Transportation in Southern California consists of public transit, rail transit, airports, shuttle services, highways, roads and bike paths. The freeways and highways are one of the major trademarks of the region. Extensive and complex freeway networks criss-cross the quickly-growing region, connecting urban centers with their suburbs, as well as the areas of urban sprawl between them. Many of the major highways leading in and out of Southern California include Interstates 5,8,10,15,40, the Golden State, San Diego, Ocean Beach, Mission Valley, Santa Monica, Corona and Mojave Freeways. The major airports in the area include the Los Angeles, San Diego and Palm Springs International Airports.
Public Transportation in Southern California includes:
Metrolink
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
San Diego trolley and San Diego County MTS
Orange County Transportation Authority
Omnitrans (southwestern San Bernardino County)
Santa Barbara MTD
Gold Coast Transit (Ventura County)
North County Transit District (northern San Diego County)
Major hubs of transportation and logistics are planning major capital investments in Southern California over the next several years. They have the largest federal stimulus project in L.A. County: the Harry Bridges reconstruction project. This will be a big commitment consisting of 250 construction jobs for a $25 million project. They also just kicked off a six-year expansion to the China Shipping Terminal which will include new wharfs, new cranes, and about 4,000 jobs at full capacity.
Most Southern Californians drive their personal cars to get around. Just listen to the evening traffic reports and you'll get an idea of how many cars are driven in the area each and every day.
The metropolitan regions of Southern California consist of many small cities that run into one another. It can be confusing and you can get lost very easily if you do not have a map, even with detailed directions. A Thomas Guide, which contains detailed maps of all neighborhoods, is a useful tool if you plan on doing any driving in Southern California. This book can be found in local stores and bookstores.
Mass transit is available throughout the area, with many connecting together at shared stops. The regional commuter train,MetroLink , connects many of the outreaching areas, where many commuters live, with Los Angeles and Orange County, where they work. This train system comes in handy when you need to get from one area to another, even with their limited schedule.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Southern California
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Southern California - updated May 2024
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Southern California Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
