Woodland Hills To Westwood (Thousand Oaks, Santa Monica: lease, home, buying) - Los Angeles - California (CA) - City-Data Forum

Californiabound01 · 08-23-2010, 10:30 AM

So I posted a thread a while back asking about commute times to Westwood. I never really received an answer about the commute time from Woodland Hills to Westwood. The work hours would be around 7:00am to 5:00pm.

A lot of people recomend we look in Culver City instead but, it doesn't seem to be the right place for us. Westwood & Santa Monica seem nice but don't have the amenities we are looking for in our price range. We really like Woodland Hills because we can get a lot more for our budget plus it is more family friendly. We are just scared the commute will be too bad. Basically no more than an hour each way is what we are looking for. Is this within an hour commute on most days?

Thanks!!

Charles · 08-23-2010, 10:41 AM

I'd say so, if you can leave at 6AM you'd probably get there before 7AM on most days.

In the PM, If you get on the 405 at Sunset (under construction so it is getting really bad) or Wilshire or Santa Monica, then it will be bad north to the top of the pass and it gets better the rest of the way. Probably an hour home, maybe a little worse on Fridays. Alternative is to take PCH to Topanga.

Californiabound01 · 08-23-2010, 10:53 AM

Thanks for the quick reply. At this point we are just so exhausted trying to find a place to live we are ready to settle for Woodland Hills no matter what the commute is. We figure we will sign a year lease and if it's too hard we will look for something closer after the year is up. By then we will know the areas a lot better. We are planning the move in October but we don't really have much time to spend in California before then so we are doing as much research as we can now.

BRinSM · 08-23-2010, 11:03 AM

the commute in won't be too bad, 7am is an early start, but the drive home won't be fun. i'd say 30 minutes to work and around an hour or so on the way home. this is actually a very popular commute and you'll probably have many neighbors that also go from the west valley to the westside.

LaoTzuMindFu · 08-23-2010, 11:16 AM

Everyone is pretty much dead on correct with your commute times. Leave at 6:00 am in the morning and you'll be at work by 7:00. Your commute coming home will be 1 hour to 1 hour and 15-20 minutes.

SoCal35 · 08-23-2010, 12:36 PM

I USED to make the commute from Woodland Hills to Century City (approx. 2 years ago).

I usually left HOME around 7:30am to 7:45am and it would take about 60 minutes door to door. Some days it would take 75 minutes or 90 minutes on really bad days.

I usually left the office around 6:00 to 6:30pm and it was usually a LITTLE better going home. It would take about 45 minutes to 55 minutes to get home. Yes, it was LIGHTER on the way home....given I was leaving the office at 6pm to 6:30pm.

Good luck.

I wouldn't wish that commute on my worse enemies....but if you really like Woodland Hills than it is really not that crazy of a commute by LA standards.

I used to work in Beverly Hills and two co-workers drove in from Thousand Oaks. I think that is INSANE. Only one of them had kids. The other one was a 40 something guy with no kids (and he was the CFO so he made over 200k a year). He just really liked T.O. To each their own.

DowntownVentura · 08-23-2010, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Californiabound01

Thanks for the quick reply. At this point we are just so exhausted trying to find a place to live we are ready to settle for Woodland Hills no matter what the commute is. We figure we will sign a year lease and if it's too hard we will look for something closer after the year is up. By then we will know the areas a lot better. We are planning the move in October but we don't really have much time to spend in California before then so we are doing as much research as we can now.

I don't think that is a bad idea. You can experiment with different routes. I know people in the mid and east valley that take a canyon road over. Or you you can look at their vanpool service. I see them all over the place Ridesharing (1001184)

seain dublin · 08-24-2010, 01:17 AM

I wouldn't do it. I think the 405 is the worst freeway in LA, once you're stuck, you're stuck. At least on that section of the 405.

I did it for awhile from UCLA to the valley. You have that long stretch where there are no exits for 5 miles, and taking Sepulveda is no better.

That was back in the day when I was still renting, I remember getting on the 405 at around 7:30am and it was already a crawl. I did it for a few months and moved to the west side.

Mileage wise it isn't that far but the 405 is a parking lot. And I was in Van Nuys at the time.

As SoCaL 35 said to each his own, but if you're not buying I would really look elsewhere.

JustMike77 · 08-28-2010, 02:41 PM

Welcome to Woodland Hills! I have lived here a long time and I know you will love it. The wonderful thing about Woodland Hills is the option of "the back way". Before I leave, I check KABC Traffic on the internet. If it shows that the Ventura & 405 freeways are slow, I just shoot down Topanga to Pacific Coast Highway (20 mins), then make a left and go to Chautauqua/Channel (10 mins), Channel to San Vicente (2 mins), make a left and enjoy watching the joggers on traffic-free San Vicente all the way to Wilshire (10 mins), make a left at Wishire and in a few minutes you're in Westwood. It's more reliable timewise than the freeway when it's crowded and you have a canyon/ocean/greenbelt view to enjoy.

Mike

sirinyat · 09-01-2010, 01:11 PM

I work for UCLA. I have friends and colleagues who have done the Woodland Hills/Westwood commute. They say the commute in the early morning takes about 60 minutes; the return commute varies from 60 to 90 minutes, depending on what is happening in the Sepulveda Pass. Things free up after Balboa Blvd on the 101 freeway.