Eating Taco Bell, listening to Bruce Springsteen, scopeing LA’s interchanges: what a fine way to spend a day of our spring break! Also we got gas and cleaned the car windows. After the disappointing 405-110 interchange both of us are eagerly awaiting the 405-105 Century freeway interchange, near LAX (Jaime: "This is the first time we have taken the Century freeway interchange this century!"). We took the tallest overpass, the 405 N Þ 105 W. From here you get a great view of much of the interchange—particularly the massive raised 105 roadway which defies gravity as it sends tributary lanes through and around the surrounding high rise office buildings. If I recall correctly (I was quite young at the time), the Century overpass was one of those controversial projects that caused headache for all those involved. An early childhood memory for me was witnessing, through the car window, the massive pillars, standing like lone sentinels, supporting air. I’m 24 now and I still marvel at this construction—the tortuous, ingenious interweaving of road and tram track (to evoke yet another one of LA’s controversial projects). One thing I really like about this interchange is the textured patterns on the side of the concrete railing/barriers (to thwart graffiti?).

Does anyone know why the 105 doesn’t go all the way to the 5?