Interstate 710 - California Travel Information
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Interstate 710 - Southbound

Southbound Interstate 710
This mileage sign along southbound Interstate 710 provides the distance to the next three exits: Exit 18, Junction Southbound Interstate 5 (left exit); Exit 17B, Washington Boulevard; and Exit 17A, Atlantic Boulevard and Bandini Boulevard. Photo taken 12/27/01.
The next exit along southbound Interstate 710/Long Beach Freeway is Exit 17B, Washington Boulevard into the city of Commerce, one-quarter mile. Photo taken 07/06/04.
During rush hours, Interstate 710 carries a good deal of traffic, and on this evening commute, the freeway was congested with car and truck traffic. Southbound Interstate 710/Long Beach Freeway reaches Exit 17B, Washington Boulevard. After this interchange, Interstate 710 departs the city of Commerce and enters the city of Vernon. Photo taken 07/06/04.
The next exit along southbound Interstate 710/Long Beach Freeway is Exit 17A, Bandini Boulevard and Atlantic Avenue. The right lane exits only to Exit 17A. Atlantic Boulevard comes in from the northeast and southwest, while Bandini Boulevard enters the area from the southeast and northwest. They both converge at the same spot as the Interstate 710 interchange. Photo taken 07/06/04.
Southbound Interstate 710/Long Beach Freeway reaches Exit 17A, Bandini Boulevard and Atlantic Avenue. The ramp loops over Bandini Boulevard, then terminates at Bandini Boulevard facing north. Turn left for northwest Bandini Boulevard or right for southeast Bandini Boulevard, which connects to both directions of Atlantic Avenue. This is the only Vernon exit on Interstate 710. Photo taken 07/06/04.
In addition to the freeway, power lines sweep through the Interstate 710 corridor, bringing power from generating plants in Long Beach and beach areas. These lines follow the Los Angeles River, which will now parallel Interstate 710 south to Long Beach. As Interstate 710 steers away from Vernon, the freeway enters the city of Bell and then reenters the city of Commerce briefly. Before reaching Exit 15, Interstate 710 acts as the border of Bell and Bell Gardens. Photo taken 07/06/04.

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The next three exits along southbound Interstate 710 are Exit 15, Florence Avenue; Exit 13, Junction California 42/Firestone Boulevard; and Exit 12B, Imperial Highway. There is a several-mile gap between the Bandini/Atlantic Boulevards interchange and the Florence Avenue interchange. Note that California 42, which is decommissioned, still remains on this series of signs along southbound Interstate 710. Photo taken 07/06/04.
Southbound Interstate 710 next approaches Exit 15, Florence Avenue, which serves Bell (via westbound) and Bell Gardens (via eastbound). Photo taken 07/06/04.
Use the right lane to exit from southbound Interstate 710 to Exit 15, Florence Avenue. Due to its terminus at the Long Beach and Los Angeles ports, Interstate 710 carries a significant number of trucks. Nevertheless, the highway remains congested due to the lack of major expansion projects. The proposed California 47/Industrial Freeway truck route may eventually take some vehicles off the 710 freeway, assuming it is constructed. Photo taken 07/06/04.
Southbound Interstate 710 reaches Exit 15, Florence Avenue. Interstate 710 ceases to divide Bell and Bell Gardens; it now serves as the boundary between the cities of Cudahy on the west and Bell Gardens on the east. Exit 15 is a modified cloverleaf interchange. Once on the exit ramp, the first ramp connects to westbound Florence Avenue, and the second ramp connects to eastbound Florence Avenue. Photo taken 07/06/04.
The next three exits along southbound Interstate 710 are Exit 13, Junction California 42/Firestone Boulevard; Exits 12B-A, Imperial Highway; and Exit 11, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard. Photo taken 07/06/04.
Southbound Interstate 710 approaches Exit 13, Junction California 42/Firestone Boulevard. California 42 is legislatively decommissioned, but signs such as this one still feature the state route shield. According to the 1999 California State Map book produced by Thomas Guide, the sections of California 42 within the city of Los Angeles are still state highways; even the 2005 map still shows the state route within the Los Angeles city limits. But here in Bell, the route is decommissioned. Photo taken 07/06/04.

Now reaching Exit 13, southbound Interstate 710/Long Beach Freeway meets former California 42 at the Firestone Boulevard interchange. Unlike the previous advance signs, the California 42 shield is omitted from this sign. Interstate 710 leaves Bell Gardens/Cudahy and enters South Gate. Exit 13 is almost a full cloverleaf, except for southbound, which has only one off-ramp. All other directions have two connecting ramps. Photo taken 07/06/04.
The next exit along southbound Interstate 710 is Exits 12B-A, Imperial Highway, 1.25 miles. Photo taken 07/06/04.
This mileage sign provides the distance to the next three exits along southbound Interstate 710: Exits 12B-A, Imperial Highway; Exit 11B, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard; and Exit 11A, Junction Interstate 105/Glenn Anderson Freeway. Photo taken 07/06/04.
As the power lines cross over Interstate 710, the Long Beach Freeway crosses over the Los Angeles River. From here south to Long Beach, the freeway will remain to the west of the river. The next exit along southbound Interstate 710 is Exit 12B, Imperial Highway, but this sign advises of the pending major interchange with Interstate 105/Anderson Freeway at Exit 11A in 1.25 miles. Photo taken 07/06/04.
Southbound Interstate 710 reaches Exit 12B, Imperial Highway west to Lynwood (via a ramp to parallel Wright Road, then south to Imperial Highway). A direct connection to eastbound Imperial Highway is provided at Exit 12A. Photo taken 07/06/04.
Most of the Interstate 710 and Imperial Highway interchange is cloverleaf, with the exception of the ramp from southbound to westbound. A more traditional cloverleaf loop ramp provides the connection from southbound Interstate 710/Long Beach Freeway to Imperial Highway eastbound to Downey. Photo taken 07/06/04.
The next exit along southbound Interstate 710 is Exit 11B, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, 0.75 mile. Photo taken 07/06/04.
This mileage sign provides the distance to the next three exits along southbound Interstate 710: Exit 11B, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard; Exit 11A, Junction Interstate 105/Glenn Anderson Freeway; and Exit 10, Rosecrans Avenue. Photo taken 07/06/04.
Southbound Interstate 710/Long Beach Freeway reaches Exit 11B, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard west into Lynwood. The next exit is Exit 11A, Junction Interstate 105/Glenn Anderson Freeway. Photo taken 07/06/04.
Use Interstate 105/Glenn Anderson Freeway west to Los Angeles International Airport and El Segundo and east to Norwalk. The east-west freeway connects Interstate 605, Interstate 710, Interstate 110, and Interstate 405 together. The interchange between Interstate 710 and Interstate 105 (Exit 11A) is a symmetrical stack interchange; exit right to reach either east or west Interstate 105. Photo taken 07/06/04.
To facilitate traffic flow between Interstate 710 and Interstate 105, the off-ramp for Exit 10/Rosecrans Avenue is located prior to passing under the stack interchange, even though Rosecrans Avenue itself is located south of Interstate 105 and is parallel to the east-west freeway. Photo taken 07/06/04.
View of the Interstate 710 and Interstate 105 symmetrical stack interchange as seen along southbound Interstate 710. This interchange is split evenly between Lynwood (west) and Paramount (east); Interstate 710 will enter Paramount briefly at Exit 9 before skirting Compton and finally entering Long Beach just prior to Exit 9A, Junction California 91/Gardena & Artesia Freeways. Photo taken 07/06/04.
The next five exits along southbound are Exits 9B-A, Alondra Boulevard; Exit 8B, Junction California 91/Artesia Freeway east; Exit 8A, Junction California 91/Gardena Freeway west; and Exit 7B, North Long Beach Boulevard. Photo taken 07/06/04.
The right lane exits only onto Exit 9B, Alondra Boulevard west to Compton. Photo taken 07/06/04.
Southbound Interstate 710 reaches Exit 9A, Alondra Boulevard east to Paramount. Photo taken 07/06/04.
Southbound Interstate 710 reaches Exit 9B, Alondra Boulevard west; the next exit is Exit 9A, Alondra Boulevard east to Paramount and Bellflower. Photo taken 07/06/04.
The next interchange along southbound Interstate 710/Long Beach Freeway is Exit 8B, Junction California 91/Artesia Freeway east and Exit 8A, Junction California 91/Gardena Freeway west. Photo taken 07/06/04.
The next five exits along southbound are Exit 8B, Junction California 91/Artesia Freeway east; Exit 8A, Junction California 91/Gardena Freeway west; Exits 7B-A, North Long Beach Boulevard; and Exit 6, Del Amo Boulevard. Photo taken 07/06/04.
Southbound Interstate 710 reaches Exit 8B, Junction California 91/Artesia Freeway east to Riverside and San Bernardino. Photo taken 07/06/04.
After Exit 8B, the next ramp connects southbound Interstate 710 to Exit 8A, Junction California 91/Gardena Freeway west to the beach cities. Photo taken 07/06/04.
View of the Los Angeles River power lines as seen from the ramp from southbound Interstate 710 to eastbound California 91. Photo taken 05/30/04.
Now on the transition ramp from southbound Interstate 710 to eastbound California 91, an exit ramp connects to Atlantic Boulevard. Photo taken 05/30/04.
The next three exits along southbound are Exits 7B-A, North Long Beach Boulevard; Exit 6, Del Amo Boulevard; and Exit 4, Junction Interstate 405/San Diego Freeway. Interstate 710 enters the city of Long Beach. Photo taken 07/06/04.
Southbound Interstate 710/Long Beach Freeway reaches Exit 7B, Long Beach Boulevard north, followed by Exit 7A, Long Beach Boulevard south. Photo taken 07/06/04.
Southbound Interstate 710 reaches Exit 7A, Long Beach Boulevard south. Photo taken 07/06/04.
The next three exits along southbound are Exit 6, Del Amo Boulevard; Exit 4, Junction Interstate 405/San Diego Freeway; and Exit 3, Willow Street. Photo taken 07/06/04.
Del Amo Boulevard extends east through Long Beach into Lakewood and west into unincorporated Rancho Dominguez and Carson. Photo taken 07/06/04.
Southbound Interstate 710 reaches Exit 6, Del Amo Boulevard. Photo taken 07/06/04.
The next exit along southbound is Exit 4, Junction Interstate 405/San Diego Freeway, 1.25 miles. Note that this newer sign omits the freeway name. Photo taken 07/06/04.
The next three exits along southbound are Exit 4, Junction Interstate 405/San Diego Freeway; Exit 3, Willow Street; and Exit 2, Junction California 1/Pacific Coast Highway. Photo taken 07/06/04.
Use Exit 4, Junction Interstate 405, to reach Wardlow Road. Wardlow Road parallels Interstate 405 to the south of Interstate 405; a ramp connects Interstate 710 to Wardlow Road via Exit 4. Photo taken 07/06/04.
Southbound Interstate 710 approaches Exit 4, Junction Interstate 405/San Diego Freeway. Southbound Interstate 405 leads east toward Orange County, while northbound Interstate 405 leads west to Carson and Torrance. Photo taken 05/30/04.
This roadside sign for Exit 4, Junction Interstate 405/San Diego Freeway, is placed on the approach to the exit ramp. The interchange between Interstate 710 and Interstate 405 is almost a cloverleaf, with the southeastern quadrant loop missing. As a result, this interchange is frequently congested and very busy. Photo taken 07/06/04.
Southbound Interstate 710 reaches Exit 4, Junction Interstate 405/San Diego Freeway and Wardlow Road. Note the extensive use of green overlays to cover the original signage. Stay in the far right lane for northbound Interstate 405. Photo taken 07/06/04.
Now on the transition ramp from Interstate 710 south to Interstate 405, use the right lane for Interstate 405 north and the left lane for Interstate 405 south and Wardlow Road. Photo taken 07/06/04.
After north Interstate 405 departs from Interstate 710 south, the collector-distributor lane passes under the Interstate 405 freeway, and a loop ramp will exit to the right to carry traffic onto southbound Interstate 405/San Diego Freeway. Continue straight ahead for Wardlow Road. Photo taken 07/06/04.
This gore point sign is located at the bottom of the loop ramp to southbound Interstate 405. Photo taken 07/06/04.
The next three exits along southbound are Exit 3, Willow Street; Exit 2, Junction California 1/Pacific Coast Highway; and Exit 1D, Anaheim Street. Photo taken 07/06/04.
Southbound Interstate 710 reaches Exit 3B (not shown) and Exit 3A for Willow Street; the following exit is Exit 2, Junction California 1/Pacific Coast Highway. Photo taken 07/06/04.
The next three exits along southbound are Exit 2, Junction California 1/Pacific Coast Highway; Exit 1D, Anaheim Street; and Exit 1C, Downtown Long Beach Spur. Photo taken 07/06/04.
Southbound Interstate 710/Long Beach Freeway reaches Exit 2, Junction California 1/Pacific Coast Highway. Despite its name, the Pacific Coast Highway remains several miles north of the actual coastline through Long Beach. Photo taken 07/06/04.
The interchange with California 1/Pacific Coast Highway is a cloverleaf. Despite its name, California 1 is really not very close to the Pacific Coast; the ocean is still a couple miles south of here. Both California 1 and Interstate 405 generally run east-west through Long Beach, while Interstate 710 travels north-south through this area. Photo taken 06/15/03.
The next three exits along southbound are Exit 1D, Anaheim Street; Exit 1C, Downtown Long Beach Spur; and Exit 1B, Queen Mary Spur to Pico Avenue and Piers B-E. Photo taken 07/06/04.
Now reaching the end of its main alignment, southbound Interstate 710/Long Beach Freeway prepares to split into its various spur routes after passing Exit 1D, Anaheim Street. Photo taken 06/15/03.
As noted on these signs mounted on the California 1/Pacific Coast Highway overpass, the left lanes exit to downtown (including the famous Long Beach Aquarium), while the right lanes carry Interstate 710 south to the port facilities and Queen Mary attraction. Photo taken 06/15/03.
Southbound Interstate 710/Long Beach Freeway splits here, with Exit 1C providing a left exit to the downtown spur. The main line continues straight ahead with access to the ports and Queen Mary. Photo taken 07/06/04.
To continue south on Interstate 710 to the ports, use the left two lanes. The right two lanes prepare to depart via Exit 1B, Queen Mary Spur. Photo taken 05/30/04.
Southbound Interstate 710/Long Beach Freeway will split again, this time between the spurs for Queen Mary (Exit 1B) and the ports (Exit 1A). Photo taken 05/30/04.
The Interstate 710 designation travels west over the Gerald Desmond Bridge en route to the ports, while the Queen Mary spur exits here (Exit 1B). Photo taken 05/30/04.
After the Queen Mary Spur exit, through traffic is defaulted onto Exit 1A, which takes Interstate 710 over the Gerald Desmond Bridge to the Port of Long Beach. Photo taken 05/30/04.
Southbound California 710 - Terminal Island Spur/Gerald Desmond Bridge
Now on the ascent to the Gerald Desmond Bridge, Interstate 710 is now signed as "TO California 47/Terminal Island Freeway." A few California 47 trailblazers were recently posted on the bridge in both directions. The Gerald Desmond Bridge is so named for a former Long Beach City Councilmember and City Attorney. The bridge is suspended about 250 feet above water, and it was completed in 1968. This height is actually considered to be too low for some container ships to pass safely underneath the bridge. The other bridges to Terminal Island were also built in the middle of the 20th century. (The two California 47 bridges also serve Terminal Island: the Vincent Thomas Bridge was built in 1964 and the Commodore Schuyler F. Heim Lift Bridge was built in 1946.) The interstate highway designation ends, since the Gerald Desmond Bridge is not Interstate standard. Now known as Ocean Boulevard, the highway is secret California 710 even though the bridge is owned by the city of Long Beach and is maintained by the Port of Long Beach. Photo taken 05/30/04.
The Gerald Desmond Bridge carries what is now California 710 over the Back Channel and on to Terminal Island. In 2004, advocates of the economic development of the Long Beach area petitioned the federal government for $745 million from the TEA-21 Reauthorization for the Interstate 710 Corridor/Gerald Desmond Bridge Gateway project. This upgrade to bring the span to a six-lane freeway standard on a cable-stay bridge. This new bridge would be Interstate standards, which is seen as vital due to the significant container traffic that originates at the port and travels north via Interstate 710 to Interstate 10 and beyond. For more on this project (which is described as a "western extension of Interstate 710"), visit Long Beach Advocacy.Biz. Photo taken 05/30/04.
After passing through the suspended strands that hold the Gerald Desmond Bridge above the water, Terminal Island and the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles come into view. California 710 descends from this bridge to an intersection with California 47, which marks its southern terminus. Once a new bridge is constructed in this location, the existing Gerald Desmond Bridge will be demolished (in accordance with an agreement reached by the city of Long Beach and Caltrans in March 2001). Contingent upon funding availability, construction would begin in 2005, and the new bridge would be opened to traffic in 2011. The next exit is Pier T. Photo taken 05/30/04.
Southbound California 710 reaches the offramp for Pier T before the freeway touches down on Terminal Island. Photo taken 05/30/04.
At the time this photo was taken, California 47 was being constructed along the Alameda Street Corridor. As a result, road closures along the Terminal Island Freeway were occasionally necessary. Photo taken 05/30/04.
The final exit along southbound California 710 is a signalized intersection with California 47/Terminal Island Freeway north to the Heim Lift Bridge, Alameda Corridor, and California 103/Terminal Island Freeway to Willow Street. Photo taken 05/30/04.
Southbound California 710 reaches its southern/western terminus at California 47/Terminal Island Freeway. This intersection is a temporary configuration, pending construction of a full freeway to freeway interchange here. Photo taken 05/30/04.
Southbound Interstate 710 - Downtown Long Beach Spur
No photos available.
Southbound Interstate 710 - Queen Mary Spur
Now on the Queen Mary Spur, the freeway continues all the way to the tourist attraction, even though it is not technically part of Interstate 710. The first exit along southbound is Pico Avenue, which serves Piers F and G. Photo taken 06/15/03.
Southbound Queen Mary Spur at Pico Avenue. Photo taken 06/15/03.
Mileage sign on southbound Queen Mary Spur for Harbor Plaza, Piers H and J, and Queensway. Photo taken 06/15/03.
Southbound Queen Mary Spur at Harbor Plaza east. Photo taken 06/15/03.
The next exit along the Queen Mary spur is Harbor Scenic Drive, which serves Piers H and J. The tourist attractions are snug right up against the Port of Long Beach facilities. Photo taken 06/15/03.
Southbound Queen Mary Spur at Harbor Scenic Drive. Photo taken 06/15/03.
Reaching the end of the line, the Queen Mary Spur ends when it enters the parking lot for the Queen Mary attraction. Photo taken 06/15/03.

Page Updated October 6, 2004.