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Orange County Welcome Sign on Interstate 5 at LA County Line - Little by Little I Can Breathe Again
Interstate 5 is the only road west of the Rockies that goes all the way from Canada to Mexico. A total rebuild and upgrade of I-5 in Orange County was completed in late 2010 - supported by a taxpayer approved tax increase (Measure M). This photo was taken just after the last section opened but before landscaping was completed.
This spot is about 20 miles southeast of Downton LA. Southbound traffic into Orange County goes from 3 to 5 lanes and usually moves well here, while northbound traffic into LA suddenly goes from 5 to 3 lanes and is usually at a standstill.
Drastically needed improvements in Los Angeles County have been repeatedly delayed due to the perenniel "budget crisis*". The next stretch in LA, from the County Line to Interstate 605, is an antique from the early 1950's. It was surveyed in 1999, and some property was condemned. Actual road construction finally started in mid 2012 with completion no earlier than 2016. The worst deathtrap interchange is being rebuilt first. Some service roads and the center divider are also torn up. (Added October 2013: several bridges and interchanges are in the process of being replaced -- overnight "total closures" of the freeway are frequent.)
Upgrade of the section north of Downtown LA, from the San Fernando Valley to the Kern County Line, is also underway.
This leaves the section just south east of downtown LA untouched. Northbound, I-5 eventually widens to 6 lanes then almost immediately splits 3 ways at the East Los Angeles Interchange, narrowing to 2 lanes and briefly merging with I-10 before heading toward the San Fernando Valley. Southbound, I-5 first merges with I-10, then splits off onto a two lane ramp before a "blind merge" with a connector road that finally merges with US 101 to become the continuation of I-5. One wrong move and you are on California 60 heading east towards Pomona. This section is best avoided, especially southbound. Most of the East LA Interchange is well designed but it is so complex that "fixing" the "bad parts" may be impossible.
Added May 2014: 4 of the 6 segments of the widening project in LA County have started, further disrupting traffic. Several bridges over the freeway are closed for reconstruction. Several streets are disappearing to make way for the additional lanes. The northbound lanes north of Valley View have been temporarily shifted while new lanes are being constructed. Slightly to the north, a railroad grade crossing elimination project has disrupted Valley View and closed part of Stage Road. Many of the trucking businesses along Alondra (where the bridge over the freeway is out for 18 months) have closed. Later, the bridge on Valley View over the freeway (just south of Alondra) will be torn down and replaced. On the other hand, all of this work is much needed and long overdue and will "eventually" be completed.
"Every day in every way everything is getting better and better in a ever accelerating crescendo of perfection"
Most long distance travel through LA is diverted to Interstate 405 which joins I-5 at both ends, while bypassing Downtown LA, and was partially upgraded for the 1984 Olympics. As part of a further long term upgrade program, the section of I-405 between I-10 and US 101 through the Santa Monica Mountains is being completely closed again the last weekend of September 2012 ("Carmegedon II") .
*Headline on Page 1 of Part II of Sep 14, 1975 Los Angeles Times: "Freeways to Nowhere: Construction at a Standstill -- Gaps and Dead Ends Dramatize Stoppage Due to 'Money Crunch' "
Added November 2018: still not complete. Half of bridge on Valley View has been demolished leaving a single lane in each direction on this busy truck route. Best part -- when the work is EVENTUALLY completed, northbound bottleneck will just move to I-605.
Added December 2019: almost 10 years after this photo was taken, work on the adjacent segment in LA County is STILL not complete. Traffic is frequently less than 10 miles an hour or completely stopped much of the day (according to the on-line traffic map).
Orange County Welcome Sign on Interstate 5 at LA County Line - Little by Little I Can Breathe Again
Interstate 5 is the only road west of the Rockies that goes all the way from Canada to Mexico. A total rebuild and upgrade of I-5 in Orange County was completed in late 2010 - supported by a taxpayer approved tax increase (Measure M). This photo was taken just after the last section opened but before landscaping was completed.
This spot is about 20 miles southeast of Downton LA. Southbound traffic into Orange County goes from 3 to 5 lanes and usually moves well here, while northbound traffic into LA suddenly goes from 5 to 3 lanes and is usually at a standstill.
Drastically needed improvements in Los Angeles County have been repeatedly delayed due to the perenniel "budget crisis*". The next stretch in LA, from the County Line to Interstate 605, is an antique from the early 1950's. It was surveyed in 1999, and some property was condemned. Actual road construction finally started in mid 2012 with completion no earlier than 2016. The worst deathtrap interchange is being rebuilt first. Some service roads and the center divider are also torn up. (Added October 2013: several bridges and interchanges are in the process of being replaced -- overnight "total closures" of the freeway are frequent.)
Upgrade of the section north of Downtown LA, from the San Fernando Valley to the Kern County Line, is also underway.
This leaves the section just south east of downtown LA untouched. Northbound, I-5 eventually widens to 6 lanes then almost immediately splits 3 ways at the East Los Angeles Interchange, narrowing to 2 lanes and briefly merging with I-10 before heading toward the San Fernando Valley. Southbound, I-5 first merges with I-10, then splits off onto a two lane ramp before a "blind merge" with a connector road that finally merges with US 101 to become the continuation of I-5. One wrong move and you are on California 60 heading east towards Pomona. This section is best avoided, especially southbound. Most of the East LA Interchange is well designed but it is so complex that "fixing" the "bad parts" may be impossible.
Added May 2014: 4 of the 6 segments of the widening project in LA County have started, further disrupting traffic. Several bridges over the freeway are closed for reconstruction. Several streets are disappearing to make way for the additional lanes. The northbound lanes north of Valley View have been temporarily shifted while new lanes are being constructed. Slightly to the north, a railroad grade crossing elimination project has disrupted Valley View and closed part of Stage Road. Many of the trucking businesses along Alondra (where the bridge over the freeway is out for 18 months) have closed. Later, the bridge on Valley View over the freeway (just south of Alondra) will be torn down and replaced. On the other hand, all of this work is much needed and long overdue and will "eventually" be completed.
"Every day in every way everything is getting better and better in a ever accelerating crescendo of perfection"
Most long distance travel through LA is diverted to Interstate 405 which joins I-5 at both ends, while bypassing Downtown LA, and was partially upgraded for the 1984 Olympics. As part of a further long term upgrade program, the section of I-405 between I-10 and US 101 through the Santa Monica Mountains is being completely closed again the last weekend of September 2012 ("Carmegedon II") .
*Headline on Page 1 of Part II of Sep 14, 1975 Los Angeles Times: "Freeways to Nowhere: Construction at a Standstill -- Gaps and Dead Ends Dramatize Stoppage Due to 'Money Crunch' "
Added November 2018: still not complete. Half of bridge on Valley View has been demolished leaving a single lane in each direction on this busy truck route. Best part -- when the work is EVENTUALLY completed, northbound bottleneck will just move to I-605.
Added December 2019: almost 10 years after this photo was taken, work on the adjacent segment in LA County is STILL not complete. Traffic is frequently less than 10 miles an hour or completely stopped much of the day (according to the on-line traffic map).