Southern California freeways
The Southern California freeways are a vast network of interconnected freeways in the megaregion of Southern California, serving a population of 23 million people. The Master Plan of Metropolitan Los Angeles Freeways was adopted by the Regional Planning Commission in 1947 and construction began in the early 1950s.[1] The plan hit opposition and funding limitations in the 1970s, and by 2004, only some 61% of the original planned network had been completed.
The region is well known for its freeways, and they are considered a cultural touchstone.
History
Origins
Southern California's romance with the automobile owes in large part to resentment of the
Traffic congestion was of such great concern by the late 1930s in the
Planning and construction
During
Proposed/future freeways
Caltrans or local transportation agencies have identified the following priority freeway projects:
- A toll road that will go through a tunnel in the Santa Ana Mountains from Irvine to Corona.[4][5][6]
- Upgrading State Route 210 to Interstate standards and renumbering the route Interstate 210.[7]
- A new freeway, the Mid County Parkway, from Interstate 215 in Perris to State Route 79 in San Jacinto.[8]
- An extension for Interstate 710, the Long Beach Freeway, to its originally planned terminus at Interstate 210, the Foothill Freeway, in Pasadena, via a tunnel underneath the city of South Pasadena[9] or some other means. Caltrans, however, cancelled the project in November 2018.[10]
- An extension to the State Route 241 toll road to meet Interstate 5 in or near San Clemente.[11]
- Upgrading
- Upgrading Pacific Coast Highway, in Newport Beach, potentially via a tunnel.[13]
- Construction of the High Desert Corridor, a freeway and Mojave Freeway, near Victorville. It would also carry a high-speed rail line to Las Vegas, Nevada.[14][15] Caltrans put the freeway on hold in 2019.[16]
- State Route 48 is a completely unconstructed 25.5-mile (41.03 km) freeway to connect at the current SR 14/138 junction and West Avenue E, go east running parallel with East Avenue E and East Avenue G, and terminate in Hi Vista at East Avenue G/200th Street East, at the planned SR 122 freeway.[citation needed]
- State Route 122 is a completely unconstructed 61.3-mile (98.7 km) freeway, defined to run from SR 14 south of Palmdale, and proceed northeast through Hi Vista, and terminate at the current U.S. 395/SR 58 at Kramer Junction.[citation needed]
- State Route 249 is a 13.5-mile (21.7 km) unconstructed route that would connect SR 2 north of La Cañada Flintridge with SR 14 south of Palmdale. Angeles Forest Highway (CR N3) follows the general alignment, but Caltrans has no plans to take it over. However, there are plans to explore the building of this route between Palmdale and Los Angeles by tunneling through the mountains.[citation needed]
- A toll road that would run from SR 126 to SR 118 in Simi Valley through the Santa Susana Mountains (proposed in August 1990).[17] The only north–south highways that connect SR 126 with SR 118 are I-5 and SR 23. Motorists on SR 126 can use this route to reach Simi Valley without having to use Interstate 5 via Newhall Pass to SR 118 or SR 23 to Moorpark and vice versa. A good traversable route would be Tapo Canyon Road, Windmill Canyon Road, and Pico Canyon Road, but Caltrans has no plans to take it over.[citation needed]
Naming
Freeway names
Southern California residents idiomatically refer to freeways with the definite article, as "the [freeway number]", e.g. "the 5" or "the 10".
When Southern California freeways were built in the 1940s and early 1950s, local common usage was primarily the freeway name preceded by the definite article.[19] It took several decades for Southern California locals to start to also commonly refer to the freeways with the numerical designations, but the usage of the definite article persisted. For example, the San Gabriel River Freeway evolved into "the 605 Freeway" and then shortened to "the 605".[18][19]
Named interchanges
- SR 110
- SR 110
- East Los Angeles: I-5 / I-10 / SR 60 / US 101
- SR 170
- I-110
- El Toro Y: Southern junction of I-5 / I-405
- Kellogg: I-10 / SR 57 / SR 71
- Orange Crush: I-5 / SR 22 / SR 57
- Newhall Pass (Clarence Wayne Dean Memorial): I-5 / SR 14
- SR 210
- David M. Gonzales Memorial: I-5 / SR 118
- Marilyn Jorgenson Reece Memorial: I-10 / I-405
- Sadao S. Munemori Memorial: I-105 / I-405
Other named features
- Highway 101passes through a trench in Downtown Los Angeles.
- South Bay Curve: where Interstate 405 bends from north–south to east–west in Torrance
- U.S. Route 101 near the J. Paul Getty Museum.
- Cahuenga Pass: the Hollywood Freeway just south of the interchange with the Ventura Freeway
- Golden State Freeway
- Orange Freeway to the westbound 210 Foothill Freeway; or the eastbound 210 transition to the southbound 57. Formerly part of Interstate 210 before the completion of the newer section of the Foothill Freeway in 2003.
Comparisons and firsts
- First freeway in California (Arroyo Seco Parkway linking Pasadena and Los Angeles)
- First stack interchange (Four Level Interchange in downtown Los Angeles)
- First grade-separated HOV lanes[citation needed]
- First fully automated tollway system (91 Express Lanesin northern Orange County)
The Southern California area has fewer lane-miles per capita than most large metropolitan areas in the United States, ranking 31st of the top 39. As of 1999, Greater Los Angeles had 0.419 lane-miles per 1,000 people, only slightly more than
Limited-access roads not maintained by the state
The following limited-access roads are not maintained by the state:
- State Route 134, from Colorado Blvd in Eagle Rock to the Ventura Freeway
- Harbor Scenic Drive from Interstate 710 at Ocean Boulevard to RMS Queen Mary
- State Route 261from Walnut Avenue near Interstate 5 to Barranca Parkway
- Oak Grove Drive in Pasadena, former routing of the Foothill Freeway
- Shoreline Drive in Long Beach, the downtown exit from southbound Interstate 710 to Queens Way
- Laurel Canyon Freeway
- State Route 241from Oso Parkway to Cow Camp Road
List of freeways
Major freeways leading into and out of Southern California
- San Diego, northbound to the Central Valley and Sacramento
- San Ysidro to Downtown San Diego
- San Diego Freeway from Downtown San Diego to the El Toro Y
- East L.A. Interchange
- Golden State Freeway from the East L.A. Interchange to Wheeler Ridge
- Interstate 8 west terminus in Ocean Beach in San Diego, eastbound to the Arizona State Line towards Yuma
- Ocean Beach Freeway from Ocean Beach to Old Town
- Kumeyaay Highway from Ocean Beach to the San Diego-Imperial County Line as well as El Centro and Imperial
-
- East L.A. Interchange
- East L.A. Interchange to San Bernardino
- Interstate 15 south terminus in Barrio Logan in San Diego, northbound to the Nevada State Line towards Las Vegas
- Interstate 805
- County Line
- Temecula Valley Freeway from the San Diego-Riverside County Line to Lake Elsinore
- Corona Freeway from Lake Elsinore to Corona
- Ontario Freeway from Corona to the Devore neighborhood of San Bernardino
- Mojave Freeway, also Barstow Freeway, from Devore to the NevadaState Line
-
- Needles Freeway
- Central Coast region to Silicon Valley and San Francisco
- Santa Ana Freeway from the East L.A. Interchange to the Four Level Interchange
- Hollywood Freeway from the Four Level Interchange to the junction with the Ventura Freeway
- Ventura Freeway from the junction with the Hollywood Freeway to Seacliff
- State Route 14, south terminus at Interstate 5 in Los Angeles, northbound to U.S. Route 395 and Bishop
- Antelope Valley Freeway from Tunnel Station to Mojave
San Diego area
- Interstate 5
- San Ysidro to Downtown San Diego
- San Diego Freeway from Downtown San Diego to the El Toro Y in Orange County
- Interstate 8
- Old Town San Diego
- Mission Valley Freeway from Old Town San Diego to El Cajon
- Kumeyaay Freeway from Ocean Beach to Imperial County
- State Route 15
- Escondido Freeway from Barrio Logan to Escondido
- State Route 52
- La Jolla to Santee
- State Route 54
- South Bay Freeway from National Cityto Jamacha Road exit
- State Route 56
- Ted Williams Freeway from Carmel Valley to Sabre Springs
- State Route 67
- State Route 75
- San Diego-Coronado Bay Bridge
- State Route 78
- State Route 94
- Martin Luther King Jr. Freeway from Downtown San Diego to Spring Valley
- State Route 125
- Otay Mesato Jamacha Road exit
- Ramona Freeway from Jamacha Road exit to Santee
- State Route 163
- Interstate 15
- Interstate 805
- Sorrento Valley
- State Route 905
- Otay Mesaborder crossing
Controlled access routes not maintained by the state
- U.S. Route 395
- U.S. Route 101
- Mission Valley near the site of the former San Diego Stadium
Inland Empire Metropolitan Area
(Includes San Bernardino and Riverside Counties)
- Interstate 10
- East L.A. Interchange to San Bernardino
- Interstate 15
- San Diego County line to Lake Elsinore.
- Corona Freeway from Lake Elsinore to Corona
- Ontario Freeway from Corona to San Bernardino
- Mojave Freeway from San Bernardino to the NevadaState Line
- Interstate 40
- State Line
- State Route 60
- East L.A. Interchange to Riverside
- Interstate 10
- State Route 71
- State Route 57
- State Route 91
- Riverside Freeway from Fullerton at Interstate 5 to Riverside
- State Route 210
- Foothill Freeway from Sylmar to Redlands
- Interstate 215
- Escondido Freeway from Murrieta to Riverside
- Riverside Freeway from Riverside to San Bernardino
- Interstate 15
Greater Los Angeles
(includes Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura Counties)
- State Route 1
- freeway stub in Dana Point, leading north from Interstate 5
- Interstate 10
- freeway stub east of Oxnard
- freeway stub in
- State Route 2
- State Route 134 in Glendale
- La Cañada-Flintridge
- Interstate 5
- San Diego Freeway from San Diego to the El Toro Y
- East L.A. Interchange
- Kern County
- Interstate 10
- East L.A. Interchange
- East L.A. Interchange to San Bernardino
- State Route 14
- Kern County
- Sierra Highway (old Rte 14) from Newhall Avenue (formally SR 126/San Fernando Road) to Rainbow Glen Drive. This section is still maintained by Caltrans and is signed as 14U – Unrelinquished.
- Interstate 15
- San Diego County line to Lake Elsinore.
- Corona Freeway from Lake Elsinore to Corona
- Ontario Freeway from Corona to San Bernardino
- Mojave Freeway from San Bernardino to the NevadaState Line
- State Route 22
- 7th Street freeway stub from Interstate 605interchange
- Garden Grove Freeway from Westminster to Orange
- 7th Street freeway stub from
- State Route 23
- Moorpark Freeway from Thousand Oaks to Moorpark
- State Route 33
- Ojai Freeway from Ventura to Foster Park
- Interstate 40
- State Line
- State Route 47
- San Pedro to Terminal Island
- State Route 103)
- State Route 55
- State Route 1 in Newport Beach
- Newport Freeway from Costa Mesa to Anaheim
- State Route 57
- Orange Freeway from the Orange Crush interchange to Glendora
- State Route 58
- freeway stub from Kern County
- freeway stub from North Edwards to Kramer Junction
- freeway stub from Hinkley to Barstow
- freeway stub from
- State Route 60
- East L.A. Interchange to Riverside
- Interstate 10
- State Route 71
- State Route 57
- freeway stub from the Corona Expressway
- State Route 73
- Costa Mesa to Irvine
- San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor from Irvine to Laguna Niguel
- State Route 90
- Marina Freeway freeway stub east and west of the Interstate 405 near Marina del Rey
- State Route 91 in Yorba Linda
- State Route 91
- Interstate 710 in Long Beach
- Riverside Freeway from Fullerton at Interstate 5 to Riverside
- U.S. Route 101
- East L.A. Interchange to the Four Level Interchange
- State Route 170
- State Route 103
- State Route 47 to Sepulveda Boulevard/Willow Street in Long Beach
- Interstate 105
- Century Freeway from El Segundo to Norwalk
- Interstate 110
- Santa Monica Freeway
- State Route 110
- Santa Monica Freeway to the Four Level Interchange
- Pasadena Freeway from the Four Level Interchange to Pasadena
- State Route 118
- Simi Valley Freeway from Moorpark to San Fernando
- State Route 133
- Laguna Freeway from just south of Interstate 405 to Interstate 5
- State Route 241
- State Route 134
- North Hollywood at the junction with the Hollywood Freeway
- State Route 138
- Lancaster Freeway freeway stub east from Interstate 5 near Gorman
- State Route 170
- Golden State Freeway
- State Route 210
- Foothill Freeway from Tunnel Station to Redlands
- Interstate 215
- Escondido Freeway from Murrieta to Riverside
- Riverside Freeway from Riverside to San Bernardino
- Interstate 15
- State Route 241
- Eastern Transportation Corridor
- Foothill Transportation Corridor to the Riverside Freeway
- State Route 261
- State Route 241
- Interstate 405
- San Diego Freeway from the El Toro Y to San Fernando
- Interstate 605
- San Gabriel River Freeway from Seal Beach to Duarte
- Interstate 710
- Long Beach Freeway from Long Beach to Alhambra
- freeway stub south from the Foothill Freeway
See also
- California Roads portal
References
- ^ "California Highways: Telling a Story through Highway and Planning Maps: Southern California Freeway Development (Part 1 - 1940s)". www.cahighways.org. July 13, 1936. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
- ^ http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/thedailymirror/2008/06/june-15-1938.html "Motorways Plan Revealed: System of Roads Designed to Cure Traffic Ills," Los Angeles Times, June 15, 1938
- ^ Hall, Peter Cities in Civilization: Culture, Technology, and Urban Order, London, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1998; New York, Pantheon Books, 1998 See section on Los Angeles
- ^ "The Crazy $700 Billion Plan To Fix SoCal Traffic: Tunnels!". LAist. November 18, 2015. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
- ^ "Plans for Irvine-Corona tunnel shelved". Orange County Register. August 27, 2010. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
- ^ "Schedule", octa.net, archived from the original on October 10, 2012
- ^ Fagin, Daniel (May 7, 2016). "Routes 209-216". California Highways.[self-published source]
- ^ "Schedule", pe.com
- ^ "Schedule", dot.ca.gov
- ^ "Editorial: Caltrans Officially Kills 710 Extension Project After Decades Of Debate". CBS Los Angeles. November 28, 2018. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
- ^ "Schedule". octa.net.
- ^ "Schedule", mission71project.com
- ^ "Schedule", octa.net
- ^ "Schedule", dot.ca.gov
- ^ Sahagun, Louis (February 10, 2018). "L.A. County set to build its first new freeway in 25 years, despite many misgivings". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 31, 2018.
- ^ "Editorial: It was a terrible idea to build a new freeway in Los Angeles County. Now it's on hold for good". Los Angeles Times. October 6, 2019. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
- ^ "Private Toll Highway Linking California 126 With 118 Is Proposed : Transportation: The road, which would ease traffic in Simi Valley, is one of eight proposals Caltrans has received. Up to four will be selected by Sept. 14". Los Angeles Times. August 2, 1990. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ a b Masters, Nathan (November 10, 2015). "The 5, the 101, the 405: Why Southern Californians Love Saying 'the' Before Freeway Numbers". KCET. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ S2CID 144010897.
- ^ http://www.publicpurpose.com/hwy-tti99ratio.htm publicpurpose.com
Further reading
- Brodsly, David (1981). L.A. Freeway, an Appreciative Essay. ISBN 9780520040687.
- Carney, Steve. "From Superhighways To Sigalerts: Freeways Have Become Part Of Southland's Identity." Los Angeles Daily News, September 21, 1999, p. N4. ^
- Haddad, Paul (2021). Freewaytopia: How Freeways Shaped Los Angeles. Santa Monica Press. ISBN 978-1-59580-786-1.
- Hise, Greg (1999). Magnetic Los Angeles: Planning the Twentieth-Century Metropolis. Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 0-8018-6255-8.
- Schrank and T. Lomax, The Urban Mobility Report 2007. Texas Transportation Institute.
- Taylor, Brian (2004). "The Geography of Urban Transportation Finance," pp 294–331 in Hanson and Giuliano eds., The Geography of Urban Transportation, 3rd Edition. The Guilford Press. ISBN 1-59385-055-7.
External links
- The History of Southern California Freeway Development
- Southern California Area Highways Page
- California Department of Transportation Live Streaming Traffic Cams
- California Highway Patrol Los Angeles Traffic Incident Information Page
- Sigalert Los Angeles Traffic Report
- Los Angeles Freeway Descriptions
- California Department of Transportation Named Freeways (PDF file)
- [1] Southern California Trucking Accidents
- California Institute for Telecommunications Wireless Traffic Reports for Southern Cal
- The Urban Mobility Report 2007, Texas Transportation Institute
- Should I buy a home near the freeway? (from SCPCS)