Interstate 110 and California 110 provide a continuous freeway link from the Port of Los Angeles at San Pedro with downtown Pasadena. The portion of freeway between San Pedro and Interstate 10 is Interstate-standard as the Harbor Freeway. This section of freeway has benefited by the construction of separated high occupancy vehicle lanes and multimodal transportation facilities. Interstate 110 transitions into California 110 at the Interstate 10 interchange; the Harbor Freeway becomes the Pasadena Freeway at the "Four Level Interchange" at Junction U.S. 101 (Hollywood Freeway). This section of California 110, between Interstate 10 and Interstate 5, passes through downtown Los Angeles, and it is always full of traffic at all hours of day and night.
California 110 then turns northeast, headed toward Pasadena with an entirely different look and feel. Gone are all of the innovative transit and high occupancy vehicle lanes that were featured on Interstate 110. In fact, much of this freeway has seen little change, with very short deceleration lanes for exits, stop signs on the onramps, narrow or nonexistent shoulders, and limited sight distance. Originally known as the Arroyo Seco Parkway, the Pasadena Freeway is an original freeway from the 1940s, and much of the highway is in its original condition. It is nowhere near Interstate standards. By the time it reaches Pasadena, California 110 changes into Arroyo Parkway, a wide surface street. The state route ends at Colorado Boulevard (Historic U.S. 66), just shy of Interstate 210. At this time, the state is considering decommissioning portions of this city street and returning it to the city of Pasadena, but it has not yet occurred.
History
California 110 and Interstate 110 was originally U.S. 6 along the Harbor/Pasadena Freeway south of Interstate 5 and U.S. 66 along the Pasadena Freeway north of Interstate 5. After the U.S. routes were decommissioned, the freeways were known as California 11 between 1964 and 1985. In that year, the Harbor Freeway south of Interstate 10 was added to the Interstate Highway System, so the entire route was recommissioned as Interstate 110.
These Interstate 110 and California 47 trailblazer shields are located near the southern terminus of Interstate 110 at its junction with California 47 (which leads to the Port of Los Angeles and Terminal Island via the Vincent Thomas Bridge) in the community of San Pedro in the city of Los Angeles. At one time, Gaffey Avenue into San Pedro south of the California 47 junction was known an unsigned extension of California 110, but that section of state route has since been decommissioned. Photo taken 07/21/01.
This California 110 trailblazer is posted along Historic U.S. 66/Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena. Photo taken 07/21/01.
This freeway entrance shield assembly is taken at the York Boulevard interchange during the 2003 ArroyoFest. Photo taken 06/15/03.
It is not too often that a "Stop" sign is mounted above a freeway entrance shield assembly, but is what may be found at the on-ramp from Via Marisol onto southbound California 110 at Exit 28B. Photo taken 06/15/03.
Arroyo Fest - Arroyo Seco Parkway Walk
We begin the Arroyo Fest walk at the north end of the Pasadena Freeway (historic Arroyo Seco Parkway) southwest through the arroyo toward (but not all the way to) downtown Los Angeles. The first sign on our morning walk is a city limits sign for South Pasadena as we leave the city of Pasadena. Photo taken 06/15/03.
The ArroyoFest was held on June 15, 2003, as an opportunity to walk along an historic parkway that is normally a very busy and congested freeway. Organizers hope to host additional freeway walks in the future to continue to foster community relations. On this day, members of the AARoads photography corps were out in force to walk as much of the highway as possible. Starting at the north end, this sign greets walkers to the historic Arroyo Seco Parkway as California 110 leaves Pasadena and begins its trek southwest toward downtown Los Angeles. Photo taken 06/15/03.
This sign, placed on an old-style structure, is the first freeway sign along southbound. The next exit is for Exit 31B, Fair Oaks Avenue. Photos taken 06/15/03.
The freeway begins shortly after the brown historic sign. Photo taken 06/15/03.
The first exit along southbound is Exit 31B, Fair Oaks Avenue. Photos taken 06/15/03.
Orange Grove Avenue leads to a hospital and Norton Simon Museum. Photo taken 06/15/03.
This typical bridge designation sign is used by most Caltrans districts to identify the name of the road/water body/barrier the highway is passing, bridge log reference number, route number, and post mile number (including county name) to two decimal places. Photo taken 06/15/03.
California 110 approaches Exit 31A, Orange Grove Avenue (0.50 mile). Photo taken 06/15/03.
View of southbound California 110 and ArroyoFest walkers. Photo taken 06/15/03.
This mileage sign provides distances to the next three exits: Exit 31A, Orange Grove Avenue; Exit 30B, York Boulevard; and Exit 30A, Avenue 60. Photo taken 06/15/03.
The next exit is Exit 31A, Orange Grove Avenue. Notice how this sign was mounted onto the Prospect Avenue bridge and is a bit uneven. Photos taken 06/15/03.
Southbound California 110 approaching Exit 30/York Boulevard, 0.75 mile. Photo taken 06/15/03.
California 110 crosses the Arroyo Seco at this bridge. It was built in 1939 ... yes, a bridge that old is still in use along this major freeway. Note the presence of a sidewalk, which may harken back to a day when sidewalks may have been considered for use on freeway bridges. Photos taken 06/15/03.
On many of these walkabout pictures along California 110, pictures speak louder than words, especially the entirely vacant northbound lanes of the often-congested freeway. Photo taken 06/15/03.
This mileage sign along southbound California 110 provides the distance to the next three exits: Exit 30, York Boulevard; Exit 29, Avenue 60; and Exit 28B, Via Marisol. Photo taken 06/15/03.
The next five exits serve Highland Park. Photo taken 06/15/03.
Southbound California 110/Pasadena Freeway meets Exit 30, York Boulevard. There are no deceleration and acceleration lanes present for this interchange. Photo taken 06/15/03.
A couple of exit ramps are posted for a five mile-per-hour exit speed, including this one for Exit 30/York Boulevard. Photo taken 06/15/03.
Small, old-style, button-copy, non-reflective, gore sign for Exit 30, York Boulevard. With the advent of exit numbers, few of these signs remain in place. Photo taken 06/15/03.
The next exit along California 110 south is Exit 29, Avenue 60 (0.75 mile). Photo taken 06/15/03.
This mileage sign provides the distance to Exit 29, Avenue 60; Exit 28B, Via Marisol; and Exit 28A, Avenue 52. Photo taken 06/15/03.
Views of rail bridge over the Arroyo Seco Parkway. Photo taken 06/15/03.
An old-style milepost 29 marker is situated in the median of California 110/Pasadena Freeway. Photo taken 06/15/03.
Southbound California 110/Pasadena Freeway (Historic U.S. 66 and California 11/Arroyo Seco Parkway) meets Exit 29, Avenue 60. Photos taken 06/15/03.
This right-hand turn serves as the "exit" from southbound to Avenue 60. Is there any doubt that this freeway is not Interstate-standard? Photo taken 06/15/03.
This mileage sign along southbound California 110/Pasadena Freeway provides the distance to Exit 28B, Via Marisol; Avenue 52; and Avenue 43. Photo taken 06/15/03.
This view looks southwest toward Exit 28B to Via Marisol. Photo taken 06/15/03.
Southbound California 110/Pasadena Freeway meets Exit 28, Via Marisol. Photo taken 06/15/03.
This contractor's stamp, embedded in the concrete on the southbound California 110 lanes approaching Exit 28A/Avenue 52, shows that the concrete was poured and set in 1940. At the time this photo was taken, this concrete was over 63 years old! Photo taken 06/15/03.
Southbound California 110/Pasadena Freeway (Historic U.S. 66 and California 11/Arroyo Seco Parkway) meets Exit 28A, Avenue 52. Photos taken 06/15/03.
Southbound California 110 approaches Exit 27, Avenue 43. This was the end of the freeway walk. It may not seem like we traveled very far, but it certainly was a good workout for our photographers! Photo taken 06/15/03.
