405 Freeway: Major Nighttime Closures Scheduled in January for Widening

Nighttime commuters, take note. Beginning in January and lasting for two months, work in the Sepulveda Pass will affect traffic patterns, prompting lane closures and occasionally shutting down all lanes.

The $1 billion collaborative Metro-Caltrans project, which broke ground in May, will add 10 miles of northbound car pool lanes between the 10 and 101 freeways as it is the last chunk of car pool-less 405 there is. The project will also remove and replace three bridges over the freeway, widen 13 overpasses and structures, realign 27 on- and off-ramps and bring 18 miles of retaining and sound walls.

Work will begin on January 12 to delineate temporary traffic lanes. For about four weeks, from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m., Caltrans is expected to close lanes and sometimes even close all lanes, the latter which will only occur between midnight and 5 a.m.

Beginning February 15th, concrete barriers will be placed on the 10-mile shoulder of the freeway to isolate the work zone from existing traffic. That will take about four weeks and prompt temporary lane and ramp closures. Work will once again take place between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. with ramp closures beginning as early as 7 p.m. followed by lane closures as early as 9 p.m.

All work will take place on weekday nights. As the project nears, specific closure information will be posted on Metro's website.

Car pool lanes save drivers one minute per mile, according to Metro. The project is expected to be completed in 2013.