Driving from Los Feliz to Torrance (home, reverse commute, traffic)

[USCMed]

I've got the opportunity for what sounds like a great 5 week clerkship with a doctor in Torrance, but from looking at the map this seems like it would be a hellacious commute. I live in Los Feliz, and according to google maps I'd be taking the 5 South to 110 South and then 1 West. I know from my normal daily commute that the portion on 5 South is really quick and traffic free, but I'm not sure what the 110S and 1W are like.

Can anyone guesstimate what my commute time might be? Or suggest an alternate quicker route? I'd need to get there around 8am and drive back home around 5pm (I know, worst traffic times).

I'd really like to do this clerkship, but I don't want to be spending 1.5 hours in traffic each morning and afternoon.

Thanks for any info.

[Larkinhill]

I'd say the commute would be just that or a little under. Figure an hour fifteen to hour thirty.

[BRinSM]

It's definitely a reverse commute, so it shouldn't be too bad.

[Sorcerer68]

Not fun. It also depends on WHERE in Torrance. I grew up down there and I'll tell you it can EASILY take you 30 minutes to get across Torrance from East to West during rush hour. If it's closer to the 110, not as bad. By the ocean...worse. My Grandmother still lives down there and from Los Feliz to Torrance via PCH in NON peak traffic takes almost an hour one way.

[strategery52]

I first thought of recommending you get someone to carpool with so you can utilize the 110 elevated carpool lanes, but you'll be going against traffic in that part of town, so it probably isn't that big of a help.

The worst part of this commute will be trying to get into and through Downtown. All the cars from the 110, 5, and 101 trying to squeeze into the three lanes through there backs things up all the time. It'd probably take you 30 minutes to get through downtown using freeways from Los Feliz.

I recommend zipping straight down Vermont to the 10, which connects (directly, I think) to the 110. At 7am, the "no stopping" zone comes into effect, which effectively widens Vermont from 2 to 3 lanes, which means that if you stay in the right lane, you can blast through Koreatown easily (weaving past buses and the stray parked car, of course). I think it tightens again to 2 lanes past Wilshire, but the gridlock isn't usually too bad there.

[USCMed]

Thanks for the replies.

I'm going to try the drive out before I decide, since it sounds like a lot of it would be against traffic, and I really don't mind driving as long as I can go fast. I'll give your route a shot, strategery, since I know the few times I've gone into downtown on the 110 it's been a nightmare.

[CESpeed]

If you are driving from Los Feliz to Torrance, your biggest challenge will be getting through Downtown. Once you are on the other side, it should be smooth sailing because you'll be going against traffic. On the other hand, you could avoid the freeway altogether and just drive straight up Western all the way.