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Freeways are shortening travel times despite steadily increasing vehicle registration in the Los Angeles Metropolitan area, a recent Automobile Club of Southern California travel time study reveals. Although there has been an 11 percent increase in the number of vehilces in the area since 1957, it is somewhat easier to drive around now than it was three years ago, thanks largely to the addition of 47.5 miles of freeway to the system. The five-day study, conducted by the auto club's engineering department in June, covered 342 miles of surface streets and freeways over 17 routes from various suburban areas to downtown Los Angeles. Test runs were made during morning and evening peak hours. Overall average speed was found to be 26 miles per hour as against 24 miles per hour when a similar test was made over substantially the same routes during June 1957. Most striking gains in average speeds were recorded in areas served by the Ventura, Harbo and Long Beach freeways. One route utilizing 27 miles of the Ventura and Hollywood freeways permitted an average speed of 33 m.p.h. This compares with an average speed of only 22 m.p.h. Over a comparable route in 1957. Another route utilizing 19 miles on the Harbor Freeway and Figueroa Street permitted an average speed of 42 m.p.h. In 1960 as against 33 m.p.h in 1957. “In approximately 18 months to 2 years motorists can look forward to even more relief and still better travel time with the completion of the freeway loop bypassing the four-level interchange,” points out John McDonald, auto club engineer. “The loop formed by the Golden State and Santa Monica freeways is now entirely under construction, with two links completed.”
