State Route 2 West - Los Angeles to Santa Monica

About 15 blocks west of its split from U.S. 101 (Hollywood Freeway), westbound California 2 (Santa Monica Boulevard) meets California 170 (Highland Avenue). Turn right on Highland Avenue north to merge with U.S. 101 near the Cahuenga Pass. Note the old, porcelain-enamel, white-on-blue street sign blade for Santa Monica Boulevard.

05/11/10

Within the City of Santa Monica, U.S. 66 and California 2 follow Lincoln Boulevard south for three blocks before ending at California 1 and Interstate 10 at the Olympic Boulevard intersection. Prior to Olympic Boulevard, this overhead guide sign on southbound Lincoln Boulevard advises of the on-ramp to Interstate 10 (Santa Monica Freeway) east to Los Angeles.

10/30/05

Southbound Lincoln Boulevard approaches two intersections with Olympic Boulevard. The first is one-way westbound, while the second is one-way eastbound. Here, Olympic basically serves as a frontage road on either side of Interstate 10, facilitating access to the eastbound freeway or northbound Pacific Coast Highway. A smaller roadside sign here advises that traffic for Oxnard (implied to be California 1 (Pacific Coast Highway) north) should turn right on Olympic Boulevard, while traffic bound for Interstate 10 (Santa Monica Freeway) east to Los Angeles should continue straight over the freeway and prepare to turn left at the second Olympic Boulevard intersection.

10/30/05

Immediately thereafter, U.S. 66 and California 2 west and Lincoln Boulevard south meet Olympic Boulevard. At this point, U.S. 66 reaches its historical end. At one time the intersection between Alternate U.S. 101 and U.S. 66, this was the farthest west U.S. 66 ever reached officially. However, unofficially, the historic route now ends at Santa Monica Pier (including a Route 66 end sign posted on the pier itself). This also marks the former western extent of California 2, which was eliminated from Santa Monica when Santa Monica Boulevard and this section of Lincoln Boulevard were returned to the municipality for maintenance. We could not find any end shields present here for either U.S. 66 or California 2. Stay left on southbound Lincoln Boulevard for the connection to Interstate 10 (Santa Monica Freeway) east to Los Angeles. California 1 continues south along Lincoln Boulevard toward Venice.

10/30/05

It is arguable as to whether California 1 immediately begins at the northern Olympic Boulevard intersection or at the point where southbound traffic merges onto Lincoln Boulevard on the other side of the bridge over Interstate 10. For route continuity purposes, the southbound direction of Lincoln Boulevard over the Santa Monica Freeway could be considered a continuation of California 2 until meeting the eastbound lanes of Olympic Boulevard at the south end of the Lincoln Boulevard bridge.

10/30/05

After crossing over Interstate 10, southbound Lincoln Boulevard meets the eastbound lanes of Olympic Boulevard, the frontage road. Traffic from California 1 south meets Lincoln Boulevard at this intersection. This marks the western terminus of California 2.

10/30/05

A separate sign for Interstate 10 and the Santa Monica Freeway is posted on the left (east) side of Lincoln Boulevard at the southern Olympic Boulevard.

10/30/05