Construction on I-5?

[jenhelgren]

We will be staying the night in Newport Beach and had planned on driving down to Escondido the next day to visit the Safari Zoo. I have read in other threads that there is construction on I-5 and that is the only way my map program is pulling up to get from Newport Beach to Escondido. Will the traffic most likely affect us at the end of October and how bad is it along the route we need to take? Is there a more efficient way to get from Newport Beach to Escondido? If the construction traffic is really bad we may just drive down to the zoo from our Disney hotel later in the trip so I would love any route suggestions for either. Thanks in advance!!