We are moving to Los Angeles, my husband has a job in torrance, and I will be going to UCLA, we are looking for a good middle ground (Culver city, Marina Del rey, torrance, redondo beach). Is the traffic worse heading north or south on I-405 or are they both equally horrendous?

Pretty horrendous both ways at all hours of the day and night.

Traffic is worse heading north in the morning because people are headed into the L.A. area. Traffic is worse heading south in the evening with people leaving L.A. I've done the "reverse" commute for over 10 years and, during that time, the "reverse" traffic has become almost as bad. My son commuted from North Redondo Beach (close to the freeway) to UCLA and it took him 40-45 minutes in the morning rush. A good compromise location would be Culver City although you won't like the lifestyle as well as there's not a sense of community and you're pretty far from the ocean. Marina del Rey is also workable but it's much more expensive so it depends on what you can afford. West L.A. might work as your husband would have the "reverse" commute even though he'll have to travel a bit further. However, I don't know where your husband's job in Torrance will be. There are many part of Torrance that can be 30 minutes from the freeway during rush hour. If that's the case, then you should move further south. Because you're a student, you'll have more flexibility in your schedule and you'll be able to schedule your classes around rush hour so your husband can live closer to Torrance and his job. I hope this helps!

Marina Del Rey was recently named the divorce capital of the nation, so think twice before you relocate to this expensive party community.

I live right across the border from Culver City at National and Robertson right off the 10 freeway. I commute almost daily to south bay and further south (to Long Beach--I'm in sales and go to different places each day). The traffic is MUCH better south in the am and north in the pm, than the reverse.
Coming home, traffic slows down around the airport or a stop or two further north. I often get off at Howard Hughes at take Sepulveda home. I know you don't need all these details but it is NOT the same traffic coming north in the morning as going south. It is MUCH worth coming north in the am.

I live east of the Palms area, where a lot of UCLA students rent.

thanks for all the advice, my husband's job is right off carson st at harbour- ucla hospital off the 110 and some days he'll have to travel to long beach, we am dreading the commute either way, but it sounds like there are some streets I can take that can avoid the freeway, we don't want to live in a crappy neighborhood but we don't have kids so schools are not an issue, how about manhattan beach or hermosa beach? this seems to be the middle ground off the I-405

If you can afford, Manhattan Beach or Hermosa, all the more to you. These are very expensive areas and you'll need to make sure that you have a few off street parking spots, since they're nearly impossible to come by.

I grew up in Manhattan Beach. I should have enjoyed it, because I will never be able to afford to live there again. Hermosa is just as expensive. But those locations would be nice if you could afford it.

I live in West Torrance (about 2 miles from Redondo) and you can find affordable apartments here. I commute to culver city. There are some "short cuts" that I take, and it takes me about 25 minutes to get to work exiting the Howard Hughes Center.(it takes 10 minutes just to get to the freeway)

As everyone said, south traffic in the am is pretty good. Pm traffic seems to be icky both ways. You can always do the reverse that a poster mentioned earlier if you commute from Torrance to UCLA...get off on Howard Hughes (where the traffic gets pretty bad) and go local to UCLA from there.

Welcome to UCLA, you'll love it.