THE ARROYO SECO PARKWAY CAN BE FUN OR SCARY ================================== I've had many beautiful and scary drives along the Arroyo Seco Parkway. On Sunday, October 29, 2023, the Arroyo Seco Parkway was closed for Arroyo Fest from 7:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m.. All the southbound lanes were reserved for runners or pedestrians. All of the northbound lanes were reserved for cyclists, skateboarders or skaters. My husband and I decided to cycle on the northbound lanes heading south around 9:00 a.m.. We started at the north end of the route at Glenarm. The two right lanes were supposed to be for going south. The two left lanes were for going north. The middle lane was supposed to be for passing either going south or north. But the faster riders just stayed in the middle which resulted in many potential head on collisions whereby the rider then crams in to the right. We decided we needed to escape the mayhem at York, but crossing in front of three lanes with many riders was almost impossible without causing a pile up. Both sides of the freeway should have been for those on cycles, skates or skateboards. They should have organized another event for pedestrians and runners. I sent an e-mail to the organizer with no response. It was a poorly organized event. read more

110 - Pasadena Freeway - Map - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Pasadena, California

Made you look with a 5 star? ***** PSA ***** As a departing DTLA denizen, I've watched 10 years of people insisting to merge into the South 110 from the South 101 badly. Everybody hates you when you halt traffic flow doing that! Nobody notices the sign that reads South 110 / 6th street (stay in your lane!) For those of us in the know we love skipping by in the right lanes and cutting in front of the panic roadblocks. read more

110 - Pasadena Freeway - 110 South? Stay in the 6th street lane. You'll be fine. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I cringe every time I drive this freeway and have lived in the LA area my entire life. More often than not, it is bumper-to-bumper. The more downtown is built up, the worse traffic gets. Not to mention there has been more congestion since the carpool lanes were changed to express/toll lanes. It is shameful for our cities to nearly force people into riding public transportation or buying that silly box thingy which allows them to drive in the toll lanes. And they STILL remain backed up! Leave super early if you want to make it to any event in the downtown area on time. The merge between the 10 and 5 freeways will have you jammed up as well as the,section of freeway which leads into Pasadena. read more

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This is my favorite Frwy in town, as long as there is no accidents or old lady's cruising. I learned how to drive on this Freeway's curves years ago. Still fun to drive for me. This is the oldest highway in the U.S. Originally designed for the first cars with the tunnels being built 1st, that's why the on ramps and off ramps have no acceleration and deceleration lanes. You know with the Stop sign on the on ramp and the 5 mph sign on the off ramps. Perfect only for sports cars. Best way between Pasadena and DTLA. Formerly known as Pasadena Frwy now reverted back as Arroyo Seco Parkway. read more

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Here's a different version of "living history". It's the world's first freeway, but chances are you already know that. What you may not know is that it has not been updated beyond the obligatory repaving. It's exactly six narrow lanes wide, feels like you're driving your Hot Wheels down the track, past the parks and under the beautiful overpasses, connecting the downtowns of Los Angeles and Pasadena just like it did in 1948. It has the most character of any limited-access highway in greater Los Angeles. This means, of course, that it's not up to Interstate standards. And if anything goes wrong, it can be quite dangerous. Drivers do take it slower, but not by much. The exits require you to slow down immediately to take the 15mph right turns, and the entrances are even worse, requiring you to immediately speed up to 50mph from a stop and with no merge lanes. There is no shoulder, so if you have an accident, it ties up traffic after you get another 2-3 cars involved. This is not the parkway to be texting while driving. It's not a very convenient arterial, as it doesn't connect the many freeways in LA with any other freeway in Pasadena. So you take it for what it is: an immersion into what these roads were like in the mid-twentieth century before the lawyers got involved. If you drive it to commute, you'll be cursing under your breath. But if you drive it for this historical experience, you'll be saying "cool!" read more

This freeway is CRAZY!!! I was told that this is the oldest freeway in Cali and it truly reflects it. The on-ramp begins with a stop sign then a few feet of leeway just to merge onto the freeway. I can only see the accidents now. Luckily we didn't get into any accidents nor witness any; however, drivers are nuts thinking this freeway is a game of pole position. Traffic is horrible during the merges of other interstate freeways. read more

You're a bitch, plain and simple. Whoever conceived you should be tied up to a car and dragged full speed by their balls on you. Having an entrance to the 110 and an exit downtown so close together makes perfect sense (transition from the WB 101 to the SB 110)....IT IS MERGING HELL. Can't tell you how many close calls I've had by people cutting me off just to barely make it to the exit in the short distance they have. You have slowpokes in every lane from San Pedro to the 10. To add insult to injury, you have more traffic jams because the carpool lanes have become toll lanes and have been closed off to 99% of people, whose tax money already pays for it mind you. Because you know, only the rich should be able to enjoy the luxury and convenience of carpool lanes while us po' people should get migraines sitting in traffic. Then you have Downtown which never flows faster than 5 mph. I will concede when it's not packed, you're a fun ride from the 5 all the way to Pasadena with all your voluptuous curves and no big rigs allowed rule. But being the bitch you are, you had to fudge it up somehow and that is with your short entrance ramps. Your playing with your life just trying to get in, to live and die in LA literally. read more

110 - Pasadena Freeway - Lit up tail lights, a way too familiar sight here. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Pasadena, California

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This was the original freeway, and was designed at a time when traffic might roar up the road at 45 or 50 miles an hour. It shows. Luckily this stretch is generally so clogged you are hard pressed to go faster than 50, but on those days when you can, zipping along at 65 or 70 feels like a carnival ride! The freeway also has dangerous on ramps, which drop off the side streets and end at a stop sign on the edge of the freeway!! So traffic getting on at them start at a dead stop, and if they have just edged onto the road and you're coming around a corner at speed...well, it gets a bit hairy. read more

110 FWY is nice. Not as nice as the 210, but come on.. it's not as new. Why do I like the 110 fwy? Because a lot of it is carpool. Except when you're about to hit downtown. Then it's one big cluster you know what. I've never really taken the 110 fwy north to the end. I have, but not too many times. Take this freeway to the end to find Matthew Parkman! ;) read more

Some people hate this freeway. I personally love it. It's unique in that this was the very first freeway on the West coast (opened in 1940), and the Los Angeles Freeway System was built around the Pasadena Freeway. It was completed and opened in parts, but the final completed roadway links Downtown Los Angeles with Downtown Pasadena, as it does today. It was designed as a "parkway" - with the highway meandering through lush landscaping and vegetation, with the Arroyo Seco right along side you. Back when it opened, cars were slow, and it was very easy to take a nice leisurely drive through nature, eventually ending up in Pasadena. It was easy to accelerate quickly to freeway speed from a full stop at an on ramp, because cars didn't go very fast on that freeway. Today, the Pasadena Freeway has remained just about the same as it used to be. It is very scenic as it passes through some of California's oldest neighborhoods. Some off-ramps (specifically the Los Angeles bound Fair Oaks offramp) have been taken out, and a lot of the lush landscaping has been taken out as well. Despite its scenic features, it is a dangerous freeway. Modern freeway speeds coupled with the sudden dips, sudden sharp curves and turns means that one has to be a skilled driver to maneuver this freeway. But to those who become experts at driving on this freeway, it's a fantastic experience. Those skilled drivers who learn the freeway's precise dips, turns, and curves, and come to expect them, can be rewarded with a fantastic driving experience, unmatched in any of the freeways that were built in Southern California after the Pasadena Freeway. In 2003, in an epic event, they shut down the Pasadena Freeway to traffic, and opened it up to pedestrians and bicyclists in something that came to be known as "ArroyoFest." Many described it as a transformative experience to travel through the silence of the Arroyo Seco and to commune with nature. Due to the tremendous cost of doing this, and the coordination required between the three cities of Los Angeles, South Pasadena, and Pasadena, it is very unlikely that this will happen again. Trucks are not allowed on the Pasadena Freeway, and one recent night, I learned why. I guess a big rig snuck onto the freeway (most likely didn't see the "NO TRUCKS" signs), and couldn't maneuver it. The driver tried to exit the freeway, but became stuck on one of the off ramps that lead to a bridge crossing the Arroyo. It was an interesting sight to see, a big rig stuck on one of the sharp off ramps. CHP was all over the scene. I don't know how they got it out of there. Some features to take note of: - The ornate Figueroa Street Tunnels, with the Seal of the City of Los Angeles on the portals. - The original bridges that cross the parkway and the Arroyo still remain in use. - Views of Downtown Los Angeles, coming southbound from Pasadena. - The original 1895 Santa Fe Arroyo Seco Railroad Bridge (now a part of the MTA's Gold Line) - The Downtown LA "Stack" or "Downtown Four-Level" - the world famous stack of freeways meeting that one often sees on pictures taken from overhead. - No shoulder lanes whatsoever! read more

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The 2016 YELP 500, Review #100: This is another hit or miss scenario that I have always MISSED... as in I always MISS getting stuck in traffic. I always seem to be driving in the opposite direction compared to everyone else. That suits me fine. Last trip: Saturday, April 9, 2016 in the afternoon... as I was heading to Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena. read more

Who knew you could review a freeway? Interesting... It starts in the south point of Pasadena and ends at the 405 freeway by the SFV. I love this freeway from Downtown to Pasadena, the original part, that is windy and oh so dangerous. its historical and cool, but not driver friendly. Do not take it if you cant handle sharp curves! read more

This freeway has its pros and cons, just like everything else. but I do recommend avoiding this freeway during rush hour because traffic in Los Angeles is the worst ever. I like this freeway because the on-ramps and off-ramps are pretty quick, and they're not crazy loops that really make no sense LOL and a like how traffic moves fast when it is not rush hour. When I'm commuting back and forth from Alhambra to UCLA, I like taking this freeway because it's better than taking the 10. #SG #StreetGold read more

There are only a few instances whenever I'm on this freeway. But when I am on this freeway. It's a love hate relationship. I love to drive but I hate this freeway. However, I'm optimistic cause it's a freeway and it gets me to where I need to go. Route: The 110 runs North/South North: Want to go to Pasadena? The rosebowl? Glendale? South: Want to go to Universal Studios? Hollywood? *The interestin' thing about this freeway cause it's as old as the New Kids on the block....... (ACTUALLY MUCH OLDER) the on-ramp is on the left hand side. If you're travelin on the 10 east headed towards downtown stay on your far left lane. You'll see staples and just keep your scanners peeled (Knight rider anyone?????) For your convenience: sigalert.com read more

My family and I have always lived in Highland Park. We ALL LOVE 110. The curves the excitement of it. We also have to giggle at seeing the terrified faces of some drivers. The 110 should be used to test the abilities of new drivers. Once you've mastered the 110 you'll have the confidence to drive any highway. Oh and folks don't slow down or break its a fwy! So if your not a local move out the way!! read more

Because this is the oldest freeway in LA, there are some very sharp exits near Chinatown. Its easy to merge into the freeway perpendicularly because the barriers are short and there are a lot of skid marks but there is no room of acceleration or deacceleration. I am surprised that there is an exit directly into Orange Grove, where Pasadena's mansions were. I wish I had participated in the "ArroyoFest Freeway Walk and Bike Ride" when the Arroyo Seco Parkway was closed to traffic. That area was the site of a dry season wagon connection to Los Angeles. It replaced Colorado Blvd. as part of Route 66 when it opened. My favorite part is the art deco tunnel out of Chinatown. The first stack interchange is located in the downtown section. This is a National Civic Engineering Landmark and National Scenic Byway. Trucks are banned to keep it in good condition. read more

We are driving on 110 now and my friend told me it's her favorite highway in LA because of the lights...

I know yelp is for reviews only but I'm posting this here to see if anyone else is having this issue with the 110 freeway. My supervisor has been driving this freeway for over 20 years without any incidents until the last 2 weeks. Last week we thought a rock ping'ed her windshield (it got underneath her right wiper blade which really baffled us) and cracked it. She had to replace the whole thing. Just last night she was again driving home on the 110 (south-west direction both times near Ave. 60) and something smashed her right sideview mirror. I've added a picture. We know it could just be her bad luck with rocks and/or other debris either kicking off her tire or someone else's but where she's getting hit on the car makes me think something else. We will be contacting the CHP to let them know about this but I thought I would mention it here in-case anyone is having the similar problem. read more

110 - Pasadena Freeway - Smashed side mirror from driving the 110 freeway (10/20/11) - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Pasadena, California

Also known as 110, one ten, Harbor Freeway, Pasadena Freeway! It is one freeway that I travel on daily. The 110 freeway allows me to travel from Pasadena to San Pedro in one easy swoop. It is convenient for me because it takes me straight to my office, literally on Glenarm and Arroyo Parkway. The nice stroll to Pasadena is filled with a lot of windy curves, gorgeous views of DTLA, and more often than not...TRAFFIC! Traffic is bumper to bumper between the 5 freeway and the 105 freeway. Some of the cons of this freeway is: *TRAFFIC *short exits on the Arroyo Seco Parkway *does not connect to the 210 *need to pay for FasTrak to ride in the express lanes. But it looks like it will not change my daily route. Enjoy! read more

I think it's pretty funny that the freeway has a Yelp page. I drove on this freeway almost everyday for two years and it was awful. Traffic gets backed up and going from Pasadena to Downtown can easily eat up 40-60 minutes of your life. We're talking maybe 11 some miles and it was brutal. During the rainy season, it floods and can be a hot mess. Going local around it might save you a few minutes, but can be a different type of stress inducer. During non-peak hours, it's a fast way to get from downtown to Pasadena. Just be wary of slow drivers and also speedsters. The curvy roads can make for a fun or stressful drive, if you're not used to it. read more

I have to preface this with: I don't like to drive but I do because I have to. However, this is my fave freeway in LA! It's so green & natural instead of just concrete walls. Also LOVE LOVE LOVE the curves! It's so much fun! I've been lucky enough to not be on this freeway during busy times. It's great for my drive normally from Pasadena to DT and Hollywood. Love it! read more

Continuing my series on freeways with multiple-personality disorder, we come to the 110. Personality #1: Downtown to Pasadena Personality #2: Downtown Personality #3: The dreaded Harbor Freeway from the 10 to San Pedro First a brief history: It all started in 1935 with the building of the first freeway West of the Mississippi, from Downtown to Pasadena. The only problem was, the term "freeway" didn't really exist. The 110 was actually a "parkway", hence the meandering turns, tight exits and scenic views meant for cards that went 20-30 miles per hour, not 65+. This section was completed in 1940. The building of the 110 freeway to Pasadena, of course, did not alleviate our desire to connect the suburbs with downtown, but simply wet our appetite for more. Soon, whole swaths of old neighborhoods were being torn down to make way for the 110, not to mention the 5, 101, 105 and so on. The Harbor Freeway was largely completed by 1960 - perfect timing for increasingly car-centric Los Angeles. This was likely the final death-blow to the region's once-thriving trolley car system...... Hopefully I haven't bored you to death. Stay with me. Grab a coffee maybe..... Personality #1 - Happy followed by Moody Downtown to Pasadena - "Arroyo Seco Parkway" I feel fortunate that when I have to drive in to downtown, this is my freeway. Since no trucks are allowed, traffic usually moves faster than nearly anywhere else. Unfortunately, those cool turns that give the freeway so much character also create havoc. For both good and terrible drivers (of which we have plenty in this City - see my review of the 210 for a quick driving lesson), the sharp turns and crazy exits cause A LOT of accidents. Since the parkway is only three lanes, you have nowhere to go. So, if you find yourself unfortunately enough to be stuck behind one of these crazy accidents, you may want to have a book handy - something appropriate for the amount of time you may be waiting. Moby Dick could be a good choice. Personality #2 - Frazzled Downtown I would really like to meet whoever designed that freeway. Here's how I imagine it going: Planner #1 "Hey. You know what makes sense? Lets have a bunch of cars try to merge going south-bound between the 110 and 101 right next to the location of the major centers of work. Planner #2 "Excellent. Now, what would you think about putting an exit for third and fourth street as much to the right as possible at the point of the merge? Planner #1 "Absolutely. That will obviously save them time. What possible problems could there be with that? Brilliant!" Planner #2 "Brilliant" And so, I feel sorry for you if you are coming from out of town, but get ready to MOVE! And MERGE, baby, MERGE! Personality #3 - Frustration & Futility followed by either more frustration and futility or exhilaration! No matter what you do. No matter what time it is. There will be traffic. Don't fight it. Embrace it! Easy enough to say, right? But what if you, like most Angelenos, you don't know how to leave on time. Now you'r late and you can't do anything about it. I recommend investing in a helicopter. That is, unless.... You have more people in your car! Then, you get to enter the secret bat-cave known as the carpool lane. And this carpool lane is so cool, it takes you to another carpool lane on the 105, should you be heading to the airport. It even has two lanes. Two lanes! If you don't have someone else in your car, this is one time I don't think picking up a hitchhiker is so bad. I mean, yes, potentially being hacked to pieces by an ax-wielding madman is bad, but a slow death by boredom, exhaust, frustration and possibly even old age is not cool. We only have so much time on this Earth. Why spend all of it sitting in your car? read more

Guess what? I learned to drive on this freeway. The 110 is the oldest freeway in SoCal, which is why it's so beautiful, with it's ornate, vine-covered bridges and a route that hugs the Arroyo. Welcome to L.A., pals. Beauty comes at a cost. read more

Luckily, I wasn't driving today. Still, I felt claustrophobic and car sick with all of the swerving and trying to squeeze into the other tightly packed lanes. One needs to be aggressive in LA traffic to get anywhere because most drivers aren't so nice,...but you need a whole lot of patience too. I used to live in Irvine and would have to commute to Downtown LA on a weekly basis for a couple of years. Having to take the 110 freeway to get there was not one of my fondest of memories. The varying scenery on the stretch of this freeway might be the only thing that kept me awake and sane, during all of the Stop-n-Go traffic. At least the City of LA has finally done some maintenance on it. There's not as much wear and tear as there once was. read more

This freeway to me is like a race road once I pass the Golden State Frwy. all the way to California Blvd., its pedal to the metal, both hands on the wheel, one eye in the front the other glued to the rear view mirror ,this is the oldest freeway in L.A. old hist. route 66 there are a few sharp turns, some hairpin loops, people driving under 75 mph. please keep to the right..not the center lane that's my lane and please drive safely and watch out for the other driver's cuz they aren't watching you. read more

I'll admit, when I first moved here, I hated all the turns and the curves (but hey, at least I always stayed in the middle/slow lane... we will come back to this topic), but driving this everyday has made me love it- I love the dips and the curves and the fact that it leads me straight home. However, here's a note to all my friends driving on the 110. Dearest drivers on the 110 fwy, Please do not drive in the fast lane if you will not drive faster than 45mph. If you're afraid of the curves, please go to the slow lane where you belong. Thanks! xoxoxoxxoxoxoxo, Marisa read more

This Freeway has both good and bad areas. The connections with the 101, 5, and 10 are horrible. The connections to the 405, 91, 105, and 210 are fabulous. Too bad this thing doesnt go all the way through from the 210 to the 405 Its like a woulda coulda shoulda and it would make a lot of peoples commutes a bit easier. However the on-ramps South of Pasadena are the absolute worst and I am always scared of having a massive wipeout in that area. The tunnels right around the 5 are really really bad when headed north. south of the 10 this freeway usually moves decently. read more

I live in DTLA. My sister lives in Pasadena. So let's just say this review is for the section between those 2 areas since I'm on this part of the freeway at least 3x per week ... So if you've ever been in traffic here on a weeknight due to the new paving they are doing, you'll hate this freeway. But if you're driving on the newly paved roads due to that construction ... you'll love it. So that's why I'm torn on this freeway. I've been on both those occasions. I love the fact that you can just turn on your favorite EDM station and pretend like you're playing a video game. Or you can be stuck behind someone following the 40 MPH limit on the turns and really wish you could just pass them up, but it's pretty difficult on this 3 lane freeway. All in all, if you want to know about the history of this freeway ... here you go: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arroyo_Seco_Parkway If you want to experience it the way I love it, stay away during rush hour, Dodger games and construction times ... other than that, drive sober, enjoy pushing your cars on turns that I'm sure you'll enjoy all while enjoying a historic view. Safely, of course. read more

The oldest highway in the U.S. Is truly one of the best designed. Tight twists and turns, curves followed by beautifully smooth straightaways, slow then fast. I'm an enthusiastic driver and have put many, many makes and models through these incredible lanes and I'll never get bored. Make this your commute, even if it's the long way! And If you must commute though this highway, I envy you. This "track" deserves five stars, no less! read more

Soooo, finally got the toll evasion ticket in the mail and guess what......it was only .45 cents.....that's right, .45 cents. Thank goodness we did not decide to leave the fast track lane once the triple line became solid! That, my yelp friends would have cost us a cool $391! The fee is incremental....the longer you wait to pay, the more you pay.....I did a whole lot of sweating and hand wringing for absolutely nothing! read more

This freeway can eat concrete 1/10 no creativity i expect more from my freeways theres no FREEways in a country where I have to pay taxes to fund the road paving how is this fair i want my money to go to something useful like increasing the motorized scooters in downtown read more

Because the 110 has a carpool lane NOBODY knows about. Because that carpool lane is situated in opposition, facing oncoming traffic. Because melody is a soft, perfumed gasp as i punch it down a star-lit one lane highway. sprinting past la metro and wide-eyed blue collar. until i'm weak at the knees, palms covered in cold sweat. until it's just a tach and a clutch and a quiet chorus that lilts from a red-lining engine. how many of us have all the turns and swerves memorized, realizing that those speed placards don't apply to us. that the 110 is a paradise oft free of traffic's diabolic grasp, of the chcp's watchful tyranny, and that the only requirements for admission are skill and courage. but nothing less. that the obvious conclusion of inadequacy is a set of skid marks into oblivion and a smattering of once-car on pavement. the 110 is a concrete metaphor for life in LA. drive fast, turn smooth. read more

I like this fwy like what someone else already stated no trucks allowed! It brings me to Los Angeles Metro area or up into Pasadena. This fwy is not for all though because if you are coming from la up to Pasadena watch out for those stop signs on the right hand side at times you'l have drivers awaiting to jump onto the fwy and they might roll a bit, it will definitely scare some. There is a lot of speeding a lot, if there is space a car might zoom into it within a hairline of your bumper kissing their rear. Be warned this fwy is not for all drivers read more

Here's my little venting session as someone that drives here every day: -People who drive here between downtown and Pasadena need to pay attention to the little signs here and there that say "Slow Traffic Keep Right." It's infuriating when people are driving the same speed in all three lanes. The left lane is not for cruising in or going 1 mph faster! Move over!!! -People braking going around the not very aggressive corners here need to stop braking all the time when there's no traffic, especially in the left lane! If you don't know how not to ride your brakes, go in the slow lane! Lay off the brakes!!! If you happen to get cut off while doing either of the above, you now know why! read more

The on-ramps between the 5 and Pasadena are hilarious because they were created for cars with much lower speed limits in the 1950's. Needless to say, it doesn't work out for most people today in the 21st century. read more

Wow, this is so random. The Pasadena fwy is on Yelp for reviews!? Ha! Ever since I got my license like, um... YEARS ago, I've used this freeway so much, that I can describe every little turn in my mind. Almost to a point where I might just be able to drive the freeway blindfolded, but I'm sane enough not to do so. No worries. This is one intimidating freeway if you're not used to it with all the curves and short on/off ramps. Plus, shoulders are almost non-existent. If you got cars swerving into you, there isn't much room to avoid so be REAL cautious. But once you're confident enough to drive it, it is one fun drive. To this day, I enjoy my drive from Pasadena to Culver City for my commute maneuvering through the 3 lane traffic. And speaking of traffic, there isn't much on this freeway unless it's raining. From Pasadena to DTLA around 9-10am or so, it's probably about 30-45 minutes tops. But when it's raining and when you got people who don't know how to drive in the rain, watch out. Cars be spinning into walls and stuff all the time. One rainy day when I was commuting to USC, it took me 2 hours to get there, even after exiting at the Hill St/Chinatown exit. Well, DTLA traffic was pretty bad that day too... no, traffic ALL OVER LA was bad as I recall a classmate coming from Reseda taking 3 hours or something that day. Alright, time to head home. Pasadena Freeway, I'm coming for you!!! read more

You either encounter one of three things on this freeway: 1) Heavy ragequit traffic 2) Low traffic but slow cars stuck on first gear 3) Low traffic, no slow cars Number 3, and lots of curves, this freeway gets a 4. read more

This freeway needs a big broom. It's dirty! This is the most dangerous freeway I have ever been on, and, lucky me, I have to drive twice every day. It's windey, dirty and to get on it, you have to play chicken. You go from a dead stop to rush on the freeway whenever you see a clearing in the lane because there are no on-ramps. read more

The best freeway in SoCal. Yes there are 5mph onramps with stop signs at the end. I luckily never have to get on here at that point. Start at Fair Oaks Ave or even better, the source of all the fun at Arroyo Seco Parkway in Pasadena. The view of downtown LA is awesome once you near the 5 interchange. Northbound it's also the site of the infamous left exit to I-5 with the "blue light strip" that tells you when you can or can't merge/exit at the last moment. Here the right lane is actually the most smooth-flowing, unless you like following confused tourists trying to merge into the left lane at 10mph. ("LEFT EXIT?! This is blasphemy!") After entering downtown and it becomes the Interstate 110, Harbor Freeway, don't bother. It's just like any other congested urban freeway with big rigs, though with a unique 4 lane carpool/toll only section. read more

Okay, well now I'm just being silly. But still! the 110 is fantastic! It makes little sense for modern living with its narrow lanes, dangerously sharps curves, and ridiculous on-ramps, but I always drive it! However, I drive slooooowly and in the middle lane. Speedy people can suck it. I actually got in a terrible accident in the last Figueroa Street tunnel: "Hey, Mom, when did we get in that accident in the Figueroa tunnel?" "1984. You were five months old." "Huh, that's specific. How do you remember that?" "BECAUSE IT WAS TRAUMATIZING!" OF COURSE, someone was merging onto the I-5 at the last second and we couldn't stop in time. My grandfather went through the windshield and broke his back (he recovered), but I apparently couldn't have been happier with glass strewn about my clothes (I still stay in the right lanes when driving north through the tunnels). Luckily it seems two lanes are now available at the juncture. The 110 has history, which I like. It can be dangerous as all hell, but it is a beautiful old freeway, especially late at night when it's virtually empty. I do love my city. And love my city quiet. read more