Journey
traffic.tips
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The latest transportation studies show that the average American spends 36 hours per year stuck in traffic jams. In Southern California the figures rise to 56 hours per year. This page is here to help you avoid spending a good chunk of your vacation sitting on the freeway & more time for yourself.
Check out the Time Guide page for planning travels in California & also our infamous backroads section for enjoying alternate scenic routes. The listed tips below will help you to NOT be sitting in gridlock traffic waiting to get to your destination.
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Nothing is more aggravating than getting off of work early
in order to get a head start on your weekend trip, only to sit
in a traffic jam for two hours, just trying to get out of the
city. Here some advice to ease your travels & get you weekend
off to a pleasant start.
Maps: Helpful Routes
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"We drive into the future using
only our rear view mirror". - Barbara
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Road Information
- Snow & Closures
Driving Directions: Map out one destination to another, specific
written directions plus map.
SF BayLink Ferries
- provides high speed commuter ferry service between Vallejo &
San Francisco's Pier 39 and Ferry Building. Service to Angel Island
is also available.
Snow! - Road
Conditions in specific areas
Areas to Avoid if at all possible
San Diego
SD (5-6 pm)
Northbound 805/5 merge
Northbound 15/163 merge
Northbound 15 to Hwy.78
Eastbound 8 thru Mission Vally
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Los Angeles
LA / Orange County (4-7 pm)
Northbound 405 LAX to SF Vlly.
Southbound 5 into Orange Co.
Eastbound 91
Eastbound 10
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fleeing from SoCal -
- Leave from work before 3 pm , if not
- Don't rush, take your time, leave after 7 pm
(make sure you let the innkeeper know that you'll be in late)
- Save yourself cash & stay only Saturday Night (but some B&Bs do require 2 night minimums)
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Returning to SoCal -
- Sundays 3 pm - 9 pm - almost all major arteries coming into a city can get backed up.
- Grapevine/ Tejon Pass from Bakersfield, I-5
- Hwy.101 South, thru Santa Barbara can get bad
- I-15 Westbound coming from Las Vegas
- I-10 Westbound coming from Palm Springs
- Hwy.91 Westbound coming from the East
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- your escape route outta
town
- preplan for the freeway mess before you get stuck in it.
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| Region - San Diego |
| freeway |
days |
times |
problem areas |
| 5 N |
weekdays |
4-7pm |
805 merge to Encinitas |
| 15 N |
weekdays |
3-6pm |
Mira Mar to Escondido |
| 8 E |
weekdays |
4-6pm |
Mission Valley
to LaMesa |
| 5 |
weekends |
11am-4pm |
summer months
- beach traffic |
| 5 near Del Mar |
all week |
11am-7pm |
Horse Races
JUNE - SEPT |
| Region - Los Angeles |
| freeway |
days |
times |
problem areas |
| 5 N |
weekdays |
4-7pm |
Orange County to LA |
| 5 S |
weekdays |
4-7pm |
LA to Orange County |
| 405 N |
all the time |
1-9 pm |
LAX airport to San Fernanado
Valley |
| 405 S |
weekdays |
4-7pm |
LAX airport to Long Beach / Orange County |
| 405 |
weekends |
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summer months - beach traffic |
| 10 E |
weekdays |
3-7pm |
jct of Interstate 605 to Interstate
15 |
| 91 E |
weekdays |
4-7pm |
winter months: Big Bear ski traffic can be heavy until 11pm |
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- Helpful
Route Maps
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Must head North out of LA? Skirting the backside of
LA is always a possiblity on a FRI night. Taking 15N, 10W, 210W
will put you in the opposite direction of most of the bad traffic
flow.
Merge back up with I-5 North of San Fernando Valley. If you
must get West to the coast, the Simi Valley 118 or the126 through
Fillmore is the best option.
Plenty of jump off spots for overnight camping on the Grapevine, inside Angeles
National Forest & Los
Padres National Forest.
  camp in route
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#1 - Avoid Los Angeles, if possible. This will add 1-4 extra hours
on to your road trip depending on the 'hellish & hectic'
reasons this area normally experiences. If you must venture through,
try doing so at night after 8pm.
Watch out for frequent Cal-Trans freeway closures starting
in the midnight hours.
The Interstate 91 & Interstate 10 Eastbound are both bad
situations during winter months due to Palms Springs &
Big Bear ski crowds.
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Lets face it, Vegas traffic back to California really sucks!
The Interstate 15 is the main corridor that
gets backed up on Friday nights Northbound at the I-10
& the I- 215 junction.
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 Southbound on Sundays is awaful from Barstow to San Bernardino. An alternate route is old Route 66 (best get a good map) & avoid the bumper to bumper in the high desert Mojave region.
OLD ROUTE 66, anyone?
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- From Southern California
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Headed to the Eastern Sierra's or Death Valley - Make sure
to take the Interstate 15 straight up to Highway 395N. The turn
off is just south of Victorville. " On the Road" gas
up & quick food on the 395 is available in Adelanto &
'four corners' Hwy. 58 junction.
But be warned it can get a little congested on Friday nights.
An alternate is Interstate 15N to Interstate 215N to avoid most
of the traffic from the west.
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Typical afternoon rush hour problem spots in San Diego.
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A small detour if traffic is bad on Hwy.78 in North County
San Diego & you are headed Interstate 15 North. Twin Oaks
Valley Rd. leads right up to Deer Springs Rd. & the 15.
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Traffic Lanes & Driving Speeds
The chart to the right is NOT considered legal speeds, but they are kinda realistically what to expect on the Interstate in California. Seniors & outta staters be warned. Large SUV's can kill, so slow down folks.
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So much for Sammy's "Can't Drive 55"
Californians can't drive anywhere near 55. Now that the laws have increased the statewide speed to 65 or 70 mph, there is no stopping them. Unfortunately the average speeds are increasing all over the west, as people zoom from place to place, in a never ending transit society. This leaves way more dirt roads and rutal back country left to us. Find all the coolest back roads on Total Escape.
TIP: Exit the rat race & take your time, for your sanity sake & safety... slow down.
| # 1 lane |
# 2 lane |
# 3 lane |
# 4 lane |
| the passing lane |
crusing lane |
truck lane |
merging lane |
| avg speed: 80 mph |
avg speed: 70 mph |
avg speeds: 65 mph |
avg speed: 60 mph |
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- Leave
Late - Stay Late
- Leave early Friday
- - Before 3 pm!
- - Leave early before the rush
- Bring your bags/luggage to work on Fri. & leave straight
from there
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- Leave late Friday
- - After 7 pm!
- - Leave late after the traffic dies down
- - Make sure you tell the innkeeper that you'll be arriving
late.
- Bring your bags/luggage to work on Fri. & leave straight
from there
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- Stay Later
- So many times I have had friends leave our vacation early
around noon on Sunday to "get back early"... which
blows my mind. Why not enjoy your day off?
- Gotta get back, beat the traffic!!! Rushing home to
do laundry & watch that boob tube? Enjoy your free weekend more.
Why rush back to the city - just to sit in more gridlock traffic? Hang out &
enjoy your destination longer. Avoid the panic drive back home
on Sunday afternoon/early evening. Enjoy a relaxing dinner on
the return trip (& check out another small town on the way
back). Leave for home after 6pm & pick a new less traveled
route back.
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Try these helpful sugestions -
Take the train
Check our Trip Ease>Train Travel
Journey> Sample Trips Section
- - Bring your bags/luggage to work on Fri. & leave straight
from there
- - Take a cab/shuttle/drive over to the nearest train depot
& have your partner meet you there
- - Sit back & relax, rejuvinate yourself for your great
weekend
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- Making the drive better-
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- Share the driving with a friend or family member
- Carpool on long Road Trips - saves gas & nerves
- Caravan w/ another vehicle or group
- Pre-plan your stops & meeting spots down to the exact
spot
- Use handheld 2 way radios or CBs to keep communication lines
open.
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- · Listen to Talk Radio
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- Make the time fly while driving, Listen to the Radio:
LA traffic reports: KFI 640
AM & KABC 790 AM
- SD traffic reports: KOGO 600 AM & KFMB 760 AM
- SF traffic reports: KGO 810 AM & KSFO 560 AM
