Driving in Los Angeles traffic can be some of the worst commuting you may experience. If you've driven or drive regularly on the 101, the 5, the 405, the 170
then you know exactly what we mean. If you live and commute in Los Angeles, Southern California - try some of these helpful shortcuts and hints to save you
time and lower your stress level:

* Resist the urge to participate and feel road rage at all costs!

*Treat other drivers like they really need your help and thoughtfulness. We never know what is going on in someone else's life, especially when they're driving
behind, or next or in front of us. Life is a challenge for all of us - give your fellow drivers the benefit of the doubt today - it will also lower your stress level!

* Make your car your own little traffic sanctuary : have water, snacks and music that you love.

* Remember: it's better to get there late, than to not get there at all.

* Leave early and give yourself extra time for your commute.

LOS ANGELES TRAFFIC SHORTCUTS



BEVERLY HILLS TO WEST HOLLYWOOD
From the cross streets of Olympic Blvd & Beverwil:

SOUTH on Beverwil

LEFT on Whitworth Dr.

EAST till you hit Fairfax or La Cienega Blvd.

BEVERLY HILLS TO HOLLYWOOD
TAKE Holloway to La Cienega

CUT up to Fountain (which runs parallel to Sunset) to Sunset to La Brea

FOUNTAIN is usually almost always faster than Sunset!

HOLLYWOOD to WEST HOLLYWOOD / BEVERLY HILLS
WEST on Franklin

SOUTH on La Brea

RIGHT on Hollywood Blvd

LEFT on Laurel Ave.

RIGHT on Fountain which brings you to La Cienega

BEVERLY HILLS / CENTURY CITY to SANTA MONICA
As a rule of thumb you’ll almost always save time by taking the 10 WEST whenever going from Century City / Westwood / West Los Angeles to Santa Monica.

WEST on Olympic Blvd

LEFT at Overland to the

10 WEST
or

WEST on Pico Blvd

LEFT onto Manning

LEFT on Ashby

RIGHT on Overland

10 WEST

With either route above within a few minutes you’ll have many Santa Monica exits to choose from.

BRENTWOOD to BEVERLY HILLS / WEST HOLLYWOOD
Freeway route:

405 SOUTH to

10 EAST

Exit OVERLAND heading NORTH

RIGHT on Olympic Blvd.

LEFT on any street just past Century City up to WILSHIRE

Surface street route:

SUNSET Blvd EAST

RIGHT on Canon Dr.

RIGHT on Beverly Dr.
head east beyond Beverly Hills if you need to get to West Hollywood

BRENTWOOD to SANTA MONICA

TAKE San Vicente Blvd.

LEFT onto any street toward the area you need (4th, 19th etc)

CENTURY CITY to DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES
Usually more of a hassle than it’s worth to take the freeway.

Best to just take Olympic Blvd.

If you want to take the freeway, get on the 10 Freeway at Robertson, Manning or Overland.

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES to HOLLYWOOD
WEST on 8th Street

GO over the Harbor Freeway

RIGHT on Hoover

RIGHT on Rampart Blvd to the Hollywood Freeway

HOLLYWOOD, from SOUTH to NORTH
Sometimes Highland is good, but sometimes it’s too crowded

TAKE Wilshire Blvd

NORTH onto Rossmore Ave which will turn into Vine

(this route also works backwards north to south)

HOLLYWOOD to SANTA MONICA FREEWAY
TAKE Crescent Heights Blvd heading SOUTH

RIGHT on Guthrie Ave.

LEFT on La Cienega Blvd.

FOLLOW signs to the Santa Monica Freeway

HOLLYWOOD TO GLENDALE
TAKE Franklin Ave.

LEFT onto Serrano Ave.

RIGHT onto Los Feliz all the way to Glendale Ave.

LEFT on Glendale Ave.

*there is a “no left turn” restriction from Franklin eastbound to Serrano northbound between 4-7pm. You may want to wait for the light at Western because so many cars can turn at the light. If not, stay on Franklin until Edgemont.

*Vermont is the last left turn before Los Feliz turns left and becomes Western. Berendo is always “no left turn” and Edgemont is “no left turn” between 7-9am and 4-6pm.

*Franklin through the hills past Marshall High school – RIGHT on Rowena, LEFT on Hyperion then turns into Glendale Blvd. in Atwater, and slides you into Glendale without the Los Felez traffic (especially after 4pm).

HOLLYWOOD to STUDY CITY
NORTH from Hollywood on Laurel Canyon and need to go east on Ventura Blvd.

RIGHT onto Sunshine Terrace just before Ventura Blvd – you’ll miss lots of traffic.


HOLLYWOOD to LAX
Normally you’d take

Highland Ave.
or
La Brea Ave
to the 10 West to the 405 South, exiting at Century Blvd, heading East to LAX. But if you’re traveling during heavy freeway traffic, work your way West from Hollywood down to
La Cienega Blvd.

SOUTH on

La Cienega Blvd.

RIGHT on Century Blvd.

MAR VISTA or WEST L.A. to

RIGHT on

Le Conte Ave.

MARINA del REY to DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES


if no freeway traffic:
90 EAST to

405 NORTH to

10 EAST

if there is traffic:
90 EAST until it stops where you’ll turn

RIGHT onto

Slauson Ave

TAKE

Slauson Ave EAST
until you can get on

110 Freeway North

(or take

Figueroa Street North
to your destination.

This route takes you via Slauson through part of Central Los Angeles)

 

MARINA del REY to BEVERLY HILLS or HOLLYWOOD


if no freeway traffic:
90 EAST to

405 NORTH to

10 EAST

EXIT Robertson or La Cienega or Fairfax or La Brea

if there is traffic:


90 EAST until it stops where you’ll turn

RIGHT onto

Slauson Ave

TAKE

Slauson Ave EAST
until you reach La Cienega

NORTH on La Cienega until you reach Beverly Hills

If you’re going to Hollywood: stay on

Slauson Ave.
until
La Brea Ave

LEFT on La Brea

NORTH on La Brea until you reach Hollywood

 

SAN FERNANDO VALLEY to SANTA MONICA


from Woodland Hills, Tarzana, Canoga Park or Chatsworth

TAKE

Topanga Canyon Blvd South

LEFT on

Pacific Coast Highway

STAY on

Pacific Coast Highway
until it turns into 10 Freeway

EXIT

Lincoln Blvd
for downtown Santa Monica

 

SAN FERNANDO VALLEY to WESTWOOD / CENTURY CITY


TAKE 405 South

EXIT Getty Center Drive

TAKE

Sepulveda Blvd. South
heading towards Westwood

If you’re going on to Century City:

LEFT on Wilshire

RIGHT on Beverly Glen

LEFT onto

Santa Monica Blvd

 

SAN FERNANDO VALLEY (Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys, North Hollywood) to the WESTSIDE or SANTA MONICA via SURFACE STREETS


TAKE

Valley Vista Blvd EAST
until
Woodcliff Road

LEFT on

Woodcliff Road

RIGHT on Mullholland

LEFT Roscomare (lots of stop signs)

BEAR RIGHT on Chalon which will become Bellagio ending at Sunset Blvd

Continue EAST on Sunset Blvd past 405 (if it’s clear hop on it) but if it’s jammed continue EAST to

Bundy Dr

LEFT for the Westside

Continue STRAIGHT if heading to Santa Monica

Then LEFT on

Cliffwood Ave

RIGHT on San Vicente

SAN FERNANDO VALLEY (starting at the Getty Center & 405)


405 NORTH – get on in Bel Air near the Getty

If light is RED, turn RIGHT at the Bel-Air Grill, make U-turn at first stop sign, and go straight. The light is timed so that the last light to turn green is the one making a left (northbound lane) and the westbound cross street always turns green before it. You’ll get ahead of many cars getting on the freeway, and won’t have to wait for the light!

 

SANTA MONICA to MARINA del REY


TAKE

11th Street South
until in ends at Marine

RIGHT on Marine

LEFT onto

Lincoln Blvd

Continue on Lincoln until you’re in Marina del Rey 10 minutes later

 

SANTA MONICA to HOLLYWOOD


Not too many that we know of – please send suggestions!

TAKE 10

EXIT La Brea

NORTH on La Brea

RIGHT on Edgewood Place
CONTINUE on

Edgewood Place
until it turns into Highland

CONTINUE North on Highland into Hollywood


OR

TAKE 10 EAST

EXIT Crenshaw

GO LEFT on Crenshaw until it dead ends at Wilshire

LEFT on Wilshire a couple blocks until you come to Rossmore

RIGHT on Rossmore

STAY on Rossmore until it becomes Vine

CONTINUE on Vine about 2 miles until you reach Hollywood & Vine

 

SANTA MONICA to BEVERLY HILLS


Take 10 EAST

EXIT Overland

NORTH on Overland to Pico or Olympic

if 10 EAST is busy (especially after 3pm)

TAKE Pico East

PASS Sepulveda

LEFT on any street you can make quick left on – this will put you at Olympic

RIGHT on Olympic

LEFT after you pass Century City downtown

 

CULVER CITY/VENICE BLVD
to 405 NORTH or

CULVER CITY/VENICE BLVD
to SANTA MONICA


Starting at

Venice Blvd
near La Cienega (Helms Bakery area)

Don’t go backwards to the freeway on ramp at Robertson.

Instead…

GO EAST on

Venice Blvd.
until you go under the freeway

It will seem like there’s no on ramp to 10 WEST (only to 10 EAST)

MAKE a legal U-TURN at Cadillac

MAKE your first RIGHT on David

You’ll be on a secret onramp to the 10 WEST and in Santa Monica in minutes!

 

WEST HOLLYWOOD to the SANTA MONICA FREEWAY


TAKE

San Vicente Blvd
(it travels Southeast)

RIGHT on Crenshaw until you get to the Santa Monica Freeway

 

WEST HOLLYWOOOD to BEVERLY HILLS or CENTURY CITY


Starting close to the Beverly Center at

3rd Street
& La Cienega

GO WEST on

Burton Way

Burton Way
intersects with La Cienega and is just south of
3rd Street

It turns into Little Santa Monica Blvd in Beverly Hills
CONTINUE on Little Santa Monica Blvd to Century City

OR

TAKE Olympic all the way

OR

If you’re near Wilshire and Barrington (or somewhere east of there)

TAKE

Wilshire Blvd
 

If you cut down to Olympic to head east, you’ll need to make a left turn with eats up time.

GO NORTH from Olympic on to a side street and then you can slide into Beverly Hills

 

WEST LOS ANGELES to DOWNTOWN SANTA MONICA


ENTER Santa Monica Freeway 10 WEST from Centinela between Olympic and Pico
EXIT 5th Street (not 4th)

You’ll miss an extra light as well as the traffic near

Santa Monica Place
and you’ll get into downtown Santa Monica
quicker

GLENDALE / PASADENA to HOLLYWOOD

TAKE the 2 South

EXIT Fletcher

TAKE Fletcher past Riverside to

Glendale Blvd

LEFT on

Glendale Blvd

RIGHT at

Silver Lake Blvd
(1st light)

TAKE Silver Lake all the way to Beverly

TAKE Beverly into Hollywood


110 to PASADENA

110 heading NORTH

NORTH of the 10 STAY in the 2nd lane (2nd from median) all the way past Dodger Stadium

STAY OUT of the FAST LANE – cause it’s anything but fast!


WEST LOS ANGELES to EAST L.A. or MONTERY PARK

On the 10 just before the Convention Center the signs will tell you to fork right, but

VEER LEFT to the 110 NORTH, which takes you close to the downtown skyline.

STAY on the inside exit lane, and get back on the 10 just after 6th, 9th, or

3rd street
exits.

(this only works if there is NOT a Dodger or Laker game happening…)

 

PALMS to WESTWOOD

TAKE Motor Ave. north to Pico Blvd. and from there
TAKE Beverly Glen north past Wilshire Blvd and cut WEST through Comstock St

Until you end up at Hilgard, which borders the east side of the UCLA campus.

Sunset Blvd. is also accessible from Beverly Glen.

 

Traveling EAST to WEST through HOLLYWOOD
Take De Longpre (it runs east/west between Sunset and Fountain)

 

SILVERLAKE to CENTURY CITY


Take

6th Street
(it’s a residential side street – pls don’t speed!) especially fast during rush hour is
6th Street
from Western to La Brea.

 

CULVER CITY to BURBANK


There’s usually lots of traffic on the 10 during rush hour – so try Adams. It’s a side street that moves even during peak rush hour times.


DOWNTOWN LA getting on the 110 North
TAKE Hill through Chinatown, then get on the 110 from there
If you try to get on the 110 North at

5th Street
you’ll be bogged in traffic.

 

SOUTHBOUND 605 to the SOUTHBOUND 5
STAY in the far right lane - it always goes much faster than lane to the left

 

WEST LOS ANGELES to HOLLYWOOD


TAKE 10 EAST

EXIT

La Brea Ave

NORTH on

La Brea Ave

RIGHT on

Edgewood Place

LEFT on

Highland Ave

TAKE Highland to

Santa Monica Blvd
or Sunset Blvd or
Hollywood Blvd

 

NORTHBOUND 5 (between the 91 and the 605)


STAY in the right hand exit lanes all the way

Right before each exit you’ll have to enter back into the lane on your left.

(this is not the best good karma shortcut..use at your own discretion)

 

NORTHBOUND 110 to 5 NORTHBOUND


NORTH on 110 Pasadena Fwy

After you past all the downtown interchanges

STAY in the RIGHT hand lane

This will keep you out of the left lane mess of people merging onto the 5

When you are past the 5 N ramp, cut over and stay in the farthest LEFT lane.

 

CHINATOWN to SAN GABRIEL VALLEY (Alhambra, South Pasadena, San Gabriel)


TAKE Broadway NORTH through Lincoln Heights

Broadway ENDS at Mission

LEFT on Mission

Mission TURNS INTO

Huntington Dr
.

TAKE

Huntington Dr.
through to South Pasadena, San Gabriel, Temple City, Arcadia etc

 

SAN GABRIEL VALLEY (Alhambra, South Pasadena, San Gabrial) to CHINATOWN


TAKE 10 West to the 5 North

EXIT Broadway

LEFT on Broadway right into Chinatown

 

ALTERNATIVE to 5 NORTH  through EAST LA during rush hour


TAKE 710 offramp heading towards PASADENA (northbound) then

TAKE 10 to Los Angeles and then slide back and

TAKE 5 North


SOUTHBOUND 5 between the 605 and the 91


HEADING South on 5

TAKE 605 South to the 91 South and then get back on the 5 South

 

SOUTHBOUND 101 to 110


GOING South on 101, the last three offramps going up to the 110 all through traffic.

TAKE one of these offramps directly to the 110 and you’ll miss lots of traffic

 

SOUTHBOUND where the 5 meets the 22 and the 57


STAY in the RIGHTHAND lane until you get through the traffic, then merge back into a left lane.

 

INLAND EMPIRE to

SOUTHBOUND 605 to the 5 INTERSTATE

TAKE the Washington offramp and stay in the “through freeway” left hand lane until it gets you back to the 605 right before it merges onto the 5

 

405 SOUTH to LAX


USE the carpool lane…and I hope you have a passenger w/you !

Or, if traffic is really really bad, you can try

EXIT 91 West

TAKE that to the Centinela exit

RIGHT on Centinela

 

405 NORTH to LAX


As you approach the 105

EXIT at the LAX Airport offramp

STAY on that road (parallel to the 405)

EXIT Manchester

There will almost always (except at 3:30am) be a long line of cars waiting to get off at Manchester. Put on your turn signal and politely ask someone to let you in – which they always will, because we’re all naturally sweet in LA!

DON’T MISS MANCHESTER…otherwise you’ll be stuck in back La Cienega traffic

Once you’re at the stop light, turn left and then immediately RIGHT back onto the onramp that goes all the way to La Tijera. At La Tijera, merge back onto the 405.

 

 

 

WEST LOS ANGELES to SAN FERNANDO VALLEY


TAKE Sunset to Bellagio to Roscomare to Mulholland to Woodcliff
you’ll be going through Bel Air..enjoy the scenery!

 

Quick way to Sunset off 405:

EXIT Santa Monica Blvd.

RIGHT on

Santa Monica Blvd

LEFT on

Veteran Ave

TAKE

Veteran Ave.
up to Sunset

RIGHT on Sunset

LEFT (immediate) on Bellagio

 

HOLLYWOOD HILLS to TORRANCE


TAKE

Wilton Place
to Olympic Blvd

Olympic Blvd becomes

Arlington Ave

At Arlington, Slauson becomes Van Ness

 

MAR VISTA to CENTINELA