funny how everyone bitches about the traffic here, but it really isn't that bad compared to LA. The only hard part is that because of topography, you can't jump onto surface streets to get around a jam.
Ya well the thing about LA traffic is there are usually three freeways to choose from if one is jacked you can re-route and of course as you stated surface routes.
Any time I had to go west to east I could take the 91, 60, 10
North or south you had 110, 405, 5, 101 these are just the major routes. Traffic here is worse then LA a lot of the times and there is nothing you can do you have to just sit there and wait. How ever it is prettier scenery and the air is nicer. All though I do have to say in LA people are polite when they drive due to the pot shots taken at us. Remember an armed freeway is a polite freeway.