New toll lanes will affect southbound travel on I-405 from Seal Beach
I-405 IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
Travelers on one of the nation’s busiest highways are about to see their drive improve as two new regular lanes and the 405 Express Lanes are expected to open to traffic Dec. 1, as part of the Orange County Transportation Authority’s I-405 Improvement Project.
In advance of the opening, crews have begun testing the 405 Express Lanes. Testing requires closures of the existing carpool lanes within the project limits.
The northbound I-405 carpool lane will close at SR-73. The carpool lanes in both directions will also close between SR-22 and I-405, and between I-605 and I-405, in early November.
Drivers should expect delays during the closures and are encouraged to use alternate routes if possible. Once testing is complete, the lanes will reopen as part of the 405 Express Lanes.
OCTA broke ground on the I-405 Improvement Project in 2018 to improve travel times and accommodate an expected growth in employment, population and housing throughout the region.
Overall, the project is adding one regular lane in each direction of I-405 between Euclid Street in Fountain Valley and I-605 in Seal Beach as promised to voters through Measure M, Orange County’s half-cent sales tax for transportation.
The project is also making improvements to streets, freeway on- and off-ramps, bridges, sidewalks and bike lanes throughout the cities along the 16-mile project area.
In addition, the project is constructing the 405 Express Lanes between SR-73 in Costa Mesa and I-605 at the Orange County border with Los Angeles County, giving options to carpoolers to travel for free and solo drivers the choice to speed up their commute for a toll.
The 405 Express Lanes is two lanes in each direction in the center of the freeway. Vehicles are required to have a FasTrak transponder and a valid account with any toll agency in California to enter the 405 Express Lanes, which will provide drivers with a safe, reliable commute, while maximizing the number of cars that travel at free-flow speeds.
Vehicles with three or more people, along with motorcycles and vehicles with designated veterans license plates or disabled person license plates, will always get to travel on the 405 Express Lanes for free with a FasTrak transponder and a valid account with any toll agency in California.
Vehicles with two people will be able to travel on the 405 Express Lanes for free during non-peak hours when they open.
Solo drivers—and twoperson carpools during peak hours—will have the option to pay a toll to use the lanes, helping them reach their destinations more quickly.
Tolls will vary by hour, day of the week, direction of travel and distance traveled, and will be adjusted regularly to ensure a free-flowing commute. Drivers can enter or exit the facility from I-405, SR-73, SR-22 and I-605.
—Orange County Transportation Authority
People traveling on the I-605 (pictured) to the southbound I-405 will be able to use a new toll lane with a FasTrak responder.
Orange County Transportation Authority
