LIFE IN THE (NOT SO) FAST LANE

The confluence of the Garden Grove (22), Santa Ana (5) and Orange (57) freeways is the busiest traffic interchange in Orange County, carrying, on average, nearly a half-million cars per day. That’s a 50% increase since 1980. Although it ranks at the bottom of the list of 10 most heavily used interchanges in the county, the notorious El Toro “Y,” where the San Diego and Santa Ana freeways meet, has had the largest increase in average daily traffic load during the ‘80s, 86%. In fact, of the 10 busiest intersections in the county, the San Diego and Santa Ana freeways are most often one of the arteries involved.

1988* 1980 Daily Daily Percent Freeway Interchange Average Average Change 1. 5 at the 22 & 57 470,400 314,000 +50 2. 91 at the 57 427,500 267,500 +60 3. 5 at the 55 400,000 255,000 +57 4. 22 at the 405 & 605 387,000 303,500 +28 5. 55 at the 405 377,000 277,500 +36 6. 5 at the 91 367,000 290,000 +27 7. 22 at the 405 313,000 256,500 +22 8. 91 at the 55 288,750 167,500 +72 9. 405 at the 73 287,500 206,750 +39 10. 5 at the 405 284,000 152,500 +86

* Most recent information available

Source: California Department of Transportation