OT- Traffic patterns coastal I-5

[speaker]

I have been commuting from Carlsbad to Torrey Pines for almost 6 years now. Here is an observation that continues to befuddle me.

Morning traffic is typical –
bumper to bumper in the southbound I-5 lanes from 7:30 – 9:00. Traffic in the northbound I-5 lanes during the same time period is light and moving at the speed limit.

Evening traffic is where I get confused –
As can be expected, northbound I-5 lanes is heavy from 4-6 PM. However, the southbound I-5 lanes are extremely heavy coming all the way from Oceanside.

Why is traffic so heavy on I-5 south all the way from Oceanside during the EVENING commute? Going south in the AM you would expect heavy traffic all down the coast as people go to the work centers in UTC/Sorrento Valley/Torrey Pines area. Then in the evening, as they return home to North County, the traffic is heavy up the Coast. But if so few people were traveling north on I-5 in the morning, where did those people come from that are going I-5 south during the evening commute? Shouldn’t you expect I-5 south out of the North County to be light during the evening since it is counter commute?

sorry if this doesn’t make sense.

[SK in CV]

Yes it does make sense.

And I agree. My observation have been the same. It doesn’t make sense. My drive for most of the last 10 years was the continuation of yours, from Carmel Valley to La Jolla. Though I rarely hit any morning traffic, only a little slowing just north of Genessee. Evening traffic varies based on time of year, but slows usually somewhere between the merge and Del Mar Heights Rd. (Except for Fridays, which are totally unpredictable, sometimes nothing, sometimes extra heavy.)

But I look out my office window and see the southbound traffic getting very heavy as early as 3:30 and I know it’s that way all the way up to Oceanside some days. I have no idea why there isn’t any corresponding morning traffic going northbound.

[SK in CV]

Yes it does make sense.

And I agree. My observation have been the same. It doesn’t make sense. My drive for most of the last 10 years was the continuation of yours, from Carmel Valley to La Jolla. Though I rarely hit any morning traffic, only a little slowing just north of Genessee. Evening traffic varies based on time of year, but slows usually somewhere between the merge and Del Mar Heights Rd. (Except for Fridays, which are totally unpredictable, sometimes nothing, sometimes extra heavy.)

But I look out my office window and see the southbound traffic getting very heavy as early as 3:30 and I know it’s that way all the way up to Oceanside some days. I have no idea why there isn’t any corresponding morning traffic going northbound.

[SK in CV]

Yes it does make sense.

And I agree. My observation have been the same. It doesn’t make sense. My drive for most of the last 10 years was the continuation of yours, from Carmel Valley to La Jolla. Though I rarely hit any morning traffic, only a little slowing just north of Genessee. Evening traffic varies based on time of year, but slows usually somewhere between the merge and Del Mar Heights Rd. (Except for Fridays, which are totally unpredictable, sometimes nothing, sometimes extra heavy.)

But I look out my office window and see the southbound traffic getting very heavy as early as 3:30 and I know it’s that way all the way up to Oceanside some days. I have no idea why there isn’t any corresponding morning traffic going northbound.

[SK in CV]

Yes it does make sense.

And I agree. My observation have been the same. It doesn’t make sense. My drive for most of the last 10 years was the continuation of yours, from Carmel Valley to La Jolla. Though I rarely hit any morning traffic, only a little slowing just north of Genessee. Evening traffic varies based on time of year, but slows usually somewhere between the merge and Del Mar Heights Rd. (Except for Fridays, which are totally unpredictable, sometimes nothing, sometimes extra heavy.)

But I look out my office window and see the southbound traffic getting very heavy as early as 3:30 and I know it’s that way all the way up to Oceanside some days. I have no idea why there isn’t any corresponding morning traffic going northbound.

[SK in CV]

Yes it does make sense.

And I agree. My observation have been the same. It doesn’t make sense. My drive for most of the last 10 years was the continuation of yours, from Carmel Valley to La Jolla. Though I rarely hit any morning traffic, only a little slowing just north of Genessee. Evening traffic varies based on time of year, but slows usually somewhere between the merge and Del Mar Heights Rd. (Except for Fridays, which are totally unpredictable, sometimes nothing, sometimes extra heavy.)

But I look out my office window and see the southbound traffic getting very heavy as early as 3:30 and I know it’s that way all the way up to Oceanside some days. I have no idea why there isn’t any corresponding morning traffic going northbound.

[Rhett]

I’ve often been fascinated by this, most particularly on weekdays (and some weekends) when returning from Legoland right after it closes.

Just some offhand guesses:

1. People returning from LA. They leave early and/or spread out enough to avoid causing a morning rush, but in trying to get back before sundown or dinner, they create an afternoon rush.

2. People returning from places like Legoland that close around 5. 🙂

3. Something in the way the traffic pattern and road design combines makes it more vulnerable to heavy traffic than the northbound lanes.

4. A more general effect I’ve noticed is that the afternoon rush hour delays on any freeway are more spread out than the morning rush hours. I’ve never really figured this out.

[Rhett]

I’ve often been fascinated by this, most particularly on weekdays (and some weekends) when returning from Legoland right after it closes.

Just some offhand guesses:

1. People returning from LA. They leave early and/or spread out enough to avoid causing a morning rush, but in trying to get back before sundown or dinner, they create an afternoon rush.

2. People returning from places like Legoland that close around 5. 🙂

3. Something in the way the traffic pattern and road design combines makes it more vulnerable to heavy traffic than the northbound lanes.

4. A more general effect I’ve noticed is that the afternoon rush hour delays on any freeway are more spread out than the morning rush hours. I’ve never really figured this out.

[Rhett]

I’ve often been fascinated by this, most particularly on weekdays (and some weekends) when returning from Legoland right after it closes.

Just some offhand guesses:

1. People returning from LA. They leave early and/or spread out enough to avoid causing a morning rush, but in trying to get back before sundown or dinner, they create an afternoon rush.

2. People returning from places like Legoland that close around 5. 🙂

3. Something in the way the traffic pattern and road design combines makes it more vulnerable to heavy traffic than the northbound lanes.

4. A more general effect I’ve noticed is that the afternoon rush hour delays on any freeway are more spread out than the morning rush hours. I’ve never really figured this out.

[Rhett]

I’ve often been fascinated by this, most particularly on weekdays (and some weekends) when returning from Legoland right after it closes.

Just some offhand guesses:

1. People returning from LA. They leave early and/or spread out enough to avoid causing a morning rush, but in trying to get back before sundown or dinner, they create an afternoon rush.

2. People returning from places like Legoland that close around 5. 🙂

3. Something in the way the traffic pattern and road design combines makes it more vulnerable to heavy traffic than the northbound lanes.

4. A more general effect I’ve noticed is that the afternoon rush hour delays on any freeway are more spread out than the morning rush hours. I’ve never really figured this out.

[Rhett]

I’ve often been fascinated by this, most particularly on weekdays (and some weekends) when returning from Legoland right after it closes.

Just some offhand guesses:

1. People returning from LA. They leave early and/or spread out enough to avoid causing a morning rush, but in trying to get back before sundown or dinner, they create an afternoon rush.

2. People returning from places like Legoland that close around 5. 🙂

3. Something in the way the traffic pattern and road design combines makes it more vulnerable to heavy traffic than the northbound lanes.

4. A more general effect I’ve noticed is that the afternoon rush hour delays on any freeway are more spread out than the morning rush hours. I’ve never really figured this out.

[sdrealtor]

Some but not all of it has to do with the sun. In the afternoon rush hour the turns have many drivers looking straight into the sun and pumping their breaks. Multiply that several thousand times and you have slower moving traffic.

[sdrealtor]

Some but not all of it has to do with the sun. In the afternoon rush hour the turns have many drivers looking straight into the sun and pumping their breaks. Multiply that several thousand times and you have slower moving traffic.

[sdrealtor]

Some but not all of it has to do with the sun. In the afternoon rush hour the turns have many drivers looking straight into the sun and pumping their breaks. Multiply that several thousand times and you have slower moving traffic.

[sdrealtor]

Some but not all of it has to do with the sun. In the afternoon rush hour the turns have many drivers looking straight into the sun and pumping their breaks. Multiply that several thousand times and you have slower moving traffic.

[Author]

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