Options for commuting from Culver City to downtown at night (transfer, neighborhoods)

[viola22]

Hi all,

I am new to LA and I just moved to the Culver City area. I am soon going to start participating in a volunteer activity downtown once a week in the evenings, from 7 to 10 pm. I came from New York, where I did not drive, and am just learning to drive comfortably, so I'm still avoiding the freeways.

Here are my questions: One is - what surface streets are safest and best to drive from downtown to Culver City late at night (after 10pm?) I've driven down Jefferson and it seems to get quite seedy past Culver City - same with parts of Adams, Venice, Washington. But maybe thats just the way they look. Are they safe for a girl alone driving at 10-11 pm or not?

The other question is if there is a bus that goes from the Disney Hall area to Culver City late that is safe. Everything I've looked up seems to involve a transfer on Venice or Washington in a seedy part of town. Am I just being paranoid? I am coming from years of living in NYC, but downtown LA just seems a lot more abandoned and unsafe at night.

So basically, any advice for someone who does not use the freeway, who needs to travel to downtown from Culver City around rush hour and from downtown back to Culver around 10:30 PM would be appreciated.

Thank You!

[drew9000]

You could take venice blvd all the way to dtown. It passes through a couple of not so great areas. If i were a woman i wouldn't walk alone in them but in your car you should be fine.

If you want to go out of your way you could take olympic blvd all the way to dtown.

[JohnG72]

I can't argue with the surface streets from Culver City to downtown. Olympic might be an ok option.

However on the way back, thats a heck of a long drive to do on surface streets. Its about 15 minutes from Central/10 FWY to the 10/405 interchange at 10:30PM. On the surface streets, that drive is well over 30 minutes.

[bmwguydc]

If you don't mind an extra few minutes, Grand to Olympic to La Cienega to Venice is a perfectly safe route, I agree, though there can be a bit of traffic. Wilshire is also a good route, for the most part, though the MacArthur Park area can be dicey. I have driven through there at 3-4 am without incident, but the area around the park can be a magnet for crime, so you'd need to see how comfortable you would be with that route.

[SunnyDay70]

Originally Posted by viola22

Hi all,

Here are my questions: One is - what surface streets are safest and best to drive from downtown to Culver City late at night (after 10pm?) I've driven down Jefferson and it seems to get quite seedy past Culver City - same with parts of Adams, Venice, Washington. But maybe thats just the way they look. Are they safe for a girl alone driving at 10-11 pm or not?

So basically, any advice for someone who does not use the freeway, who needs to travel to downtown from Culver City around rush hour and from downtown back to Culver around 10:30 PM would be appreciated.

Thank You!

Hi. Welcome to So.Calif. I think you should feel safe DRIVING down any of these streets....perhaps Venice and Washington being favored as more safe than Adams (since they are north of the 10 freeway). As long as you exercise caution....keep your doors locked and don't pick up any strangers! You will be fine.

Also, I agree with a previous post that you should work on getting comfortable with the freeways as late at night they are uncrowded and VERY FAST...you will save yourself a lot of time.

Of course, the EXPO line (light rail) is supposed to open in the next 12 months and will connect Culver City to Downtown LA.

[BRinSM]

your biggest issue isn't going to be which street to use, rather how to move the fastest in PM rush hour traffic. if i were you, i'd either use washington or venice. i would give yourself a minimum of 45 minutes to get there by 7. an hour would probably be even safer if punctuality is important. and don't use anything north of pico! olympic and wilshire are terrible streets to drive on in the evenings, especially headed east. they neighborhoods along those routes are certainly nicer, but they are extremely heavily traveled.

also, if you want to see what bus options you have then check the trip planner at Metro | around | LA Metro Home

[bmwguydc]

I was referring to the return trip using Olympic or Wilshire at 10-11 PM, not headed downtown when you should be fine using any of the other routes east. Just wanted to clarify that, since I would not go that route to get there by 7, not with the traffic.

[viola22]

thanks for all of the info, everyone. I do still get a little intimidated driving downtown with all the one-ways and the knot of freeways but I'm sure when I learn the streets I will get used to it. it's a bummer that that train is not open yet! are the trains safe at night? for the record I used to feel safe riding the nyc subway anytime before midnight really, but have never been on an LA subway.