After months of construction, a pair of 405 Freeway overpasses welcomed drivers this week. The updated Bushard Street span in Fountain Valley debuted Monday, Oct. 12. A bridge at McFadden Avenue, linking Huntington Beach and Westminster, opened to traffic Friday, Oct. 16.
Workers continue construction as the McFadden Avenue bridge over The 405 Freeway opened in Huntington Beach, CA, on Thursday, October 1, 1970. The bridge is among 18 to be built, widened or replaced as part of the 405 Improvement Project, which aims to speed up travel times on freeway between Costa Mesa and the Orange County/Los Angeles County line. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Bushard Street bridge over The 405 Freeway recently opened in Fountain Valley, CA, on Thursday, October 16, 2020. In the background is the new Slater Avenue bridge and the old Brookhurst Street bridge. The bridge is among 18 to be built, widened or replaced as part of the 405 Improvement Project, which aims to speed up travel times on freeway between Costa Mesa and the Orange County/Los Angeles County line. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Workers continue construction as the McFadden Avenue bridge over The 405 Freeway opened in Huntington Beach, CA, on Friday, October 16, 2020. The bridge is among 18 to be built, widened or replaced as part of the 405 Improvement Project, which aims to speed up travel times on freeway between Costa Mesa and the Orange County/Los Angeles County line. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Workers continue construction as the McFadden Avenue bridge over The 405 Freeway opened in Huntington Beach, CA, on Thursday, October 1, 1970. The bridge is among 18 to be built, widened or replaced as part of the 405 Improvement Project, which aims to speed up travel times on freeway between Costa Mesa and the Orange County/Los Angeles County line. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Bushard Street bridge over The 405 Freeway recently opened in Fountain Valley, CA, on Thursday, October 16, 2020. The bridge is among 18 to be built, widened or replaced as part of the 405 Improvement Project, which aims to speed up travel times on freeway between Costa Mesa and the Orange County/Los Angeles County line. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Workers continue construction as the McFadden Avenue bridge over The 405 Freeway opened in Huntington Beach, CA, on Thursday, October 1, 1970. The bridge is among 18 to be built, widened or replaced as part of the 405 Improvement Project, which aims to speed up travel times on freeway between Costa Mesa and the Orange County/Los Angeles County line. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Workers continue construction as the McFadden Avenue bridge over The 405 Freeway opened in Huntington Beach, CA, on Thursday, October 1, 1970. The bridge is among 18 to be built, widened or replaced as part of the 405 Improvement Project, which aims to speed up travel times on freeway between Costa Mesa and the Orange County/Los Angeles County line. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Workers continue construction as the McFadden Avenue bridge over The 405 Freeway opened in Huntington Beach, CA, on Thursday, October 1, 1970. The bridge is among 18 to be built, widened or replaced as part of the 405 Improvement Project, which aims to speed up travel times on freeway between Costa Mesa and the Orange County/Los Angeles County line. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Bushard Street bridge over The 405 Freeway recently opened in Fountain Valley, CA, on Thursday, October 16, 2020. The bridge is among 18 to be built, widened or replaced as part of the 405 Improvement Project, which aims to speed up travel times on freeway between Costa Mesa and the Orange County/Los Angeles County line. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The bridges are among 18 to be built, widened or replaced as part of the $1.9 billion I-405 Improvement Project.
With completion expected in 2023, the 16-mile stretch between Costa Mesa and the Los Angeles County line will gain two new lanes north and south. Bridges needed to be lengthened to accommodate the expansion.
Next up for renovation are the Brookhurst Street overpass in Fountain Valley and the Edinger Avenue bridge in Westminster. Crews are scheduled to begin work on those later this month, with periodic overnight closures.
The Edinger Avenue bridge, like McFadden Avenue and Bushard Street, will be demolished and reconstructed in one stage. Starting Friday, Oct. 23, it will be fully closed to traffic for about 18 months.
The Brookhurst Street span will be reconstructed in two stages – one half at a time – allowing it to remain open to traffic in both directions during construction. The first half of the bridge is expected to take approximately 16 months to complete.
The former McFadden Avenue bridge was demolished in August 2018. The new bridge boasts double the number of lanes, as well as sidewalks and bike lanes, in both directions.
Construction on Bushard Street began August of last year. The final product is similar to the old bridge – two lanes in each direction, with sidewalks and bike lanes.
Demolition of the Brookhurst and Edinger bridges will require overnight closures of the 405 in the immediate area. Detours will be in place to guide drivers around closures.
The Brookhurst closures are scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 17, and again on Saturday, Oct. 24. Edinger closures are slated for Saturday, Oct. 31, and Saturday, Nov. 7.
For the safety of construction crews, the speed limit has been reduced to 55 mph on the 405 Freeway between the 73 and 605 Freeways for the duration of the project.
The I-405 Improvement Project essentially will replace the existing carpool lane in each direction with a regular lane, and add two pay-to-use express lanes. Drivers will have access to five regular lanes, for a total of seven lanes on each side.
Express lanes will be separated from regular traffic with tall thin cones. Drivers can enter and exit at eight access points. Fees are projected to range from $10 at rush hour to 50 cents at nighttime.
Those who choose to carpool in the 405 Express Lanes will need to have a switchable transponder – the same transponder that already works on all toll lanes throughout California. Drivers can log in the number of people in the vehicle.
Ultimately, vehicles must carry at least three occupants to qualify as a carpool. However, during a 42-month grace period, cars with just two occupants will pay only during rush hour.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the 405 Freeway from the 5 Freeway down to Long Beach is the busiest interstate in the country. OCTA officials estimate that traffic will grow 35 percent by 2040.
