By Brian Hews
Motorists using Interstate 5 through Cerritos, Norwalk, La Mirada and Santa Fe Springs will have to deal with a series of what Caltrans officials are calling “brief intermittent and full freeway closures” during the next week.
The northbound and southbound sides of the freeway between Valley View Avenue and Rosecrans Avenue will be closed for eight nights between October 9 and 19 from 1 am to 4 am and on Sunday, October 21 from 3 am to 6 am.
Maria Raptis, a spokesperson for Cal Trans told Los Cerritos Community Newspaper and La Mirada Lamplighter that the work “involves relocating utility lines across the freeway.”
During the closures, Southern California Edison will perform work with Caltrans oversight as part of the I-5 South Corridor Improvement Projects to widen the freeway and add HOV lanes.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) will conduct traffic breaks for the FULL FREEWAY CLOSURES.
Raptis said local motorists can expect that each closure, three or four per night in each direction, “will last approximately 7 to 10 minutes and will take place at hourly intervals.”
Here is the schedule of the closures:
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, October 9, 10, 11 from 1 are to 4 am.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday, October 16, 17, 18, 19 from 1 am to 4 am.
Sunday, October 21, from 3 am to 6 am.
Northbound I-5: With CHP direction, motorists will have the option to exit at Valley View Ave.
Southbound I-5: With CHP direction, motorists will have the option to exit at Rosecrans Ave.
CLOSED RAMPS: Northbound I-5 on-ramp at Alondra Boulevard will be fully closed.
The CHP will intermittently close and hold traffic at the northbound I-5 on-ramp at Valley View Ave. and at the southbound I-5 on-ramp at Rosecrans Ave.
The closures are weather-permitting and are subject to change or cancellation.
Raptis said that I-5 South Corridor Improvement Projects will construct one carpool and one general purpose lane in each direction, realign and upgrade adjacent frontage roads, and reconstruct bridges from the Los Angeles/Orange County line to Interstate 605.
Information about the I-5 South Corridor Improvement Projects is available from the toll-free I-5 Hotline (855) 454-6335 or www.I-5info.com
