BajaNomad

routing around LA

dravnx - 9-21-2010 at 09:50 AM

I've been looking and can't find the suggestions for routing around LA. Does anyone have the information? I'll be driving southbound on 5 from the SF Bay area.

BajaGeoff - 9-21-2010 at 10:02 AM

To bypass Los Angeles, take the 210 East to the 57 South. You bypass all of the LA traffic and reconnect with the 5 in Santa Ana. I did this a few months ago and it worked great.

DianaT - 9-21-2010 at 10:12 AM

Or we often take the 210 all the way to the 15 and head south that way---it is not as direct, but we usually prefer it.

bajabass - 9-21-2010 at 10:19 AM

Either route will bypass the hell that is L.A. :tumble:

[Edited on 9-21-2010 by bajabass]

Tbone - 9-21-2010 at 10:24 AM

The 57 is often a parking lot between the 60 and the 91. Depending on the time of day, the 210 to the 15 is probably a better bet. It's still a crap shoot, both can be bad.

BillP - 9-21-2010 at 10:41 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by DianaT
Or we often take the 210 all the way to the 15 and head south that way---it is not as direct, but we usually prefer it.

Yup, this will have the least traffic, you can save a few miles if you take the 57 to the 10 to the 15.

Santiago - 9-21-2010 at 11:15 AM

My buddy in Fresno does this: 58 east thru BKRSFLD to 395 at Mojave. South to the 15. At 10 he flips a coin: 'heads' continues on 15 to SY. 'Tails', goes east on 10 to 86 at Indio, south to I-8 and then back to Tecate.
No kidding, he really, really hates So Cal.

Bajahowodd - 9-21-2010 at 11:16 AM

Just wanted to chime in on what Tbone said. None of the suggested alternatives will be a picnic if you are trying to pass through anywhere near rush hour. It's all about when you're there. Actually, between about 10am and 2pm, staying on the 5 might actually be faster than putting on all those extra miles.

maspacifico - 9-21-2010 at 11:18 AM

LA....oh, that stretch between Buelton and El Rosario?? I grew up in LA and can't figure how to get through clean, unless I go right down 5 at 2AM, hit San Ysidro before dawn when the border guys are half asleep, and am in San Ignacio smoking beers at 7pm, that's with the time change. It's all timing!

vandenberg - 9-21-2010 at 11:35 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Santiago
My buddy in Fresno does this: 58 east thru BKRSFLD to 395 at Mojave. South to the 15. At 10 he flips a coin: 'heads' continues on 15 to SY. 'Tails', goes east on 10 to 86 at Indio, south to I-8 and then back to Tecate.
No kidding, he really, really hates So Cal.


That's by far the best way to avoid L.A. traffic and the possibility of getting shot at.:biggrin::biggrin:

In Bakersfield take 58 east to Four Corners, than 395 south ( not as easy as it used to be ) to 15, and than straight to 805 and the border. Try to time it so you miss the San Diego rush hour. Made that mistake once. Not much fun.:no:

Only adds about 30 miles to the trip and considering saving yourself the aggravation of LaLa land, more than worth it.:yes:

[Edited on 9-21-2010 by vandenberg]

DENNIS - 9-21-2010 at 11:50 AM

Why would anybody want to bypass Downtown LA?? There's so much cultural interchange to be had in that area. If you happen to be there during peak traffic times, pull off the freeway and enjoy some of the delights awaiting you, like "Grand Theft-Auto" or, a perrenial favorite, "Carjacking."
It's history.........It's now............It's the future. It's what the Statue Of Liberty did with all the little gifts she received after her "Gimme" speech.

Nice place. No one should miss it.

maspacifico - 9-21-2010 at 12:17 PM

Dennis...they have no sense of Adventure! Kids these days.........

BillP - 9-21-2010 at 12:22 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by vandenberg
Quote:
Originally posted by Santiago
My buddy in Fresno does this: 58 east thru BKRSFLD to 395 at Mojave. South to the 15. At 10 he flips a coin: 'heads' continues on 15 to SY. 'Tails', goes east on 10 to 86 at Indio, south to I-8 and then back to Tecate.
No kidding, he really, really hates So Cal.


That's by far the best way to avoid L.A. traffic and the possibility of getting shot at.:biggrin::biggrin:

In Bakersfield take 58 east to Four Corners, than 395 south ( not as easy as it used to be ) to 15, and than straight to 805 and the border. Try to time it so you miss the San Diego rush hour. Made that mistake once. Not much fun.:no:

Only adds about 30 miles to the trip and considering saving yourself the aggravation of LaLa land, more than worth it.:yes:

[Edited on 9-21-2010 by vandenberg]

Actually, it's 54 miles farther.

Here's the mileages from Google maps for SF to Otay

Straight down 5, 517 miles

5-210-57-10-15, 548 miles

5-58-395-15-215-15, 571 miles

FWIW

man up. take the 5

mtgoat666 - 9-21-2010 at 12:29 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by dravnx
I've been looking and can't find the suggestions for routing around LA. Does anyone have the information? I'll be driving southbound on 5 from the SF Bay area.


you want suggestions? nomads will offer suggestions, praise and insults, depending on time of month and blood alcohol level.
it's actually much shorter and more convenient to take I-5 thru LA. just time your travels to be mid-day, or after evening rush hour.
if you insist on alternate route, then look it up on a map. there are several, and just remember to avoid inland empire, la county, orange county and san diego county at rush hour.

mtgoat666 - 9-21-2010 at 12:31 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Santiago
My buddy in Fresno...
he really, really hates So Cal.


:lol::lol:

have you ever been to Fresno?

Bob and Susan - 9-21-2010 at 01:10 PM

i lived in LA a long time...
too much traffic...

just take the 5 down

avoid rush hour

DENNIS - 9-21-2010 at 01:36 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by maspacifico
Dennis...they have no sense of Adventure! Kids these days.........



Yeah...What's wrong with them? They have to get into outdoors activities like join a gang, or something like that.
Farming...that's healthy. Go down to the city library and plant a bunch of DOPE around the place.
Nobody around here ever suggests these kids should be involved with nature.

Ohhh....here's a good one......Arson. That's really creative. Warm too.


Get out of the house, you Youngsters....go outside and make yourselves useful.

nbacc - 9-21-2010 at 03:37 PM

go through Bakersfield and east to Indio...........just make sure it is not snowing going over the Tehachapis. Not a bad drive. Certainly easier and less frustrating that going through LA. Nancy

David K - 9-21-2010 at 04:40 PM

Figure your drive to pass through L.A. between 10 am and 2 pm... or in the middle of the night!

BillP - 9-21-2010 at 06:02 PM

One more piece of advise when going through LA/OC, keep your radio tuned to AM 980 or 1070, traffic updates every 5-10 minutes, might help you avoid a major delay.

Trip info

bajaguy - 9-22-2010 at 07:09 AM

We usually depart Carson City at about 4:30AM and take 395 south, arriving at the Otay crossing between 2 and 3 PM. Very little traffic on a weekday.

My suggestions from Fresno are:

The 58 through Mojave to Kramer Junction (4 corners), the 395 south to the 15, 15 to the 805, the 905 to Otay......or

The 5 south to the 210, 210 to the 15, 15 to the 805 to the 905.

Cross at Otay and take the Blvd (Corridor) 2000 south to the free road or the toll road.

Bajatripper - 9-22-2010 at 02:15 PM

But, if else fails and you just can't bypass LA, there is hope. At my sister's suggestion, I recently left her place in Santa Maria, Ca (about 150 miles north of LA on 101) at around 7 am and just cruised through LA with no problems at all. Of course, we didn't have the misfortune of encountering any accidents, so that always helps.