Pasadena Freeway
Ξ January 6th, 2009 | → | ∇ 90042, Highland Park, Press |
York Blvd On/Offramp in 1961
Any of us who routinely commute on the 110 can empathize with Ernest Beltran Sr., who died when his car fatally plummeted off the 110 near the I-5 interchange. The Pasadena Star reports that Mr. Beltran’s family is suing the city and state for failing to install a guardrail that contractors recommended a year prior. If recent payouts serve as any barometer, I expect the city to settle for millions before the close of business hours today. Still, despite all its design inequities and traffic problems, the 110, between Dodger Stadium and Pasadena is one of those terrible characteristics of our neighborhood that I wouldn’t trade for all the Century Freeways in the world. I can’t help but feel just a little proud after successfully merging from Avenue 57 or navigating smoothly from the Figueroa onramp across lanes to exit on the left for Union Station/Chinatown.
Did you know:
- Ground was broken on the 110 on March 22, 1938?
- It was originally dubbed the “Arroyo Seco Parkway”, a name which it still retains in part today?
- Four bridges (the Avenue 26 Bridge, Avenue 60 Bridge, York Boulevard Bridge, and Santa Fe Arroyo Seco Railroad Bridge) predate the freeway and still cross it today?
- It is a California Historic Parkway, National Civil Engineering Landmark, and a National Scenic Byway?
- The tunnels in the northbound lanes used to be Figueroa St. and handled two way traffic?
Marmion Way and York Blvd in 1940
One Response to ' Pasadena Freeway '
on January 6th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
Oh my, you’ve opened me up to speak at length now! Upon its completion and opening on December 30, 1940, the Arroyo Seco Parkway became the fifth and final alignment of Route 66 between Old Pasadena and Downtown Los Angeles. It remain as such until 1964 when Route 66 would then end at the Arroyo Parkway / Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena.
The Figueroa Street Tunnels (the last of which was completed in 1936) were the only vehicular tunnels ever to serve as a portion of Route 66 - anywhere from Chicago to Santa Monica!
The National Scenic Byway status for the Arroyo Seco Parkway makes it the only Byway in the US to be fully contained in a metropolitan area (other portions of 66 in Illinois and Missouri are PARTIALLY within a metropolitan area).
As a nominated National Register of Historic Places Landmark (Caltrans refuses its actual placement on the Register), it is afforded some additional protections from “improvements” without proper impact reports, as though it was actually listed on the Register.
As a “freeway” (by definition this means that it is a limited access highway with no cross traffic, it does not mean that it is free to use), it is the first freeway portion of Route 66 anywhere, and is the first freeway west of the Mississippi River. It is believed to be the third freeway completed in the United States.
As I mentioned, I could discuss the Arroyo Seco Parkway at great length, but in the interest of not boring too many people, I’ll leave it at that for now!