Interstate 5 - California Travel Information

I-5 Southbound - Los Angeles County (Downtown to Norwalk)

Southbound Interstate 5
	This mileage sign provides the distance to Exit 135A, Fourth Street and the myriad of ramps that constitute Exits 134C-A, Junction Interstate 10/Santa Monica Freeway west and California 60/Pomona Freeway east. Interstate 5 south and Interstate 10 west are merged at this point as they pass through the East Los Angeles Interchange. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	Southbound Interstate 5 and Westbound Interstate 10 approaches Exit 135A, Fourth Street, one-quarter mile. Note the substandard yet reflective signage for California 60 pasted on the sign bridge. Use Fourth Street to reach Boyle Heights. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	With so many exits in such a short time, several merges and exits, and a limited number of lanes, delays along the freeway are common. This picture shows southbound Interstate 5/westbound Interstate 10 as it approaches Exit 134C to westbound Interstate 10 and Exit 134B to eastbound California 60. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	At this point, Interstates 5 and 10 separate. Westbound Interstate 10/Santa Monica Freeway (Exit 134C) carries the three right lanes, so through traffic for Interstate 5 must stay left ... but not too far left, because the left lane connects to eastbound California 60/Pomona Freeway (Exit 134B). Photo taken 07/06/04.
	As California 60 traffic exits to the left (Exit 134B), southbound Interstate 5 is squeezed into two lanes as it prepares to merge with traffic from U.S. 101 and California 60. This is the first time that through traffic is squeezed into two through lanes since leaving the Central Valley! Photo taken 07/12/03.
	Without much warning, Interstate 5 suddenly meets Exit 134A, Soto Street. Watch closely for this tiny exit sign! Photo taken 07/12/03.
	Leaving East Los Angeles, southbound Interstate 5 must merge with traffic from U.S. 101 and California 60. This merge point can be a choke point on most days, as two lanes must collapse into one lane. This odd yellow warning sign is used to illustrate this unusual merge. The Golden State Freeway ends and the Santa Ana Freeway takes over as U.S. 101 merges onto Interstate 5. This area marks the southern terminus of U.S. 101, the longest U.S. route in the state. Photo taken 07/12/03.

Site Navigation

	Now that southbound Interstate 5 has merged with U.S. 101 and California 60, it reassumes five through lanes as it approaches its next exit, Exit 133/Euclid Avenue (not photographed). Following Euclid Avenue is Exit 132 for Indiana Street. Following Indiana Street, the next exits are Exit 131B, Ditman Avenue and Exit 131A, Olympic Boulevard. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	Southbound Interstate 5 approaches Exit 132, Indiana Street, 0.50 mile. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	Following Indiana Street, Ditman Avenue, and Olympic Boulevard, the next interchange is Exit 130B, Junction Interstate 710/Long Beach Freeway south, which is mentioned for the first time here. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	This is the first of two signs that advise of the exit from southbound Interstate 5 to Exit 132 at Indiana Street. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	Southbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 132, Indiana Street. The next exit is Exit 131B, Ditman Avenue. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	This mileage sign along southbound Interstate 5 provides the distance to the next three junctions: Exit 131B/Ditman Avenue; Exit 131A/Olympic Boulevard; and Exit 130/Junction Interstate 710. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	Southbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 131B, Ditman Avenue. The exit number tab on this sign was added during Caltrans' original yet never-completed experiment with exit numbering back in the 1960s. At that time, exit numbers were placed on Interstate 5, U.S. 101, California 60, and California 110 near downtown Los Angeles as well as along Interstate 10 from Santa Monica east to Pomona. Note that the original exit number present on this sign is slightly wrong; it should be Exit 131B rather than just Exit 131. Photo taken 07/06/04.

	After the Ditman Avenue exit but before the Olympic Boulevard exit are these signs for Interstate 710/Long Beach Freeway. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	Southbound Interstate 5/Santa Ana Freeway reaches Exit 131A, Olympic Boulevard. Again note the incorrect exit number in use here (it is Exit 131A, not Exit 129). A major exit follows: Interstate 710 (Former California 7 - note that the Interstate 710 shield is pasted over the original California 7 shield), which connects Interstate 10 with Long Beach and the Port of Los Angeles. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	This mileage sign provides the distance for the next three exits along southbound, including Junction Interstate 710, Triggs Street, and Atlantic Boulevard. Photo taken 07/12/03.
	Southbound Interstate 5 approaches Exit 130B, Interstate 710. As seen in this photo, the older button copy signs are very difficult to read after nearly 50 years in the field. The overlays likely hide the cardinal direction as well as a U.S. 101 shield. Interstate 5 leaves the City of Los Angeles and enters the City of Commerce. Photo taken 07/12/03.
	Mileage sign along southbound Interstate 5 approaching Exit 130A, Triggs Street and Exit 129, Atlantic Avenue/Eastern Avenue. Photo taken 07/12/03.
	Southbound Interstate 5 at Exit 130A, Triggs Street. The next exit is for Atlantic Avenue and Eastern Avenue. Photo taken 07/12/03.
	Southbound Interstate 5 at Exit 128B, Washington Boulevard. The City of Commerce lives up to its name, with industry and large commercial areas prevalent along the freeway corridor. Photo taken 07/12/03.
	Southbound Interstate 5 at Exit 128B, Washington Boulevard. The power lines in the background connect with the power plant at Long Beach; thus they travel north-south midway between and roughly parallel to Interstates 605 and 710. Photo taken 07/12/03.
	Southbound Interstate 5 at Exit 128A, Garfield Avenue/Bandini Boulevard. Photo taken 07/12/03.
	Southbound Interstate 5 at Exit 126B, Slauson Avenue. Slauson Avenue east leads to Montebello and Pico Rivera; westbound leads to Southern Los Angeles as well as Maywood and Huntington Park. Interstate 5, meanwhile, leaves the City of Commerce and enters Downey. Photo taken 07/12/03.
	Southbound Interstate 5 at Exit 126A, Paramount Boulevard. Photo taken 07/12/03.
	Southbound Interstate 5 approaching Exit 125, Junction California 19/Lakewood Boulevard/Rosemead Boulevard, one-half mile. Photo taken 07/12/03.
	Southbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 125, Junction California 19/Lakewood Avenue/Rosemead Avenue. California 19 is Lakewood Avenue south of Interstate 5 and Rosemead Avenue north of Interstate 5. Since Interstate 5 travels in a northwest to southeast direction through southern Los Angeles County and Orange County, it intersections several streets that are oriented north-south. Photo taken 07/12/03.
	Southbound Interstate 5 approaching Exit 124, Junction Interstate 605/San Gabriel River Freeway, next right. Interstate 605 leads south to Long Beach and north to El Monte and Duarte. These destination cities are omitted from these signs. Photo taken 07/12/03.
	Southbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 124, Junction Interstate 605/San Gabriel River Freeway. Interstate 5 leaves Downey and enters Norwalk after passing this interchange. Photo taken 07/12/03.
	Southbound Interstate 5 approaching Exit 122, Pioneer Boulevard/Imperial Highway, next right/exit only. Photo taken 07/12/03.
	Southbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 122, Pioneer Boulevard/Imperial Highway. Pioneer Boulevard leads south through Norwalk into Cerritos, while Imperial Highway provides a major east-west surface street roughly parallel to Interstate 105 west of Norwalk. East of Norwalk, Imperial Highway changes into California 90 at its junction with California 39/Beach Boulevard in La Habra. Photo taken 07/12/03.
	Southbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 121, San Antonio Drive/Norwalk Boulevard. Photo taken 07/12/03.
	Southbound Interstate 5 approaches Exit 120, Rosecrans Avenue, next right. Rosecrans Avenue leads east into La Mirada and west into Norwalk, Bellflower, and Paramount. Photo taken 07/12/03.
	Southbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 120, Rosecrans Avenue. Photo taken 07/12/03.
	Mileage sign along southbound Interstate 5 approaching Exit 119, Carmenita Road. The following exits are for Valley View Avenue and Artesia Boulevard (prior to the construction of the California 91 freeway, Artesia Boulevard was cosigned as U.S. 91/California 18 - note the green overlay on the sign). Photo taken 07/12/03.
	Southbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 119, Carmenita Road. Note the original concrete guardrail present on this overpass. Photo taken 07/12/03.
	Southbound Interstate 5 next approaches Exit 118, Valley View Road, one mile. This is the last exit for Interstate 5 in Los Angeles County; the next two exits are in Orange County. Photo taken 07/12/03.
	Southbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 118, Valley View Avenue. Interstate 5 leaves Norwalk and enters La Mirada here; it will remain in La Mirada for only a mile before it enters Orange County and the city of Buena Park (at Exit 119). Photo taken 07/12/03.

Page Updated July 27, 2004.