Hundreds of miles of freeways and streets across Southern California will be turned into restricted roadways for exclusive use by permit holders during the 2028 Olympics under a plan to ensure smooth travel for visitors, athletes and staff in a region notorious for heavy traffic, according to reports and drafts of the project reviewed by The Times.
The restricted lanes are expected to include major freeways that cut across Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties and connect game venues with the Olympic villages, where athletes and coaches will stay. Instead of navigating congested freeways and roads, those granted exclusive permits would be allowed to cut through traffic under what is known as the 2028 Olympic’s “Games Route Network.”
The network is expected to include about 236 miles of carpool and restricted lanes on busy freeways, and about 134 miles along local streets, according to a map of the proposed plan drafted by the California Department of Transportation.
“It’s really specific to transporting athletes,” said Annie Nam, deputy director of planning and transportation for the Southern California Assn. of Governments, one of the groups working to put in place the regional plan for the Olympic Games. “It’s a dedicated network to make sure that athletes can get to their competition on time.”
About 40 venues across Southern California are expected to host events during the 2028 Games, and the UCLA campus is set to become the main village for housing the athletes. The Games Route Network is planned to help athletes, coaches, Olympic workers and others navigate the region with few delays.
Nam said the network, which is still in the works, is a requirement set by the International Olympic Committee so athletes won’t be stuck in typical L.A. traffic. Planning for the network is being spearheaded by Caltrans.
Caltrans officials released few details of the latest plan, but according to a presentation made to the Southern California Assn. of Governments in July, it will include portions of some of the area’s most congested freeways, including the 5, 91, 405, 105, 110, 101, 10 and 210 freeways in Los Angeles County. It will also include the 1, 2, 47, 134 and 164.
In Orange County, sections of the 5, 55, 57, 73, 91 and 405 will be included. It will also extend south to San Diego County, affecting some portions of the 5 Freeway there.
The network is also expected to be accessible to public transportation buses, carrying spectators, employees and volunteers. According to the presentation documents, “other credentialed vehicles” will also gain access to the lanes.
Between 10 million and 15 million spectators are expected to attend the Games during the 16-day event, straining roads that are already known for heavy congestion, according to a report published this week by the Southern California Assn. of Governments.
The report, dubbed the 2028 Games Regional Transportation Demand Management report, outlines a plan that relies on public transportation, coordinated communication and outreach to try to reduce traffic in the region by 15%.
The purpose, Nam said, is to ensure that the Games go smoothly and that daily life for residents and businesses is not interrupted.
Officials did not clarify how authorities will enforce the exclusive roadway access, nor did they explain what the plan will mean for the millions of daily commuters who lack privileged access.
Still, officials say the plan looks to repeat some of the strategies used during the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, including encouraging flexible work schedules with businesses, encouraging residents to avoid peak travel times, and pushing for the use of public transportation as an alternative.
Cities and local transportation agencies will also be tasked with adopting changes to keep the Olympics from disrupting daily commutes.
A map included in the Caltrans presentation to the Southern California Assn. of Governments shows multiple city streets included in the vast network, including streets in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Inglewood, Long Beach and Pomona.
Nam said the freeway portion of the network has been set, but the surface street portion of the network is still being worked out.
Caltrans would not confirm details of the network, saying it was still pending.
“Currently, the partners are in the planning phase and are working with LA28 to confirm logistical details and operations of events in order to finalize” the network, a spokesperson for Caltrans said in a statement. “While we don’t have specifics to share at this time, this is a significant interagency effort and we will release details to the public to ensure they are aware of the impacts.”
The network being planned is one of several pieces of transportation logistics under works for the Games. The region’s Metro transit system estimated it will see about 1 million more rides per day, more than doubling daily ridership.
Metro also plans to bring in an additional 1,700 buses and shuttles to augment its current fleet of about 2,400 buses, and the agency has requested $2 billion from the Trump administration to fund the plan.
Other plans are also in the works to help move people during the Games, including Los Angeles International Airport’s Automated People Mover train — also known as Skylink — and a proposed water taxi between San Pedro and Long Beach.
