Best Time to Drive from Walnut Creek to Elk Grove

Right now (9:57 pm PST): about 102 minutes via SR-12 East and SR-4 East and I-5 North, usually 102 at this time.

Only 10% 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 Walnut Creek to Elk Grove 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	103	109	115	120	115	111	112	114	112	112	127	128	129	127	104	102	103
Tue	103	110	120	125	121	115	117	116	113	116	129	141	141	138	112	104	103
Wed	105	110	119	125	121	111	111	111	112	114	137	141	142	137	117	103	102
Thu	105	109	121	122	121	117	114	116	114	116	138	142	144	137	123	103	102
Fri	104	105	108	111	111	111	117	115	117	139	144	145	143	136	121	104	103
Sat	103	102	102	102	103	103	105	106	106	106	113	111	111	104	103	102	102
Sun	103	103	102	103	103	104	106	106	105	108	104	106	103	103	103	103	102

About this drive

On weekdays the 80-mile drive from Walnut Creek to Elk Grove (via SR-12 East and SR-4 East and I-5 North) usually takes as little as 102 minutes and up to 147 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 115 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3 pm on Saturdays (113 minutes).

About 34 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 46 miles surface streets (62 to 100 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Walnut Creek to central Elk Grove 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 Walnut Creek to Elk Grove?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 102 minutes then, versus up to 147 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Walnut Creek to Elk Grove?

The 80-mile drive usually takes 102 to 147 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 115 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Walnut Creek to Elk Grove?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 147 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-12 East in Bay Area (16 miles) · SR-4 East in Bay Area (9 miles) · I-5 North in Bay Area (8 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow · Sacramento traffic right now · Sacramento traffic tomorrow

More drives

Elk Grove to Walnut Creek (return trip) · Walnut Creek to San Francisco · Walnut Creek to Oakland · Walnut Creek to San Jose · Walnut Creek to Palo Alto · Walnut Creek to Berkeley · Walnut Creek to Fremont · Walnut Creek to San Mateo · Walnut Creek to Mountain View · Walnut Creek to Pleasanton · Walnut Creek to Santa Clara · Walnut Creek to Richmond

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	103	109	115	120	115	111	112	114	112	112	127	128	129	127	104	102	103
Tue	103	110	120	125	121	115	117	116	113	116	129	141	141	138	112	104	103
Wed	105	110	119	125	121	111	111	111	112	114	137	141	142	137	117	103	102
Thu	105	109	121	122	121	117	114	116	114	116	138	142	144	137	123	103	102
Fri	104	105	108	111	111	111	117	115	117	139	144	145	143	136	121	104	103
Sat	103	102	102	102	103	103	105	106	106	106	113	111	111	104	103	102	102
Sun	103	103	102	103	103	104	106	106	105	108	104	106	103	103	103	103	102

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	103	109	115	120	115	111	112	114	112	112	127	128	129	127	104	102	103
Tue	103	110	120	125	121	115	117	116	113	116	129	141	141	138	112	104	103
Wed	105	110	119	125	121	111	111	111	112	114	137	141	142	137	117	103	102
Thu	105	109	121	122	121	117	114	116	114	116	138	142	144	137	123	103	102
Fri	104	105	108	111	111	111	117	115	117	139	144	145	143	136	121	104	103
Sat	103	102	102	102	103	103	105	106	106	106	113	111	111	104	103	102	102
Sun	103	103	102	103	103	104	106	106	105	108	104	106	103	103	103	103	102

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	103	109	115	120	115	111	112	114	112	112	127	128	129	127	104	102	103
Tue	103	110	120	125	121	115	117	116	113	116	129	141	141	138	112	104	103
Wed	105	110	119	125	121	111	111	111	112	114	137	141	142	137	117	103	102
Thu	105	109	121	122	121	117	114	116	114	116	138	142	144	137	123	103	102
Fri	104	105	108	111	111	111	117	115	117	139	144	145	143	136	121	104	103
Sat	103	102	102	102	103	103	105	106	106	106	113	111	111	104	103	102	102
Sun	103	103	102	103	103	104	106	106	105	108	104	106	103	103	103	103	102