How is weekday traffic out of San Diego on I-5 north?

[blackyam]

Hi. I will be in San Diego, CA, in January for a meeting. I'm thinking of leaving for home around noon on a Wednesday. How is traffic on I-5 north from SD through LA around that time on a Wednesday? Is there a better time I should depart? The meeting will be over for me Wed morning, and I really would rather not spend another night ($$) at a hotel if possible. I need to make my lodging reservations now. TIA.

[gottabmw]

I don't think there is a "better" time! Maybe Sunday morning about 4:00 am. It's bad all the time.

[Tony_K]

Yeah you could be in a world of sh!t no joke. It's totally hit or miss, no rhyme or reason to why things here move or get backed up. There is no rush hour in So Cal it's always rush hour.

[blackyam]

Yeah you could be in a world of sh!t no joke. It's totally hit or miss, no rhyme or reason to why things here move or get backed up. There is no rush hour in So Cal it's always rush hour.

 

The meeting is from Sunday to Wed. I'll be going down Sat. Do you think it would be worthwhile ($$) for me to stay an extra night and leave about 0500 (or earlier?), say, Thursday instead of 1200 Wed? Would you expect noonish traffic to be stop-and-go or (slow) steady flowing, albeit congested? I don't mind sharing lanes a bit. Thanks.

[Tony_K]

Wait a moment are you in a car or on a bike?

 

If you are on a bike leave anytime you wish. The 5 is easily wide enough for sharing even by a novice. Just be very alert and cover your brake. There are also sections of HOV lanes at your disposal.

A bike and legal lane sharing are the saving graces in California!

 

If your in a car sorry, go with the flow. Some stretches of our fwys can have you going 20 miles in 2 hours!

 

Again no time is guaranteed for smooth flowing traffic except maybe 10 pm to around 4:30 or 5 AM after that it's a total crap shoot.

[90%angel]

I would suggest leaving SD around 10 AM; that way you leave SD after their rush hour, and still get up to the really congested parts of the 5 (from the OC border up to LA) before 3, which is about the time they start to really get crowded.

 

But as has been mentioned here, any accident or whatever can throw a wrench into the whole darn thing, so check www.mysigalert.com before you depart to check current conditions.

[blackyam]

Thanks for all your input, everyone, including a PM and an e-mail. I think it will be a good trip, bad traffic not withstanding. I'm certainly looking forward to my first ride that far south. :-) Now I'm hoping for good weather, especially over Tejon Pass. Thanks again.

 

BTW, I pray that eveyone here from SoCal is doing OK with all the fires I've seen on the news lately. Be safe.

[bmwdude]

Consider using the 210. It has a carpool lane and is a pretty clean freeway. The 5 and 405 are hit and miss. From SD, you can take the 5N to the 57N to the 210 W; you will have lots of nice carpool laneage and fewer transitions between freeways, as the 5 can get pretty ugly. Just my opinion.

[blackyam]

Hi, all. OK, it's getting closer to my trip (Jan 5 to 9). The weather seems to be much colder this year than last. For those of you who may know, how's Tejon Pass looking for riding my bike? TIA.

[tbarstow]

It simply depends on the weather we get. It will still be cold at the top, but I wouldn't speculate on it being wet or dry. Plan for the worst and it will be sunny and 70.

[blackyam]

It simply depends on the weather we get. It will still be cold at the top, but I wouldn't speculate on it being wet or dry. Plan for the worst and it will be sunny and 70.

 

Hi. I'm not as concerned about cold as I am about snow or (worse!) ice. Has there been any snow or ice over Tejon this year, yet? I'll definitely check the weather forecast a couple of days before I leave for S.D. I may have a little more time on my way home to detour on U.S.-101, say, if necessary, but I'm definitely hoping that I will be able to take I-5 all the way to S.D.

 

I won't have any time to ride during my meeting days (1/6--1/9) in S.D., but I hope that I will be able to meet some of you fine SoCal folks for coffee or something in the evening on the 5th. I have been booked into the Holiday Inn Express on 7th Ave. Please keep in mind that I don't know my way around the town if you will suggest a place to meet. :-)

 

Cheers,

---John.

[blackyam]

Hi, all. I had a great ride down and back. I rode I-5 the entire trip in both directions. The traffic was a little dense from Santa Clarita south, but it moved at a good pace ... 50-, 60-, and mostly > 70 mph most of the way, both on my way down and home.

 

I'm sorry that I didn't get to meet any of you fine folks in San Diego. Maybe another time.

 

Cheers,

---John.

[CoarsegoldKid]

I think you'll be sailing just fine. Until some one hits an illegal crossing the freeway. Or auto accident. Figure 2.5-3 hours to LA. The check point slows you down some but sometimes is wide open.