Portion of I-405 to shut down for planned Bridge Bash from August 17-18

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Aug. 6, 2013

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Joel Zlotnik (714) 560-5713 or (949) 547-9672 , Ted Nguyen (714) 560-5334 or (949) 637-6836

I-405 Full Shutdown Planned For ‘Bridge Bash’

Freeway will close for 20 hours Aug.17-18 between I-605 and Valley View Street in Orange County

ORANGE – The San Diego Freeway (I-405) is scheduled to be fully closed in both directions from 9 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 17 through 5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 18, between the San Gabriel River Freeway (I-605) and Valley View Street in Westminster.

The 20-hour full freeway closure is necessary so crews can demolish the bridge linking the southbound I-405 to eastbound Garden Grove Freeway (SR-22) as part of the West County Connectors project. Construction of a new connector bridge was completed late last month and is now being used by drivers.

“We know this ‘Bridge Bash’ has the potential to disrupt traffic for the hundreds of thousands of people who use the I-405 on a typical summer weekend and we are encouraging drivers to avoid the freeway in this area,” said Greg Winterbottom, chairman of the Orange County Transportation Authority. “For the safety of our construction workers and the traveling public, this work requires a full freeway closure and we ask motorists to plan ahead and find other routes to their destinations.”

Traffic on I-405 near the border between Orange and Los Angeles counties averages approximately 370,000 vehicles each day, making it one of the busiest in the nation. Typical weekend traffic in the area is 350,000 vehicles a day.

OCTA in partnership with Caltrans is in the process of a significant public awareness campaign to ensure drivers are informed of the closure. Efforts include hand delivering 67,000 fliers to residents along I-405, outreach to Southern California airports, ports, entertainment, arts and sporting venues, employers and government agencies. OCTA and Caltrans also are reaching out through advertising in newspapers, online, radio and television, as well as through traditional media and social media, using the hashtag: #bridgebash. In addition, the overhead freeway signs announce the closure and 30 portable message signs are being posted on freeways throughout Orange, Los Angeles and Riverside counties.

Caltrans also will be taking advantage of this 20-hour closure to conduct maintenance activities that would normally require separate closures over a seven-day period. Caltrans maintenance crews will perform crack sealing, weed abatement and median drainage cleaning while the freeway is closed.

“Utilizing this opportunity and working with our partners, Caltrans is able to achieve efficiencies and significant savings of taxpayer dollars,” said District 12 Director Ryan Chamberlain.

For those who aren’t able to avoid the I-405 during the closure, there are several detour routes that will be clearly signed.

Drivers heading north on I-405 should use one of the following detours:

· Exit Beach Boulevard and turn right; take the westbound SR-22 on-ramp to reconnect with northbound I-405

· Exit Westminster Avenue (east) and turn left; turn right on Bolsa Chica Road; take the westbound SR-22 on-ramp to reconnect with the northbound I-405

· Exit Valley View Street and turn left on Garden Grove Boulevard; turn right on Valley View Street; take the westbound SR-22 on-ramp to reconnect with northbound I-405

Drivers heading south on I-405 should use one of the following detours:

· Exit Studebaker Road and turn right; turn left on E. 2nd Street / Westminster Avenue; continue on Westminster Avenue to access southbound I-405

· Merge onto northbound I-605; exit Katella Avenue and turn right; turn right on Valley View Street to access southbound I-405

Drivers traveling south on I-605 should use the following detour:

· Exit Willow Street and turn right; turn left on Studebaker Road; turn left on E. 2nd Street / Westminster Avenue; continue on Westminster Avenue to access southbound I-405

Drivers traveling on 7th Street / eastbound SR-22 should use the following detour:

· Merge on northbound I-605; exit Katella Avenue and turn right; turn right on Valley View Street to access southbound I-405

The $277 million West County Connectors project will improve traffic flow by directly connecting carpool lanes on I-405, I-605 and SR-22. In addition, a second carpool lane will be constructed on I-405 between SR-22 and I-605. The 6-mile project traverses the cities of Garden Grove, Westminster, Seal Beach, Los Alamitos, Long Beach and the community of Rossmoor. Started in 2010, construction on the West County Connectors project is expected to be complete in late 2014 or early 2015.

For more information regarding the upcoming closure, visit www.octa.net/bridgebash

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RECOMMENDED DETOURS

If you are heading north on the I-405 during the weekend of the bridge demolition, here are some recommended detours.

From Northbound I-405 use one of the following (outlined in ORANGE):

1. Exit Beach Blvd. and turn right; Take westbound SR-22 on-ramp to reconnect with northbound I-405
2. Exit Westminster Ave. (EAST) and turn left; Turn right on Bolsa Chica Rd. Take the westbound SR-22 on-ramp to reconnect with the northbound I-405
3. Exit Valley View St. and turn left onto Garden Grove Blvd. Turn right on Valley View St. Take westbound SR-22 to reconnect with the northbound I-405

If you are heading south on the I-405 during the weekend of the bridge demolition, here are some recommended detours. From Southbound I-405 use one of the following (outlined in GREEN):

1. Exit Studebaker Rd. and turn right Turn Left on E. 2nd St. / Westminster Ave. Continue on Westminster Ave. to access southbound I-405
2. Merge onto northbound I-605 Exit Katella Ave. and turn right Turn right on Valley View St. to access southbound I-405

From Southbound I-605 use the following detour (outlined in GREEN):

3. Exit Willow St. and turn right Turn left on Studebaker Rd. Turn left on E. 2nd St. / Westminster Ave. Continue on Westminster Ave. to access southbound I-405

From 7th St. / Eastbound SR-22 use the following (outlined in GREEN):

4. Merge onto northbound I-605 Exit Katella Ave. and turn right Turn right on Valley View St. to access southbound I-405

Traffic Switch

After working around the clock for 55 hours, crews have successfully completed a major traffic switch to open the new southbound I-405 / eastbound SR-22 connector. The new connector opened to motorists at 4:47 a.m., Monday, July 29, marking a major milestone for the WCC project team.

Now that the new connector is open, the old southbound I-405 / eastbound SR-22 connector bridge will be demolished the weekend of August 17 to 18, requiring a 20-hour full closure of the I-405 freeway.