95	83	70	63	56
Sat	55	55	54	55	56	58	64	66	61	63	60	61	59	57	57	58	55
Sun	54	54	54	54	54	56	62	69	76	75	74	62	59	59	58	57	55

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	55	55	55	55	58	59	60	62	65	71	90	99	102	88	67	59	57
Tue	54	55	56	55	57	57	57	59	60	68	85	101	107	89	72	62	57
Wed	55	54	54	55	56	56	58	58	61	67	85	93	101	90	74	60	55
Thu	56	56	56	59	60	61	60	63	66	69	85	103	102	85	72	61	56
Fri	55	56	55	57	57	62	62	64	67	73	86	95	95	83	70	63	56
Sat	55	55	54	55	56	58	64	66	61	63	60	61	59	57	57	58	55
Sun	54	54	54	54	54	56	62	69	76	75	74	62	59	59	58	57	55