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The Century Freeway (formally known as the Glenn Anderson Freeway, for the congressman who advocated its construction) is an east-west freeway in southern Los Angeles County, California. It derives its name from nearby Century Boulevard, which parallels its route. It is signed as Interstate 105 along its entire route, even though it never intersects Interstate 5.
The Route
The Century Freeway begins at Sepulveda Boulevard (California State Highway 1, the famous Pacific Coast Highway) on the southern edge of Los Angeles International Airport, adjacent to the city of El Segundo. It proceeds generally eastward from there on, crossing the Los Angeles and San Gabriel Rivers before terminating at the San Gabriel River Freeway in western Norwalk.
History An integral part of Caltrans' 1960s master plan for the Southern California freeway system, the Century Freeway nevertheless did not open until 1993. Many factors contributed to the delay. The growth of the environmentalist movement in the 1960s created resistance to new freeway construction. Fiscal difficulties brought about by the 1971 Sylmar earthquake and the California tax revolt of the late 1970s further hampered Caltrans' construction efforts. However, the major source of resistance to the freeway's construction was community opposition, and the side effects of these demands. By the early 1970s, most of the areas in the freeway's path (and thus slated to be demolished) were predominantly African-American; resentment over previous freeway projects' effects on other black communities resulted in significant modifications to the original route. Most cities along the way, weary of the noise and visual blight created by elevated freeways, demanded that the route be built far below grade in a "trench." After construction began in the 1980s, failure to perform a full survey of the area's groundwater deposits resulted in buckling and cracking along the eastern portions of the route. Norwalk, opposed to the freeway's proposed route through the center of the city, blocked the route from reaching its intended terminus at the Santa Ana Freeway (I-5); however, Caltrans had already decided to abandon that section due to the inability of the severely congested Santa Ana Freeway to accommodate any more traffic.
Throughout the difficulties, Rep. Anderson (D-San Pedro) tirelessly advocated for the route's construction, touting its possibilities for congestion relief along Century, Manchester, and Firestone Boulevards and the Imperial Highway; it has succeeded in these tasks, as well as relieving pressure on the Santa Monica and San Diego Freeways for travelers between downtown Los Angeles and LAX. After Anderson's death in 1994, Caltrans honored him by renaming the freeway in his honor; however, the name "Anderson Freeway" is seldom used except on maps.
Notable Features In addition to being below grade for most of its route, the Century Freeway is also notable for the MTA Green Line light rail line running along its median. Its elaborate high occupancy vehicle lane structure includes a towering interchange with the Harbor Freeway's HOV lanes.
Communities Served Communities along the Century Freeway include:
Major Intersections Freeways intersected by the Century Freeway include:
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