Why is there so much traffic on the Los Angeles freeways between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM? (Santa Monica: transfer, cinema)

[jacktravern]

Originally Posted by Chicano3000X

Because we are built stupid for a major city..

I wouldn't say say that. No place is perfect. NYC for example hardly has any long streets that you can drive on for miles if you don't want to be on the highway. Tons of one way streets and streets that cut off after like 10 blocks.

I think a more reasonable answer is that LA is most likely home to a huge portion of people that don't work conventional jobs with conventional 9-5 hours. Because of the entertainment industry and concentration of people into health and fitness, we a glut of people that are Waiters, Bartenders, Personal Trainers, Actors, Musicians, Realtors, Security guards and now Uber/Lyft drivers, who could all be on the road at any given hour. Not to mention all of the cops, firefighters and nurses that work all kinds of shifts.

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by Chicano3000X

Ya, just keep widening the freeways til’ the city is nothing but freeway.

Ever notice that it has never worked to only rely on one mode of transportation?

Your opting for the exact same thing that brought us to this mess.

The HSR they are wasting billions on will do nothing for LA.

[DKM]

The truth is people don't want to use public transportation and even if there was an efficient system to use, its ruined by giving out free passes to bums and criminals.

[Pretzelogik]

Because 18 million peeps. live in the area? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_Los_Angeles

[saybanana]

There are some many reasons for traffic. Rush hour is bad on freeways and streets. Off peak, the streets aren't bad and freeways are ok but can get busy here and there but it isn't a parking lot.

Anyway, so many people have non traditional jobs. Restaurants, tourism, hotels, retail, fast food, hospitals, airport workers, truck drivers entertainment. Even students like college students dont all go to school at 9-5. Then you have retired people or people of leisure who do errands/activities off hours like shopping at Bloomingdales, brunch at Vanderpumps or get their geriatric colon cleanze or daily heart surgery. Then there are all the people who pick up their kids at school at 3pm. Not sure if they get off work early to pick up kids.

[user9430961]

Thank you, Everyone! I greatly appreciate you taking the time to read my post, and thank you so very much for your great comments.

[Taiko]

Originally Posted by Chicano3000X

Ya, just keep widening the freeways til’ the city is nothing but freeway.

Ever notice that it has never worked to only rely on one mode of transportation?

Your opting for the exact same thing that brought us to this mess.

You do understand the so-called high speed train is for that heavily used San Francisco to Los Angeles commute. At best once the Browndoggle is done maybe 50 Angelenos will change their route from going to LAX to going to the train station downtown. Or perhaps Governor Schwarzenegger, if he had reason to go north in retirement would take the odd trip on the train instead of his private jet to look good for the political lemmings. Massive return on investment this train is going to be.

[malcorub16]

My favorite time to leave LA to come back down to SD is after 9PM. I can make it back down here in 90 mins flat, if I leave at any point during the afternoon or early evening it will take 2.5 to 3 hours.

[Cloudwalker]

"I want to know why I10 East out of Santa Monica is literally parking lot jammed at 8PM. Yes, at night."


Many companies now will permit people to juggle their hours to avoid peak commute times. My husband works with a number of people who come from SGV (as well as Orange and Ventura Counties) to the Westside. They all either leave home early enough to get to work about 6am and leave around 2ish, or they get there later in the day around 11 and leave 7.30ish. If they don't do that, it can take them many hours to commute. It cuts down their individual commute, but possibly extends the overall length of "rush hour" for commuters in general. Hence the 10 being jammed at 8pm.

[CLT4]

That is also prime time for people that have jobs that involve driving from place to place.

Pharmaceutical sales rep... out on the road driving to clients. District manager for supermarkets, driving between stores. A/C Repair guy, driving to people's houses. Gardeners.. driving to people's houses. Life Insurance Sales Person... going to meet a prospective client for lunch. Writer, driving to a Starbucks to go work on their script. DirecTV guy, driving to fix service at a house, and it goes on and on and on. SoCal's freeways can't even handle this type of afternoon work/driving pattern that is common in cities nationwide. There are just more people in SoCal for the roads, so it still results in stop and go traffic still because you have 5,000 life insurance reps going to meet clients, not 100.