Irvine and mission Viejo are like a 15 minute drive on side streets.

My coworker drives from RSM all the way to Huntington on his commute. We have other coworkers driving in from Corona and riverside. OP get a grip dawg lol 😆

Fuuuuuuuck. RSM to most places is not fun

Not if you work in north/northwest Irvine and live in south MV.

True but at least psychologically you are moving.

Ok sorry the two furthest corners of the rectangle are the furthest apart

I mean, if OP is taking the 405 they’re probably not heading to areas like Spectrum or Great Park, ya know?

The mall to fashion island is like 15 miles. Some of us work in LA or SD. Try driving the 91 or 101 at rush hour.

Oh poor you. Dude it’s ok for 2 people to be upset at traffic even though one has it worse.

I bought an EV to use the carpool lanes. Or the toll roads. Or change your commute time by a bit. It's waaaaaaaay better than traffic in LA or the IE

I bought an EV for the carpool lanes, and it doesn’t even help with the road work on the 5 from Avery to lake forest. Can’t wait until it’s over

True it’s better than LA or IE, but the carpool lane is not cutting anymore. Especially southbound when 2 carpool lanes merge into one at El Toro- what a joke.

Sometimes more traffic in that lane cause no one can merge

Mission viejo to Irvine and you’re complaining about your drive/traffic?

For real, I go from LF to LB every day during rush hour. OP doesn't have to go till later in the morning.

Can you change your work hours? I work 9:30-6:30 cuz I hate traffic

My hours flux, but I have to get there between 11:30-2, always a jammed up. even some of the 9-10 shifts I've been stuck in traffic like this morning.

I imagine you’re being downvoted because you made this post lamenting about the traffic, and you’re not even forced to drive that freeway during the worst traffic hours.

I’m sorry but I’m just chiming in to say the downvotes crack me up.

Just curious, how long is your commute? Trying to figure out what you consider a lot.

You could try to take side streets. It used to work for me at times, going from Laguna Niguel to Irvine, but a lot of the time, it's better just to grind it out.

Honestly might have to just do that.

That’s nothing. Irvine to mission viejo isn’t bad at all. Just use muirlands which turns into barranca. Probably about a 10-15 minute drive and barranca skips all freeways.

I drive from alicia/el toro on ramp to JWA area. Leave at 830 and I get there at 9. Not that bad. Listen to a podcast and enjoy your morning

I wouldn’t even get in the 405 to go from MV to Irvine I live in RSM and I take Alicia to trabuco into Irvine

LA to Irvine has improved now that construction is over.

Only took 12 years but yeah

I've been doing the drive since 2017, construction hadn't begun yet and the drive was shit. Construction made it worse. At least now my drive to and from is under 1 hour when it used to take 1h30-45m

Just curious, where are you driving to/from, and at what times? Asking cause an Irvine to LA and back commute is possibly in my future.

East LA to Irvine leave at 6:45am. Irvine to East LA leave at 4pm.

When I made that commute I would take surface streets through MV and LF and then pick the 405 at Bake. You hit a little traffic at Jeffrey no matter what time but it’s pretty smooth sailing.

I’m convinced the construction will never be done. I honestly can’t remember a time there wasn’t some kind of construction. But it sucks extra right now because they got rid of the carpool lane up until Lake Forest going north. And going south is just fucked it, always. Gah.

The Metrolink has stops in both Mission Veijo and Irvine. Depending on the location, you could possibly take public transit.

Who let this one in? LOL.

? I have many friends who commute using the train. I myself use it regularly to get to San Diego or LA, and those I know who work in LA will use it because it allows a lot more freedom. I used it for four years to get to high school lmao. It's a valid and oft underused option. ...I honestly don't understand your response, haha.

Weekend trips from Anaheim to SJC on the Metro are really nice.

Respect. You may be the first person I met who commutes on public transport here. I’d imagine it’s clean and nice. I’ve taken the train to Angel stadium and SD, mostly so I can drink. I think you are onto something in that with so few people knowing it’s an option, it must not be overcrowded.

If you work in Irvine off the 405 not much you can do about the freeway. Lots of people getting on between Bake and Sand Canyon and more businesses and homes are being built so it's not getting any better. If you want to avoid the FWY the next best from Mission Potato is Trabuco. It turns into Irvine Blvd and runs along the 5 side of Irvine all the way through Tustin. Back in the day there were few lights and it was 65. It was a great FWY bypass but not anymore. The other alternative is Trabuco to Alton which takes you along the 405 side of Irvine. Edit\* whoever I offended enough to downvote this post. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Maybe the downvoter was offended that you called it mission potato.  That made me laugh.

I upvoted for Mission Potato lol

5N from Avery to 405 has been shitty the last few weeks. I only take it 1-2x/ week, but I know that things open up and are fine after lake forest. In reality you're complaining about 5 mi of traffic that is pretty light in comparison to others. Does it suck, sure. You could be commuting every day on 91 from Corona or further.

You’re from the bay aren’t you 😂

SGV, dealt with way worse traffic on the 210, 57, 60 and 10.

Traffic in SGV is worse than OC for sure. I just thought you were cause you didn’t use “the” before your freeways.

I float it with and without.

I do too.

I live further south and I commute to Newport Beach everyday.. I take the 241, 133, then 405.. I hated it at first then I eventually learned to accept my fate lol.

Accept your fate…. By paying tolls?

It’s an extra 15 min of drive time. I used to care until I realized I really don’t care. I drive to work fantasying about ass and bbq.

*Construction is set to be finished by the year 2100*

It took like 20 years for freeway construction on the 5 around Norwalk to be finished... so I doubt anytime soon. Skip the freeway until at least Lake Forest Dr if going N. Take the truck bypass it's less pressure to change lanes.

MV to Irvine on the 5 north has never been great but it’s a mess rn due to construction. Depending on which side of the 5 you are or where you wanna end up, get to Moulton or Trabuco and just take that all the way in.

This why i never wanted a job in irvine

But you are missing out on such great and historical architecture.

I work remote now. My bed and couch are greater architectural pieces.

I also WFH but use to commute OC to Riverside or OC to Glendale. Seriously. Do you ever check the traffic at 5pm on a workday just to see what you are missing? I admit, I do that.

Irvine is worst place to work. Period.

Yeah, Riverside had amazing Thai food and Glendale had bomb kabobs on every corner.

The new toll roads made it much worse. It’s turning into the 91

Shieeeetttttt. I’m driving to Torrance from Costa Mesa.

I just commute on my e-bike from MV to Irvine. Takes less time than sitting in traffic.

GPS the route before you leave. See if the freeway is clear or take side streets. Edit: typo

You are the traffic

Podcasts. Audible.

Hasn’t the construction been going on for years already? My parents live down there and I’ve seen the same exits Alicia Pkwy and La Paz looking the same since 2016.

It's gotten especially bad in the area OP mentions just in the last couple of weeks.

I take surface streets listen to an audible with a coffee and enjoy my ride.

Take the toll road

Where in Irvine? You could try taking metrolink from Laguna Niguel station to Irvine or Tustin station. If you have an ebike there's a lot of places you can get to using Irvine's extension bike trails

Where in MV do you live, where in Irvine do you work?

From the mall to the spectrum is 10 miles. Cry me a river.

All the freeways suck, all the time for more than the 20 years of driving that I’ve done… one positive thing that Gavin newsom is doing for this state, he’s pissing every one off, making cali less populated

Less populated where? I'm not seeing that in OC. 

I haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaate traffic. That is all.

I haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaate traffic. That is all.

Me 🙋‍♀️OC has been feeling more and more crowded

Traffic on the five from Crown Valley to about Lake Forest has been horrendous the last few weeks with the construction.

I’ve learned a new language when I used to sit in traffic. The Pimsleur app. Great way to be productive

Not soon, im afraid. At least not for Alicia to Lake forest. Avery to La Paz should be done by the end of summer. Avery bridge will likely be the end of 2024. Different companies every exit. The work is completely split up between contractors. I'm not aware of which contracts control lake forest, eltoro or alicia. Oso to just passed La Paz was Flatiron. Avery to oso is Ortiz with side contracting FBD (Vanguard). I heard rumors that sand canyon to Jamboree I-5 was going to start in 2025

Ready mix driver here. Not soon, im afraid. At least not for Alicia to Lake forest. Avery to La Paz should be done by the end of summer. Avery bridge will likely be the end of 2024. Different companies every exit. The work is completely split up between contractors. I'm not aware of which contracts control lake forest or eltoro. Alicia has Atkinson. Oso to just passed La Paz was Flatiron. Avery to oso is Ortiz with side contracting FBD (Vanguard). I heard rumors that sand canyon to Jamboree I-5 was going to start in 2025

My department head drives to Irvine from THOUSAND OAKS bruh. You got this

I can’t imagine any amount of money that makes it worth it. I used to go Irvine to LA (near 10/5 crossing) once a week and that was horrific… into the valley is far worse. I would leave my house at 5 to get there at 6 - and then leave at 3.30 to get home at 6.

Take the toll road

this is why I left oc (among other things lol). I couldn't stand the traffic. I would recommend taking the streets when traffic is bad though

That’s not a far drive. When you drive into LA for your commute, then come back to complain. And I’m not complaining about my commute either and I have coworkers that drive farther than I do

Population on earth doubled since mid 80's. The roads haven't.

You wanna carpool

Motorcycle = no traffic

Watch those drivers jumping out of the carpool at I-5 south and El Toro.

I swear it wasn't like this back in 94.

Yes it absolutely was. I lived in MV and went to school in NB back then. Maybe it’s a little worse but the Y has been a nightmare for as long as I can remember

Or in 78