Interstate 105 is an 18.82-mile freeway located in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area. Interstate 105 begins at California State Route 1 in El Segundo and terminates to the east at Interstate 605 in Norwalk. Interstate 105 is developed over the conceptual corridor of the Century Freeway which was originally part of California State Route 42. Interstate 105 was completed by 1994 and is one of the last major urban Interstates to have been developed.
Part 1; the history of Interstate 105
The development of Interstate 105 and the Century Freeway is heavily tied to what was California State Route 42. California State Route 42 was originally designated as California State Route 10. More on California State Route 42 and California State Route 10 can be found below:
On June 29th, 1956, the Federal Highway Aid Act of 1956 was signed into law on the Federal Level. The Federal Highway Aid Act of 1956 was the genesis point of the Interstate Highway System. California State Route 10 (CA 10) was subsequently renumbered to CA 42 during 1960 to avoid duplication with Intestate 10. CA 42 first appears on the 1961 Division of Highways Map.
During the 1964 State Highway Renumbering all the Legislative Routes were dropped in favor of field signage. CA 42 was extended east from Downey via the unbuilt portion of Legislative Route Number 176 which was known as the Yorba Linda Freeway. CA 42 given a new Legislative Description as follows:
"Route 1 west of Inglewood to Route 91 in Santa Ana Canyon via the vicinity of Norwalk."
The planned alignment of CA 42 along with the new Legislative Description subsequently appear on the 1964 Division of Highways Map.
The Century Freeway alignment of CA 42 is first referenced in the March/April 1964 California Highways & Public Works. The article stub notes that the Century Freeway was discussed via public hearing on June 5th, 1963.
The March/April 1964 California Highways & Public Works references the first segment of the Yorba Linda Freeway (CA 42) between Orangethorpe Avenue and Yorba Linda Avenue had opened to traffic during February of 1963.
During 1965 the unbuilt portion of CA 42 from Interstate 605 to CA 39 was transferred to CA 90. CA 42 was subsequently given a new Legislative Definition:
"(1) fromt Route 1 west of Inglewood to Route 605 and (2) Route 39 near La Habra to Route 91 in Santa Ana Canyon."
The gapped legislative definition of CA 42 first appears on the 1966 Division of Highways Map along with the planned alignment of the Century Freeway.
The Century Freeway (CA 42) is detailed in the January/February 1966 California Highways & Public Works in a recap of September/October 1965 actions by the California Highway Commission. An 8.4-mile route adoption of the Century Freeway/CA 42 from CA 1 near Los Angeles International Airport east to Central Avenue in Los Angeles is cited.
The adopted alignment of the Century Freeway/CA 42 from CA 1 to Central Avenue along with the planned continuation to CA 19 appears on the 1967 Division of Highways Map.
The Century Freeway was approved to be added as a chargeable Interstate during March of 1968. The addition of the Century Freeway to the Interstate Highway System was made possible due to 17 miles of chargeable Interstate being freed elsewhere in California. The Century Freeway was assigned as the second iteration of Interstate 105 which was reflected in the Legislative Definition of CA 42 being transferred. Segment (A) of CA 42 was reassigned to the Legislative Definition of Interstate 105 whereas Segment (B) was reassigned to CA 90. 1968 Legislative Chapter 282 defined Interstate 105 as "Route 1 west of Inglewood to Route 605."
The planned route of the Century Freeway appears as Interstate 105 on the 1969 Division of Highways Map. Existing CA 42 on Manchester Boulevard and Firestone Boulevard is shown to also be legislatively Route 105.
According to CAhighways.org a class action lawsuit was filed during 1972 to block construction of the Century Freeway. As a result of the lawsuit all work of the Century Freeway was halted and numerous impact surveys were ordered. The class action lawsuit against the Century Freeway was settled consent degree during 1979. Cost estimates for construction of the Century Freeway had substantially risen during the 1970s which led to some scaling back of the scope of Interstate 105 (namely two planned lanes were dropped). An amended consent degree for the Century Freeway approved by court order during 1981. 1981 Legislative Chapter 292 changed the western terminus of Interstate 105 to; "The south boundary of the Los Angeles International Airport near El Segundo."
The new western terminus of Interstate 105 at El Segundo first appears on the 1982 Caltrans Map.
Caltrans was pressured by the Federal Highway Administration of Interstate 105 and the Century Freeway prior to 1986 given it was a chargeable Interstate. Initial work on Interstate 105 and the Century Freeway would begin during 1982 but would progress slowly. 1992 Legislative Chapter 1243 changed the western terminus of Interstate 105 to; "Pershing Drive near El Segundo." The planned corridor of Intestate 105 along with existing CA 42 can be viewed on the 1990 Caltrans Map.
The first segment of Interstate 105 opened during 1993 and the highway would be fully completed during 1994. Despite locally being known as the Century Freeway due to the proximity of Century Boulevard the entirety of Interstate 105 has been officially known as the Glenn Anderson Freeway since 1987. The official names of the Century Freeway designated during 1969 was "El Segundo Freeway" west of Interstate 405 and "Norwalk Freeway" east of Interstate 405. Following the completion of Interstate 105 led to the relinquishment of all of CA 42 on Manchester Boulevard and Firestone Boulevard.
Interstate 105 is probably most well-known from the 1994 action movie Speed and the infamous bus jumping a freeway exit gap scene.
The thoughts of the Los Angeles Police Department in Speed regarding delays in the completion Interstate 105 can be seen below.
Part 2; Roadwaywiz on Interstate 105
During May 2020 Interstate 105 was featured as part of the Roadwaywiz Los Angeles Webinar. Interstate 105 is discussed by panelists Dan Murphy, Scott Onson and Steve Alps at 27:00-33:42.
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