I live in SEH and drive to UTC everyday. I leave at 8:45am and arrive between 8:10 and 8:20 most days…we have a meeting at 9:30. I go home at 7pm and I’m almost always home before 7:30.
But because i hate traffic so much i take surface streets all the way to Via De La Valle in the morning. Traffic is usually flowing really good at the Race Track. Driving through RSF and the back streets of Del Mar is slower than a speedy freeway obviously…but the commute is consistent and rather peaceful.
Going home I just take the freeway all the way to La Costa and it’s a total breeze. The merge can sometimes still be congested, but it’s usually just about clear by the time I get there.
The few times I’ve left at 8 or earlier I’ve noticed a bit more traffic on the surface streets (the stop signs through Olivenhain can get backed up) but i don’t think i’ve ever spent more than 45 minutes commuting, unless there’s Holiday traffic or an accident or something.