Interstate 405 freeway traffic - Essay Example

will discuss how the selected part of the 405 freeway affects the urban experience, the current state of the 405 freeway and what steps should be taken to make the freeway both traffic free and environment friendly. The selection of the interstate 405 as the subject is significant simply because it is a heavily travelled thoroughfare by both freight haulers and commuters over its whole length. Additionally, the subject is of great importance because the 405 interstate freeways is the most congested and busiest freeway in the whole of the United States of America.

The 405 freeway affects the urban experience by having an impact even on people who are outside California. Moreover, it has led to the development of a number of suburbs and cities along its path via the Los Angeles area. The 405 interstate is part of the express way and California freeway system. At 21 and 22 exits, the annual average daily traffic in 2008 reached 374000. This count was the highest in America (Santini, 2009). The 405 interstate commences at El Toro Y interchange in south eastern Irvine.

Afterwards, it meanders northwest via Orange County to Los Angeles County’s Long Beach. It then follows the pacific coast’ outline before it crosses the Santa Monica Mountains. Next, it goes north via San Fernando Valley, then ends with interstate 5 in Los Angeles’s mission district. The congestion problems of the interstate 405 are often legendary (Lomax, Pg.78). This has led to people joking that it was given number 405 simply because the traffic on it slows down to five or four miles per hour, or basically because the interstate 405 drivers need five or four hours to reach their destinations.

5mph average speeds are commonly recorded in the morning or afternoon commutes. Also, the interchanges associated with Santa Monica Freeway and Ventura Freeway rank among the most congested interchanges in America. Consequently, it takes a lot longer to manoeuvre through the whole of the Los Angeles area