California State Route 55
Encyclopedia
State Route 55 is an 18-mile (30-km) long north–south highway in the U.S. state of California. The portion of the route built to freeway standards is known as the Costa Mesa Freeway (formerly the Newport Freeway). SR 55 runs between the Pacific Coast Highway (State Route 1
in Newport Beach
to the south and the Riverside Freeway (State Route 91) in Anaheim
to the north.
.
Starting at Finley Avenue on Newport Boulevard in Newport Beach, 0.3 mile (0.482802 km) south of SR 1
, Route 55/Newport Boulevard is a 4-lane expressway for approximately three-quarters of a mile to its intersection with 17th Street in Costa Mesa
. It then follows a traditional street routing through a retail and commercial section of Costa Mesa until its intersection with 19th Street. Following the 19th Street intersection, Route 55 becomes an eight-lane below-grade freeway that bisects the northbound and southbound lanes of Newport Boulevard until the Mesa Drive undercrossing. North of Fair Drive, Route 55 is an at-grade or above-grade freeway, with the exception of a one mile (1.6 km) stretch between the 1st Street/4th Street exit and the 17th Street exit in Santa Ana
which is below-grade.
The segment on Newport Boulevard includes a limited-access interchange at SR 1. The southbound side of the Costa Mesa Freeway does not have a direct link to northbound Interstate 5, the Santa Ana Freeway
. Route 55 is known to be crowded due to it being the primary free link from job centers in Irvine, Santa Ana and Costa Mesa to SR 91, which leads to commuter communities of the Inland Empire
and other places northeast of Orange County.
SR 55 was the first freeway in Orange County to receive carpool lanes, opened in 1985. The stretch of the 55 between Fair Dr. and 19th Street in Costa Mesa was opened in 1990; plans to extend the 55 freeway south from 19th Street to State Route 1 were never realized, but in April 2007, the Orange County Transportation Authority
approved funds to study the feasibility of extending the Costa Mesa Freeway south to 17th Street via tunnels or flyover ramps.
Route 55 from Route 91 to Costa Mesa is known as the Costa Mesa Freeway, as named by Assembly Concurrent Resolution 177, Chapter 86 in 1976.
(the Pacific Coast Highway, or "PCH") and continued northbound on the same route it follows today, through the cities of Newport Beach
, Tustin
, Costa Mesa
, Orange
and Anaheim, and then went eastward through Riverside
on what is known today as Route 91
to link with Interstate 215
. In 1959 the freeway was renumbered as Route 55, and its route was shortened from Route 1 to the also-renumbered Route 91.
Today, Route 55 is a heavily-travelled corridor linking southern Orange County
with Route 91, the main corridor between the Inland Empire
and the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area
, as well as Interstate 5
, the main north–south corridor for California. A HOV lane has been built along the entire route, with its own off- and on-ramps. However, congestion is still very prevalent throughout the day, as is the norm with many Orange County freeways; Route 55 experiences a peak daily traffic volume of 262,000 vehicles and 17,292 trucks.
The entire freeway section of Route 55, approximately 16 miles (25.7 km), is called the Costa Mesa Freeway. It was formerly called the Newport Freeway, with the name being changed by the legislature in 1976. Caltrans did not begin changing signs to reflect the name change until the early 1990s. In 2010, the stretch between Chapman and Katella avenues in the City of Orange
was renamed the Paul Johnson Freeway for longtime local radio television traffic reporter Paul Johnson, who died the same year.
The entire route is in Orange County
.
{| class=wikitable
!Location
!Postmile
!Exit
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=2|Newport Beach
|0.00
|
|Newport Boulevard
|Continuation beyond SR 1
|-
|0.27
|1
|
|Interchange; former US 101 Alt.
|-
|rowspan=12|Costa Mesa
|1.51
|
|East 17th Street
|
|-
|1.82
|
|Harbor Boulevard
|
|-
|2.02
|
|19th Street
|
|-
|colspan=4 align=center|South end of freeway
|-bgcolor=#ffdddd
|
|2
|Newport Boulevard
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance
|-
|R2.77
|3
|Victoria Street, 22nd Street
|
|-
|R3.78
|4
|Del Mar Avenue, Fair Drive
|
|-bgcolor=#ffdddd
|R4.73
|5A
|
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance
|-
|R4.73
|5A
| via toll road
|
|-
|R5.34
|5B
|Baker Street
|
|-bgcolor=#ffdddd
|R5.99
|6A
|
|Southbound exit and northbound entrance
|-
|R5.99
|6B
|
|Signed as exit 6 northbound
|-
|rowspan=3|Santa Ana
|R6.99
|7
|MacArthur Boulevard, Main Street
|
|-
|R7.85
|8
|Dyer Road
|Signed as exits 8A (east) and 8B (west) southbound
|-
|R9.44
|9
|Edinger Avenue
|
|-
|rowspan=7|Tustin
|R9.96
|10A
|McFadden Avenue – Tustin
|Signed as exit 10 southbound
|-bgcolor=#ffdddd
|10.45
|10B
|
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance; former US 101 north
|-
|10.45
|11A
|
|Former US 101 south
|-
|10.98
|11B
|4th Street, Irvine Boulevard
|
|-
|11.79
|12
|17th Street – Tustin
, Santa Ana
|Signed as exits 12A (east) and 12B (west) southbound
|-
|12.97
|13
|
|
|-
|13.70
|14
|Chapman Avenue (CR S25 east) – Orange
|Signed as exits 14A (east) and 14B (west) northbound
|-
|rowspan=2|Orange
|15.24
|15
|Katella Avenue (CR S18 south) – Villa Park
|
|-
|16.98
|17
|Lincoln Avenue, Nohl Ranch Road
|Lincoln Avenue was former US 91 south / former SR 18 south
|-
|rowspan=3|Anaheim
|R17.88
|18A
|
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance; former SR 14 north
|-
|R17.88
|18B
|
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance; former US 91 north / former SR 18 north
|-
|R17.88
|
|91 Express Toll Lanes
|Northbound left exit and southbound entrance
California State Route 1
State Route 1 , more often called Highway 1, is a state highway that runs along much of the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California. It is famous for running along some of the most beautiful coastlines in the world, leading to its designation as an All-American Road.Highway 1 does not run...
in Newport Beach
Newport Beach, California
Newport Beach, incorporated in 1906, is a city in Orange County, California, south of downtown Santa Ana. The population was 85,186 at the 2010 census.The city's median family income and property values consistently place high in national rankings...
to the south and the Riverside Freeway (State Route 91) in Anaheim
Anaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
to the north.
Route description
This route is part of the California Freeway and Expressway SystemCalifornia Freeway and Expressway System
The California Freeway and Expressway System is a system of existing or planned freeways and expressways in the U.S. state of California. It is defined by the Streets and Highways Code.-List of roads in the system:*State Route 1 *State Route 2...
.
Starting at Finley Avenue on Newport Boulevard in Newport Beach, 0.3 mile (0.482802 km) south of SR 1
California State Route 1
State Route 1 , more often called Highway 1, is a state highway that runs along much of the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California. It is famous for running along some of the most beautiful coastlines in the world, leading to its designation as an All-American Road.Highway 1 does not run...
, Route 55/Newport Boulevard is a 4-lane expressway for approximately three-quarters of a mile to its intersection with 17th Street in Costa Mesa
Costa Mesa, California
Costa Mesa is a city in Orange County, California. The population was 109,960 at the 2010 census. Since its incorporation in 1953, the city has grown from a semi-rural farming community of 16,840 to a primarily suburban and "edge" city with an economy based on retail, commerce, and light...
. It then follows a traditional street routing through a retail and commercial section of Costa Mesa until its intersection with 19th Street. Following the 19th Street intersection, Route 55 becomes an eight-lane below-grade freeway that bisects the northbound and southbound lanes of Newport Boulevard until the Mesa Drive undercrossing. North of Fair Drive, Route 55 is an at-grade or above-grade freeway, with the exception of a one mile (1.6 km) stretch between the 1st Street/4th Street exit and the 17th Street exit in Santa Ana
Santa Ana, California
Santa Ana is the county seat and second most populous city in Orange County, California, and with a population of 324,528 at the 2010 census, Santa Ana is the 57th-most populous city in the United States....
which is below-grade.
The segment on Newport Boulevard includes a limited-access interchange at SR 1. The southbound side of the Costa Mesa Freeway does not have a direct link to northbound Interstate 5, the Santa Ana Freeway
Santa Ana Freeway
The Santa Ana Freeway is one of the principal freeways in Southern California, connecting Los Angeles and its southeastern suburbs including the freeway's namesake, the city of Santa Ana. The freeway begins at the Four Level Interchange in downtown Los Angeles, signed as U.S. Route 101...
. Route 55 is known to be crowded due to it being the primary free link from job centers in Irvine, Santa Ana and Costa Mesa to SR 91, which leads to commuter communities of the Inland Empire
Inland Empire (California)
The Inland Empire is a region in Southern California. The region sits directly east of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Inland Empire most commonly is used in reference to the U.S. Census Bureau's federally-defined Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area, which covers more than...
and other places northeast of Orange County.
SR 55 was the first freeway in Orange County to receive carpool lanes, opened in 1985. The stretch of the 55 between Fair Dr. and 19th Street in Costa Mesa was opened in 1990; plans to extend the 55 freeway south from 19th Street to State Route 1 were never realized, but in April 2007, the Orange County Transportation Authority
Orange County Transportation Authority
The Orange County Transportation Authority is the public sector transportation planning body and mass transit service provider for Orange County, California. Its ancestor agencies include not only the prior Orange County Transit District but also such diverse entities as the Pacific Electric...
approved funds to study the feasibility of extending the Costa Mesa Freeway south to 17th Street via tunnels or flyover ramps.
Route 55 from Route 91 to Costa Mesa is known as the Costa Mesa Freeway, as named by Assembly Concurrent Resolution 177, Chapter 86 in 1976.
History
Route 55 was originally built in 1931 and was originally numbered as Route 43. It was built from the southern terminus of SR 1California State Route 1
State Route 1 , more often called Highway 1, is a state highway that runs along much of the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California. It is famous for running along some of the most beautiful coastlines in the world, leading to its designation as an All-American Road.Highway 1 does not run...
(the Pacific Coast Highway, or "PCH") and continued northbound on the same route it follows today, through the cities of Newport Beach
Newport Beach, California
Newport Beach, incorporated in 1906, is a city in Orange County, California, south of downtown Santa Ana. The population was 85,186 at the 2010 census.The city's median family income and property values consistently place high in national rankings...
, Tustin
Tustin, California
-Top employers:According to the City's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Tustin had a population of 75,540. The population density was 6,816.7 people per square mile...
, Costa Mesa
Costa Mesa, California
Costa Mesa is a city in Orange County, California. The population was 109,960 at the 2010 census. Since its incorporation in 1953, the city has grown from a semi-rural farming community of 16,840 to a primarily suburban and "edge" city with an economy based on retail, commerce, and light...
, Orange
Orange, California
Southern California is well-known for year-round pleasant weather: - On average, the warmest month is August. - The highest recorded temperature was in 1985. - On average, the coolest month is December. - The lowest recorded temperature was in 1950...
and Anaheim, and then went eastward through Riverside
Riverside, California
Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and the county seat of the eponymous county. Named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, it is the largest city in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area of Southern California, 4th largest inland California...
on what is known today as Route 91
California State Route 91
State Route 91 is a major east–west freeway located entirely within Southern California and serving several regions of the Greater Los Angeles metropolitan area...
to link with Interstate 215
Interstate 215 (California)
Interstate 215 is a long north–south Interstate highway in the Inland Empire region of Southern California. It is an auxiliary route of Interstate 15 , running from Murrieta to northern San Bernardino...
. In 1959 the freeway was renumbered as Route 55, and its route was shortened from Route 1 to the also-renumbered Route 91.
Today, Route 55 is a heavily-travelled corridor linking southern Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
with Route 91, the main corridor between the Inland Empire
Inland Empire (California)
The Inland Empire is a region in Southern California. The region sits directly east of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Inland Empire most commonly is used in reference to the U.S. Census Bureau's federally-defined Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area, which covers more than...
and the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area
Los Angeles Metropolitan Area
The Los Angeles metropolitan area, also known as Metropolitan Los Angeles or the Southland, is the 13th largest metropolitan area in the world and the second-largest metropolitan area in the United States....
, as well as Interstate 5
Interstate 5
Interstate 5 is the main Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific Ocean coastline from Canada to Mexico . It serves some of the largest cities on the U.S...
, the main north–south corridor for California. A HOV lane has been built along the entire route, with its own off- and on-ramps. However, congestion is still very prevalent throughout the day, as is the norm with many Orange County freeways; Route 55 experiences a peak daily traffic volume of 262,000 vehicles and 17,292 trucks.
The entire freeway section of Route 55, approximately 16 miles (25.7 km), is called the Costa Mesa Freeway. It was formerly called the Newport Freeway, with the name being changed by the legislature in 1976. Caltrans did not begin changing signs to reflect the name change until the early 1990s. In 2010, the stretch between Chapman and Katella avenues in the City of Orange
Orange, California
Southern California is well-known for year-round pleasant weather: - On average, the warmest month is August. - The highest recorded temperature was in 1985. - On average, the coolest month is December. - The lowest recorded temperature was in 1950...
was renamed the Paul Johnson Freeway for longtime local radio television traffic reporter Paul Johnson, who died the same year.
Exit list
- Note: Except where prefixed with a letter, postmiles were measured in 1964, based on the alignment as it existed at that time, and do not necessarily reflect current mileage.
The entire route is in Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
.
{| class=wikitable
!Location
!Postmile
!Exit
Exit number
An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore....
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=2|Newport Beach
Newport Beach, California
Newport Beach, incorporated in 1906, is a city in Orange County, California, south of downtown Santa Ana. The population was 85,186 at the 2010 census.The city's median family income and property values consistently place high in national rankings...
|0.00
|
|Newport Boulevard
|Continuation beyond SR 1
|-
|0.27
|1
|
|Interchange; former US 101 Alt.
|-
|rowspan=12|Costa Mesa
Costa Mesa, California
Costa Mesa is a city in Orange County, California. The population was 109,960 at the 2010 census. Since its incorporation in 1953, the city has grown from a semi-rural farming community of 16,840 to a primarily suburban and "edge" city with an economy based on retail, commerce, and light...
|1.51
|
|East 17th Street
|
|-
|1.82
|
|Harbor Boulevard
Harbor Boulevard
Harbor Boulevard is a major thoroughfare in central Orange County.-Route description:It runs from Costa Mesa through Santa Ana, Garden Grove, Anaheim and La Habra before it turns into Fullerton Road in the unincorporated community of Rowland Heights just over the Los Angeles County line...
|
|-
|2.02
|
|19th Street
|
|-
|colspan=4 align=center|South end of freeway
|-bgcolor=#ffdddd
|
|2
|Newport Boulevard
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance
|-
|R2.77
|3
|Victoria Street, 22nd Street
|
|-
|R3.78
|4
|Del Mar Avenue, Fair Drive
|
|-bgcolor=#ffdddd
|R4.73
|5A
|
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance
|-
|R4.73
|5A
| via toll road
|
|-
|R5.34
|5B
|Baker Street
|
|-bgcolor=#ffdddd
|R5.99
|6A
|
|Southbound exit and northbound entrance
|-
|R5.99
|6B
|
|Signed as exit 6 northbound
|-
|rowspan=3|Santa Ana
Santa Ana, California
Santa Ana is the county seat and second most populous city in Orange County, California, and with a population of 324,528 at the 2010 census, Santa Ana is the 57th-most populous city in the United States....
|R6.99
|7
|MacArthur Boulevard, Main Street
|
|-
|R7.85
|8
|Dyer Road
|Signed as exits 8A (east) and 8B (west) southbound
|-
|R9.44
|9
|Edinger Avenue
|
|-
|rowspan=7|Tustin
Tustin, California
-Top employers:According to the City's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Tustin had a population of 75,540. The population density was 6,816.7 people per square mile...
|R9.96
|10A
|McFadden Avenue – Tustin
Tustin, California
-Top employers:According to the City's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Tustin had a population of 75,540. The population density was 6,816.7 people per square mile...
|Signed as exit 10 southbound
|-bgcolor=#ffdddd
|10.45
|10B
|
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance; former US 101 north
|-
|10.45
|11A
|
|Former US 101 south
|-
|10.98
|11B
|4th Street, Irvine Boulevard
|
|-
|11.79
|12
|17th Street – Tustin
Tustin, California
-Top employers:According to the City's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Tustin had a population of 75,540. The population density was 6,816.7 people per square mile...
, Santa Ana
Santa Ana, California
Santa Ana is the county seat and second most populous city in Orange County, California, and with a population of 324,528 at the 2010 census, Santa Ana is the 57th-most populous city in the United States....
|Signed as exits 12A (east) and 12B (west) southbound
|-
|12.97
|13
|
|
|-
|13.70
|14
|Chapman Avenue (CR S25 east) – Orange
Orange, California
Southern California is well-known for year-round pleasant weather: - On average, the warmest month is August. - The highest recorded temperature was in 1985. - On average, the coolest month is December. - The lowest recorded temperature was in 1950...
|Signed as exits 14A (east) and 14B (west) northbound
|-
|rowspan=2|Orange
Orange, California
Southern California is well-known for year-round pleasant weather: - On average, the warmest month is August. - The highest recorded temperature was in 1985. - On average, the coolest month is December. - The lowest recorded temperature was in 1950...
|15.24
|15
|Katella Avenue (CR S18 south) – Villa Park
Villa Park, California
Villa Park is a city in northern Orange County, California, near and surrounded by the City of Orange, and close to Anaheim Hills, that incorporated in 1962. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a population of 5,812, down from 5,999 at the 2000 census, achieving the status of the smallest city in...
|
|-
|16.98
|17
|Lincoln Avenue, Nohl Ranch Road
|Lincoln Avenue was former US 91 south / former SR 18 south
|-
|rowspan=3|Anaheim
Anaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
|R17.88
|18A
|
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance; former SR 14 north
|-
|R17.88
|18B
|
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance; former US 91 north / former SR 18 north
|-
|R17.88
|
|91 Express Toll Lanes
|Northbound left exit and southbound entrance