Open House For West County Connectors To Take Place In Long Beach

Project accelerated linking carpool lanes on I-405, I-605, SR-22

ORANGE – Work to improve traffic flow by directly connecting carpool lanes in west county is being accelerated and Orange County’s transportation planners want residents to stay connected and updated on the project.

The $400 million West County Connectors project will improve traffic flow by connecting carpool lanes on the San Diego Freeway (I-405), San Gabriel River Freeway (I-605) and Garden Grove Freeway (SR-22). The project is currently in the final design stage and construction is expected to begin in early 2010, four months ahead of schedule.

The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), in partnership with Caltrans, has accelerated the project schedule to support the national economic stimulus effort and help jumpstart the local economy. It is estimated the project will create more than 12,000 jobs in the region.

The project will construct two carpool lane connectors, add a second carpool lane in each direction on I-405 between the SR-22 and I-605, reconstruct on- and off-ramps, construct sound walls and add landscaping and aesthetic elements.

OCTA and Long Beach Councilmember Gary DeLong are jointly hosting an open house from 6 to 8 p.m., Thursday, April 23 in the auditorium at Wilson High School, 4400 E. 10th St. in Long Beach. A project overview presentation will take place from 6:30 to 7 p.m. Additional open houses took place in March in Long Beach, Garden Grove, Seal Beach, Rossmoor and Westminster.

For more information regarding the project, visit www.octa.net/westcounty or contact Christina Byrne at (714) 560-5717 or cbyrne@octa.net.