RUSH-HOUR PEAKS

Peak-hour traffic has another name--rush hour. However, the phrase no longer refers to a single our but to that part of the day during which traffic flow is at its heaviest. Orange County’s top 10 peak-hour interchanges involve eight different freeways, the Santa Ana (5) and San Diego (405) most prominent among them. At two of these intersections, actual volume has decreased since 1980 but is still sufficient to keep the location among the county’s busiest at times of maximum use. Depending on volume, peak hours vary from interchange to interchange, but the numbers reflect an average of both morning and evening commuters.

1988* 1980 1980-88 Peak Hour Peak Hour Percent Freeway Interchange Volume Volume Change 1. 5 at the 22 & 57 32,400 22,850 +42 2. 91 at the 57 30,900 23,250 +33 3. 55 at the 405 28,750 24,550 +17 4. 5 at the 91 25,400 25,050 +1 5. 22 at the 405 & 605 25,350 25,525 -1 6. 22 at the 405 22,850 22,450 +2 7. 5 at the 405 22,500 14,350 +57 7. 5 at the 55 22,500 21,100 +7 8. 91 at the 55 20,200 13,800 +46 9. 405 at the 73 17,525 18,150 -3 10. 55 at the 22 16,200 12,400 +31

* Most recent information available

Source: California Department of Transportation