Best Time to Drive from Walnut Creek to Modesto

Right now (6:53 pm PDT): about 93 minutes via I-580 West and I-680 South, usually 93 at this time.

Only 45% 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 Modesto 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	78	154	164	112	88	87	86	85	84	82	91	101	105	110	80	79	79
Tue	78	155	157	138	106	89	85	85	83	85	90	95	92	101	82	79	78
Wed	79	156	163	152	112	93	85	84	83	84	88	85	100	101	92	83	78
Thu	79	156	160	139	93	86	84	83	83	86	86	99	91	100	93	102	79
Fri	81	164	137	112	105	85	84	83	86	89	92	97	97	94	82	83	81
Sat	78	78	79	79	80	80	80	81	82	91	85	82	81	80	80	79	79
Sun	79	78	78	78	79	80	80	80	80	81	81	98	145	106	81	81	78

About this drive

On weekdays the 72-mile drive from Walnut Creek to Modesto (via I-580 West and I-680 South) usually takes as little as 78 minutes and up to 172 minutes, when leaving around 6:30 am on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 85 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 5 pm on Sundays (145 minutes).

About 44 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 29 miles surface streets (31 to 77 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 Modesto 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 Modesto?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 78 minutes then, versus up to 172 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Walnut Creek to Modesto?

The 72-mile drive usually takes 78 to 172 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 85 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Walnut Creek to Modesto?

Leaving around 6:30 am on Fridays is usually slowest, about 172 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-580 West in Bay Area (27 miles) · I-680 South in Bay Area (17 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Modesto 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	78	154	164	112	88	87	86	85	84	82	91	101	105	110	80	79	79
Tue	78	155	157	138	106	89	85	85	83	85	90	95	92	101	82	79	78
Wed	79	156	163	152	112	93	85	84	83	84	88	85	100	101	92	83	78
Thu	79	156	160	139	93	86	84	83	83	86	86	99	91	100	93	102	79
Fri	81	164	137	112	105	85	84	83	86	89	92	97	97	94	82	83	81
Sat	78	78	79	79	80	80	80	81	82	91	85	82	81	80	80	79	79
Sun	79	78	78	78	79	80	80	80	80	81	81	98	145	106	81	81	78

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	78	154	164	112	88	87	86	85	84	82	91	101	105	110	80	79	79
Tue	78	155	157	138	106	89	85	85	83	85	90	95	92	101	82	79	78
Wed	79	156	163	152	112	93	85	84	83	84	88	85	100	101	92	83	78
Thu	79	156	160	139	93	86	84	83	83	86	86	99	91	100	93	102	79
Fri	81	164	137	112	105	85	84	83	86	89	92	97	97	94	82	83	81
Sat	78	78	79	79	80	80	80	81	82	91	85	82	81	80	80	79	79
Sun	79	78	78	78	79	80	80	80	80	81	81	98	145	106	81	81	78

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	78	154	164	112	88	87	86	85	84	82	91	101	105	110	80	79	79
Tue	78	155	157	138	106	89	85	85	83	85	90	95	92	101	82	79	78
Wed	79	156	163	152	112	93	85	84	83	84	88	85	100	101	92	83	78
Thu	79	156	160	139	93	86	84	83	83	86	86	99	91	100	93	102	79
Fri	81	164	137	112	105	85	84	83	86	89	92	97	97	94	82	83	81
Sat	78	78	79	79	80	80	80	81	82	91	85	82	81	80	80	79	79
Sun	79	78	78	78	79	80	80	80	80	81	81	98	145	106	81	81	78