Best Time to Drive from Van Nuys to Downey

Right now (10:18 am PDT): about 46 minutes via US-101 South and I-5 South, usually 42 at this time.

Only 7% 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 Van Nuys 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	33	36	40	39	37	38	44	43	47	51	69	78	75	62	44	35	31
Tue	30	33	43	45	37	39	41	42	44	55	79	88	82	69	52	38	31
Wed	30	33	47	46	38	37	41	42	43	58	70	76	75	66	51	40	31
Thu	30	33	43	44	36	40	44	47	52	63	83	95	86	72	50	39	33
Fri	31	32	45	49	45	41	44	47	57	72	89	82	84	68	50	42	32
Sat	31	31	32	35	39	39	45	47	51	57	63	57	57	45	41	41	33
Sun	31	31	31	31	33	38	40	46	47	50	48	48	45	43	42	42	35

About this drive

On weekdays the 29-mile drive from Van Nuys to Downey (via US-101 South and I-5 South) usually takes as little as 30 minutes and up to 95 minutes, when leaving around 4 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 48 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3 pm on Saturdays (63 minutes).

About 23 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 5 miles surface streets (10 to 31 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Van Nuys (Haynes Street) 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 Van Nuys to Downey?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 30 minutes then, versus up to 95 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Van Nuys to Downey?

The 29-mile drive usually takes 30 to 95 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 48 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Van Nuys to Downey?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 95 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 South in Los Angeles (13 miles) · I-5 South in Los Angeles (8 miles) · SR-170 South in Los Angeles (3 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Downey to Van Nuys (return trip) · Van Nuys to Los Angeles · Van Nuys to Santa Monica · Van Nuys to Pasadena · Van Nuys to Long Beach · Van Nuys to West Covina · Van Nuys to Glendale · Van Nuys to Santa Clarita · Van Nuys to Torrance · Van Nuys to LAX · Van Nuys to Culver City · Van Nuys 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	36	40	39	37	38	44	43	47	51	69	78	75	62	44	35	31
Tue	30	33	43	45	37	39	41	42	44	55	79	88	82	69	52	38	31
Wed	30	33	47	46	38	37	41	42	43	58	70	76	75	66	51	40	31
Thu	30	33	43	44	36	40	44	47	52	63	83	95	86	72	50	39	33
Fri	31	32	45	49	45	41	44	47	57	72	89	82	84	68	50	42	32
Sat	31	31	32	35	39	39	45	47	51	57	63	57	57	45	41	41	33
Sun	31	31	31	31	33	38	40	46	47	50	48	48	45	43	42	42	35

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	33	36	40	39	37	38	44	43	47	51	69	78	75	62	44	35	31
Tue	30	33	43	45	37	39	41	42	44	55	79	88	82	69	52	38	31
Wed	30	33	47	46	38	37	41	42	43	58	70	76	75	66	51	40	31
Thu	30	33	43	44	36	40	44	47	52	63	83	95	86	72	50	39	33
Fri	31	32	45	49	45	41	44	47	57	72	89	82	84	68	50	42	32
Sat	31	31	32	35	39	39	45	47	51	57	63	57	57	45	41	41	33
Sun	31	31	31	31	33	38	40	46	47	50	48	48	45	43	42	42	35

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	33	36	40	39	37	38	44	43	47	51	69	78	75	62	44	35	31
Tue	30	33	43	45	37	39	41	42	44	55	79	88	82	69	52	38	31
Wed	30	33	47	46	38	37	41	42	43	58	70	76	75	66	51	40	31
Thu	30	33	43	44	36	40	44	47	52	63	83	95	86	72	50	39	33
Fri	31	32	45	49	45	41	44	47	57	72	89	82	84	68	50	42	32
Sat	31	31	32	35	39	39	45	47	51	57	63	57	57	45	41	41	33
Sun	31	31	31	31	33	38	40	46	47	50	48	48	45	43	42	42	35