At least one lane of southbound I-5 just south of State Route 14 will be closed from Sunday to Friday for construction all this week. The California Department of Transportation (CalTrans) says that the southbound traffic lane will be closed from 7:00 PM until 6:00 AM from I-5 to the 14 connector. One traffic lane on the I-5 northbound truck route will also be closed 5:00-9:00 AM this week as well. 

This is part of the ongoing protect of creating an elevated two-lane High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV or carpool) lane connector will be constructed to connect the HOV lanes of the Golden State Freeway (I-5) and the Antelope Valley Freeway (SR-14). Funding for the program is provided by the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), federal government and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro).

The Direct HOV project involves the construction of an elevated two-lane direct HOV connector at the I-5 and State Route 14 interchange and construction of HOV lanes in the north- and southbound directions of I-5 at the interchange. A direct HOV connector will allow motorists a freeway-to-freeway transfer without exiting the carpool lane.

The project is 60% complete. All major retaining walls are complete, as are drainage systems, part of the concrete paving, a substantial portion of foundation-related work, and most of the West Sylmar bridge widening. Crews are currently working on the HOV connector, the remaining retaining walls, and the West Sylmar Bridge widening and deck construction. Anticipated project completion date is fall, 2012.

 Slow for the Cone Zone!