By now, most Fountain Valley residents are well aware of the 405 Improvement Project, which will result in upgrades along a 16-mile stretch of the 405 Freeway between State Route 73 and the 605 Freeway.
And most residents also know the $1.9 billion project includes replacing 18 bridges over that stretch of the freeway – seven of those bridges in Fountain Valley.
The Fountain Valley Historical Society on Sunday, Nov. 24, at its bi-monthly lunch meeting at Heritage Park, got an update on the project from Chris Boucly, the Orange County Transportation Agency’s community outreach manager, and from city Public Works Director Mark Lewis.
The freeway improvements call for an additional two lanes in each direction of the freeway. The project includes adding one regular lane in each direction between Euclid Street and I-605 and making improvements to freeway entrances, exits and bridges.
Additionally, the project will add the 405 Express Lanes, which incorporate the existing carpool lanes and a new lane in each direction between SR-73 and I-605.
However, to add the new lanes, the current bridges have to be torn down and rebuilt.
Currently, crews are working on the Bushard Street and Talbert Avenue bridges as well as half of the Magnolia Street bridge.
Each bridge is approximately a one-year project with the exception of bridges that are being torn down one side at a time. Case in point: the Magnolia Street bridge. Half of the bridge has been removed while work crews rebuild it. You can still drive on the bridge over the freeway on the side that will be demolished and rebuilt during the second phase of that project.
The now-completed Slater Avenue bridge was one-year project and now boasts new sidewalks and new bike lanes. Likewise, the Talbert Avenue bridge is scheduled to be a one-year project. Once complete, it too will have sidewalks and bike lanes.
The project is being funded primarily through a combination of local, state and federal funds. The new Express Lanes will be paid for by those motorists who choose to pay a toll to use the 405 Express Lanes.
Boucly said pieces of the demolished Fountain Valley bridges are being saved and will go on display at Heritage Park, which is maintained by the Historical Society and houses a number of historical buildings. The chunks of concrete from the demolished bridges will be used to create a monument of sorts at the park, but it’s probably not going to look like Stonehenge, in case you’re wondering.
Other bridges in Fountain Valley that will be torn down and rebuilt are the Brookhurst Street Bridge, the Warner Avenue Bridge and the Ward Street bridge. The rebuilt bridges will all double the number of lanes. For example, the one-lane-in-each-direction Ward Street bridge will have two lanes in each direction when the project is complete.
Through agreements between the OCTA and the city, the freeway project will mean enhanced lighting on the new bridges as well as other aesthetic enhancements, Lewis said.
City and OCTA officials know a project of this magnitude will result in delays and inconvenience for motorists. Consequently, additional left-turn lanes have been added and traffic signals have been made longer.
“We’re trying to not cause too much grief,” Boucly said.
Want more information? Officials suggest you visit octa.net/405improvement or facebook.com/405improvement, call 888-400-8994 or use the OCTA’s mobile app.