Figueroa Street is a street in Los Angeles County, California named for General José Figueroa (1792 – 9 September 1835), governor of Alta California from 1833 to 1835, who oversaw the secularization of the missions of California. It is one of the longest streets in Los Angeles, running in a north/south direction for a length of more than 30 miles (48 km) between the Los Angeles communities of Eagle Rock and Wilmington. Termini are at Pacific Coast Highway in Wilmington and just north of the Ventura Freeway west of Pasadena, with a break between San Fernando Road in Cypress Park and College Street in Chinatown.

An early routing of Figueroa Street near downtown Los Angeles was part of U.S. Route 66, today a part of the Pasadena Freeway. The famed Figueroa Street Tunnels were once a part of that same stretch of roadway. Figueroa resumes its course near the overcrossing of Sunset Boulevard over the Pasadena Freeway, just north of the "stack" or four-level interchange. The road passes through Downtown Los Angeles near Bunker Hill and South Park. South of the Financial District, Figueroa Street services some popular locations including Staples Center arena, the Los Angeles Convention Center, and the University of Southern California. For the rest of its southbound journey, Figueroa Street runs parallel to the Harbor Freeway (Interstate 110) in South Los Angeles. The only portion of Figueroa Street that lies outside Los Angeles city limits is in the city of Carson, but it soon reenters Los Angeles near Wilmington. The street ends at Harry Bridges Boulevard north of San Pedro.

Some of the southern terminus was once part of U.S. Route 6 before its almost total decommissioning through California in 1964; indeed, Figueroa Street at Pacific Coast Highway was the actual western terminus of that highway, although maps show that US 6 went as far east as Atlantic Avenue in Long Beach.

Early maps produced by the Automobile Club of Southern California measured distances to Los Angeles from the Club's headquarters at the intersection of Figueroa Street with Adams Boulevard.

Education and Transportation

The Harbor Freeway Green Line station is located underneath Interstate 105 at Figueroa Street.

Metro Local line 81 operates on Figueroa Street.

Notable Landmarks

• Bob Hope Patriotic Hall
• Bonaventure Hotel
• Exposition Park
• LA Live
• Los Angeles Convention Center
• Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
• Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
• Staples Center - Staples Center is a multi-purpose sports arena in Downtown Los Angeles located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex. Staples Center opened in 1999 and is home to the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers of the NBA, the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA, the Los Angeles Kings of the NHL, and the Los Angeles Avengers of the AFL.

References

1. See Route 66: Traveler's Guide and Roadside Companion by Tom Snyder for examples