Driving on the 101 and 134 (Riverside, Pasadena: to live in, yard, rating)

[robertpasa]

I was driving from Pasadena to Hollywood, going west on the 134. I wanted to go south on the 101 but I overshot it. I found out that you can't directly go from the 134 west to the 101 south. Did they just never build the right ramp? What do you do if you want to go this route?

Also, I got on the 101 North near the Hollywood Bowl and I wanted to get on the 134 east. There was a sign saying "134 East, Next Exit." I took the next exit and it was wrong. I found myself on surface streets like Lankershim. I think that sign should have said "Exit after Next Exit."

[Fontucky]

There is NO interchange for that. To transition from nb 101 to eb 134, you have to take Vineland off, then make a couple of turns. IIRC, one of the streets you turn on is Riverside.

EDIT: I checked the map. Right on Riverside, followed by a hard left to the onramp ~100 yards later. If you blink or there's a large truck in the right lane on Riverside, you'll miss the signage. If you were on Lankershim, you went too far. This is one of those LA freeway idiosyncrasies that you learn by experience. Tourists and newcomers beware.

[highlanderfil]

Originally Posted by robertpasa

Also, I got on the 101 North near the Hollywood Bowl and I wanted to get on the 134 east. There was a sign saying "134 East, Next Exit." I took the next exit and it was wrong. I found myself on surface streets like Lankershim. I think that sign should have said "Exit after Next Exit."

It's not wrong - it just isn't a direct shot from one freeway onto the other. I agree, it's hugely frustrating, having done that drive for years myself (I used to live in Pasadena and Sherman Oaks). There really isn't a graceful solution that doesn't involve either surface streets or doubling back.

[robertpasa]

There's no real interchange between 101 N and 134 E??
We've already confirmed there's none for 134 W to 101 S.

[highlanderfil]

Originally Posted by robertpasa

There's no real interchange between 101 N and 134 E??
We've already confirmed there's none for 134 W to 101 S.

Not that I'm aware of, to be honest. Two left lanes of 101 S merge into 134 E on one side while three lanes of 134 W merge into two lanes of 101 N while the others go into 170 N. That's pretty much it there.

On that note, there's no 134 W/5 S interchange, either, IIRC.

[Fontucky]

None, nada, nyet, zip.

Here's another one, in case you ever find yourself in the IE: 15/215 interchange. There is no freeway transition from sb 215 to NB 15, or sb 15 to nb 215. It's all done via surface street offramps, Murrieta Hot Springs Road being the most convenient choice.

[munchitup]

Lots of interchanges like this - can't go 5S to 134W, 170S to 101W,

[bpeeps]

Does anyone know the "why" behind this?

[highlanderfil]

Originally Posted by bpeeps

Does anyone know the "why" behind this?

Poor (sub-)urban planning?

[ashpelham]

Thanks to everyone who posted here on this. You just don't know how valuable this kind of information is to an outsider trying to find his way around.