known freeway freeway connects los_angeles alongside seasonal river notable opened representing transitional phase early modern freeways modern standards built regarded narrow outdated roadway extension brought south end downtown los_angeles connection rest freeway system road remains largely opening day plants median given way steel guard rail recently concrete barriers carries designation state route historic route officially designated freeway plans scenic value improve safety restored original roadway bridges built parkway construction remain older bridges crossed 1930s designated listed national_register_of_historic_places route description lane parkway state route begins symmetrical stack interchange north downtown los_angeles connects north harbor south hollywood north south freeways interchange north end street alpine street freeway meets north end hill street complicated junction provides access hill street temporarily widens northbound southbound lanes enters hilly northbound lanes pass street tunnels higher southbound lanes pass cut low areas bridges interchange avenue street located second tunnels tunnel northbound left exit corresponding southbound right entrance riverside drive northbound golden state freeway immediately ramps crosses pair lane bridges los_angeles river northwest confluence rail line bank avenue road north bank single joins northbound passes northbound left exit southbound right entrance connect north segment street original freeway built west bank begins southbound lanes curve alignment original alignment northbound lanes original freeway begins passes extension avenue bridge bridges parkway construction southbound exit northbound entrance avenue complement street ramps similar ramps connect directions continues northeast alongside passing light rail avenue avenue folded diamond interchanges feature extremely tight right right curves exit entrance ramps interchange avenue normal diamond interchange soon northbound standard diamond ramps southbound avenue acts folded diamond connection avenue bridge second original bridge folded diamond southbound traffic street connect lies half diamond interchange way avenue access los_angeles freeway passes pre parkway bridge southbound connections freeway cross street street curves north pass west downtown parkway instead curves east crossing stream single northbound los_angeles bridge curves left bridge parkway west frontage road enter northbound motorists city south sign constructed late 1930s stones creek bed embedded final segment heads east cut alongside street diamond orange grove avenue half diamond fair oaks avenue streets crosses gold line final time fair oaks avenue curves north east enters final ramp southbound exit connects access freeway state maintenance ends intersection lane parkway maintained city continues north surface road colorado boulevard historic route holly street near memorial park gold line station history planning spanish dry intermittent stream carries rainfall southerly western near downtown los_angeles dry season served faster wagon connection cities weather road present drive known survey permanent roadway proposals scenic parkway commuter partially constructed opened incorporated bought mile right way downtown avenue los_angeles construction began miles elevated wooden opened january starting near ending near hotel majority route toll booth located near north end present end bicycle 1890s existing lines connecting los_angeles expected turn profit extended 1900s decade structure dismantled wood sold lumber failed venture headed construct line acquired right way rise automobile subsequent plans included roadway differed purpose influenced city beautiful movement concentrated park particularly backed primary purpose fast road connecting cities plan left better serve downtown drawn supported major street traffic plan los_angeles concentrating traffic relief noting major highway suggested built parkway giving motorists great deal incidental recreation pleasure mid-1930s plans primarily recreational parkway overshadowed need carry large numbers debates continued exact location parkway particular bypass downtown late 1920s los_angeles acquired properties avenue city engineer lloyd began grading avenues early 1930s june residents paid special assessments finance improvement park suspicious appeared road graded west avenue princess drive merchants avenue objected loss business suffer bypass work stopped interested parties work details late early authorized grade cheaper route east avenue avenue north endorsed essentially plan lacked money build bill introduced add route state highway system debate new route created swap legislature greatly expanded system opposed increase construction connect proposed parkway downtown los_angeles city improved extended lane road allowing drivers bypass north broadway bridge existing riverside drive bridge large project lay tunnels built hills avenue river opened late fourth opened completing extension street riverside drive contemporary boulevard east downtown grade built terrain dictated street meant crossings college street built years extension completed hill cut grade connecting riverside drive intersection avenue opened closer downtown interchange built temple street residents opposed division city parkway bring city voters elected supporters elections state power road wished continued oppose approved route april route west bank near crossed east cut south end broadway parkway project built construction parkway avoid damages future floods number state engineers toured east_coast roads early including chicago lake shore drive modified cloverleaf interchanges massachusetts new_jersey parkway system new_york_city parkway road built california freeway law allowed access completely limited number specified points areas possible use standard diamond interchange locations required folded diamonds engineers called compressed local streets took place dedicated ramps ending parkway sharp right turn required enter exit highway designed foot lanes foot shoulder direction wider inside passing lanes paved black asphalt concrete outside lanes paved gray portland cement concrete differently colored lanes encourage drivers stay lanes state decided replace shoulders additional travel lanes increased capacity short piece paved portland cement disabled vehicles safely removed roadway safety bays constructed engineers design speed miles hour kilometres hour curves necessary accomplish road posted mph despite freeway design parkway characteristics incorporated native flora alongside road prior parkway construction roads rail lines crossed valley bridges number new bridges built project existing bridges kept albeit changes avenue bridge avenue bridge near avenue avenue bridge kept destroyed avenue foundation built roadway 1960s pedestrian bridge built golden state freeway interchange project seven streets railroad lines double track combined bridge carried parkway communities connected construction designed leadership district chief engineer design engineer griffin began groundbreaking ceremony march generally progressed southwest contract stretching mile fair oaks avenue including bridges opened traffic december mile section opened july connecting avenue los_angeles remainder los_angeles avenue southwest avenue opened december time rose bowl new year day highway completed january landscaping work continued september final cost million million mile extremely low freeway project terrain favorable grade state began upgrading lane extension route october southerly extension parkway parkway complete grade intersection riverside drive point congestion lanes parkway lanes surface street cause greater problems way street tunnels lanes northbound traffic higher southbound roadway built west split hill street south near existing college street lane surface road lane freeway extension designed entirely freeway parkway principles built quickly handle existing traffic new road split old street interchange south avenue crossed northbound access riverside drive new lane bridge lane open cut excavated west existing northbound tunnel lanes saving million extension feeding surface streets south college street opened traffic december allowing use new year day festivities built extended region freeway system taking shape short city built opened june month second piece complete decades harbor hollywood freeways partially fully completed eponymous destinations construction centerpiece system north downtown los_angeles stack interchange world completed structure fully september short extension interchange opened common public years officially parkway november changed freeway beginning june state began modifying interchange signs remove freeway parkway signs indicate route freeway modified parkway post construction despite traffic volumes original roadway north largely remains opened trucks buses banned bus restriction dropped kept freeway good condition relatively safe despite outdated design design state art built includes tight right right access recommended exit speed miles hour stop signs entrance ramps acceleration lanes curves banked higher speeds designed half modern standard golden state freeway interchange near river completed structural changes freeway north river include closure original southbound exit fair oaks avenue location curve proved dangerous replacement shrubs foot median steel guard rail los_angeles paid reconstruction interchange hill street south early 1960s serve new opened freeway new alignment route old routing street colorado boulevard route alternate southern extension downtown los_angeles carried state route remained old route moved routes followed avenue road northwest renumbering saw truncated moved street freeway finally number changed santa freeway remains direct route downtown los_angeles despite flaws reasonable freeway alternate trucks use freeway west easily reached trucks downtown los_angeles gold line light rail opened line provides alternate mode state legislature designated original section north street california historic parkway reserved freeways built highway designated freeway san_diego named added national_register_of_historic_places hosted freeway walk bike ride sunday june closing freeway motor vehicles highlight ongoing proposed projects improve quality life area exit list letter measured road based alignment existed time necessarily reflect current mileage reflects realignment route indicates second realignment refers overlap correction change indicates classified temporary list list definitions segments remain relinquished local control omitted entire route
Arroyo Seco Parkway