The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority plans to open tonight two ramps connecting Wilshire Boulevard to the 405 Freeway that were previously under construction ““ three weeks ahead of schedule.
The on-ramp from westbound Wilshire Boulevard to the northbound I-405 and the off-ramp from the northbound I-405 to the westbound Wilshire Boulevard, are both set to reopen, according a Metro statement released today.
In an agreement with the project’s contractor, Kiewit Infrastructure West, Metro included incentives for the company to finish early and lessen the strain on local traffic. Kiewit employee’s worked around the clock to finish ahead of schedule.
“(The openings are) a remarkable accomplishment and another step toward creating a more livable and navigable Los Angeles,” said Los Angeles Mayor and Metro Board Member Antonio Villaraigosa in the statement.
Construction on the ramps, nicknamed “Rampture,” began June 22 for the $1 billion I-405 Sepulveda Pass Improvements Project that will add a carpool lane between the 10 and the 101 Freeways, according to the statement.
The other six ramps that connect Wilshire Boulevard to the I-405 will also undergo construction in 14- to 90-day increments spread over the next year. Once all ramps are completed, traffic congestion caused by Wilshire Boulevard’s connection to the I-405 is projected to decrease substantially, according to the statement.
Further closures of the I-405 are scheduled for the weekend of Sept. 29 – a week after UCLA students move into on-campus housing. The construction on the I-405 is the next phase in the I-405 Sepulveda Pass Improvements Project. But unlike the recent ramp closures, the I-405 construction will close the freeway in its entirety from the 10 to 101 Freeways.
Compiled by Erin Donnelly, Bruin senior staff.