I-405 Sepulveda Pass ExpressLanes
The Project
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), in coordination with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), is initiating the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) for the I-405 Sepulveda Pass ExpressLanes in Los Angeles County, California. The purpose and objective of the proposed project is to optimize the utilization of freeway capacity while addressing impacts to the environment and surrounding communities, including historically disadvantaged communities, within the project area. The project proposes to improve traffic conditions on I-405 starting in the south at I-10 and terminating in the north at US-101, and intends to reduce congestion, encourage carpooling and transit, improve trip reliability, reduce degradation of the carpool and general purpose lanes, increase person throughput, and apply technology to help manage traffic.
Caltrans is the lead agency under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The EIR/EIS, a study required by federal and state statutes, will be prepared and is an assessment of the likely influences that future improvements may have on the environment and communities within and adjacent to the study area. It includes analyses of ways to reduce or avoid possible adverse environmental impacts.
Background
The study area includes the Cities of Los Angeles, Culver City, and Santa Monica, as well as unincorporated Los Angeles County. The segment of I-405 within the project limits was originally constructed between 1958 and 1963 as an eight-lane facility consisting of four 12-foot wide lanes in each direction, 8 to 10-foot wide outside shoulders, and a 22-foot wide median. The existing lane widths were reduced to 11 feet, and the median was used to accommodate the addition of mixed-flow lanes (MFL) in each direction through a restriping project in 1985. An 11-foot wide HOV lane was added to southbound I-405, in 2002 from north of Burbank Boulevard to Waterford Street, and in 2007 from Waterford Street to the I-101/I-405 interchange. In 2015 a 12-foot wide HOV lane was added to northbound I-405 from north of Burbank Boulevard to the I-10/I-405 interchange. As part of that project, portions of the facility were also widened in the northbound and southbound directions to provide standard lane widths, medians and shoulders.
Benefits
The project proposes to improve traffic conditions on I-405 and intends to reduce congestion, encourage carpooling and transit, improve trip reliability, reduce degradation of the carpool and general purpose lanes, increase person throughput, and apply technology to help manage traffic.
Schedule
The scoping period will begin in early August 2021. The Draft EIR/EIS is anticipated for public release in Fall 2022, and the Final EIR/EIS is anticipated for release in Fall 2023.