Interstate 605 California
Overview
A well-traveled route through the communities east of the city of Los Angeles, Interstate 605 is the San Gabriel River Freeway. The freeway originates at the exchange joining SR 22 east from Long Beach with I-405 (San Diego Freeway) at Seal Beach. Overhead signs along the route omit control cities and instead read “Thru Traffic.” With eight to ten overall lanes, I-605 runs north from Los Alamitos and Lakewood to Cerritos, Bellflower, Norwalk and Interstate 5 (Santa Ana Freeway) at Downey. Continuing northeast, the San Gabriel River Freeway extends between Pico Rivera and Whittier to Baldwin Park and I-210 (Foothill Freeway) at Duarte.
Route Information
North End – Irwindale, CA
South End – Seal Beach, CA
Mileage – 27.40
Cities – Long Beach, Los Alamitos, Lakewood, Cerritos, Bellflower, Norwalk, Downey, Santa Fe Springs, Pico Rivera, Whittier, El Monte, Baldwin Park, Irwindale, Duarte
Junctions –
Source: December 31, 2018 Interstate Route Log and Finders List
I-605 Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)
Source: 2017 Traffic Volumes – Caltrans Traffic Census Program
History
Interstate 605 opened in stages between May 1964 and January 1971. The north end of I-605 angles northeast to I-210 at Irwindale. State Route 164 was proposed as a freeway connection linking I-605 to the northwest with I-210 via Rosemead Boulevard in 1965. Named the Rio Hondo Freeway, it was never built.1
Controversial plans called for a three mile extension of Interstate 605 south from I-405 and SR 22 to SR 1 in Seal Beach. Proposals for the route considered both freeway and toll road options. However, it was removed from consideration due to local opposition.
Highway Guides
North End
/ Huntington Dr – Irwindale, California
North at
East at
West at
Huntington Drive at
East at
North
West at
I-405 north & California 22 proceed west from the exchange with Seal Beach Boulevard to split at a wye interchange (Exit 23) just ahead of the HOV for I-605 (San Gabriel River Freeway) north. Photos taken 06/20/15.
Turning north, I-405 (San Diego Freeway) splits with mainline ramp (Exit 24) for Interstate 605 northbound to Lakewood and Cerritos. Photos taken 06/20/15.
South at
Interstate 405 (San Diego Freeway) angles southeast from Willow Street in Long Beach to meet I-605 just across the San Gabriel River. Photos taken 07/08/18.
Exit 23 follows from I-405 (San Diego Freeway) to the southernmost extent of I-605 which leads to SR 22 (7th Street) west in Long Beach. Photos taken 07/08/18.

Previous guide signs on I-405 south at the ramp for I-605 north omitted “Freeway” for San Diego and Garden Grove. Photo taken by 08/02/03.
Sources:
- Unsigned State Route 164. California Highways (www.cahighways.org).
Page updated March 14, 2019.