Woodland Hills to Downtown LA - horrible traffic? (Los Angeles, Glendale: home, employment)

[kejesm]

Hi there - I am transferring to my company's LA office which is located on South Grand Street in downtown LA. If I move to Woodland Hills, just how long would it take me to get to work? I'm guessing parking in downtown LA is as expensive if not more than it is here in DC - $18 per day or $250 a month. How bad would the traffic be if I drove? Suicide?

I think I could also take a commuter train into Union Station and hop on the red line - is that awful too? Right now I live in Silver Spring, MD in the 'burbs and take a metro bus and metrorail to downtown DC. On a good day it's an hour and a half. It's crowded as h*ll and traffic here is horrendous - driving it's at least two hours.

I don't mind a long commute but just want to be sure it's not too crazy.

Thanks!

[CESpeed]

Driving from Woodland Hills to DLA everyday? This will be you be the end of the week: . Why move so far away? There perfectly nice neighborhoods that are closer to DLA (Miracle Mile, Carthay Circle, Culver City, Larchmont Village - I'm assuming you picked Woodland Hills to stay away from people of color) and the commute won't have you wanting to sit on an overpass picking off cars.

[LaoTzuMindFu]

I make that commute to our Downtown office once every week. I have to be in the boardroom ready for the meeting by 9:00AM and I usually leave home at 7:30AM and usually get there in time.

[missionhome]

I realize people are going to call me crazy, I'm ready for the attack, but this is just a suggestion.

Somehow get to the Warner Center Orange Line Station (drive your own car or take another bus to here)
Ride the Orange Line Transit Way Bus from Warner Center to North Hollywood Red Line Subway Station. Service runs every 5-6 minutes and it should take around 45 minutes to get to North Hollywood Station.

Then transfer at North Hollywood Station from the bus to the subway.
Red Line Subway Train depart every 10 minutes in the morning and it should take around 20-25 minutes to get to a station in downtown Los Angeles.


The timetables are here: Timetables
The subway and Orange Line routes are much more reliable than the rest of LA public transportation. For day to day living in Woodland Hills you will want a car, but for getting to work this might take around 1 hour and 20 minutes and work better than driving.

*****Nonetheless, the best option is to live in a neighborhood closer to downtown LA.

[matt345]

Or drive to North Hollywood or Universal City station and take the subway the rest of the way. I drive the 101 north across the Valley each morning, and it's not too bad heading south towards downtown...until you get over the hill into Hollywood. Frankly though, as others have said, Woodland Hills to Downtown isn't an ideal commute any way you cut it. Maybe consider living in Pasadena, South Pasadena, Burbank, Sherman Oaks, Montrose, or La Canada?

[missionhome]

Originally Posted by matt345

Or drive to North Hollywood or Universal City station and take the subway the rest of the way. I drive the 101 north across the Valley each morning, and it's not too bad heading south towards downtown...until you get over the hill into Hollywood. Frankly though, as others have said, Woodland Hills to Downtown isn't an ideal commute any way you cut it. Maybe consider living in Pasadena, South Pasadena, Burbank, Sherman Oaks, Montrose, or La Canada?

Never thought of that. That is a good idea if this situation is unavoidable.

[amc760]

Originally Posted by CESpeed

Driving from Woodland Hills to DLA everyday? This will be you be the end of the week: . Why move so far away? There perfectly nice neighborhoods that are closer to DLA (Miracle Mile, Carthay Circle, Culver City, Larchmont Village - I'm assuming you picked Woodland Hills to stay away from people of color) and the commute won't have you wanting to sit on an overpass picking off cars.

ouch!

[CESpeed]

Isn't that why most people move all the way out to God's country when there are perfectly good neighborhoods in the city?

[Fontucky]

Originally Posted by CESpeed

Isn't that why most people move all the way out to God's country when there are perfectly good neighborhoods in the city?

Better schools? Maybe the OP has kids....

[ConsideringLA]

Originally Posted by missionhome

Never thought of that. That is a good idea if this situation is unavoidable.

101 north isn't the problem. The morning commute driving from WH south on 101 between De Soto and 405 is a non-starter.

Go Burbank and bike to NoHo. Your commute to Union Station will be about 30 minutes. And next time your job locale changes (let's face it - it will happen again), Burbank is local to most major employment centers in LA (Downtown, Glendale, Warner Center), with the notable exception of the west side.