‘Little Saigon Freeway’ on 405 honors OC Vietnamese American community

A stretch of the 405 Freeway in Westminster, California, was officially designated the “Little Saigon Freeway” on April 18 to honor the Vietnamese American community in Orange County. The new name applies to the section between Bolsa Avenue and Bolsa Chica Street, marked by newly unveiled brown highway signs.

Community leaders, elected officials and veterans gathered for the unveiling, commemorating the contributions and sacrifices of Vietnamese refugees who settled in the area following the fall of Saigon in 1975. Assemblymember Tri Ta, who led the legislative push for the designation, said the signs would serve as a lasting tribute: “Fifty years ago, we lost Saigon, but we did not lose our hope.”

The bill was signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom in September. The designation aligns with the 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon and the founding of what is now the largest Vietnamese diaspora community outside Vietnam. Funding for the signs came from private donors, according to Ta’s office.