driving from SD to SF question

[rh71]

Maps have us going from I-5 onto I-405 (through the LA area) and back to I-5. Is there a reason why we shouldn't stay on I-5 the whole time ? Traffic ? This is going to be around 9 or 10am Saturday.

 

[NutBucket]

It shouldn't be bad at that time. Figure it'll take you about 5-6 hours to get to SF from LA and what, 2 - 3 hours from SD to LA.

I didn't know you were out on this side.

 

[Blazin Trav]

Bump for a good question. I will be hopefully doing this in a week (SF to LA).

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: NutBucket
It shouldn't be bat at that time. Figure it'll take you about 5-6 hours to get to SF from LA and what, 2 - 3 hours from SD to LA.

I didn't know you were out on this side.

I will be for the next week. Brief visit to SF then back to SD. I hope I find the time to keep posting Alba pictures while I'm out there too !

Did I just say that ?

 

[neutralizer]

It usually takes me about 7-8 hours to drive from SD to SF if LA traffic is good. I save a lot of time going 90 on the I-5.

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: neutralizer
It usually takes me about 7-8 hours to drive from SD to SF if LA traffic is good. I save a lot of time going 90 on the I-5.

90? pvssy

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: NutBucket

Originally posted by: neutralizer
It usually takes me about 7-8 hours to drive from SD to SF if LA traffic is good. I save a lot of time going 90 on the I-5.

90? pvssy

<-- packs radar/laser detector.

Anyway, this is what I mean...

 

[jaedaliu]

Traffic hits all the freeways in LA. I'm pretty sure the 5 is a straighter route through LA, so it's probably beneficial to take the 5 instead of splitting off to the 405.

oh, and if you go at that time, there'll be traffic on the 405 almost guaranteed. Enough people work Saturdays that there will be congestion on the 405.

 

[NutBucket]

Yeah, these days you do have to watch out for all-white CHP. That said, I've "only" done about 115-120 depending on how accurate my car's speed is.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: NutBucket

Originally posted by: neutralizer
It usually takes me about 7-8 hours to drive from SD to SF if LA traffic is good. I save a lot of time going 90 on the I-5.

90? pvssy

<-- packs radar/laser detector.

Anyway, this is what I mean...

Pack an airborne radar detector also and spare cash for the potential fine.:evil:

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: NutBucket
It shouldn't be bat at that time. Figure it'll take you about 5-6 hours to get to SF from LA and what, 2 - 3 hours from SD to LA.

I didn't know you were out on this side.

I will be for the next week. Brief visit to SF then back to SD. I hope I find the time to keep posting Alba pictures while I'm out there too !

Did I just say that ?

Anyway, this is what I mean...

Traffic near downtown is usually horrible, not to mention that is a bad area of town, I wouldn't want to get off any of the exits near downtown L.A. that's for sure. What time of day are you driving through there?

Edit-just saw the time you are driving through, shouldn't be a problem either way. I'd probably take the 5 at that time. Just don't get off the freeway anywhere between Whittier and downtown L.A.

 

[NutBucket]

Sheesh, its not that bad. My relatives used to live around there....before they moved up in life.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Originally posted by: rh71
Maps have us going from I-5 onto I-405 (through the LA area) and back to I-5. Is there a reason why we shouldn't stay on I-5 the whole time ? Traffic ? This is going to be around 9 or 10am Saturday.

Call up the local CalTrans office and find out why. It may be better road, less traffic and/or construction.

 

[imported_Mike]

On a Sat, the 5 is going to be your best bet. You can do the whole thing in 8 hours at a reasonable speed. Should only take you 2 hours max to go from SD to LA though.

 

[ggavinmoss]

The problem with the 5 is that through from just north of the 91 until you pass downtown the 5 is a crapshoot. Granted, traffic is also bad on the 405 so you really are "fine" with either. When are you travelling? (Time of day)

-geoff

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: NutBucket
It shouldn't be bat at that time. Figure it'll take you about 5-6 hours to get to SF from LA and what, 2 - 3 hours from SD to LA.

I didn't know you were out on this side.

I will be for the next week. Brief visit to SF then back to SD. I hope I find the time to keep posting Alba pictures while I'm out there too !

Did I just say that ?

Anyway, this is what I mean...

Traffic near downtown is usually horrible, not to mention that is a bad area of town, I wouldn't want to get off any of the exits near downtown L.A. that's for sure. What time of day are you driving through there?

I think we're leaving from SD at 5-6am ... so that puts us in LA around 8-9am instead of what I said earlier (9-10am)...

 

[Red Dawn]

I can see moving from LA to SF, SF to SD and LA to SD but why would you want to move from SD to SF? Is it a Job? Are you gay? Is your hair green?

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: Red Dawn
I can see moving from LA to SF, SF to SD and LA to SD but why would you want to move from SD to SF? Is it a Job? Are you gay? Is your hair green?

"brief visit"... not moving.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: NutBucket
It shouldn't be bat at that time. Figure it'll take you about 5-6 hours to get to SF from LA and what, 2 - 3 hours from SD to LA.

I didn't know you were out on this side.

I will be for the next week. Brief visit to SF then back to SD. I hope I find the time to keep posting Alba pictures while I'm out there too !

Did I just say that ?

Why don't you just fly to SF? You're going to spend 2 entire days just driving if you drive up there and back.

Where in SD are you staying?

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: NutBucket
It shouldn't be bat at that time. Figure it'll take you about 5-6 hours to get to SF from LA and what, 2 - 3 hours from SD to LA.

I didn't know you were out on this side.

I will be for the next week. Brief visit to SF then back to SD. I hope I find the time to keep posting Alba pictures while I'm out there too !

Did I just say that ?

Anyway, this is what I mean...

Traffic near downtown is usually horrible, not to mention that is a bad area of town, I wouldn't want to get off any of the exits near downtown L.A. that's for sure. What time of day are you driving through there?

I think we're leaving from SD at 5-6am ... so that puts us in LA around 8-9am instead of what I said earlier (9-10am)...

It will only take you 2 hours to L.A. I drive from north county San Diego to Torrance all the time and it only takes an hour and a half. You won't hit any traffic at 8AM on a Saturday.

 

[JoeKing]

Just for the love of god stay away from the Santa Ana if you can!!!

10am would probably be the best time after the morning rush to try to beat the traffic.

 

[AmerDoux]

Take I-5 to 57 Frwy North. Stay on the 57 until it ends at the 210 Foothill Frwy (Glendora/San Dimas) and then take the 210 West. The 210 will take you thru Pasadena, La Canada area until it runs back into I-5 a few miles from the Grapevine. Much nicer drive.

 

[DingDingDao]

Originally posted by: AmerDoux
Take I-5 to 57 Frwy North. Stay on the 57 until it ends at the 210 Foothill Frwy (Glendora/San Dimas) and then take the 210 West. The 210 will take you thru Pasadena, La Canada area until it runs back into I-5 a few miles from the Grapevine. Much nicer drive.

When I first read this, my first reaction was WTF!?!?!?

But now that I'm thinking more clearly, I think this route might actually work. On a map this route looks like it goes severely out of the way, but the 57 is almost always fast, as is the 210 (carpool lanes on both freeways). Bypasses downtown (5 fwy), plus the 405 is ALWAYS slow...I vote for this route. :thumbsup:

 

[imported_Mike]

Originally posted by: DingDingDao

Originally posted by: AmerDoux
Take I-5 to 57 Frwy North. Stay on the 57 until it ends at the 210 Foothill Frwy (Glendora/San Dimas) and then take the 210 West. The 210 will take you thru Pasadena, La Canada area until it runs back into I-5 a few miles from the Grapevine. Much nicer drive.

When I first read this, my first reaction was WTF!?!?!?

But now that I'm thinking more clearly, I think this route might actually work. On a map this route looks like it goes severely out of the way, but the 57 is almost always fast, as is the 210 (carpool lanes on both freeways). Bypasses downtown (5 fwy), plus the 405 is ALWAYS slow...I vote for this route. :thumbsup:

Will it really be that bad at 7/8 am on a Sat?

 

[DingDingDao]

Originally posted by: CheapArse

Originally posted by: DingDingDao

Originally posted by: AmerDoux
Take I-5 to 57 Frwy North. Stay on the 57 until it ends at the 210 Foothill Frwy (Glendora/San Dimas) and then take the 210 West. The 210 will take you thru Pasadena, La Canada area until it runs back into I-5 a few miles from the Grapevine. Much nicer drive.

When I first read this, my first reaction was WTF!?!?!?

But now that I'm thinking more clearly, I think this route might actually work. On a map this route looks like it goes severely out of the way, but the 57 is almost always fast, as is the 210 (carpool lanes on both freeways). Bypasses downtown (5 fwy), plus the 405 is ALWAYS slow...I vote for this route. :thumbsup:

Will it really be that bad at 7/8 am on a Sat?

The 5 fwy compresses to basically 2 lanes just north of the 10E interchange. That, plus the fact that basically all N/S freight traffic uses the 5 fwy through Los Angeles, makes the 5 a big no-no.

The 405 could be reasonably fast at that time on saturday morning, but it's a gamble. I've driven from West L.A. to Irvine plenty of times on saturday mornings, and sometimes it's very quick, and sometimes it's a slow crawl, so taking the 405 if it's clear would definitely be the fastest and most direct route through L.A.

BUT the 57 is almost never trafficky, so by taking this route you're pretty much guaranteeing yourself a smooth commute through L.A., while the 405 is a gamble.