$1.9 Billion I-405 Improvement Project Kicks Off

ORANGE, Calif., Jan. 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

    WHAT:   The Orange County Transportation Authority, in
            cooperation with Caltrans, is leading the I-405
            Improvement Project between State Route 73 in Costa
            Mesa and Interstate 605 at the Orange County border
            with Los Angeles County.


            The $1.9 billion project, funded with a combination of
            local, state and federal funds, will be the largest
            highway project under construction in California and
            the second largest in state history.


           The project is adding one regular lane in each
            direction of the I-405 between Costa Mesa and I-
            605, as promised to voters through Measure M, Orange
            County's half-cent sales tax for transportation
            improvements. The project is also adding a second
            lane in each direction that combined with the
            existing carpool lanes will create the 405 Express
            Lanes.


            Media is invited to attend this event to commemorate
            the groundbreaking on the largest project in Orange
            County's history.


    WHEN:  9 a.m. Friday, Jan. 26


    WHERE:  IKEA parking lot, 1475 S. Coast Drive, Costa Mesa, CA
            92626


    WHO:   Scheduled speakers include:

           U.S. Representative Mimi Walters 
    U.S. Representative
             Alan Lowenthal 
    U.S. Representative Lou Correa
             
    Assemblyman Jim Frazier, chairman of the Assembly
             Transportation Committee 
    Assemblyman Tom Daly 
    OCTA
             Chair Lisa Bartlett, also the Fifth District
             Supervisor 
    Grover Burthey, Deputy Assistant
             Secretary USDOT 
    Vince Mammano, Division Director,
             FHWA CA Division 
    Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty
             
    OCTA CEO Darrell Johnson 
    Tony Bagheri, Regional
             Director-Executive V.P. Western USA, OHL USA.


    WHY:    I-405 is the most heavily traveled freeway in the
            nation, with roughly 377,000 daily vehicle trips near
            the county line. Traffic is only going to continue
            growing, with a 30 percent increase expected by 2040.


           Set to open in 2023, improvements will reduce travel
            times for all drivers on I-405. Without the project,
            by 2040 it would take more than two hours to travel
            this 16-mile stretch, but with the improvements
            travel times will be reduced to about 30 minutes in
            the regular lanes and about 15 minutes if a driver
            chooses to take the 405 Express Lanes.


            During morning and afternoon rush hours, it now takes
            approximately an hour to get between Costa Mesa and
            the L.A. County line, a trip that takes about 15
            minutes with free-flowing traffic.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Joel Zlotnik (714) 560-5713
Eric Carpenter (714) 560-5697

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SOURCE Orange County Transportation Authority