Interstate 5 in LA County: Most Congested Freeway in California

[andy3175]

From online news services indicating I-5 is considered to be the most congested freeway in California as of February 2014:

http://news.yahoo.com/39-cruising-39-california-39-most-congested-freeway-062942354.html

On traffic maps, Interstate 5 in and around Los Angeles is a very angry road. It's red. For mile upon mile, hour after hour.

That hardly makes "the 5" (as locals call it) unique in a region where the expansive freeway grid is notoriously traffic locked.

But one route has to be the most congested. And in California, Interstate 5 in Los Angeles County is it, according to new data from the state Department of Transportation.

http://www.dailynews.com/general-news/20140213/la-countys-i-5-named-most-congested-freeway-in-california

What is the most congested stretch of California freeway? It has more reconstructive surgery than a Hollywood has-been, and if you make it through the madness, you can head to the border – Mexico and Canada.

The dubious honor goes to ... Interstate 5 in Los Angeles County.

In 2012 alone, vehicles spent a cumulative 6.6 million extra hours on that road due to heavy traffic – 753 years.

The numbers come from data analyzed by the California Department of Transportation, which calculates time wasted in "heavy congestion"  using sensors under the pavement that track vehicle speed. Caltrans did the math and then ranked freeways on a county level. The agency collects the data to identify which freeways are most in need of traffic relief.

It was the second year in a row that "the 5,"  as Angelenos call it, topped Caltrans' list of most congested freeways. The reigning champion had been the stretch of Interstate 405 that cuts through the western and southern part of L.A. County.

Several stretches of the 5 in L.A. County are being widened to create carpool lanes, and it is no secret why. Since the 5 opened more than 50 years ago, the county has added about 4 million people – simply too many cars for the capacity.

Regards,
Andy

[bing101]

From online news services indicating I-5 is considered to be the most congested freeway in California as of February 2014:

http://news.yahoo.com/39-cruising-39-california-39-most-congested-freeway-062942354.html

On traffic maps, Interstate 5 in and around Los Angeles is a very angry road. It's red. For mile upon mile, hour after hour.

That hardly makes "the 5" (as locals call it) unique in a region where the expansive freeway grid is notoriously traffic locked.

But one route has to be the most congested. And in California, Interstate 5 in Los Angeles County is it, according to new data from the state Department of Transportation.

http://www.dailynews.com/general-news/20140213/la-countys-i-5-named-most-congested-freeway-in-california

What is the most congested stretch of California freeway? It has more reconstructive surgery than a Hollywood has-been, and if you make it through the madness, you can head to the border – Mexico and Canada.

The dubious honor goes to ... Interstate 5 in Los Angeles County.

In 2012 alone, vehicles spent a cumulative 6.6 million extra hours on that road due to heavy traffic – 753 years.

The numbers come from data analyzed by the California Department of Transportation, which calculates time wasted in "heavy congestion"  using sensors under the pavement that track vehicle speed. Caltrans did the math and then ranked freeways on a county level. The agency collects the data to identify which freeways are most in need of traffic relief.

It was the second year in a row that "the 5,"  as Angelenos call it, topped Caltrans' list of most congested freeways. The reigning champion had been the stretch of Interstate 405 that cuts through the western and southern part of L.A. County.

Several stretches of the 5 in L.A. County are being widened to create carpool lanes, and it is no secret why. Since the 5 opened more than 50 years ago, the county has added about 4 million people – simply too many cars for the capacity.

Regards,
Andy

Not a surprise to anybody that been to LA.

[jfs1988]

Well it is the most important highway in California & probably all of the western United States. It serves the northern and southern border of the United States. I always had a feeling it had more congestion than its child, the 405.

No HOV Lane in southern Los Angeles County.

Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, Sea World, San Diego Zoo, LA Zoo, Griffith Park, & Six Flags Magic Mountain are popular destinations during the weekends. I guess you could also include the beaches in Orange County & San Diego County.

It passes through the industrial districts of Los Angeles County (City of Commerce, Vernon, Cudahy, etc). It has a connection to the Port of Long Beach via I-710. This creates lots of truck traffic.

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has trucks traveling from Mexico to Canada.

It connects southern California with central & northern California. The San Joaquin Valley (Central Valley) is one of the largest agriculture regions in the world.

Tijuana, MX is also popular destination on the weekends.

[TheStranger]

No HOV Lane in southern Los Angeles County.

Not to mention it's been six lanes for decades, when the section of freeway in Orange County was recently massively widened, and the section north of 710 is wider as well.  As noted in that article, the widening of this portion of the Santa Ana Freeway is an active CalTrans project.

[OCGuy81]

I would've guessed the 91, but this isn't too shocking.  As TheStranger mentioned above, the fact it's six lanes in southern LA county is ridiculous.

[Bigmikelakers]

I-5 from 605 to the OC line being 6 lanes is insane. The only other portion of I-5 I could find with this low amount of lanes through an urban area is through Portland. Even if I-5 is widened to 12 lanes from the OC line to Santa Clarita, you still have the East LA interchange to worry about. That whole interchange complex should be redesigned and rebuilt but we all know that wont happen.

[TheStranger]

Even if I-5 is widened to 12 lanes from the OC line to Santa Clarita, you still have the East LA interchange to worry about. That whole interchange complex should be redesigned and rebuilt but we all know that wont happen.

At least with the East LA Interchange, drivers heading to north 101 or staying on north 5/vice versa) have a nearby alternate route (710 north to 10 west going northbound, 10 east to 710 north going southbound) to bypass the entire thing completely.  (And if the 710 tunnel is ever completed, that provides another alternative to that series of interchange as well, as traffic heading further north along 5 would be able to utilize 710/210)

The bottleneck portion of the Santa Ana Freeway from Commerce to Norwalk basically is in a place where there never has been a parallel routing planned, where the trajectory of the route is at its most diagonal.

[Henry]

I would've guessed the 91, but this isn't too shocking.  As TheStranger mentioned above, the fact it's six lanes in southern LA county is ridiculous.

Maybe so, but I've always thought I-5 is the most congested freeway in a city full of them. And I think either I-405 or I-10 would rank a close second.

[pctech]

How much right of way did Caltrans buy when the freeway systems were originally constructed? They always seems to be space to add HOV, express lanes or rail transit.  Here (Baton Rouge) I-10 was very poorly constructed thru the downtown area, making expansion very difficult and expensive.

[TheStranger]

How much right of way did Caltrans buy when the freeway systems were originally constructed? They always seems to be space to add HOV, express lanes or rail transit.

IIRC, for both the completed widening of the Santa Ana Freeway in Orange County and the current project for it in LA County, significant right-of-way purchasing was required to get enough room to add the new lanes.

On the other hand, the 101 portion of the Hollywood Freeway, when first opened in the 1940s through Caheunga Pass (parallel to the older surface street 101 routing), did have a trolley line down the median for a few years.

[NE2]

On the other hand, the 101 portion of the Hollywood Freeway, when first opened in the 1940s through Caheunga Pass (parallel to the older surface street 101 routing), did have a trolley line down the median for a few years.

And the San Berdoo Freeway was built to straddle an existing Pacific Electric line, while the Foothill in Pasadena was designed to contain a relocated Santa Fe line.

[Henry]

On the other hand, the 101 portion of the Hollywood Freeway, when first opened in the 1940s through Caheunga Pass (parallel to the older surface street 101 routing), did have a trolley line down the median for a few years.

And the San Berdoo Freeway was built to straddle an existing Pacific Electric line, while the Foothill in Pasadena was designed to contain a relocated Santa Fe line.

Needless to say, they can widen the freeways to 16 lanes, and even that wouldn't solve the traffic jams that exist today. Just look at Atlanta, which did this in the 1980s (IIRC) and still has the same problems now as it did then.

[mrsman]

On the other hand, the 101 portion of the Hollywood Freeway, when first opened in the 1940s through Caheunga Pass (parallel to the older surface street 101 routing), did have a trolley line down the median for a few years.

And the San Berdoo Freeway was built to straddle an existing Pacific Electric line, while the Foothill in Pasadena was designed to contain a relocated Santa Fe line.

When feasible, having RR along freeway medians is ideal.  One benefit is that the RR would largely be grade separated along the corridor.

[NE2]

When feasible, having RR along freeway medians is ideal.  One benefit is that the RR would largely be grade separated along the corridor.

Freight rail, yes. Passenger rail is better off going through downtowns.

[sdmichael]

I went on a ride through the construction on I-5 on Monday. This time, I had my GoPro with me and shot some video.

[Indyroads]

What are the ca traffic laws regarding splitting lanes in California... I thought it was if traffic is moving under 25 mph. it certainly makes it a lot faster than having to wait in all that traffic.

[sdmichael]

The video makes it look like I'm going a lot faster than I was. There are NO laws regarding splitting lanes in CA. The guideline is to avoid splitting at speeds ABOVE 30mph and not more than 10mph greater than the speed of traffic.

[roadfro]

California is the only state where lane splitting is not illegal. The CHP recently implemented guidelines for safer lane splitting, the main ones sdmichael mentioned above.

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Motorcycle-lane-splitting-rules-unveiled-4270272.php
http://www.chp.ca.gov/programs/lanesplitguide.html

[Desert Man]

CA's I-5 traffic justifies the need of a secondary interstate (such as I-9 on former US-CA route 99). The L.A. metro area has I-405, an alternative route starts and ends on I-5. Freeways were meant to ease traffic in the beginning, today they are filled with bumper-to-bumper traffic to make you not want to use a freeway.

[hm insulators]

Great video, Michael!

[sdmichael]

CA's I-5 traffic justifies the need of a secondary interstate (such as I-9 on former US-CA route 99). The L.A. metro area has I-405, an alternative route starts and ends on I-5. Freeways were meant to ease traffic in the beginning, today they are filled with bumper-to-bumper traffic to make you not want to use a freeway.

Former CA-99? Last I checked it will be 99 for the foreseeable future.

[myosh_tino]

CA's I-5 traffic justifies the need of a secondary interstate (such as I-9 on former US-CA route 99). The L.A. metro area has I-405, an alternative route starts and ends on I-5. Freeways were meant to ease traffic in the beginning, today they are filled with bumper-to-bumper traffic to make you not want to use a freeway.

All I-5 needs is a third lane in each direction through the central valley.  A third lane would eliminate all of the "truck hopscotching" on I-5.

[agentsteel53]

CA's I-5 traffic justifies the need of a secondary interstate (such as I-9 on former US-CA route 99). The L.A. metro area has I-405, an alternative route starts and ends on I-5. Freeways were meant to ease traffic in the beginning, today they are filled with bumper-to-bumper traffic to make you not want to use a freeway.

Former CA-99? Last I checked it will be 99 for the foreseeable future.

I think he meant "former-US" (implied "current"), CA 99.

[agentsteel53]

The video makes it look like I'm going a lot faster than I was. There are NO laws regarding splitting lanes in CA. The guideline is to avoid splitting at speeds ABOVE 30mph and not more than 10mph greater than the speed of traffic.

hah.

tell that to the guy I encountered this morning who lane-split doing 60mph just as traffic was taking off after a red light.  approximately 15 seconds later I caught up with him at the next light, where he was waiting to turn left.  really saved some time there, eh, pal?

[sdmichael]

The video makes it look like I'm going a lot faster than I was. There are NO laws regarding splitting lanes in CA. The guideline is to avoid splitting at speeds ABOVE 30mph and not more than 10mph greater than the speed of traffic.

hah.

tell that to the guy I encountered this morning who lane-split doing 60mph just as traffic was taking off after a red light.  approximately 15 seconds later I caught up with him at the next light, where he was waiting to turn left.  really saved some time there, eh, pal?

While an entirely separate discussion, the same person would most likely have been an ass to another motorcyclist. I see it too often myself.