Westside drivers beware. Beginning Monday, Oct. 24, it will be harder to travel on portions of Sepulveda Boulevard in the Westwood area through a combination of lane reductions associated with underground utility work and the still-in-force weekday morning closure of the southbound I-405 freeway offramp at Sunset Boulevard . Plan ahead and add extra needed time to get through this area.
Here’s Metro’s news release on this 405 project work:
Westside Motorist Travel Advisory
Underground Utility Work on Sepulveda Boulevard in Westwood Area to Cause Increased Traffic Congestion Beginning Monday, Oct. 24
Motorists traveling in the vicinity of Sepulveda Boulevard in the Westwood area are advised to plan ahead and allow additional time to reach their destinations beginning Monday, Oct. 24, 2011 for three months due to reduced lanes on Sepulveda Boulevard between Moraga Drive and Montana Avenue.
Reduced lanes are required for underground utility relocation work that is part of the I-405 Sepulveda Pass Improvements Project. Chevron will relocate its utility line on Sepulveda Boulevard by drilling underneath the street in the affected area. Work will occur from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week for three months; however, 24/7 work hours may be required.
Reduced lane capacity on Sepulveda Boulevard, coupled with last week’s closure of the southbound I-405 freeway off-ramp at Sunset Boulevard between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. weekdays only for Sunset bridge reconstruction work, is expected to temporarily exacerbate local traffic conditions, as motorists would normally utilize Sepulveda Boulevard as part of their detour route. The closure period for the Sunset off-ramp is half-way completed, and is expected to reopen Oct. 30.
The entry location for the underground drill will be staged south of the Montana Avenue intersection. As part of the first phase of reconfiguration, Sepulveda Boulevard was reconfigured to two northbound lanes and one southbound lane directly in front of the staging area south of Montana Avenue.
The exit point of the underground drill will be staged north of the Moraga Drive intersection. Sepulveda Boulevard will be reduced to one lane in each direction directly in front of the staging area at Moraga Drive.
Street reconfiguration and placement of K-Rail on Sepulveda Boulevard between Moraga Drive and Bell Terrace is anticipated to start Friday, Oct. 21, 2011 from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. The reconfiguration will take place over three consecutive nights.
The $1 billion project, scheduled for completion in 2013, will build a 10-mile northbound carpool lane on the I-405 between the I-10 and U.S. 101 freeways. Additional project benefits include greater ramp capacities at key locations, widened overpasses, widened and seismically updated bridges and new landscaping within the project area.
For latest updates visit the project web site at www.metro.net/405 or follow the project on twitter: twitter.com/I_405 and Facebook at facebook.com/405project. The project hotline is (213) 922-3665.
Categories: Projects, Transportation News
This work absolutely must be done during non-peak hours. Even if the lanes are opened during peak commute hour, that would be a better alternative to the absolute mayhem this work is causing. It is completely ridiculous and unacceptable that work is scheduled to occur between 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. This work schedule defies common sense and will lead to additional traffic accidents as people attempt to maneuver their way to work in the morning.
It took me close to an hour to get less than 5 miles this morning. Unacceptable. The work should be done from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. throughout the night; not during primary hours of the day. Whoever approved this present work schedule is plain dumb.
Why this utility work can not be performed at night. Today Monday it was over an hour delay on Sepulveda. why can’t you stop work during peak hours? Caltrans do all of their work at night and off peak. Why can’t you guys do that. Please some one reply to this email.