The entirety of I-105 is designated as Route 105 in the state highway system. The California Streets and Highways Code defines it as such in section 405:[7]
Route 105 was never fully constructed as it is defined. Currently, the western terminus of I-105 is at Sepulveda Boulevard (SR1) and Imperial Highway on the southern edge of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), near the El Segundo–Los Angeles line. Motorists can still continue west via Imperial Highway over conventional roadway to Pershing Drive, but it is not part of Route 105 nor does Caltrans have any intention to adopt the road as part of the state highway system or construct an extension of I-105 over it. A portion of undeveloped land south of this section of Imperial Highway exists to facilitate a potential extension of the freeway.
The freeway never intersects its parent route, I-5. I-105 complies with numbering conventions by intersecting other auxiliary routes of I-5 that do intersect I-5, namely I-405 and I-605.
Much of the length of the Century Freeway runs parallel to Imperial Highway. It also runs parallel to (and 1 mi (1.6 km) south of) Century Boulevard, from which its original name is derived. Century Boulevard, in turn, is named for its position equivalent to 100th Street in the Los Angeles grid.
The Los Angeles Metro RailC Line runs in the median of nearly the entire length of I-105. The C Line's eastern terminus is at Norwalk, at the interchange between I-105 and I-605; 2 mi (3.2 km) from the western end of the freeway, the C Line separates onto its own right-of-way at Aviation Boulevard, splitting into two branches: one turning south towards Redondo Beach and one (currently in the testing stages) heading north towards near LAX and future people mover, which is scheduled to open in 2025.
I-105 was an integral part of a Caltrans 1960s master plan for the Southern California freeway system, but did not open until 1993. The right-of-way was included on several early highway plans since at least 1947, although it was not named the "Century Freeway" until 1956, and was numbered Route 42. In 1965, the Century Freeway was added to the state system originated at State Route 1 (Sepulveda Boulevard) east to Central Avenue in the City of Los Angeles along an alignment very near to the current right-of-way.[11] The current route was added to the Interstate system in 1968.
Design and local opposition
The route was designed between 1968 and 1972 by Caltrans District 7, under the direction of Design Chief Sid Elicks.[6] However, opposition from some of the communities through which the right-of-way would pass slowed the process and led to some reroutings. Many factors contributed to the delay. The growth of the environmental 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.[12]
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". Also, another source for resistance to the freeway's construction was that much of the I-105 path was going to be built in low income, high crime neighborhoods, which also delayed the freeway's construction until the crime in the areas went down.[citation needed]
Norwalk was opposed to the freeway's proposed route through its city center, and blocked the freeway 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.[citation needed]
In 1979, this lawsuit resulted in a Consent Decree, amended in 1981, which imposed several conditions on the development of the freeway, including additional public hearings, preparation of an environmental report, alterations to the design to reduce lanes and intersections, improve carpooling and provide for a transitway, which became the Los Angeles Metro Rail Green Line, now known as the C Line. A portion of the right-of-way was also to be constructed below grade to buffer adjacent areas from the effects of traffic noise. After construction began in the 1980s, failure to perform a complete survey of the area's groundwater deposits, combined with the 20–30-foot (6.1–9.1 m) below-grade trench through the city of Downey, resulted in buckling and cracking along the eastern portions of the route. At one point, a giant sinkhole opened in the Bellflower Boulevard on-ramp. This resulted in the construction of an elaborate pump system along the freeway between the interchanges with I-710 and I-605.
The childhood home of Brian, Carl and Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys was demolished in the mid-1980s to make way for the freeway, as was the house across the street where their bandmate David Marks grew up. In 2005, the Beach Boys Historic Landmark was built on the former site of the Wilson brothers' home and declared a California Historic Landmark.
The birthplace of Metallica, former bassist Ron McGovney's house, stood directly in the path of the route nearby to I-605 in Downey.
Westbound view along I-105 heading towards Vermont Ave, through the I-110 interchange
Throughout the difficulties, Congressman Glenn M. Anderson (D-San Pedro) tirelessly advocated for the route's construction, making claims it would provide congestion relief along Century, Manchester, and Firestone Boulevards and the Imperial Highway, as well as relieving pressure on the Santa Monica (I-10) and San Diego (I-405) Freeways for travelers between Downtown Los Angeles and LAX.[citation needed] After Anderson's death in 1994, Caltrans honored him by renaming the freeway in his honor. The route's original name, "Century Freeway", is still used on a number of maps.[15]
The freeway was originally signed with El Segundo as its westbound control city; however, in recent years, many of the El Segundo signs have been replaced and/or covered with "LAX Airport" signage due to the western terminus' proximity to Los Angeles International Airport.
Shortly before opening, filmmakers had access to use the empty freeway for a number of weeks to film the 1994 motion picture Speed.
^"Article 2 of Chapter 2 of Division 1". California Streets and Highways Code. Sacramento: California Office of Legislative Counsel. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
^Federal Highway Administration (March 25, 2015). National Highway System: Los Angeles, CA(PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
^Natzke, Stefan; Neathery, Mike & Adderly, Kevin (June 20, 2012). "What is the National Highway System?". National Highway System. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
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