From the PCH, famous for its ocean views, to the I-405, California’s most traveled freeway, and the world’s busiest interchange in Boyle Heights, the state and our county are no strangers to both the perks and headaches of a freeway.
Cars haven’t just shaped how we get around, they’ve influenced everything from watching movies at drive-ins to grabbing food at drive-throughs. It’s almost impossible to think of California, or L.A., without them. And that legacy is on full display in one local staple: none other than the oldest freeway in the U.S.
Making history at 45 mph
The Arroyo Seco Parkway, also known as the Pasadena Freeway, holds the distinction of being the first freeway ever built in the United States. The project was envisioned as a scenic route connecting Pasadena to DTLA, blending elements of parkway design with the functional needs of a high-speed roadway, the Society of Architectural Historians explains.
The freeway construction started in 1938 and officially opened on December 30, 1940, with a 6-mile segment completed by that date. The final stretch, running just over half a mile through South Pasadena, was completed on January 30, 1941, as stated by LA Almanac.
The making of the parkway provided employment during the Great Depression and was considered an engineering marvel of its time, reducing travel time between L.A. and Pasadena from 27 to just 12 minutes. Interestingly enough, part of the freeway was built on the California Cycleway, an abandoned bikeway that fell into disuse with the rise of automobiles, according to Metro.
The road that paved the way for modern freeways
The parkway was originally designed to handle up to 27,000 vehicles daily, a groundbreaking capacity at the time. It featured two 11-foot lanes and a 10-foot shoulder in each direction. This layout, combined with carefully engineered curves, allowed cars to travel faster and more efficiently than on traditional streets. Today, more than 120,000 vehicles use it!
To help drivers navigate safely, the inside lanes were paved with black asphalt concrete, while the outside lanes were white Portland cement. This subtle visual cue encouraged drivers to stay in their lanes. The parkway also included four Art Deco tunnels, multiple bridges, and underpasses, integrating the route seamlessly with the natural landscape, which later became the footprint for modern freeway design.