Despite lots of
expansion of lanes and interchanges, traffic patterns in the San
Fernando Valley have stayed pretty much the same over the last 20-30
years. The 5/170 interchange is one of the biggest improvements in
traffic flow in the Valley in decades, and is one of the few freeway
interchanges that still have room to expand. Most others are built
up in the middle of commercial/residential districts, or sandwiched
in between mountains like the Newhall and Sepulveda Passes.
Ventura Fwy
(101/134)
The easiest
estimate for any prime traffic time for travel on the 101 (Ventura
Fwy) along the Valley floor (usually considered from Thousand Oaks to
Sherman Oaks) is an hour. Add a half hour for rides extending into
Studio City or Burbank, or for special holidays or Fridays.
The 101 has no
carpool lane its entire stretch, yet the 134 does for its entire
stretch through Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena.
The East/Southbound
ride usually has a slow pocket through Calabasas (about Lost Hills to
Las Virgenes) and then slows again through Woodland Hills toward the
405, usually starting at around Topanga but can extend further back
on particularly tough days. Continuing east, like clockwork traffic
usually jams before Van Nuys Bl through Coldwater Canyon, and then on
the 134 portion approaching Forest Lawn through the merge with the 5.
The west/northbound
Ventura Fwy is quickly starting to resemble the Eastbound side
symmetrically. In morning rush hour, the 134 portion west gets some
choppy slowing through Downtown Glendale to the 5, then about
Hollywood way through the 170, and usually it stays slow through the
405 until Balboa before you gain an extra lane and traffic flows
again. Usually the ride stays free until Newbury Park and the merge
with the 23 (Ventura county).
Ronald Reagan
Fwy (118 – Formerly “Simi Valley Fwy”)
The 118 is one of
the few freeways in Southern California that can boast decent speeds
many times of the day, but rush hours can get messy for sure. It
helps that it has a minimum of 5 lanes in many spots and a carpool
lane that stretches the entire stretch through Simi and the San
Fernando Valleys.
The eastbound
commute sometimes catches sun glare, especially approaching the Santa
Susana Pass. Rarely does traffic slow again until Reseda Bl, and
especially in busy morning commutes, stays very heavy onto the 5. The
eastbound side can get heavy in afternoon commutes approaching the
210 as well, as this serves as a great alternate to the 405 into the
Newhall Pass, barring a huge closure when everyone will use this
route.
Westbound commute
is rarely problematic. Morning commutes can bunch up near the 405,
ant afternoon commutes can catch slowing through Reseda Bl, but even
this is rare.
San Diego Fwy
(405)
The 405 is one of
the busiest and most frustrating freeways in the country to drive on.
While the stretch of the 405 in the valley is not always as
troublesome as points further south, the commute into and out of the
Sepulveda Pass is rarely an easy one. In morning drive, the 405 Southbound can sometimes be troublesome as far north as the 118, and
usually is a grind most of the way to the West side.
Northbound
lanes are usually wide open in AM drive, as are Southbound lanes in
PM drive (through the valley stretch). In PM drive, Northbound
traffic usually breaks up coming down the hill toward the 101 but
usually has heavy volume all the way up to Nordhoff. Almost
guaranteed anytime after 3pm, traffic grinds to a halt near San
Fernando Mission Bl up to the merge with the 5. Fridays are
especially worse.
Hollywood Fwy
(170)
The 170 is one of
the smallest length freeways in the entire state. It technically
continues onto Highland Avenue in Hollywood, which is only relevant
in that Highland Ave onramp to the north 170 joins on the left side.
Other than that, that fact is meaningless for practical purposes.
The 170 has a
carpool lane its entire length and a speed limit of 65. In my entire
traffic career, I always seem to remember getting an inordinate
amount of reports of vehicles over the side of the road near Victory
Bl. There is a curve in the road there, and I suspect that drivers
especially when drunk or distracted, take the turn too fast.
The 5/170
interchange has gone through phases of being bad to really bad.
Until the most recent construction project, at its junction the 170
would narrow 2 lanes into the 5 feed. In 2013, Caltrans completed a
new section of transition road from the 170 where it ends and merges
with the 5, expanding to 3 rather than the former 2 lanes with no
HOV. This has helped alleviate traffic but as with every interchange
in Southern California, no matter how many lanes are added, traffic
is inevitable when one freeway ends and merges with another.
Therefore, the Northbound 170 still slows (although not as bad as it
used to years ago) from before Sheldon St through the merge with the
5 and usually eases up after Osborne.
Glendale Fwy
(2)
Generally the
Glendale Freeway is a great alternate to dealing with the Golden
State or Hollywood freeways. But because it runs due north/south for
most of its stretch, the challenge is getting back to points west.
Usually the biggest traffic jam on the 2 is during morning drive the
closer you get to the 5 merge. Sometimes southbound traffic can load
up as far back as the 134.
Foothill
Fwy (210)
The
stretch of the 210 in the San Fernando Valley (most of it along the
northern edge, through the Verdugo Pass) is one of the most
accessible and least used secrets/alternates to the crowded valley
freeways. It serves as a straight (and usually wide open) shot for
commuters from Santa Clarita/Simi Valleys to Pasadena. The 210 for
this stretch rarely ever has traffic during morning drive. In PM
drive, it is common to see a slow stretch in Westbound lanes from the
118 to the 5. On Fridays, holidays, and rain days, this traffic can
be especially thick and only on rare occasions stretches east of the
118.
In
ten years of reporting traffic, the only time I recall there being a
significant traffic jam on the 210 was during brush fire events.
When brush fires burn along the side of the freeway, fire crews
usually shut down one or several of the right lanes so commuters
won’t be injured by flames or flying embers. On particular
occasions, all lanes have been shut down, and when this happens on
this stretch of the 210, it puts extra pressure on all other routes
between Pasadena and the Newhall Pass, including the 170, 5, Foothill
Bl, and San Fernando Road. Again, this type of event is extremely
rare, so this stretch of the 210 is usually a good bet for a wide
open commute.
Golden State Fwy (5)
And more to come in future blog entries....
Questions?
Contact your Socal Traffic Expert
Randy Keith
480-840-7301
westcoastpianoman@yahoo.com
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