State Route 118 (California)

State Route 118 (California) is a major east–west state highway in the U.S. state of California, spanning approximately 66.5 miles (107.0 km) through the northern reaches of the Greater Los Angeles area. Designated the Ronald Reagan Freeway along much of its length, it connects the San Fernando Valley with the Simi Valley and the Santa Clarita Valley. The route serves as a vital transportation corridor for communities like Chatsworth, Simi Valley, and Moorpark, linking several major freeways including Interstate 5 and Interstate 210.

Route description

From its western terminus at Interstate 5 in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Granada Hills, State Route 118 heads west as the Ronald Reagan Freeway, traversing the rocky foothills of the Santa Susana Mountains. It passes through the Chatsworth district before entering Ventura County via the Santa Susana Pass. The highway continues through the city of Simi Valley, skirting the Santa Susana Field Laboratory site, and proceeds eastward into the Moorpark area. The route becomes more rural east of Moorpark, eventually terminating at a junction with State Route 126 near the Los Angeles County line, providing access to Santa Clarita and the Interstate 5 corridor. The highway is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System and is eligible for the State Scenic Highway System.

History

The corridor that became State Route 118 was originally a series of local roads, with significant development following the post-World War II growth of the San Fernando Valley and Simi Valley. It was added to the State highway system in 1963 during a major renumbering, initially designated from U.S. Route 101 in Woodland Hills to State Route 126. Construction of the freeway segment, championed by local officials and state legislators, progressed in stages throughout the 1970s and 1980s to alleviate traffic congestion. In 1994, the California State Legislature passed a resolution, signed by Governor Pete Wilson, naming the freeway in honor of former President Ronald Reagan, who had a ranch in the nearby Santa Ynez Mountains. The final freeway gap through the Santa Susana Pass was completed in the late 1990s, creating a continuous high-speed route.

Major intersections

The entire route is in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. {| class="wikitable" |- ! Location ! mi ! km ! Destinations ! Notes |- | Los Angeles | 0.0 | 0.0 | – Los Angeles, Sacramento | Western terminus; Interstate 5 exit 158 |- | rowspan="2" | Los Angeles–
San Fernando line | 4.2 | 6.8 | (San Diego Freeway) – Santa Monica, Sacramento | Interstate 405 exit 58 |- | 7.5 | 12.1 | (Topanga Canyon Boulevard) |- | Los Angeles–
Chatsworth | 10.2 | 16.4 | (Foothill Freeway) – Pasadena, Sylmar | Interstate 210 exit 23 |- | Simi Valley | 22.5 | 36.2 | (Moorpark Freeway) – Thousand Oaks |- | Moorpark | 30.1 | 48.4 | (Los Angeles Avenue) |- | Near Santa Clarita | 66.5 | 107.0 | – Santa Paula, Fillmore | Eastern terminus |- | colspan="6" | 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi |}

See also

* List of State Scenic Highways in California * California Roads portal * National Highway System (United States)

References

Category:State highways in California Category:Transportation in Los Angeles County, California Category:Transportation in Ventura County, California Category:Ronald Reagan