Moving to a new area involves a big learning curve, and one of the things you have to learn is how to get around. California traffic makes that even more of a challenge. So do the traffic reports! I came from Boston, so southern California drivers didn't bother me -- they drive too fast, but at least they don't drive like a pack of sharks in full feeding frenzy -- however, I was constantly puzzled by the nicknames I was hearing on the radio traffic report, which are almost never on the map.
Number One Lane?
Before I launch into freeway names, one other common question answered: The "number one lane" is the lane closest to the median strip or center divider; then count 2, 3, 4 going to the right, away from the median strip. The number 2 lane, statistically, has the fewest accidents.
California Freeway Names
Here's what native Californians know that I had to figure out. Some of the names are links which provide a map. Note that I've used SR-# because that's the official designation of state highways, but the sign often says CA-# instead.
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Foothill Freeway
Interstate 210. East-West freeway along the north side of Los Angeles.
"Stacked" interchange between the Hollywood, Harbor, Pasadena and Santa Ana Freeways.
Golden State/Santa Ana Freeway
Interstate 5.
Garden Grove Freeway
SR-22.
The Grapevine
Winding, steep grade on the 5 Freeway northwest of Los Angeles, leading up and over the Tejon Pass and into the interior of the state. One of the few CA freeways that often has snow closures.
Harbor Freeway
Interstate 110, but through downtown Los Angeles it is ALSO CA-110 (SR-110), which is what most of the signs say; at the Four Level Interchange, CA-110 peels off and becomes the Pasadena Freeway, which is really confusing, because there's one exit off the 5 (I think?) which points to CA-110 and I-110 and after getting into the ramp those two separate.
No wonder I was confused! On the north end, connected to I-5, it's actually SR-170; at the south end, connected to the Ventury Freeway, it's US 101.
Interchange of U.S. 101, S.R. 134 and S.R. 170. From Wikipedia:
Motorists, especially visitors and newcomers to the Los Angeles area, find the interchange confusing for a number of reasons. The name "Hollywood Freeway" is attributed to US 101 south of the interchange and SR 170 north of the interchange, while "Ventura Freeway" is attributed to US 101 west of the interchange and SR 134 east of the interchange. The Ventura Freeway segment of US 101 has an east-west alignment, but is signed as a north-south highway. Throughout the San Fernando Valley, the same onramp may be signed as both 101 North and 101 West or 101 South/101 East.
Long Beach Freeway
Interstate 710.
Interchange in The City of Orange where the 5, 22, and 57 come together. (Get used to Californians putting "the" in front of freeway numbers to name them.)
Pacifica Coast Highway (PCH)
CA-1 or SR-1, a lovely but slow drive along the coast (of course).
Pasadena Freeway
CA-110 from US 101 (at the Four Level Interchange) heading north into Pasadena.
San Diego Freeway
Interstate 405.
Santa Monica Freeway
Interstate 10.
Sig Alert
Any unexpected delay in traffic of 30 minutes or more. The term is named after its inventor, Lloyd Sigmond of radio station KMPC. Here's Sig Alert's live traffic tracking map for Orange County and LA. Read here for the history of Sigalerts.
Ventura Freeway
Freeway from Ventura to Pasadena. West of the Hollywood Split, it's U.S. 101. East of the split, it's S.R. 134.
