OT: Traffic through LA day before xmas eve

[SmellsFeeshy]

I’m planning on heading north through LA (on the 5) on Dec 23rd. Anyone know how bad the traffic is usually? If it’s anything like the day before Thanksgiving I will try to make plans to leave a day earlier (or as early in the AM as possible). I think I remember from years past that traffic on Christmas Eve was really bad through LA, but I can’t remember the last time I drove the day before.

[AK]

Bad. Bypass as much of the 5 as possible — if you have a strong bladder I suggest taking the 57 to the 210.

[enron_by_the_sea]

Experts: Is there any benefit in going 15-210-5?

[an]

I never drove through LA on the 23rd. But I always dread driving through LA. I always start my drive at around 10-11PM. By the time I get to LA, it’s 12-1AM. That give me the best chance of not hitting LA traffic. Also, if you have a 2nd person, I would recommend taking at least the 405, since it have carpool most of the way, except around UCLA area. If you’re a early riser, you can try do start your drive at 3AM instead and have an early sleep the night before.

[Hatfield]

It’s such a crapshoot you can never tell, and if there’s an accident things can change for the worse pretty quickly. I’ve had both good and bad luck with 15-210-5. Both the 15 and 210 can get all snotted up, but I don’t think either of those freeways drop down to as few lanes at the 5 does in stretches.

I agree that starting your drive late at night will increase your odds. If you decide to take the 5 and OC is a mess, taking the 73 over to the 405 and using the carpool lane will help a lot. It seems that when the 405 gets choked, it happens in a cluster (like around LAX and UCLA). When I5 gets choked, it seems to go on forever.

Using Google maps and/or a Garmin with realtime traffic can help, but sometimes there aren’t any viable alternate routes.

[SmellsFeeshy]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Unfortunately leaving at 10pm is not really an option for me since I’m driving up to the Central Coast (~300 miles/5 hr drive) unless I want to get there at 3am. I guess the safest bet is just to leave as early as possible and check the traffic as I drive.

[enron_by_the_sea]

Looking at the traffic screen on google maps last few days this seems like easiest way (assuming you are starting close to 15)

I15N to 91W to 71N to 57N to 210W to 5N!

(Temecula-Corona-Chino Valley-Pomona-San Dimas-Pasadena to 5)

About ~ 10 miles longer but seems a lot less congested!

[all]

Some freeways through LA are supposed to be partially closed between Christmas and the end of the year.

[enron_by_the_sea]

[quote=captcha]Some freeways through LA are supposed to be partially closed between Christmas and the end of the year.[/quote]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45718472/ns/local_news-los_angeles_ca/t/freeway-closures-promise-traffic-headaches/#.TvJFU_L2K5I

– All westbound lanes of the 60, the Pomona Freeway, between the 605 interchange and the 710 will be shut down from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. three consecutive nights beginning Sunday, Caltrans said.

– the northbound 405 around Seal Beach will be blocked each weeknight from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. for scheduled maintenance. (This will suck!)

– In the San Fernando Valley, the ongoing 5 Freeway widening and re-construction project will close all but one lane in both directions across the San Fernando Valley between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. seven days per week. (This will suck too.)

[cvmom]

I think that this year, since the 25th falls on a Tuesday, the Friday before (12/21) might be worse than the Sunday before (12/23).

[Author]

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