New Wilshire Boulevard flyover ramp has 300 percent more capacity.
Reaching another milestone for the for the I-405 Sepulveda Pass Improvements Project, Metro, Caltrans and contractor Kiewit Infrastructure West have opened a brand new, longer and safer “flyover” ramp at the Wilshire/I-405 interchange in Westwood.
The southbound I-405 offramp to eastbound Wilshire Boulevard officially was open for its very first work-day rush-hour commute this morning (Monday, Sept. 23), and is a whopping 300 percent greater capacity than the previous off-ramp. The original ramp, built as part of the Wilshire Interchange in the mid-1950s, was only 1,330 feet. The new ramp is 3,117 feet long and provides a dedicated lane for all exiting traffic to the Westwood area, one of the largest job centers in L.A. County.
New ramp will eliminate conflicts between motorists entering and exiting the freeway.
Construction of the ramp was originally slated for a 90-day closure similar to previous Wilshire interchange ramps. However, the contractor was able to completely avoid the closure by developing alternate work plans and performing work primarily during night-time hours. The revised work plans and schedule were the result of concerted efforts by all project team members to mitigate and accelerate the work as much as possible.
“Metro continues to be laser-focused on the ongoing completion of key parts of the I-405 project and delivering them to the public just as soon as they’re ready,” said K.N. Murthy, Executive Director of Transit Project Delivery for Metro. “Working with the contractor, we were able to completely eliminate several other extended ramp closures here at the Wilshire Interchange. By the end of this year, we anticipate finishing all of these ramps and finally bringing some much-needed relief to Westside motorists.”
The newly completed ramp is the second to last ramp to be completed at this interchange. The eastbound Wilshire on-ramp to the northbound I-405 is the last remaining ramp now under construction, and is scheduled to open in mid-late November.
Restriping the new southbound to Eastbound Wilshire Off ramp just before opening.
The new ramp configuration removes the perilous weave that occurred between motorists who had to compete for ramp space as they exited and entered the freeway from Wilshire Boulevard. The dedicated ramps eliminate these conflicts and the additional storage capacity will help remove auto congestion from the freeway itself.
When all work is complete, the ramps combined will add 75 percent more capacity to the Wilshire-405 interchange, bringing capacity enhancements to 2031 travel demands. Additionally, rebuilt ramps will conform to the latest seismic safety standards.
All ramps at Wilshire were rebuilt to widen the I-405 freeway between the I-10 and U.S. 101. The project will finally complete the last remaining gap of the I-405 carpool lane network between Orange County and San Fernando Valley. When complete next year, the I-405 will have the longest continuous, bi-directional carpool lane network in the country.
Categories: Transportation News
It would’ve have been even better for Metro to actually let people know that it’s open. I exit on the Wilshire Blvd. West ramp daily and I saw maybe 3 cars on the new ramp this morning. Because there’s no signage, people are thinking that the old exit is still there, but when they get to it, it’s not and has made the off ramp at Santa Monica Blvd & Olympic un-bearable!
OK, fair enough, two projects. But to the average consumer like me, it’s one freeway that is affected by two projects. We have seen a lot of changes to HOV lanes recently, a good thing that they are being installed where there aren’t any to encourage ride sharing. But as we have seen on the I-10 and I-110, it is very easy to convert these lanes to HOT lanes. Something that is definitely in Metro’s financial reports. The Express Lanes on the test project are only the beginning of tolling in LA. They call tolling the “New Normal.”
Here’s one such presentation to Construction Management Association of America. See pages 30-42 http://no710.com/_critical-issues-links/financial-reports-&-investor_presentations/cmaa-092712_metro.pdf
Hi CV Gal;
This is a presentation about the Sepulveda Pass Transit Corridor project and about the potential of using a PPP to help finance it. The PowerPoint is not about the ongoing HOV lane project.
Steve Hymon
Editor, The Source
Steve, I have seen the PPP financial reports and marketing presentations. They are currently selling the concept to investors. This is not a possibly but a probability.
CV Gal;
Metro is looking at PPPs for the Sepulveda Pass Transit Corridor project — not the same as the current project adding the HOV lane. That project is looking at alternatives — including rail and a toll tunnel — to improve travel over the pass. I think you’re confusing the two projects.
Steve Hymon
Editor, The Source
You need the cars to queue somewhere during the red light — would you prefer that they back up into the freeway lanes as they did prior to this project?
By “storage capacity” I think that means that cars trying to exit at Wilshire during peak hours will be backed up onto the ramp rather than the freeway.
And is it accompanied by a 300% increase in capacity on the 405 or Wilshire? I think not.
Congratulations, Metro – over $1 billion in new highway capacity that will do nothing to “cure” traffic congestion, despite all the false promises.
“The project will finally complete the last remaining gap of the I-405 carpool lane network between Orange County and San Fernando Valley. When complete next year, the I-405 will have the longest continuous, bi-directional carpool lane network in the country.” HMMM…JUST IN TIME TO BECOME HOT LANES PER METRO’S PLANS TO TOLL EVERYTHING THEY CAN. IT’S IN THE WORKS ALREADY AND THEY ARE MARKETING THIS EFFORT AS WE SPEAK!
Hi CV Gal;
Could it happen in the future? Possibly. Is there anything imminent? No.
Steve Hymon
Editor, The Source
Ramp storage capacity? Sounds like a failure already.