traffic.tips
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 & backroads section for enjoying alternate scenic routes. Plus the tips below.
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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 |
"We drive into the future using only our rear view mirror". - Barbara |
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California Highway Conditions, & Motorhome Length Limits
California Highway Info, Construction & Restrictions RV Trailers & Bus Best Routes & Problem Areas |
Real-time Freeway Maps traffic.com - SoCal & San Francisco Traffic Tracking city traffic jams: |
Planned Lane Closures CAL-TRANS HWY INFO: 800-427-7623 |
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
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fleeing from SoCal - |
Returning to SoCal -
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- your escape route outta town
- preplan for the freeway mess before you get stuck in it.
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 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 - Helpful Route Maps
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#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.
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.
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?
- From Southern California
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.
Typical afternoon rush hour problem spots in San Diego. 
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.
- 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.
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. Sreaming maniacs who must drive 90 mph, with the cell phone, in the biggest gas guzlers around (SUVs). Not that we have anything against Sport Utes!
Unfortunately the average speeds are increasing all over the west, as people zoom from place to place, in a never ending transit society.
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 - 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 - - Leave early before the rush
- 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 - - Leave late after the traffic dies down
- 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 you weekend more. Why rush back to the city to sit in more gridlock? Hang out & enjoy your destination longer to 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.
- 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?
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
- Making the drive better-
- - Take a cab/shuttle/drive over to the nearest train depot & have your partner meet you there
- 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
- 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
roadways
related sites
- · Listen to Talk Radio
