- Freeways
- I-5, I-405, CA-55, CA-22
- Starts
- Santa Fe Springs, square E7
- Ends
- Huntington Beach, square F9
- Also reaches
- Buena Park, Anaheim, Orange
Orange County on the 5: the reel pickup lane
The Orange County lane runs down the Santa Ana Freeway (the 5) from Santa Fe Springs into central Orange County, then works the 55, the 22 and the 405 to reach Santa Ana, Tustin, Irvine, Costa Mesa, Garden Grove and Huntington Beach. It is the lane for OC's airport-area industry, aerospace sites and contractor yards.
Where the Orange County on the 5 run goes
The run leaves the Gateway Cities on the 5 and stops first in Santa Fe Springs, where industrial businesses occupied 72% of the city's land in 2021. It crosses into Orange County past Buena Park and Anaheim and reaches Santa Ana, the county seat, whose industrial districts lie along the 5 and the 55 and around the train station.
From Santa Ana the lane fans out. North-east is Tustin and the Tustin Legacy redevelopment; south-east is Irvine, with the Irvine Business Complex by John Wayne Airport and the Irvine Spectrum by the 5-405 junction. South-west the 405 takes it to Costa Mesa and Huntington Beach, where Boeing's 187-acre site works on small satellites and unmanned underwater vehicles. Garden Grove, on the 22, links the two halves.
The run sheet, stop by stop
| Stop | Area | Grid | ZIP codes | Freeways | Usual flanges |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Fe Springs | E7 | 90670 | I-5, I-605 | 30, 42, 48, 72 in |
| 2 | Garden Grove | F8 | 92840, 92841, 92843, 92844, 92845 | CA-22, I-405, I-5 | 24, 30, 36, 42 in |
| 3 | Santa Ana | F8 | 92701, 92703, 92704, 92705, 92706, 92707 | I-5, CA-55, CA-22, I-405 | 24, 30, 36, 48 in |
| 4 | Tustin | G8 | 92780, 92782 | I-5, CA-55, CA-261 | 24, 36, 48, 72 in |
| 5 | Irvine | G8 | 92602, 92604, 92606, 92612, 92614, 92618, 92620 | I-5, I-405, CA-133, CA-55 | 24, 30, 36, 48 in |
| 6 | Costa Mesa | F9 | 92626, 92627 | I-405, CA-55, CA-73 | 24, 30, 36, 48 in |
| 7 | Huntington Beach | F9 | 92646, 92647, 92648, 92649 | I-405, CA-39 | 24, 36, 48, 60 in |
When the deck still has room, the run also takes stops in Buena Park (North Orange County, 91 and 57 lane), Anaheim (North Orange County, 91 and 57 lane), Orange (North Orange County, 91 and 57 lane).
Where the reels on this lane come from
- Airport-area electrical work
- Business parks around John Wayne Airport in Irvine, Santa Ana and Costa Mesa rewire constantly: 24 to 42 inch reels.
- Aerospace and defence
- Boeing Huntington Beach and the suppliers around it empty control and power cable reels.
- Utility and undergrounding work
- SCE distribution work in the county leaves 48 inch and larger reels at staging yards.
- Contractors and wholesalers
- Electrical contractors and supply branches in Santa Ana and Garden Grove stack mixed one-way reels.
What the stops on this lane put out
Reel sizes along the Orange County on the 5 lane
| Flange | Seen at | Empties per 53 ft deck (est.) | Empty weight, lb |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 in | Garden Grove, Santa Ana, Tustin, Irvine, Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach | 416 | 23 to 24 |
| 30 in | Santa Fe Springs, Garden Grove, Santa Ana, Irvine, Costa Mesa | 189 | 39 |
| 36 in | Garden Grove, Santa Ana, Tustin, Irvine, Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach | 102 | 64 to 77 |
| 42 in | Santa Fe Springs, Garden Grove | 60 | 90 to 100 |
| 48 in | Santa Fe Springs, Santa Ana, Tustin, Irvine, Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach | 26 to 30 | 106 to 177 |
| 60 in | Huntington Beach | 24 to 28 | 187 to 347 |
| 72 in | Santa Fe Springs, Tustin | 20 to 24 | 204 to 592 |
Estimates from published reel and loading charts; method on reels per load.
What the driver needs to know on this lane
South of Irvine, the 5 and the 405 merge at the El Toro Y, and the toll roads (the 73, the 133, the 241 and the 261) run beside or across the lane in places. A stop that sits right on a toll road is planned with that in mind. Most of the lane is flat and well signed, with business parks set back from the freeway along wide arterials, which suits a 53-foot flatbed.
Small stacks ride along
Six reels in Garden Grove go out with the Orange County run on the 5 instead of waiting for a truck of their own. Garden Grove and Santa Ana are where most small stacks ride along, because they sit where the run turns.
Windows and timing on this lane
The 5 through Santa Ana and the 405 near the 55 are the slow points. Coastal stops (Huntington Beach and Costa Mesa) usually come last. Give us the receiving hours of the dock and whether there is a forklift; many business-park buildings have docks but no lift.
The other lanes
Questions about the Orange County on the 5 lane
Is Anaheim on the Orange County lane?
Anaheim, Fullerton, Orange and Buena Park are on the North Orange County lane along the 91 and the 57, but the 5 passes Anaheim, so a stop there can ride on either run.
Do you go to south Orange County?
Our Orange County area pages run as far south as Irvine. Ask about addresses beyond it; if the truck is going that way, we stop.
Do you pick up in San Diego County?
No. San Diego County is outside the area we run.