Headed South? Get Ready For 405 Toll Lanes

The drive from Orange County to Long Beach can be a bear. Get ready, Orange County, as relief is on the way thanks to Measure M. The half-cent transportation sales tax will assist in financing the project, along with combination of local, state and federal funds the OCTA said on their website.

On Monday, the members of the Orange County Transportation Authority board approved the plans for a $627 million federal loan to help pay for widening the San Diego (405) Freeway with a project that includes toll lanes.

The loan's low interest rate will save taxpayers about $300 million over 35 years on the $1.9 billion project, OCTA officials say.

Revenue from motorists opting to pay for the use of "express lanes" will finance the loan, officials said.

Don't start your engines just yet.

This is the first on a long list of "to-do's" on the OCTA website. The project, which the transit authority hopes to complete design of by 2017 is expected to be completed in 2022.

"The project includes adding one regular lane in each direction from Euclid Street to I-605 and making improvements to freeway entrances, exits and bridges," OCTA said on their project website. "It also will construct the 405 Express Lanes, two lanes in each direction from SR-73 to I-605. The new express lanes – incorporating the existing carpool lanes and connectors that opened in 2014 – will give solo drivers the choice to speed up their commute for a toll, and carpoolers may ride in the lanes for free.

With the savings, officials will allow the express lanes to remain free for car-poolers with two or more occupants for the first three and a half years the lanes are open, officials said.

The project improves the freeway between state Route 73 in Costa Mesa to the San Gabriel River (605) Freeway in Long Beach and work may be simultaneously performed in multiple areas along the 16-mile stretch during the duration of the project.

With a long way to go, residents are still deciding their thoughts on the expansion.

City News Service Contributed to this report.

Ashley Ludwig photo