Relocating to LA: reader asks for suggestions to get around

On 3/31/08, Corey wrote: Corey has left a new comment on your post "Telecommuting: count the benefits": Relocating to LA:

Readers, I'm in the process of relocating to LA from Washington, DC (which has its own traffic problems). My fiancee has accepted a position in West Hollywood, and we're looking to live in the Fairfax, mid-wilshire neighborhood. Great for her, and I like the city, so I'm happy. I've been interviewing with a company based in Grenada Hills, and it seems like a really good fit for me. However, it's all the way up there. Since I'm not from LA, I have a few questions:Is the 405 just as bad northbound in the mornings and southbound in the evenings as the other way? It seems that most of the traffic would be from the valley to west LA, but I don't know. Is there any other good way to get over the hollywood hills? Here in DC, I cycle commute, and 20 miles each way isn't that big of a deal, but that probably isn't an option when I have a mountain range between me and my destination. Any public transit options? MTA says I need to leave at 6:50 to get to work by 9:00 via public transit, which is ridiculous. Or is this idea hopeless and should I focus my search in the LA basin and forget about the valley?

Any advice would be great, feel free to drop me an e-mail at corey@lanummusic.com

Posted by Corey to L.A. traffic sucks: Let's fix it! at 12:42 PM

nando replies:

Hi Corey,

I haven't updated that blog in quite a while since I really don't live in L.A. anymore. While I lived there, I got really interested in the traffic challenges the city poses--as you can probably read from my blog (I'm still interested in the issue, but like just like with everything else, too many people take this stuff too personally so any comment you make on the situation is taken as a reflection on them or their city of their country...)

I hope the readers of my blog (if there any still!) have offered some suggestions. But let me offer you some. I know the L.A. area really well and I was an expert at "scurrying" around traffic jams and finding my way to where I was going as fast as possible.

If you are going to be living in "the Fairfax, mid-wilshire neighborhood," and you are going to be possibly working in Grenada Hills, it would be absolutely crazy to even think of taking the 405 to get to the Valley. I guess this is all theoretical for you right now and you have been looking at a lot of maps and talking to the MTA on the phone. FORGET ALL THAT! The reality on the ground in L.A. is totally different from what any of that may suggest.

First of all, if you are in "the Fairfax, mid-wilshire neighborhood," the best way to get to the Valley is (yes, you hit the nail in the head yourself!) OVER THE MOUNTAIN! Go to Crescent-Heights (which is just a few blocks West of Fairfax) and go NORTH. On the corner with Sunset Blvd., Crescent Heights will turn into Laurel Canyon Road. GO UP THE MOUNTAIN AND DOWN INTO THE VALLEY on Laurel Canyon. Bear in mind, though, that you may not be the only one with the same idea! There may be a little jam of sorts in both directions since Lauren Canyon is only a two-lane road, one lane in each direction. There is a bus, though, the 218, if I remember right, which, by the way, runs on Fairfax, turns left on Santa Monica Blvd. and then goes up Cresecent Heights and Laurel Canyon and into the valley. Once in the Valley, there are Rapid Buses going up and down Ventura Blvd.

Another way to get to the Valley relatively quickly from "the Fairfax, mid-wilshire neighborhood," would be to take Highland all the way to the 101 and from there north to Grenada Hills. The 101 is nearly always jammed from Hollywood to Downtown in both directions. But there is a chance that early in the morning it may be okay in the north direction.

If you can help it, STAY OFF THE 405!! It's nearly always jammed in both directions from LAX to the Valley, except early on Sunday mornings and after 9:00 or 10:00pm at night. I nearly always avoided it like the plague. But that's me. I have a very, very low tolerance level for traffic jams. They drive me insane! If you don't mind them, knock yourself out by driving on the 405! It wouldn't make any sense at all, though, for you to try to get to Grenada Hills by going West on Wilshire all the way to the 405 and then taking the 405 North! It'd be absolute madness to do that! It'd make NO sense at all!

If you want my advice, don't make any decisions until you actually LIVE the reality on the ground in L.A. This "aerial reconnaissance" thing you're doing of this highly congested city is okay to familiarize yourself a bit with the geography of the place, but there's nothing like actually living it. Traffic is a reality of life in L.A. and a challenge to all its residents. It'll become a part of your life, a part of your very psyche. You cannot do anything without weighing traffic into the equation, and even then it'll haunt your dreams at night. Sometimes you'll wonder whether it's even worth it. Still, millions of people live with it everyday. I myself couldn't take it anymore. Before I moved out, I was living and working in the same area (working near LAX and living in El Segundo. That little "town," by the way, is one of L.A.'s best kept secrets, nested there between a major international airpoirt and an oil refinery!).

Oh, since you are married, one thing you and your wife may want to do, is try to take advantage of the many HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) lanes on most freeways where only cars with two or more people can go. Watch out, though, for the lane-splitting bikers on their motorcycles! They have a right to ride the HOV lanes and they zoom in and out of ALL lanes at hair-raising speeds! (see one of my blog entries on lane-splitting!)

If you have any more questions, feel free to ask me. I know the L.A. area like the palm of my hand! I'd be happy to help you get "settled in" traffic-wise!

Take care and good luck!

nando