Wednesday, August 26, 2009

An Image of Home


Ahhhh... The 110 and 105 Interchange. Also know as the Harbor Freeway and Century Freeway interchange (note to New York - it is possible to both number and name a freeway - Hutchinson River Parkway my ass). This is looking from North to South (obviously from high above) the 110.
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The very topmost roadways connect the Southbound 110 Car Pool (High Occupancy, etc) lanes to the East and West 105 and from the 105 E and W to Northbound 110 Car Pool Lanes. Those of you we drove from our Hollywood house to the airport will have used those lanes.
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The lower exchange lanes are for regular traffic.
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The criss cross in the very bottom center is the Bus Lanes and their stops (crossed so you exit safely). It stops in the middle of the intersection to connect to the Green Line light rail - that tan looking cover just right of center.
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Hard to believe now, but the 105 (the freeway that crosses horizontally) was reduced in size from the desired 6 lanes each way to 3 lanes each way plus a Car Pool lane. It was a grand compromise.
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The 105 was used for filming the movie Speed, right before it was open to the public - although the big bus jump scene was on the 105 x 405 interchange, not this one.
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The 110 Harbor Freeway used to be The 11. Sometime in the 80's Federal funds were used to widen it and make it The 110 instead of The 11. However, north of the "Four Level" (where the 110, 101 and 11 meet in downtown :also Mile Maker zero for LA) The 110 turns back into The 11, but called the Pasadena Freeway. It was not possible to bring it up to Interstate standards.
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The 11, Pasadena Freeway, is normally considered the oldest freeway in the world. And, within months of opening, had the first freeway traffic jam right before the Rose Bowl game.
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Homesick a little today.

On other thing, the road to the right of the freeway is Figaroa Blvd. It leads from downtown to the port of Los Angeles (hence the "Harbor" Freeway). Los Angeles many many moons ago incorporated the San Pedro Harbor into the city, which is about 15 miles south of the city. They also incorporated a strip of land to get to the harbor. That strip is Figaroa Blvd. In many places Figaroa is part of the city of Los Angeles, but the surrounding areas are not.