Quarterly Community Meeting Described Traffic Flow Modifications

Before an audience of approximately 50 attendees, the I-405 Sepulveda Pass Improvements Project team used its May 20 Quarterly Community Meeting to provide an update on the

• Sunset Bridge demolition
• Coordination of construction activities with local emergency services
• Noise mitigation plan for the Sunset Bridge demolition
• Metropolitan Water District Los Angeles-29 Connection Modification Project (MWD LA-29)

Held at the Getty Center’s Harold Williams Auditorium, the meeting provided a three-month look-ahead of work within the three project segments: Wilshire, Sunset and Mulholland. Many audience questions concerned the results from traffic reconfiguration of Sunset Bridge on Friday, May 7, and the upcoming demolition of the south side of the overpass.

Assistant Chief Scott Mottram, Los Angeles Fire Department, describes the resources from downtown Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley that fire stations near the I-405 Freeway can draw on in case of an emergency.

To create safe work zones, the traffic flow was decreased from six to four lanes. Demolition of the bridge is scheduled for late June, although this date will be affected by ongoing investigations of the bridge.

Facilitated by Yvette Rapose, Community Relations Manager, the meeting’s question-and-answer period included comments on traffic flow and temporary signage. Mark Van Gessel, Segment 2 (Sunset) project manager, explained the logic of the traffic plan and noted that signage had been modified and increased to reduce tie-ups. Van Gessel noted that the project’s traffic plan was designed with the cooperation of the City of Los Angeles’ Department of Transportation.

Michael Barbour, project program director, asked the audience to act as additional eyes and ears for the project team and relay any problem with traffic flow and signage they notice. He also noted that the traffic plan had been modified to reflect community input.

Dan Kulka, public information officer for Kiewit Pacific Co., the project’s prime contractor, describes how dirt will be used to reduce noise during demolition of Sunset Bridge. Dirt will be placed on the I-405 freeway surface to reduce the sound of bridge pieces hitting the road surface. Dirt placed in truck beds will reduce the noise when debris is transferred to the trucks.

Dan Kulka, public information officer for Kiewit Pacific Co., the project’s prime contractor, presented the outline of the noise mitigation plan to be used during the demolition of Sunset Bridge. Highlights of the plan include reducing noise at the point of generation with sound blankets, notifying the bridge’s neighbors 14 days before demolition will begin, and working with Community Relations to ensure that all calls regarding noise issues during the nights of demolition are addressed on a 24/7 basis.

With Assistant Chief Scott Mottram, City of Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), Kulka described the ongoing coordination among the project and neighboring emergency service agencies. Besides sharing construction updates with the agencies, the project has developed a notification tree, so the agencies can quickly learn of any construction event affecting their access. Mottram noted that LAFD can draw on resources from the San Fernando Valley should local stations require aid.

Patricia Acosta, project engineer for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s MWD LA-29 project, presented an overview of MWD LA-29 and the reason why the water pipeline project could not be delayed until the I-405 Sepulveda Pass widening project was complete. The MWD LA-29 project will increase the capacity of the existing MWD LA-29 connection from a 42-inch to a 60-inch-diameter pipeline, Acosta explained. She noted that DWP has expedited the MWD LA-29 construction on Church Ln, reducing its length from 12 to 6 months, to minimize the street closure and impacts to the community.

With requirements to meet United States Environmental Protection Agency water quality regulations and increase the redundancy of the water delivery system throughout West Los Angeles, Acosta explained that the project had to be begun now or risk delaying other follow-up water quality improvement projects.

The next Quarterly Community Meeting is scheduled for Thursday, August 19. Its location is yet to be determined.

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Irene Sandler asks if radio alerts, similar to those available for Los Angeles International Airport, can offer updates on I-405 construction. The I-405 project is preparing those alerts, which will be available on 1610 AM. Patricia Hearst listens in.

Paul Cudney asked if Sepulveda Bl could be widened to four lanes in each direction, as part of the I-405 project. He learned that there is not enough room to do that. Sepulveda Bl will remain two lanes in each direction but the lanes will be widened and a bicycle path will be added in some areas.

Ned Racine