Abstract:
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) response to the Northridge earthquake is discussed. The impact of the earthquake on the freeway system was greatest on I-5, the major interstate route between Canada and Mexico. I-5 was severed at the interchange with State Route 14, a location where, because of the topography, there is no parallel arterial or freeway. Trucks had to be rerouted throughout the Southern California area and this resulted in major problems for commuters living in the area north of Los Angeles. Other facilities that were affected included State Route 14 and State Route 118, which are primarily commuter freeways. The Santa Monica Freeway (I-10) was also affected, but has a substantial grid network of alternate routes. High occupancy vehicle (HOV) treatments were employed during this emergency situation. Details are provided on where and how they were employed.
Supplemental Notes:
The preparation of these proceedings was funded in part through grants from the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration, United States Department of Transportation. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
