Construction has wrapped up on the US$2.16 billion 405 Freeway project in northwest Orange County, California. The highway improvement project majorly involved the construction of new express lanes on the freeway. As transport officials focus on more sustainable and efficient investments, this is among the last major freeway expansions in the region. The project broke ground in 2018. Largely funded by voter-approved tax, it is currently just receiving the finishing touches. This includes lighting in certain sections and paint.
The six years of construction saw the 405 freeway widening the 16-mile stretch between Costa Mesa and the southern Los Angeles County line by one lane in each direction. Additionally, they added the four toll-funded express lanes, all aimed at easing congestion on one of the nation’s busiest corridors.
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The new express lanes run both directions between the 73 and 605 freeways and is free for some carpoolers or require a variable toll for other drivers, depending on distance and travel time.
Comments on the 405 Freeway California project
“Over the last few decades, Caltrans has shifted from a highway-building department to a truly public transportation department,” said Allison Colburn, a Caltrans District 7 spokesman, in a statement Friday. They are actively involved in initiatives that add bus and bike lanes to highways while also renovating specific streets and bridges.
Last year, California Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin told The Times that the state will no longer build motorway lanes just to accommodate more automobiles and trucks. This is because studies have shown that while adding extra motorway lanes may alleviate congestion in the near term, it increases demand in the long run.
Because of this law, climate objectives, and advocacy pressure, transportation planners in Los Angeles are moving to traffic control on motorways via carpool lanes and levies. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority is now considering a congestion pricing scheme that would charge customers during peak hours to reduce traffic on motorways.
