Arroyo Seco Parkway, Historic parkway between Los Angeles and Pasadena, United States.
Arroyo Seco Parkway is a historic route connecting downtown Los Angeles to Pasadena, running through a narrow canyon. The road follows the Arroyo Seco streambed, passes through four decorated tunnels, and crosses several stone bridges that still display the original parkway design.
The route opened in 1940 as California's first limited-access highway, linking two growing cities with a new type of construction. It marked the shift from ordinary boulevards to modern expressways and later became part of the legendary Route 66.
This route shaped the way later California highways were designed, with its flowing curves and landscape-integrated sections. The stone and decorative treatment of bridges and passages still reflects the ambition to design traffic routes as crafted experiences.
The narrow lanes and lack of acceleration zones require extra caution and slower speeds when driving. Some entrances and exits follow older patterns, with sharp curves and short connecting ramps.
The four Figueroa Street tunnels display distinct Art Deco architectural elements and frequently appear in film productions. Their facades and entrances were deliberately designed to give drivers a visual experience beyond mere function.
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