Driving from West LA to East LA on city streets (Los Angeles: neighborhoods, live)

[HollywoodASST]

hi everyone,

I work for an executive who doesn't like to drive on the freeways. She is going to be working on set once a week in East LA and needs to drive there on city streets from the Culver City area. She will be driving there around 8AM and coming back around 4PM on Saturdays. The location in East LA is off Cesar Chavez near where the 710 and the 60 intersect.

I haven't lived here for long and need to know - what is the best way for her to drive there on surface streets without going through any really sketchy neighborhoods? She will not be driving at night but I don't want to be sending a white lady with a nice car through the ghetto. The most efficient route isn't the main concern here (clearly, as she doesn't drive on the freeway) but just getting there safely.

What do you think?

Thanks!

[KnoxTown]

Adams to Crenshaw to Wilshire to 4th? That drive is going to suck.

[BRinSM]

Jefferson, Washington, and Venice will all get you downtown from Culver City. From downtown, there are multiple ways to get to east LA. The simplest way for an unconfident driver would probably be Washington east, Soto north, then Cesar Chavez east to your location. As for safest routes, I wouldn't be scared as long as you are in your car and the doors can lock. No matter which way you go, you are going to go through some poor areas, there is no getting around that.

[antialphabet]

I don't think the main streets in East LA are bad at all, or even the immediate side streets. A lot of pedestrians. During the day at least. At night, it's pretty dead and quiet which can be kind of creepy, but since you say she will be back by 4pm..

[KnoxTown]

Originally Posted by BRinSM

Jefferson, Washington, and Venice will all get you downtown from Culver City. From downtown, there are multiple ways to get to east LA. The simplest way for an unconfident driver would probably be Washington east, Soto north, then Cesar Chavez east to your location. As for safest routes, I wouldn't be scared as long as you are in your car and the doors can lock. No matter which way you go, you are going to go through some poor areas, there is no getting around that.

That's what I was thinking. No matter where you go, it gets bad for a little ways.

[the one]

Originally Posted by BRinSM

Jefferson, Washington, and Venice will all get you downtown from Culver City. From downtown, there are multiple ways to get to east LA. The simplest way for an unconfident driver would probably be Washington east, Soto north, then Cesar Chavez east to your location. As for safest routes, I wouldn't be scared as long as you are in your car and the doors can lock. No matter which way you go, you are going to go through some poor areas, there is no getting around that.

i second this. i used to drive washington between la brea and alameda for quite some time. its is a fast route at night, but during the day it can be pretty jammed. particularly the area from the 110 freeway east to central. that passes thru the dense commercial area where wash runs with the blue line. lots of cars and people.

i also used to drive from mid wilshire to atlantic and olympic via 8th street(turns into 9th in downtown and then into olympic past central.) olympic is a straight shot into east los and its also fairly quick. the only problem here is that olympic takes you right by VNE and other large housing developments. its mostly safe really, but some people might wet their pants at the site of projects and grafitti.

either way the best way to get into east los from the west side would be wash or 8th/9th/olympic.

from there you can head north on soto or also eastern. eastern might be better becasue it is less trafficked, but you cant get it off of washington. you would have to get it on olympic and go north.

lots of possibilites. maybe driving alternate routes would help find the best one.
one thing is for sure, the commute will be about 1.5 hours each way. maybe an hour with no traffic. but its one hell of a commute.

[streetscenes]

Looking at google maps the most straight forward route is Washington Boulevard to Soto Street. There are a couple of variations through downtown but you have to know the one way streets, etc.
from:East Cesar E Chavez Avenue & N Soto St, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90033 to:34.018376,-118.225594 to:S Marvin Ave to:Culver Blvd & Overland Ave, Culver City, Los Angeles, California - Google Maps


Hopefully the link works. A new feautre in google maps is showing a route "by walking", usually means no freeways.

[HollywoodASST]

thank you everyone. this is really helpful.

[Full-Blooded American]

You'd have an easier time rowing a boat to Avalon.

[HollywoodASST]

ha! there aren't any subways in East LA are there?