1940day.year
California opens its first freeway, the Arroyo Seco Parkway.
California opened the Arroyo Seco Parkway, its first freeway, on July 20, 1940, connecting Los Angeles and Pasadena.
The Arroyo Seco Parkway, later known as the Pasadena Freeway, was inaugurated on July 20, 1940. It was the first limited-access highway in California designed for uninterrupted automobile travel. The 11-mile route linked downtown Los Angeles with Pasadena through the scenic Arroyo Seco canyon. Engineered with gentle curves and park-like landscaping, it set new standards for freeway design. Its opening marked the beginning of California’s extensive highway system. Motorists celebrated faster travel times and increased mobility. The parkway remains a historic landmark in American road history. It influenced future freeway developments nationwide.
California
freeway
Arroyo Seco Parkway