What is your commute and how long does it take? (Los Angeles: home, school)

[fergusonsix]

I've been finding distances and "driving times" on online map sites as we look for a place to live and work, but obviously those sites can't account for traffic!

So we're curious about different commutes in Orange County and how long they ACTUALLY take at different times.If anyone's willing to share their commute situation, I think it would be really helpful! City to city, time of day, traffic, etc.

My husband would probably have a job with a 7:00-4:00 type of schedule, and we like Mission Viejo, so we're trying to see how far out we can look for jobs.

Thanks everyone! I am so grateful for the abundance of information people share on here - good and bad...

[missionhome]

Hi,
I will give some of our family's commute times. Our home is in Northern Mission Viejo in the lake area so times are from there.

Husband's drive to work near Irvine Spectrum center leaving around 7:30AM returning around 5-6PM on average: 20-25 minutes

Kid's drive to school (south end of city at Avery Pkwy): 15-20 minutes (school traffic crazy)

Drive time to San Clemente during morning: 30 minutes
Return from SC in evening: 30-45 minutes depending on traffic.

Drive time to Aliso Viejo, Laguna Niguel: 15 minutes

Foothill Ranch, Rancho Santa Margarita: 5-10 minutes

John Wayne Airport at rush hours: around 45 minutes, 25 minutes no traffic

[Coldjensens]

Drive time to Los Angeles is usualy about 1.5 hours, but you really need to leave 2.5 hours to have a reasonable expectation of making it on time on a regualr basis.

Drive time to the inland empire (Riverside) is doable in less than 1 hour

[bhcompy]

my former commutes:

605/405 interchange to 405 @ harbor - 15-25 minutes during summer, 35-50 minutes during the school year. coming home would take about 30minutes fairly consistently. this was 8-5.

katella and los alamitos blvd to walker and orangethorpe(on surface since the fwy route has terrible traffic) - 15-20min both ways. 9-6.

currently: bed in upstairs bedroom to downstairs desk. 15 seconds both ways, maybe 25 if someone is on the stairs

[OCharde101]

I currently live in Irvine and may have a job opportunity in LA on Wilshire Blvd. I know the commute is insane but if I work 6am-3pm (leave at 430 or 5) or work 7am-4pm (leave at 5) would this be doable?

Thanks!

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by OCharde101

I currently live in Irvine and may have a job opportunity in LA on Wilshire Blvd. I know the commute is insane but if I work 6am-3pm (leave at 430 or 5) or work 7am-4pm (leave at 5) would this be doable?

Thanks!

Anything's doable if you enough of a sadomasochist. You just have to ask yourself how many hours a day you're willing to spend in transit. If the answer is less than 3 (at a minimum), forget it.

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by OCharde101

I currently live in Irvine and may have a job opportunity in LA on Wilshire Blvd. I know the commute is insane but if I work 6am-3pm (leave at 430 or 5) or work 7am-4pm (leave at 5) would this be doable?

Thanks!

Work from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. and it will nto be too bad most days, but you better leave right at 3 p.m. no dilly dallying.

Or you could take the train.

[00molavi]

Previous commute from Laguna Niguel to Van Nuys. 90-120 minutes in the morning and 2-3 hours in the afternoons, worse on Friday afternoons. Work from 8-5.

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by 00molavi

Previous commute from Laguna Niguel to Van Nuys. 90-120 minutes in the morning and 2-3 hours in the afternoons, worse on Friday afternoons. Work from 8-5.

Why would you do that to yourself?

[Charles]

Originally Posted by fergusonsix

obviously those sites can't account for traffic!

Google Maps does provide estimates for traffic. Also, Google Maps has a feature (not obvious) that shows the traffic at time and day. It will show what traffic to expect for any time and day.
Finally, Sigalert.com Los Angeles Traffic Map is the best real time traffic tool.

Regarding commute hell, a colleague of mine now here in Huntsville used to commute from Leona Valley (Palmdale) to Huntington Beach every day for two years.