May 8, 2009 5:03 pm US/Pacific
Officials Break Ground On 405 Widening Project
LOS ANGELES (CBS) ―
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The Metro board Thursday voted to proceed with a $1 billion project to widen the 405 Freeway.
CBS
City officials broke ground Friday on a project that will widen the San Diego (405) Freeway that is expected to speed up the commute between the San Fernando Valley and West Los Angeles when it is completed in 2013.
The $1 billion
Sepulveda Pass Widening Project had been on hold as state officials waited on $190 million in federal stimulus funds. The project will create 18,000 jobs.
"This is an important project that will improve mobility while creating thousands of much needed, high-paying jobs," Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said. "With this shovel-ready project, Los Angeles is proving once again that we're putting the pedal to the metal when it comes to revitalizing our economy, reducing traffic and rebuilding our city."
Officials say the 405 is one of the most congested freeways in the nation with nearly 280,000 commuters and freight haulers per day.
The new carpool lane will stretch from the Ventura (101) Freeway to the Santa Monica (10) Freeway. It will complete the last gap in the freeway's carpool lane system and should save drivers an average of 20 minutes, according to the mayor's office.
Crews will also realign existing on- and off-ramps, build 18 miles of retaining walls and improve conditions on adjacent city streets.
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)
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