WILSHIRE BLVD — Those who use Wilshire Boulevard to travel into and out of Santa Monica will be relieved to hear this news.
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Friday announced that it reopened two key ramps —the westbound Wilshire Boulevard on-ramp to Interstate 405 and the northbound 405 off-ramp to westbound Wilshire Boulevard — three weeks ahead of schedule — just in time for the Labor Day weekend.
The ramp closures, part of what has been dubbed "Ramp Jam" or "Rampture," were originally scheduled for a 90-day window that officially began on June 22. They were expected to reopen Sept. 22.
All eight freeway ramps at the intersection of the 405 and Wilshire Boulevard must be torn down and rebuilt as part of the $1 billion I-405 Sepulveda Pass Improvements Project that is building a 10-mile carpool lane between Interstate 10 and U.S. Route 101.
"The completion of these Rampture construction projects three weeks ahead of schedule is a remarkable accomplishment and another step toward creating a more livable and navigable Los Angeles," Los Angeles Mayor and Metro board member Antonio Villaraigosa said. "Thanks to the swift work and collaboration of the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, Metro and the project contractor, Angelenos will be able to regain easy freeway access ahead of schedule and in time for the Labor Day weekend."
The six other Wilshire Boulevard ramps will be closed consecutively, some two at a time, between 14 and 90 days over the next year. The next ramp closures are not expected to start until November, and will likely be 14-day closures which may not be performed simultaneously.
For latest updates visit the project web site at www.metro.net/405 or follow the project on twitter: twitter.com/I_405 and Facebook at facebook.com/405project.
kevinh@www.smdp.com
