5 of Nation’s 15 Worst Junctions Are in the L.A. Area, Study Finds

Los Angeles County has four of the 15 most traffic-choked freeway interchanges in the nation, with the junction of the 101 and the 405 in Sherman Oaks topping the list, according to a study released Thursday.

The report by the American Highway Users Alliance blames congestion at the interchange of the Ventura and San Diego freeways for costing motorists more than 27 million hours a year in total delays.

Other Southern California interchanges high on the group’s “worst highway bottlenecks” list included the 405-10 interchange in West Los Angeles, which ranked fifth; the 10-5 crossing near downtown Los Angeles, eighth; and the 405-605 junction in Long Beach, ninth.

The so-called “Orange Crush” convergence of the 5, 22 and 57 freeways, which spans the cities of Orange and Santa Ana, ranked 13th.

Across the country, freeway bottlenecks -- which account for about 50% of all congestion -- have gone from bad to worse, according to the report by the Washington-based nonprofit organization. Its last survey, conducted five years ago, found that 167 interchanges were jammed. This year’s report lists 233 crossings.

“But the good news is, there’s hope,” said Bill Buff, spokesman for the alliance.

For instance, an intersection in Albuquerque that five years ago ranked as the nation’s 10th worst, has since recorded such big drops in congestion that it did not make this year’s list. Buff credited Albuquerque’s aggressive efforts to redesign the crossing, including adding freeway lanes and lengthening ramps.

In contrast, congestion on most of the nation’s highways has worsened because improvements have not kept pace with the increased number of drivers.

Five years ago, the 101-405 interchange -- then ranked as the nation’s seventh worst -- carried 278,000 daily motorists, each of whom spent an extra 13.9 minutes per trip because of congestion.

These days, the junction’s 318,000 daily drivers each are delayed 17.5 minutes per trip, according to the report, which analyzed 2002 Federal Highway Administration data. The 1999 study was based on 1997 data.

“Congestion is worsening. It’s worsening by the day,” said Hasan Ikhrata, director of transportation policy and planning for the Southern California Assn. of Governments, which estimates the daily volume on the 101-405 interchange is now closer to 350,000 vehicles.

Recent projects at the interchange have already eased some of the congestion. In the last two years, the California Department of Transportation has added a 7 1/2--mile carpool lane to the southbound 405, a wider lane to help northbound motorists on the 405 merge onto the 101 and an auxiliary lane to help those exiting the freeway.

More improvements for the 405 are in the works, including a northbound carpool lane and a new connector to eliminate the crosscurrents of traffic entering and exiting the freeway.

Experts differ over how much difference these improvements would make.

The study predicts that delays in the 101-405 interchange will be cut nearly 80% in 20 years, when all the improvements are completed. But SCAG estimates that congestion will be reduced only about 10% because of expected population growth.

The elevated ranking for the interchange, which sits at the heart of the 101 corridor, is fueling new talks of finding ways to widen the freeway. State officials last year rejected a proposal to add two lanes in each direction because of opposition from nearby homeowners, who feared that their properties could lose value or be destroyed.

But a SCAG consultant has found that lanes can be added without razing private property by using adjacent land already owned by Caltrans, Ikhrata said.

“We have a transportation crisis in California that’s getting worse,” said Dan Beal, transportation policy manager for the Automobile Club of Southern California, adding that state budget shortfalls have delayed congestion-relief projects statewide. “Things can be done. Things can be accomplished. We just need to find the will and resources to do it.”

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Bottleneck bonanza

The Los Angeles region is home to five of the 15 most congested freeway interchanges in the nation, according to an advocacy organization.

*--* Annual delay (in Vehicles thousands Rank Location per day of hours) 1 Los U.S. 101 (Ventura Fwy.) 318,000 27,144 Angeles at I-405 interchange 2 Houston I-610 at I-10 295,000 25,181 interchange (west) 3 Chicago I-90/94 at I-290 293,671 25,068 interchange (‘Circle Interchange’) 4 Phoenix I-10 at SR-51/SR-202 280,800 22,805 interchange (‘Mini-Stack’) 5 Los I-405 (San Diego Fwy.) 296,000 22,792 Angeles at I-10 interchange 6 Alanta I-75 at I-85 259,128 21,045 interchange 7 Washington I-495 at I-270 243,425 19,429 (D.C.-MD.-VA.) interchange 8 Los I-10 (Santa Monica Fwy.) 318,500 18,606 Angeles at I-5 interchange 9 Long I-405 at I-605 318,000 18,606 Beach interchange 10 Atlanta I-285 at I-85 interchange 266,000 17,072 (‘Spaghetti Junction’) 11 Chicago I-94 (Dan Ryan Expwy.) 260,403 16,713 at I-90 Skyway Split (Southside) 12 Phoenix I-17 (Black Canyon Fwy.) at 208,000 16,310 I-10 interchange (the ‘Stack’) to Cactus Rd. 13 Orange I-5 (Santa Ana Fwy.) at 308,000 16,304 County SR-22/SR-57 interchange (‘Orange Crush’) 14 Providence I-95 256,000 15,340 at I-195 interchange 15 Washington I-495 at I-95 185,125 15,035 (D.C.-MD.-VA.) interchange

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Source: American Highway Users Alliance