405 Traffic Nightmare: 405 Lane Closures To Hit Sepulveda Pass

LOS ANGELES, CA — Drivers on the 405 Freeway face another week of overnight disruption through the Sepulveda Pass, with as many as four lanes at a time set to close as crews continue work on a $143.7 million pavement rehabilitation project.

Lane, ramp and freeway connector closures are scheduled from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday through Friday for K-rail installation and paving work, according to Caltrans.

Up to three northbound lanes will be closed between Sepulveda and Victory boulevards, while as many as four southbound lanes will close between the 101 Freeway and Skirball Center Drive/Mulholland Drive.

The closures will also hit several heavily used ramps and freeway connections.

The northbound 405 off-ramp to Getty Center Drive will be closed, along with the Sepulveda Boulevard on-ramp to the southbound 405 and the southbound off-ramp to Sepulveda Boulevard.

The Ventura Boulevard on-ramp to the southbound 405 and the southbound 405 off-ramp to Ventura Boulevard will also close.

Drivers attempting to move between the 405 and 101 freeways could also be affected. The northbound 405 connectors to both the northbound and southbound 101 will close, as will the southbound 101 connector to the northbound 405.

The work is part of Caltrans' $143.7 million I-405 Pavement Rehabilitation Project, a 10.2-mile overhaul stretching between Van Nuys and Westwood through the Sepulveda Pass.

The project calls for sections of two lanes in each direction between Victory Boulevard and Mulholland Drive to be replaced, along with repairs to other sections of the freeway. In all, Caltrans says nearly 92 lane miles will be restored.

The work also includes replacing two overhead sign structures and 98 sign panels, upgrading 6,400 feet of guardrail and upgrading 10 curb ramps. The project does not involve widening the freeway.

Drivers are already being asked to slow down through portions of the construction zone. Caltrans has temporarily reduced the speed limit to 55 mph in certain sections of the northbound and southbound 405 because of paving operations and uneven pavement. And next week's closures won't be the end of the disruption.

Caltrans has already announced another round of extended lane reductions Sept. 11-14, when the southbound 405 will be reduced to three lanes between Ventura Boulevard and Mulholland Drive.

Caltrans said closure schedules are subject to change because of weather and operational conditions. Residents and businesses near the construction may experience noise, vibrations and dust.