California Interstate 710 (Long Beach Freeway) Photographs
Left - Approaching the Interstate 710 Interchange on West Ocean Boulevard on Terminal Island. The high level structure in the background carries West Ocean Boulevard across Long Beach Harbor. This expressway joins Interstate 710 in Downtown Long Beach about a mile ahead. The container docks on Terminal Island form the nucleus of the Los Angeles industrial district. Los Angeles' port at Long Beach is among the busiest shipping terminals in the world.
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Centre - Facing north along Interstate 710 from the Willow Street Overpass. Constructed in the late 1940s, this section of the Long Beach Freeway is one of the earliest freeways built in the western United States. The interchange at Willow Street is the oldest cloverleaf interchange on the Long Beach Freeway.
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Right - The Willow Street Cloverleaf on Interstate 710 clearly shows the compact nature of the interchanges along this section of the Long Beach Freeway. With its sharp curves and stop controlled ramps at the surface street, the Willow Street Interchange represents a typical 1940s-era cloverleaf.
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Left - Northwest quadrant of the Willow Street Cloverleaf on the Long Beach Freeway (Interstate 710). This compact cloverleaf interchange is controlled by stop signs at the end of each exit ramp, due to the lack of acceleration lanes or tapers on Willow Street.
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Centre - The ramps in the northeast quadrant of the Willow Street Cloverleaf are nearly identical in design to the ramps in the northwest quadrant
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Right - Plaque on the Willow Street Overpass, indicating that the structure was completed in 1946. The first segment of the Long Beach Freeway was apparently constructed as a municipal expressway by the City of Long Beach. The Long Beach Freeway was later designated as a state highway (Hwy 15), but that route number had to be changed to Hwy 7 in the 1960s once Interstate 15 was built. In the mid-1980s, the Long Beach Freeway was redesignated as Interstate 710.
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Left - Guide signs marking the entrance ramp to the northbound Long Beach Freeway (Interstate 710) at the Willow Street Cloverleaf
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Centre - View of the northeast quadrant of the Willow Street Cloverleaf. The building inside the cloverleaf is a storm sewer outflow control station, which regulates the drainage from the city's storm sewers into the Los Angeles River. This control station was one of several constraints that highway designers had to contend with when the freeway was being designed. The ramps of the cloverleaf have been built around this control station.
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Right - The most significant constraint that the freeway's designers had to deal with was the adjacent Los Angeles River, which runs directly beside the Long Beach Freeway along its entire length from Downtown Long Beach to Interstate 5. The cloverleaf ramps were forced to fit between the concrete river berm and the freeway itself.
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Left - Facing west along Willow Street from the Los Angeles River Bridge. The cloverleaf ramps for the Long Beach Freeway (Interstate 710) join into Willow Street immediately before the bridge starts. As a result, there is no taper or merge lane for traffic entering or departing Willow Street on the east leg of the interchange. These directionl ramps are effectively T-junctions.
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Centre - View of the southeast quadrant of the Willow Street Cloverleaf. The Los Angeles River can be seen just to the left of this interchange. This photo clearly shows how compact this cloverleaf actually is. The inner loop ramps have a 15 mph advisory speed which should be heeded.
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Right - Reflectorized "button copy" freeway guide sign marking the on-ramp to Interstate 710 North at the Willow Street Cloverleaf in Long Beach
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Left - Direct taper on-ramp to the northbound Long Beach Freeway (Interstate 710). The off-ramp from the northbound Long Beach Freeway to eastbound Willow Street is under stop control, since there is no merge lane before the Willow Street Bridge across the Los Angeles River.
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Centre - Facing south along the Long Beach Freeway (Interstate 710) from the Willow Street Overpass. Note that the freeway alignment was shifted away from the Los Angeles River on the approach to Willow Street in order to permit the construction of the Willow Street Cloverleaf.
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Right - Willow Street Overpass across the Long Beach Freeway (Interstate 710) in Long Beach. Rigid frame structures such as this are uncommon on California freeways.
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Left - Facing east along the north side of Willow Street towards the cloverleaf at the Long Beach Freeway (Interstate 710)
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Centre - Facing east along the south side of Willow Street at the Long Beach Freeway (Interstate 710) Cloverleaf
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Right - Reflectorized "button copy" freeway guide sign marking the on-ramp to Interstate 710 North at the Willow Street Cloverleaf in Long Beach
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Left - Close-up of reflectorized "button copy" freeway guide sign marking the ramp to Interstate 710 North. Personally, I quite like these older California freeway signs, which mark routes by both the freeway name and the highway number. California's newer freeway signs tend to indentify freeway routes by their highway number only.
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Centre - Night view of a freeway guide sign marking an on-ramp to Interstate 710 in Long Beach. The south direction is indicated as "Port" on this sign.
(Photograph taken on March 21, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Right - Reflectorized "button copy" freeway guide sign marking the way to the Interstate 405 & Interstate 710 Freeways in Long Beach
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Left - Overhead freeway guide signs indicating the destination control cities for Interstate 405 (Santa Monica) and Interstate 710 (Pasadena)
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Centre - Approaching the Interstate 405 & Interstate 710 Interchange on Pacific Place in Long Beach. Northbound traffic can enter either the San Diego Freeway (Interstate 405) or the Long Beach Freeway (Interstate 710) from this unusual interchange ramp.
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Right - Median sign on Interstate 405 indicating the distance to the Interstate 710 Interchange
(Photograph taken on May 31, 2007 - © Cameron Bevers)
Above - Interstate 710 route marker at a freeway entrance ramp in Long Beach
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Left - Overhead signs on Interstate 405 approaching the Interstate 710 (Long Beach Freeway) Interchange
(Photograph taken on May 31, 2007 - © Cameron Bevers)
Centre - Overhead freeway guide signs on Interstate 710 at the Artesia Freeway (Hwy 91) Interchange in Long Beach
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Right - Facing south along the Long Beach Freeway (Interstate 710) towards the Artesia Freeway (Hwy 91) Interchange
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Left - Facing south along the Long Beach Freeway (Interstate 710) at the Century Freeway (Interstate 105) Interchange
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Centre - Overhead freeway guide signs on the Long Beach Freeway (Interstate 710) at the Santa Ana Freeway (Interstate 5) Interchange in East Los Angeles
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Right - Overhead freeway guide signs on the Santa Ana Freeway (Interstate 5) at the Long Beach Freeway (Interstate 710) Interchange in East Los Angeles
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Left - Interstate 710 and Interstate 5 Interchange in East Los Angeles, facing south towards Santa Ana
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Centre - Facing east along the Pomona Freeway (Hwy 60) approaching the Downey Road and Long Beach Freeway (Interstate 710) Interchange
(Photograph taken on February 28, 2009 - © Cameron Bevers)
Right - Overhead freeway guide signs on the Pomona Freeway (Hwy 60) at the Long Beach Freeway (Interstate 710) in East Los Angeles
(Photograph taken on February 28, 2009 - © Cameron Bevers)
Left - Facing east along the Pomona Freeway (Hwy 60) at the Long Beach Freeway (Interstate 710) Interchange in East Los Angeles
(Photograph taken on February 28, 2009 - © Cameron Bevers)
Centre - Facing north along the Long Beach Freeway (Interstate 710) from the 1st Street Overpass in East Los Angeles
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Right - Facing north along the Long Beach Freeway (Interstate 710) towards the Cesar Chavez Avenue Interchange
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Left - Facing south along the Long Beach Freeway (Interstate 710) towards the Pomona Freeway (Hwy 60) Interchange from the 1st Street Overpass
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Centre - The Long Beach Freeway (Interstate 710) and Pomona Freeway (Hwy 60) Interchange in East Los Angeles is a four-level fully directional stack interchange. This impressive freeway interchange was completed in 1967.
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Right - Newer freeway guide sign approaching the Long Beach Freeway for Interstate 710 North to Pasadena. Note that the freeway's name is not identified.
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Left - Overhead freeway guide signs on the Long Beach Freeway (Interstate 710) approaching the San Bernardino Freeway (Interstate 10) Interchange in Monterey Park. The Long Beach Freeway only continues for one mile past the Interstate 10 Interchange, before the freeway terminates at Valley Boulevard in Alhambra.
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Centre - Facing west along the San Bernardino Freeway (Interstate 10) towards the Long Beach Freeway (Interstate 710) Interchange in Monterey Park
(Photograph taken on February 28, 2009 - © Cameron Bevers)
Right - Interchange at the San Bernardino Freeway (Interstate 10) and Long Beach Freeway (Interstate 710), facing west towards Los Angeles
(Photograph taken on February 28, 2009 - © Cameron Bevers)
Left - Facing south along the Long Beach Freeway (Interstate 710) from the Hellman Avenue Overpass in Alhambra
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Centre - Approaching the San Bernardino Freeway (Interstate 10) Interchange on the southbound Long Beach Freeway (Interstate 710)
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Right - Facing north along the Long Beach Freeway (Interstate 710) from the Hellman Avenue Overpass in Alhambra. The freeway terminates at a traffic signal at Valley Boulevard just around the next bend. Originally, the Long Beach Freeway was to be extended north to Pasadena, but to date this highway remains incomplete.
(Photograph taken on March 15, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Left - Old Interstate 710 in Pasadena, facing south from the Del Mar Boulevard Overpass. This interesting freeway is less than a mile in length and does not have a posted route number. Originally, the intention was to extend the Long Beach Freeway through Alhambra and South Pasadena to link with this short freeway in Pasadena. However, the freeway was only built as far south as Del Mar Boulevard. The proposed connection to the Long Beach Freeway has been deferred continuously since the mid-1970s and may never be built due to the potential impact on established neighborhoods. There have been proposals to tunnel this freeway underneath the city, but these proposals will likely prove to be prohibitively expensive. As shown in this photo, the depressed freeway right-of-way has been partially graded south of the Del Mar Boulevard Overpass, with a two-lane off-ramp extending south to California Boulevard.
(Photograph taken on March 22, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Centre - Old Interstate 710 in Pasadena, facing north from the Del Mar Boulevard Overpass. Traffic enters the freeway via a single lane on-ramp from Pasadena Avenue, followed almost immediately by another on-ramp from Del Mar Boulevard. This freeway links to the Foothill Freeway (Interstate 210) and the Ventura Freeway (Hwy 134) about a mile ahead.
(Photograph taken on March 22, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Right - Facing north from the Del Mar Boulevard Overpass along Old Interstate 710 in Pasadena. This massive highway right-of-way was originally designed to carry a major north-south freeway across the eastern side of Los Angeles. However, the freeway was never completed so several of the mainline freeway lanes were not paved. This short freeway merely serves as a link into Downtown Pasadena via Del Mar Boulevard and California Boulevard from the nearby Foothill Freeway (Interstate 210) and the Ventura Freeway (Hwy 134).
(Photograph taken on March 22, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Left - Facing south along Old Interstate 710 from the Colorado Boulevard Overpass in Pasadena
(Photograph taken on March 22, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Centre - Facing east from the Orange Grove Boulevard Overpass in Pasadena towards the Interstate 210, Old Interstate 710 & Ventura Freeway (Hwy 134) Interchange. This complex stack interchange consists of several flyovers and tunnels connecting the three freeways together.
(Photograph taken on March 22, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Right - Close-up of the tunnel connecting the east and west legs of Interstate 210. Most of the traffic exits the freeway here and uses either the tunnel to proceed east on Interstate 210, or the ramp in the foreground to proceed west on the Ventura Freeway (Hwy 134). The single through lane at this interchange connects to the incomplete northern section of Interstate 710. Originally, this massive interchange was supposed to be the northern terminus of the Long Beach Freeway, but the proposed freeway section through Pasadena was never built. The discontinuous northern leg of Interstate 710 ends at a surface street (Del Mar Boulevard) about one-half of a mile beyond this interchange.
(Photograph taken on March 22, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Left - Facing east along the Ventura Freeway (Hwy 134) towards the Interstate 210 and Old Interstate 710 Interchange in Pasadena
(Photograph taken on March 22, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Centre - Close-up of the overhead signs marking the entrance to Old Interstate 710 South. The signs no longer make any reference to Interstate 710, and now just indicate an exit to Del Mar Boulevard and California Boulevard. Traffic bound for the Pasadena Freeway (Hwy 110) is guided through Downtown Pasadena along California Boulevard and Arroyo Parkway. The Pasadena Freeway does not connect directly with any other freeways in Pasadena.
(Photograph taken on March 22, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Right - Facing west along the Ventura Freeway (Hwy 134) towards the Interstate 210 and Old Interstate 710 Interchange from the Fair Oaks Avenue Overpass in Pasadena
(Photograph taken on March 22, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Left - Overhead freeway signs on Old Interstate 710 facing north approaching the Interstate 210 Interchange in Pasadena
(Photograph taken on March 22, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Centre - Facing north from the Colorado Boulevard Overpass along Old Interstate 710 towards the Interstate 210 and Ventura Freeway (Hwy 134) Interchange. Most of the concrete slab lanes for Old Interstate 710 end here, although one lane in each direction continues south to link with Del Mar Boulevard and California Boulevard. Note the relatively light traffic volumes on this "freeway-to-nowhere".
(Photograph taken on March 22, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Right - Close-up of the end of the concrete slab lanes on the Old Interstate 710 Freeway. Only one lane is open in each direction, as this short freeway is essentially serving as an elongated ramp into Downtown Pasadena.
(Photograph taken on March 22, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
Above - Exit from the Interstate 210 Tunnel in Pasadena. This tunnel passes below the entire stack interchange at the Ventura Freeway and Old Interstate 710. These lanes quickly merge with the end of the Ventura Freeway, at right. The freeway then continues east towards Pomona and San Bernardino as Interstate 210 (Foothill Freeway).
(Photograph taken on March 22, 2008 - © Cameron Bevers)
