Commutes are seemingly a staple of California living. Whether it’s bumper-to-bumper LA traffic or the drive home along the coast, traffic can lead to burnout if it takes a significant time out of your day, but which drives are the worst?
A Mission for Michael, an online mental health platform, surveyed 3,002 drivers, asking them to identify the commutes most associated with burnout, according to a news release from the site.
The survey factored congestion, roadwork and time spent getting to and from work.
The site identified “burnout belts” from the survey results. A Mission for Michael argues that those commuter belts can blur the line between work and personal life with the traffic time, unpredictable delays, and the realization of just how much time in a day is lost.
In California, there are a few highways and freeways notorious for long or delayed commutes, such as Interstates 405 and 5.
Which ones were featured in the survey?
What are the worst commutes in the U.S.?
A Mission for Michael named the commute from Palmdale to Los Angeles as the worst in the country.
Palmdale is a city in the Antelope Valley in northern Los Angeles County near the county’s border with Kern County. While the city is close to LA, it is separated by the Angeles National Forest.
Just before 3 p.m. on May 6, the commute was just short of an hour and a half, taking a choice of three routes: Interstate 5, Interstate 210, or Highway 2 through the Angeles National Forest. The shortest route is just over 50 miles, while the longer route is about 69 miles, according to Google Maps.
That time isn’t at the peak of rush hour in Los Angeles, which Discover Los Angeles says is roughly from 7 to 10 am and again from 4 to 7 p.m. on weekdays.
The third-worst commute for burnout in America was the drive from Tracy to San Francisco. Tracy is a city along Interstate 5 just east of San Francisco.
Just before 3 p.m. on May 6, the drive from Tracy to San Francisco was about an hour and 15 minutes. The over 60-mile drive is mostly along Interstate 580 and does not account for peak hours.
Peak traffic periods for the Bay Area are 6 to 10 a.m. and 3 to 7 p.m. on weekdays, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.
The drive from Temecula to San Diego landed at No. 5 on the list of worst commutes in the U.S.
Temecula is a Riverside County city just north of San Diego County. The 58-mile drive, not accounting for rush hour, is about an hour and 15 minutes, mostly on Interstate 15.
What are the worst commutes for burnout in the country?
Ernesto Centeno Araujo covers breaking news for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at ecentenoaraujo@vcstar.com, 805-437-0224 or @ecentenoaraujo on Instagram and X.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: 3 California commutes among the worst for burnout, new survey shows
Reporting by Ernesto Centeno Araujo, Ventura County Star / Ventura County Star
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