Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske and the Orange County Transportation Authority will host a public meeting early next month to discuss a freeway-improvement project that will impact East Long Beach.
In early 2010, the OCTA will start construction on the West County Connectors Project, which will connect carpool lanes on the San Diego (405), San Gabriel (605) and Garden Grove (22) freeways.
As part of the construction, the Seventh Street connector bridge will be closed for about a year, requiring traffic to be rerouted along one of Long Beach's most-travelled areas.
Residents in areas near Cal State Long Beach have raised concerns about the impact on their neighborhoods, and commuters from throughout the city frequently travel it en route to Orange County and Los Angeles.
Upon completion the West County Connectors Project will:
- Construct two direct high-occupancy vehicle, or HOV, connectors
- Add a second HOV lane in each direction on the 405 between the 22 and the 605
- Eliminate the need for HOV users to weave across regular lanes to switch to and from HOV lanes
- Reconstruct on- and off-ramps
- Construct sound walls and retaining walls at various locations
- Add landscaping and "enhance aesthetic elements"
At Schipske's meeting, representatives from OCTA will be on hand to discuss the project and answer audience questions.
The presentation will take place at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 5 at El Dorado Community Center, 2800 N. Studebaker Road.
For more information about the meeting contact Schipske's office at 562-570-3102.
For information on the project, visit www.octa.net/westcounty.
