Interstate 105

Interstate 105
State	CA
Route	105
Length mi	18.82
Established	1993
Terminus a	near El Segundo
Terminus b	in Norwalk
Counties	Los Angeles

Interstate 105 is an east–west auxiliary Interstate in Los Angeles County connecting the Pacific Ocean shores near El Segundo and Los Angeles International Airport with suburban corridors toward Norwalk and Downey. The freeway, roughly 18.8 miles long, was built primarily as the Century Freeway project and opened in the early 1990s amid extensive planning, litigation, and community engagement involving municipal, state, and federal actors. It functions as a key arterial linking nodes such as Vermont Avenue, Hawthorne, Compton, Pico Rivera, South Gate, and Norwalk Transit connections.

Route description

The corridor begins near the coastal junction with Pacific Coast Highway, serving adjacent communities including El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, and Hawthorne before paralleling the Los Angeles International Airport complex and intersecting major routes like State Route 1 and Interstate 405. Eastbound the roadway traverses dense urban fabrics through Inglewood, adjacent to landmarks such as the The Forum and near SoFi Stadium before meeting arteries including Crenshaw Boulevard and Interstate 710 via complex interchanges. The route continues past Compton and Long Beach Boulevard toward eastern termini interfacing with Interstate 5 and providing links to State Route 91, Artesia Boulevard, and regional bus and rail services like Los Angeles Metro operations and Metrolink connections. The freeway crosses notable waterways, including the Los Angeles River and tributaries in the San Gabriel Valley, and includes dedicated HOV lanes and transit infrastructure adjacent to the Green Line right-of-way.

History

Planning for the corridor traces to freeway proposals of the mid-20th century, when agencies such as the California Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration evaluated routes to connect the San Gabriel Valley with coastal hubs including LAX. Initial right-of-way acquisition and routing proposals provoked litigation brought by community groups, civil rights organizations, and municipalities, culminating in consent decrees involving plaintiffs represented by legal entities in the United States District Court for the Central District of California and oversight by federal judges. Construction during the late 1970s and 1980s required coordination with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, utility providers, and housing authorities to mitigate displacement in neighborhoods like Willowbrook and Watts. The freeway opened in phases, with dedication ceremonies attended by officials from California State Legislature, the office of the Governor, and representatives of local governments.

Major intersections

The freeway links multiple principal routes and modal hubs: - Western terminus near the Pacific Coast Highway and access to Los Angeles International Airport via Aviation Boulevard and Lincoln Boulevard. - Interchange with I-405 providing north–south access to Santa Monica and Orange County via coastal and inland corridors. - Junctions with municipal thoroughfares including La Cienega Boulevard, Crenshaw Boulevard, and Vermont Avenue near entertainment and civic centers such as Inglewood and Culver City. - Central interchange with Interstate 110 and the Harbor Freeway, linking to port areas like Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach. - Eastern terminus connecting to Interstate 605 and proximity to Interstate 5 for access toward San Bernardino County and Orange County.

Auxiliary routes and related highways

The corridor functions as an auxiliary spur of I-5 in designation but interacts with numerous related freeways: I-405, I-710, I-605, I-110, and state routes such as SR 91 and SR 1. Transit-oriented projects integrated with the freeway include the Green Line, bus rapid transit proposals by Los Angeles Metro, and feeder services by municipal operators like Long Beach Transit and Montebello Bus Lines. Freight movements use parallel arterials connecting to the Interstate Highway System network and to port rail corridors managed by entities including the SCRRA.

Traffic, tolling, and safety

Traffic volumes reflect peak commuter flows between employment centers in Downtown Los Angeles, aerospace and entertainment districts, and residential suburbs, producing recurring congestion at interchanges with I-405, I-110, and I-710. Safety programs have involved agencies like the California Highway Patrol and municipal police departments, with investments in lighting, ramp metering, and incident response coordination with Los Angeles County Fire Department. There are no general tolling regimes on the freeway, although regional congestion pricing discussions have been proposed by bodies including the Southern California Association of Governments and Metro as part of broader demand management strategies. HOV lanes, lane control signage, and enforcement initiatives have been implemented to improve throughput and reduce collision rates along high-volume segments.

Future proposals and improvements

Planned and proposed improvements include interchange reconstructions at chokepoints with I-405 and I-710, seismic retrofits coordinated with the California Geological Survey standards, and transit enhancements to better integrate the Green Line and bus rapid transit corridors advocated by Los Angeles Metro planners. Community advocacy groups and municipal councils in Inglewood, Compton, Norwalk, and Downey continue to engage in design review processes for noise mitigation, air quality measures in coordination with the South Coast Air Quality Management District, and equitable access programs tied to regional funding sources such as Measure R and Measure M. Proposals for active-transportation facilities and corridorwide technology upgrades align with statewide initiatives from the California Air Resources Board and federal smart-mobility grants administered by the Federal Transit Administration.

Category:Interstate Highways in California