If I had to point out a stressful section while driving in LA, it would be the area where the 101 South splits into the 10 East, 5 South, and 60 East. Cars get tangled up and can't move, and the navigation is always red.

Whether it's during the commute or on a weekend afternoon, I think, "Will it not be congested today?" but the result is the same. Once you enter any lane, there's no way to get out. Anyone living in LA must have felt frustrated in this area. It's the same elsewhere, but.

Especially the point where the 10 East splits into the 5 South is crowded with freight trucks, commuter vehicles, and with the 60 splitting off next to it, the road itself can't breathe. Perhaps because this section was designed in the 1960s, it can't handle the current traffic volume at all.

Yet, road policies are still stagnant. They keep repeating makeshift solutions like slightly widening lanes or changing exit signs. The city hall and the transportation department always attach a fancy name like "traffic flow improvement project," but in reality, nothing improves.

And since the 5 is such an old freeway, even a minor accident brings everything to a halt. Then I think, 'Should I just take the local route?' but once I get off, the local roads are even more congested. Lines are at every traffic light, and cars are tangled at every intersection, making it slower than the freeway.

So I regret every time. "When the navigation tells me to go without distractions, I should have just stayed on the freeway."

The problem is that buildings, overpasses, and bridges are densely packed around the LA freeway, leaving no physical space to expand.

Transportation policymakers always talk about "expanding public transport" or "introducing smart traffic systems," but the reality remains the same.

The budget is melting away, and citizens are still wasting time on the road. This is not just simple congestion; it's a failure of the system.

Honestly, seeing this reality makes me envious of Texas.

Especially when looking at Dallas or Austin, there are separate roads called Frontage Roads next to the freeway.

What that means is that there are auxiliary roads running parallel to the highway. If an accident occurs, you can quickly veer off to the side and go to the parallel road.

So even if the road is congested, it rarely comes to a complete stop. Finding exits is much easier, and accessing shops or gas stations is convenient.

However, LA has almost no such concept. Once you get stuck on the freeway, there's no way to get off.

Exits are far apart, and even if you get off, the local roads have too many signals, making it even slower.

Since drivers have no options, everyone has no choice but to line up and endure the frustration.

LA's road policy is truly trapped in a 'half-century-old mindset.'

The illusion that spending a budget will solve the problem, and the outdated logic that widening lanes will clear traffic still prevails.

But the city has already surpassed that level. The area where the 101, 10, 5, and 60 are tangled is not just a blocked road; it's a symbol of blocked policies. Traffic volume is increasing, and the population is growing, but the roads remain the same.

Whether driving an electric car, a hybrid, or a logistics company truck... in the end, they are all stuck on the same road.

Today, I took the 101 South, and the ETA the navigation shows keeps increasing, while the radio repeats news of traffic congestion.

 "I wish we had a Frontage Road like Texas..." But in LA, that's a dream-like story.