EARTHQUAKE / THE LONG ROAD BACK : Finding Your Route

Navigating the quake-mangled freeway system will take planning and perserverance, probably for many months to come. Here are the major road closures and some alternative routes:

Roads

The following road conditions are in place for this morning:

1. Pacific Coast Highway has reopened.

2. Golden State Freeway (I-5) northbound, closed at Antelope Valley Freeway (California 14) because of bridge damage, but truck lane to Antelope Valley Freeway is open. Golden State Freeway northbound connector to eastbound Foothill Freeway (210) is closed. Golden State Freeway, three northbound lanes, closed from Lyons Avenue to McBean Parkway; two lanes closed at Magic Mountain Parkway. On-ramp from Magic Mountain Parkway is closed.

Primary alternate: Take northbound Antelope Valley Freeway to westbound San Fernando Road (California 126), left (west) on Lyons Avenue, right (north) on Orchard Village, left (west) on McBean Parkway to the Golden State Freeway. Temporary closure from Orchard/Lyons to Lyons/I-5 because of resurfacing.

3. The southbound Golden State Freeway (I-5) is closed between Lyons Avenue and the Foothill Freeway (I-210) because of bridge collapse. Two lanes closed on I-5 southbound at Rye Canyon Road.

Primary alternate: Exit at Lyons Avenue east, right (south) to San Fernando Road (California 126), right (south) on Sierra Highway, left (south) to San Fernando Road, right (south) on Sepulveda Boulevard, left (east) to Roxford Street to southbound I-5.

4. Golden State Freeway (I-5) southbound, local traffic only past California 138. All other traffic will be detoured via primary alternate.

Primary alternate: Golden State (I-5) southbound to California 138 (eastbound) to the Antelope Valley Freeway (California 14) southbound to eastbound California 138 to the southbound Barstow Freeway (I-15). Use westbound San Bernardino Freeway (I-10) or the Pomona Freeway (California 60) to Downtown L.A.

5. The eastbound Santa Monica Freeway (10) is closed from the San Diego Freeway (405) to Washington Boulevard. Northbound and southbound connectors to 405 are open.

Primary alternate: Take eastbound (left) Pico Boulevard, then south (right) on La Brea to eastbound Santa Monica Freeway.

6. The westbound Santa Monica Freeway is closed from Washington Boulevard to La Cienega Boulevard. (Note: Closed portion of Washington Boulevard is expected to open today. Venice Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue are scheduled to open by Thursday.)

Primary alternate: Exit at Washington Boulevard, proceed right (north) to Fairfax Avenue, left (west) at Venice Boulevard, right (west) at Cadillac Avenue, left (south) at La Cienega Boulevard to westbound Santa Monica.

7. The westbound Santa Monica Freeway connector to the southbound San Diego Freeway (I-405) is closed because of structural damage.

Primary alternate: Westbound traffic exit at Overland Avenue, proceed straight onto National Boulevard to southbound San Diego Freeway (I-405) on-ramp.

8. Antelope Valley Freeway (California 14), one lane is closed between the Golden State Freeway (I-5) split and San Fernando Road. Off-ramp to Sierra Highway closed.

Primary alternate: To relieve pressure on the Golden State (I-5) and Antelope Valley freeways (California 14), four southbound lanes will be open on the Sierra Highway this morning until a truck bypass is opened later this week.

9. Antelope Valley Freeway (California 14) southbound closed at Placerita Canyon Road (before the Golden State Freeway interchange).

Primary alternate: Exit southbound Antelope Valley Freeway at Placerita Canyon Road, left (southbound) on Sierra Highway, which turns into San Fernando Road, proceed south (right) to Sepulveda Boulevard, right on Sepulveda Boulevard, east (left) to Roxford Street, proceed to southbound Golden State Freeway (I-5).

10. Hollywood Freeway (U.S. 101) connector northbound at California 170 has one of three lanes closed because of structural damage.

Primary alternate: Two lanes open on northbound Hollywood Freeway.

11. Eastbound Simi Valley Freeway (118) is closed from Reseda Boulevard to the Foothill Freeway (I-210). Two lanes closed on eastbound 118 between Tapo Canyon Road and Stearns in Ventura County.

Primary alternate: Exit onto southbound Tampa Avenue to Devonshire Street, left on Devonshire Street to southbound San Diego Freeway or right on Arleta Avenue, left on Van Nuys Boulevard to the Golden State Freeway or the Foothill Freeway.

12. All connectors between the Ventura (134) and Glendale (2) freeways are open.

For freeway information, call (800) 427-7623.

I-10 Changes for Later This Week

6. Beginning Tuesday, Washington Boulevard detour for westbound I-10 will be for car-pool traffic only.

Alternate for non-car-pool: Exit the freeway north on La Brea or Crenshaw, proceed left (west) on Pico Boulevard, and left (south) on Robertson Boulevard to the freeway entrance. The eastbound detour remains unchanged.

Source: Caltrans and Automobile Club of Southern California

Help for surface streets

To ease congestion on the major east-west streets from Downtown, officials are instituting a computerized system known as the “smart corridor”. It allows lengthening of traffic signals based on conditions. Cameras and helicopters will be used to monitor conditions.

Electronic message signs will be used to alert commuters to problems ahead. The four boulevards involved are Pico, Washington, Venice and Adams.