Officials have closed a stretch of the San Diego (405) Freeway in Orange County over the weekend for a bridge reconstruction project and urged motorists to avoid the area.
The stretch that will be closed will be where the 405, San Gabriel River (605) and Garden Grove (22) freeways converge in Westminster.
The closure began Saturday at 9 p.m. and was scheduled to end Sunday at 5 p.m.
Crews will destroy a 700-foot-long, 50-year-old, concrete bridge. to make way for a new one, which will allow for a smoother transition from the 405 to the 22, said Darrell Johnson of the Orange County Transportation Authority.
The project is part of a 6-mile, $270 million road improvement that should be finished in 2015.
Northbound San Diego Freeway motorists can take the following detours:
- Exit Beach Boulevard and turn right; take the westbound Garden Grove Freeway on-ramp to reconnect with northbound San Diego Freeway;
- Exit Westminster Avenue (east) and turn left, turn right on Bolsa Chica Road and take the westbound Garden Grove Freeway on-ramp to reconnect with the northbound San Diego Freeway;
- Exit Valley View Street and turn left on Garden Grove Boulevard, turn right on Valley View Street and take the westbound Garden Grove Freeway on- ramp to reconnect with northbound San Diego Freeway.
View "Bridge Bash" construction project in a larger map
Southbound San Diego Freeway motorists have the following detours:
- Exit Studebaker Road and turn right, turn left on East Second Street/Westminster Avenue, continue on Westminster Avenue to access southbound San Diego Freeway;
- Merge onto northbound San Gabriel River Freeway, exit Katella Avenue and turn right, turn right on Valley View Street to access southbound San Diego Freeway.
Southbound motorists on the San Gabriel River Freeway should use the following detour:
- Exit Willow Street and turn right, turn left on Studebaker Road, turn left on east Second Street/Westminster Avenue, continue on Westminster Avenue to access southbound San Diego Freeway.
- Motorists on Seventh Street and eastbound Garden Grove Freeway should merge on northbound San Gabriel River Freeway, exit Katella Avenue and turn right, turn right on Valley View Street to access southbound San Diego Freeway.
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