Closures will occur near Bolsa Chica Road, Edwards Street and Goldenwest Street to allow crews to reconstruct the bridges as part of the I-405 improvements
ORANGE – Intermittent closures of I-405 and some adjacent streets in Westminster are scheduled during the next several weeks as the reconstruction of three bridges spanning the freeway are reaching major milestones as part of the I-405 Improvement Project.
The closures are related to the reconstruction of the bridges at Bolsa Chica Road, Edwards Street and Goldenwest Street, which are among 18 bridges to be built, widened or replaced as part of the project.
The Bolsa Chica Road and Goldenwest Street bridges are being reconstructed in two stages, one half at a time, allowing them to remain open to traffic in both directions during construction. The first reconstructed half of the new Bolsa Chica Road bridge opened to traffic last weekend, and the first half of the new Goldenwest Street bridge is expected to open on Monday, June 22.
Demolition of the second half of the Bolsa Chica Road bridge will require full I-405 freeway closures between Bolsa Chica Road and Springdale Street. The closures are scheduled for:
- 10 p.m. Friday, June 19, to 8 a.m. Saturday, June 20
- 10 p.m. Saturday, June 20, to 9 a.m. Sunday, June 21
Additional demolition work is expected to occur for several weeks but will not require a full closure of the freeway. Reconstruction of the second half of the Bolsa Chica Road bridge is expected to take approximately one year.
At Goldenwest Street, crews will shift traffic to the new half of the bridge to prepare the second half for demolition. This work will require an extended closure of the Bolsa Avenue/Goldenwest Street intersection and the Goldenwest bridge. That closure is scheduled for:
- As early as 8 p.m. Friday, June 19, to 5 a.m. Monday, June 22
Demolition of the second half of the bridge is expected to occur on July 17 and 18. Reconstruction of that portion of the bridge is scheduled to take approximately one year to complete.
Unlike Bolsa Chica and Goldenwest, the Edwards Street bridge will be demolished and reconstructed in one stage, so it will be fully closed to traffic for approximately one year. The bridge is expected to close on Monday, June 22 once the Goldenwest Street bridge reopens.
Demolition of the Edwards Street bridge will require a full closure of I-405 between Goldenwest and Edwards. That closure is scheduled for:
- 10 p.m. Saturday, June 27, to 9 a.m. Sunday June 28
- 10 p.m. Saturday, July 11, to 9 a.m. Sunday, July 12
Detours will be in place to guide drivers around all the closures. Up-to-date closure and detour information is available on the project’s interactive map at octa.net/405map or on the project’s mobile app. To download the free app, search for 405 Improvement in the App Store or Google Play.
The $1.9 billion I-405 Improvement Project will add one regular lane in each direction between Euclid Street and I-605, and a second lane in each direction in the center of the freeway from SR-73 to I-605 that will combine with the existing carpool lanes to form the 405 Express Lanes.
This 16-mile segment of I-405 is one of the most heavily traveled stretches of highway in the nation, and drivers routinely face severe congestion in both the regular lanes and carpool lanes. The project is critical to accommodate expected employment, population and housing growth throughout the region.
The speed limit on I-405 has been reduced to 55 mph between SR-73 and I-605 for the safety of drivers and construction crews for the duration of the project, which is expected to be completed in 2023. Drivers are advised to slow down and proceed with caution whenever signs of highway work are present, and drivers whose vehicles become disabled should pull off at the nearest exit, if possible.
For more information about the I-405 Improvement Project, visit octa.net/405improvement.
