California State Route 56 - Route Description

Route Description

Eastbound SR 56 begins as a ramp from the northbound I-5's local bypass lanes. The interchange is not complete; from southbound I-5 one must exit to Carmel Valley Road before entering SR 56. Heading westbound on SR 56, traffic merges into the southbound I-5 local bypass lanes, providing access to I-805. Continuing east, the route then has an exit at Carmel Creek Road, which provides access to the nearby San Diego Jewish Academy, and heads eastward through a residential area. After passing milepost 2, the freeway has a similar diamond interchange with Carmel Country Road south of the community of Torrey Hills.

SR 56 meets Carmel Valley Road and curves northward, passing by Canyon Crest Academy before turning southeastward. The route passes over McGonigle Creek before intersecting Camino Del Sur, which serves the nearby Westview High School. Southeast of Camino Del Sur, SR 56 curves back east, passing under Carmel Mountain Road without an exit. The route encounters exits with Black Mountain Road and Rancho Peñasquitos Boulevard in Rancho Peñasquitos in a primarily residential area before meeting its terminus at a diamond interchange with I-15. Past the bridge over I-15, the road continues as Ted Williams Parkway.

SR 56 is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System; it is not part of the National Highway System, a network of roadways important to the country's economy, defense, and mobility. In 2011, SR 56 had an annual average daily traffic (AADT) of 55,000 between I-5 and El Camino Real, and 78,000 between Carmel Creek Road and Carmel Country Road, the latter of which was the highest AADT for the freeway.