Long Beach Commute to Torrance (Santa Monica, Bellflower: home, live, moving to)

[leavingTucson]

I'm moving to Long Beach in March. I'm getting a little worried about the commute. Can anyone tell me how long it will take me around 7am to get from the Cal State Long Beach area to Torrance off 190th and Crenshaw. And what the commute would be home at 4PM? Thanks!

[AdmiralAdama]

I am interested in a commute from Long Beach to the Del Amo Fashion Center...anyone?

[kruledent]

I'm hoping you get an answer soon. I just moved this weekend to LB and start my new job Monday in Torrance. Anyone? Do you suggest taking 405 or taking surface streets at 7AM?

[Charles]

Originally Posted by kruledent

I'm hoping you get an answer soon. I just moved this weekend to LB and start my new job Monday in Torrance. Anyone? Do you suggest taking 405 or taking surface streets at 7AM?

Looks like it depends on where (how for north and south) in each city. Those cities abut each other so it looks like you'd have several options. Just try different routes. You are in better shape commute wise than a lot of people.

[NaplesRes]

Originally Posted by leavingTucson

I'm moving to Long Beach in March. I'm getting a little worried about the commute. Can anyone tell me how long it will take me around 7am to get from the Cal State Long Beach area to Torrance off 190th and Crenshaw. And what the commute would be home at 4PM? Thanks!

You have a 30 minute drive without traffic but 45 minutes on average based on your timing. If you left at 6:30 it would only take 30 minutes. In the afternoon leaving at 3:30 would cut time off a lot too.

Rush hour in socal starts around 6:50 am in the morning and 3:50 in the afternoon for the most part.

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by NaplesRes

You have a 30 minute drive without traffic but 45 minutes on average based on your timing. If you left at 6:30 it would only take 30 minutes. In the afternoon leaving at 3:30 would cut time off a lot too.

Rush hour in socal starts around 6:50 am in the morning and 3:50 in the afternoon for the most part.

I agree with this as a general rule of thumb. This is the classic LA Traffic problem really. Its not the distance at all in this case but the volume of ppl driving the 405 at the same time (rush hour). I lived in Torrance for many years and can tell you that a simple short ~30 minute commute to/from Long Beach can turn into snarled gridlock in no time. This is especially true during rush hour. So even if you only have 5 miles left on the 405 FWY and traffic comes to a screeching halt and then you are averaging 5-10 MPH it really changes your ETA and frustration level.

So learning alternative routes will be important. I always prefer to stay off the 405 during rush hour when at all possible, especially when going the wrong way at the wrong time - into LA in the AM and away from LA in the PM. Leaving earlier is even more important. You can't plan to be to work on time using your best case scenario (30 minutes). Otherwise you are guaranteed to be late. Stuff happens frequestly on the LA FWYs. So give yourself a minimum cushion of 15-30 minutes if you like be punctual and less stressed out.

For best route just start out with the most basic - the 405. Then try different streets from your home to work and see what combo works out best. Personally I would probably try to find an arterey surface street to avoid the 405 eventually. But other ppl do that to. So it might be a bit of a trade off with some FWY and some surface streets.

My 2c,

Derek

[s0nginmyheart]

I use to commute from Torrance to Long Beach (CSULB) both in the morning and evenings. My commute was around 7a and traffic wasn't bad southbound, but I do remember it being tough northbound at that hour. Of course, there will be days where it's just fine. I'd suggest leaving an hour before you have to be at work, and adjusting your commute from there. I wouldn't imagine it to take more than hour to get from Long Beach to Torrance, but it just depends on what parts of the cities you're travelling from and to.

As for the evenings, my commute sometimes would take 1.5 hrs (if I was coming from work in Santa Monica)... but I can give you some pointers on side streets to take getting into Long Beach, to avoid the 405 South nightmare. I'd suggest taking 223rd Street all the way down past Pacific Ave. Once you pass Pacific Ave, you'll see signs for a 405-S on ramp on your right (I believe the street is Crest). Hop on and that gets you right to Atlantic Avenue and the 710... this really helps and shaves off a lot of time sitting on the 405. Also, by taking 223rd, you can see the freeway directly on your left. I glance at this frequently to see the flow of traffic. If it looks decent, I'll hop on before Pacific Ave.

Also, if traffic is really bad... I also like to use the offramps/onramps as my detour around the traffic... most of these connect back to the 405 lanes up until the Bellflower exit. Hope this helps~

[kruledent]

Thanks for the tips. Today, my first day, I took surface streets...PCH to Normandie and up. No traffic whatsoever.

[AdmiralAdama]

how long did it take via surface?

[kruledent]

From the Traffic Circle in LB to Normadie/405 in Torrance, 30 minutes.
I have jumped on the 110 off PCH and gotten off at Torrance Blvd a couple of times--which worked well also.
Tried a leg of the 405 once and it was stop and go...so surface streets work for me.