Construction of the south side of Skirball Bridge is part of the 405 Freeway project. (Photo: Metro)The project that will widen the 405 Freeway in Los Angeles is slated for completion in June 2014, according to CBS Los Angeles.
The Sepulveda Pass Improvements Project was originally set to be completed in the spring of 2013, but received an extension last month. Though the completion date is scheduled for June of next year, the project’s main contractor, Kiewit, said the project could take until September 2014 to finish. City officials have maintained that the project is still on track for June 2014.
The project was originally budgeted for $1 billion, but construction delays and unexpected costs have added at least $80 million more, which will be funded through taxes.
Despite the additional funds, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), said the agency is saving taxpayers money.
“If we had gone the traditional freeway construction route, it would take up to seven years longer in costs. We saved the taxpayers probably hundred of millions of dollars by accelerating the project,” Mark Littman of Metro told CBS Los Angeles.
The project will widen the 405 Freeway, rebuild on- and off-ramps and add a carpool lane.
