State Route 90 (California)

State Route 90 (California) is a state highway in Los Angeles County, California that exists in two unconnected segments: an unsigned freeway link in Santa Monica, California and a signed surface street and freeway known as the Imperial Highway and Gardena Freeway running east toward Whittier, California. The route connects major corridors including the Pacific Coast Highway, Interstate 10, Interstate 405, Interstate 110, and Interstate 605, serving coastal and inland communities such as Santa Monica, Culver City, Inglewood, Gardena, Hawthorne, and Norwalk. Over decades the corridor has been shaped by regional transportation planning, environmental review, and local opposition involving agencies like the California Department of Transportation and regional bodies such as the Southern California Association of Governments.

Route description

The western, unsigned segment begins near the Santa Monica terminus of the Santa Monica Freeway at the intersection with Interstate 10 and provides a short connector toward the Pacific Coast Highway and access to Santa Monica Pier and Santa Monica State Beach. The longer, signed segment follows Imperial Highway east through neighborhoods and commercial districts, intersecting arterials such as Lincoln Boulevard, Sepulveda Boulevard, and La Cienega Boulevard in the Westside and passing near landmarks like Beverly Hills, Los Angeles International Airport, and the Forum in Inglewood. East of Gardena the route becomes the Gardena Freeway, with freeway-standard stretches that meet Interstate 110 near Harbor Gateway, link with State Route 91 proximate to Compton and traverse toward the San Gabriel Valley suburbs of South Gate, Norwalk, and Whittier. The eastern terminus is at Interstate 605 where traffic patterns connect to regional expressways and local streets serving Los Angeles County employment centers and retail hubs.

History

The alignment originated from mid-20th century planning tied to postwar suburbanization and projects like the Long Beach Freeway proposals and the expansion of the Interstate Highway System. Initial designations incorporated forks of the former US 101 Alternate and local arterial improvements around Los Angeles International Airport. The 1964 state highway renumbering formally assigned the current numeric designation, following policy shifts that created numbered state routes across California. Ambitious freeway plans of the 1950s–1970s, championed by planners influenced by figures linked to agencies such as the California Department of Transportation and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, faced resistance from community groups, environmental organizations like the Sierra Club and neighborhood coalitions in Santa Monica, Culver City, and Beverly Hills. As a result, several proposed freeway segments were canceled, leading to the present disjointed configuration.

Major construction milestones included opening of the Gardena Freeway portions during the 1970s and subsequent interchange projects with Interstate 405 and Interstate 110 to improve freight and commuter movements near Los Angeles International Airport. Litigation and environmental review under statutes such as the National Environmental Policy Act and the California Environmental Quality Act influenced alignment changes, while metropolitan planning documents from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Southern California Association of Governments prioritized multimodal alternatives and transit-oriented development along the corridor.

Major intersections

The route connects multiple principal highways and local arterials: - Western connector near Interstate 10 / Santa Monica Freeway and Pacific Coast Highway near Santa Monica, California. - Interchange with Interstate 405 providing north–south access to Long Beach and Ventura via connecting corridors. - Crossings of major boulevards including Lincoln Boulevard, Sepulveda Boulevard, and La Cienega Boulevard near Beverly Hills and Culver City. - Junction with Interstate 110 near Harbor Gateway and access to Port of Los Angeles corridors. - Interchange with State Route 91 and connections toward Orange County. - Eastern terminus at Interstate 605 in Whittier, with links to State Route 60 and Interstate 5 via adjacent freeways and arterials.

Future and planned changes

Regional planning studies by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Southern California Association of Governments have proposed multimodal upgrades along the corridor, including bus rapid transit lanes, managed lanes, and interchange modernizations to improve freight access to the Port of Los Angeles and relieve congestion affecting commuters traveling between the Westside and the San Gabriel Valley. Proposals also consider active transportation links tying to projects in Santa Monica, station access for Los Angeles Metro Rail expansions, and environmental mitigation consistent with California Environmental Quality Act requirements. Local jurisdictions such as Gardena and Inglewood have explored land use changes and corridor beautification in partnership with state agencies and community groups, while funding discussions have involved federal programs administered through Federal Highway Administration grants and state transportation improvement funds.

Related routes and designations

The corridor interacts with several related numbered routes and historic alignments: Interstate 10, Interstate 405, Interstate 110, State Route 91, Interstate 605, and historic arterial designations like US 101 Alternate. Local road names such as Imperial Highway and the Gardena Freeway identify portions of the route within municipal street networks managed by counties and cities including Los Angeles County, California jurisdictions. Planning and project delivery have involved entities including the California Transportation Commission, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and the Southern California Association of Governments.

Category:State highways in Los Angeles County, California