Orange County is a suburban sanctuary made up of 34 independent municipalities, each one blending in with the next. Getting from Point A to Point B can be simple if you familiarize yourself with major roadways, the freeway system, and Orange County’s public transportation system. The major roads and freeways typically run east to west or north to south. To help give you a better sense of direction, the San Gabriel Mountains, visible on clear days, are to the north and the Pacific Ocean is to the south.
Unlike other regions, whose streets may run in chronological or alphabetical order, there really is no rhyme or reason to the naming of Orange County’s streets, with the exception of those named for the region’s early settlers. There are more than 35,000 streets of varying sizes in Orange County, including some 14 Main Streets and a handful of Oak Streets. Many of the major streets are named for significant people, such as Warner, Glassell, Chapman, and Yorba Linda. Other monikers are a bit more obvious, such as State College Boulevard, which runs alongside the campus of Cal State Fullerton, or Beach Boulevard, which cuts a path through the inland cities before ending at Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach with the ocean straight ahead.
When traveling along the freeway, you may encounter delays, especially during rush hour. But if there is a major event taking place, such as a concert at the Honda Center or a baseball game at Angel Stadium, you may find yourself coming to a sudden halt and will continue moving at a snail’s pace the closer you get to the venue. Surface streets can be equally slow with their fleet of traffic signals, unexpected roadwork, or when three lanes suddenly transition into two. For the latest freeway traffic conditions and major road blocks, tune in to KNX 1070 AM for frequent traffic reports and updates.