The 45-day public comment period ended for the San Diego Freeway (I-405) Improvement Project Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Report / Environmental Impact Statement (EIR / EIS) on Monday, Aug. 12.
More than 200 comment letters were received and responses will be included in the final EIR / EIS scheduled for release in May 2014 along with the responses for comments made between May 18 and July 17, 2012.
Next steps for the I-405 project include a presentation to the OCTA board of directors on Sept. 23, 2013 to present the findings of the concept A and B screening per the board's request on April 22, 2013.
Concept A includes two new general purpose lanes and also converting the existing high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane to a single-high occupancy toll (HOT) lane. The screening will consider traffic and revenue implications and identify additional right of way needed for this concept. Once this study is complete, the board will determine if this concept is viable and whether it should move forward in the report.
Concept B is a design variation of the existing Project Alternative 2 that will add two general purpose lanes in each direction.There will be one general purpose lane in each direction between Euclid Street and the San Gabriel River Freeway (I-605), a second northbound lane between Brookhurst Street and the Garden Grove Freeway (SR-22) / 7th Street, and a southbound lane between Seal Beach Boulevard and Brookhurst Street
The concept is to build Alternative 2 and truncate the second northbound general purpose lane at Valley View Street to avoid impacts to the soundwall that borders the I-405 along Almond Avenue.
Caltrans is expected to select the "preferred alternative" later this fall to move forward into design and construction.
