1 person killed, 2 critically injured in Palmdale crash

A motorist was killed and two others were seriously injured this evening when two vehicles collided near Palmdale, authorities said.

The accident was described as a T-bone collision that occurred about 7:30 p.m. at 116th Street and Pearblossom Highway, said California Highway Patrol Officer Patrick Kimball.

The driver of one vehicle was fatally injured. Two others were taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, Kimball said.

Authorities responding to the scene discovered two dogs dead in the backseat of one of the vehicles, he said.

All lanes of both roads -- except for the westbound Pearblossom Highway lanes -- were shut down for more than an hour as a result of the crash.

-- Jack Leonard

2 injured in collision between car, Gold Line train

Two people suffered minor injuries this evening when their car collided with a Gold Line Metro train in East Los Angeles, authorities said.

The car turned in front of the eastbound train at a crossing near 3rd Street and Rowan Avenue about 8:20 p.m., said Sheriff’s Lt. Greg Hinkle. The two occupants of the car complained of pain and were taken to a hospital, he said.

A California Highway Patrol officer said the pair were riding in a Chevy Malibu, which was towed after the crash.

The one passenger on the train was uninjured.

-- Jack Leonard

3 injured, including two L.A. County deputies, in crash

Two Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies and a motorist were hospitalized this evening with what were believed to be minor injuries when a patrol car collided with a van in South Los Angeles, authorities said.

The deputies were responding to a call when the crash occurred about 8:15 p.m. near Central Avenue and 84th Street, said Sheriff’s Sgt. Chris Kusayanagi.

He said deputies were investigating how the collision occurred.

-- Jack Leonard

Motorcyclist killed in 100-mph crash on 101

A 20-year-old motorcyclist was killed today when he crashed into a metal guardrail on the 101 Freeway at an estimated 100 mph, authorities said.

The unidentified rider was traveling eastbound about 2:28 p.m., when he struck the guardrail on the right shoulder just west of the 405 Freeway, said California Highway Patrol Officer Jose Nunez.

The man, who lived in Sherman Oaks, was thrown from his 2009 Suzuki motorcycle, Nunez said.

He was pronounced dead half an hour later at Sherman Oaks Hospital.

-- Jack Leonard

Roadway to LAX shut down as bomb squad investigates bags thrown from car [Updated]

A main connector road to Los Angeles International Airport has been shut down after police responded to reports this evening that two duffel bags were tossed out the window of a passing car, authorities said.

A bomb squad from the airport police is on the Sky Way access road, which runs alongside Terminal 1 from West 96th Street to World Way North, authorities said. Police responded around 6:30 p.m. after reports that the bags were thrown from a Mercedes sedan.

A witness flagged down police after seeing the bags tossed onto the roadway, authorities said.

Traffic in and around the airport has been heavy much of the day as travelers leave and arrive for the Thanksgiving weekend.

No additional details were available.

[Updated, 7:45 p.m.: The roadway has been reopened, and two people who police believe were engaged in an argument that led to the bag-tossing incident are being questioned.]

-- Andrew Blankstein

Surviving Thanksgiving weekend's travel crunch

 

Check-in lines are out the door at Los Angeles International Airport this morning for one of the busiest days of the holiday travel season.

Officials are expecting about 1.5 million passengers -- a slight increase compared with last year -- to pass through LAX during the 10-day Thanksgiving holiday period, which started Friday and ends Nov. 29.

Today and Sunday are the busiest of those days, said Katherine Alvarado, a spokeswoman for LAX.

"It's pretty busy today, especially at the Southwest Airlines terminal, the American Airlines terminal and the United terminal," she said. "The lines are moving pretty quickly. TSA [Transportation Security Administration] has most of their screening lanes open."

At Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, spokesman Victor Gill said traffic is "relatively calm right now," but he expects it to pick up this afternoon and into the evening.

Big rig overturns on 91 Freeway in Fullerton [Updated]

An overturned big rig on the 91 Freeway in Fullerton this morning has shut down the transition road to the 57 Freeway.

The big rig overturned about 6:20 a.m. on the transition road from the eastbound 91 Freeway to the northbound 57 Freeway. No one was injured and no fuel was spilled, said CHP Officer Gabe Montoya of the California Highway Patrol.

The transition road is closed until further notice as crews work to upright the truck, Montoya said.

[Updated at 10:19 a.m.: The transition road remains closed. As crews were moving the big rig, its load shifted and now workers are having to unload the trailer, which is carrying pallets of wood flooring, Montoya said.]

-- Baxter Holmes

Anaheim Hills fire burns 60 acres; firefighters try to block march toward homes [Updated]

A wind-driven fire near Anaheim Hills has consumed more than 50 acres as more than 150 firefighters work to prevent it from reaching homes.

As of 3 a.m., the fire was 10% contained and had not burned any structures. But the 241 Toll Road remained closed, and officials at the Orange County Fire Authority were concerned that dry, hot winds could push the fire toward homes.

[Updated at 6:45 a.m.: The 241 Toll Road reopened shortly before 6 a.m., according to the CHP. As of 6:30 a.m., the fire had burned 60 acres and was 10% contained, said Orange County Fire Authority spokeswoman Polly Bowen.]

The fire was moving south, away from developments in Orange and Anaheim Hills.

Authorities asked Los Angeles County officials to dispatch a helicopter for night water drops. The Firehawk helicopter, similar to the military's Blackhawk, holds 1,000 gallons of water and was to begin attacking the blaze overnight, officials said. Firefighters in the engine company will be used to set up a heliport and fill the copter with water between drops, said Capt. Frank Reynoso of the L.A. County Fire Department.

[Updated at 6:45 a.m.: The 241 Toll Road reopened shortly before 6 a.m., according to the CHP. As of 6:30 a.m., the fire had burned 60 acres and was 10% contained, said Orange County Fire Authority spokeswoman Polly Bowen.]

The fire was moving south, away from developments in Orange and Anaheim Hills.

Authorities asked Los Angeles County officials to dispatch a helicopter for night water drops. The Firehawk helicopter, similar to the military's Blackhawk, holds 1,000 gallons of water and was to begin attacking the blaze overnight, officials said. Firefighters in the engine company will be used to set up a heliport and fill the copter with water between drops, said Capt. Frank Reynoso of the L.A. County Fire Department.

Surviving Thanksgiving weekend's traditional fixings: traffic and airport jams

One of the busiest traveling times of the year is upon us, and experts say Southern Californians should expect clogged roads and freeways -- especially around airports -- as residents make their holiday getaways.

Nearly 2 million Southern Californians are expected to hit the road Thanksgiving weekend, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California. After dropping slightly last year, roadway travel is expected to increase by 8% this year, to about 1.9 million people.

The California Highway Patrol said it would be out in force beginning Wednesday evening to enforce seat belt, speed and cellphone laws and to watch for drunk drivers. The maximum enforcement period goes into effect at 6 p.m. Wednesday, which means all officers not on vacation will be working. That's about 80% of the officers assigned to Southern California, said CHP Officer Vince Ramirez.

Air travel at Los Angeles International Airport is expected to be up slightly this year over last, with 1.5 million passengers expected to funnel through its terminals.

At Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, where travel this month is down 7%, Wednesday through Sunday is expected to be hectic, as is usual this time of year, said airport spokesman Victor Gill.

“We’re anticipating a very busy day tomorrow,” he said earlier today. “I can guarantee you that holidays are holidays and it will be busy here.”

Will you be traveling tomorrow? How do you plan to avoid the holiday traffic?  What information could we provide to make your trip easier? Let us know in the comments below. We'll use your feedback to help build our holiday travel survival guide, currently in its formative stages.

-- Raja Abdulrahim

Photo: The 405 Freeway backs up the day before Thanksgiving 2006. Credit: Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times

O.C. transit agency finalizes another round of deep cuts in service

Orange County transit officials today announced another round of major cuts to bus service — including the elimination of several routes — to offset a projected budget shortfall of more than $330 million over the next five years.

The latest cuts, which take effect in March, will eliminate 150,000 bus-service hours. Since September 2008, the Orange County Transportation Authority has reduced bus service by 20% — a total of 383,000 annual bus-service hours — because of the budget shortfall.

Beyond eliminating routes, the cuts will result in shortened routes, fewer stops, longer waits between buses and the elimination of the agency’s popular Night Owl service. In January, the agency raised fares to $1.50 from $1.25 for a single ride.

The eliminated routes are: 62, which runs from Huntington Beach to Santa Ana; 74, Fountain Valley to Irvine; 75, Tustin to Newport Beach; 131, Yorba Linda to Orange; 147, Brea to Santa Ana; and 164, Seal Beach to Westminster.

A complete list of cuts can be found on the agency’s website at www.octa.net/marchchange.

-- Paloma Esquivel in Orange County

Car crashes into Echo Park building, killing driver

A driver was killed and her passenger injured when her car struck another vehicle at a stop sign and then crashed into a brick building in Echo Park early today, police said.

The incident occurred about 2 a.m. in the 2200 block of Sunset Boulevard near Mohawk Street, said Los Angeles police Officer Karen Rayner. The driver, a woman, apparently lost control while trying to make a left turn at Mohawk. Her car hit the vehicle waiting at a stop sign, then careened into a building.

The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. Her passenger, also a woman, was taken to a hospital in stable condition, Rayner said. The driver of the second car was treated for injuries and released at the scene, Rayner said.

-- Carla Rivera

Sunland-area freeway crash kills three when SUV plows into big-rig truck

Three people, including a 14-year-old boy, were killed this morning after their sport utility vehicle rear-ended a big rig on the 210 Freeway in Sunland and became engulfed in flames, authorities said.

The SUV was traveling west on the 210 about 5 a.m. when it crashed into a lettuce-carrying big rig, which had been parked on the side of the road, said California Highway Patrol and L.A. fire officials.

“It’s unknown what lane they were traveling in or what speed they were traveling at,” CHP Officer Jennifer Connolly said. “There were no skid marks.”

A 9-year-old girl and 11-year-old boy got out of the burning vehicle, possibly with the help of passersby, but three other people were unable to exit, Connolly said. The children were taken to Childrens Hospital Los Angeles in fair condition.

The male driver of the big rig complained of chest discomfort and was taken to Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills, L.A. Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey said. Flames from the crash ignited a small brush fire that took 61 firefighters 29 minutes to knock down, he said.

Dental X-rays are required to identify the three victims, whose bodies were charred, county coroner investigator Dana Bee said. They are believed to be related, but identification may take up to 72 hours, he said.

Humphrey said the SUV had been towing a small utility trailer filled with what appeared to be motor-sports equipment.

Three lanes of the westbound 210 were closed for nearly four hours.

-- Corina Knoll

Woman fatally struck by Metro Blue Line train

A woman was fatally struck by a northbound Metro Blue Line train this afternoon in Watts.

The incident occurred about 1:20 p.m. when the woman, in her mid-50s, was walking eastbound along the tracks near 115th Street. The woman died at the scene, said Erik Scott, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Northbound trains are experiencing a 15-minute delay because of the accident, and southbound trains are operating normally, said Metro spokesman Jose Ubaldo.

The train that struck the woman was carrying 150 passengers, all of whom were transferred to another train.

-- Baxter Holmes

Parts of 91 Freeway to be closed early next week

Parts of the eastbound 91 Freeway near the Orange and Riverside county border will be closed early next week while some lanes are restriped to accommodate construction. The closures will occur on the express lanes and the regular lanes from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. Monday and Tuesday.

The freeway will remain open during peak hours.

The actual construction project will widen six miles of the eastbound 91 Freeway between the 241 and 71 freeways. The project is expected to be completed near the end of 2010. It is intended to ease congestion on the 91 Freeway near Coal Canyon Road.

-- Baxter Holmes

Delays expected on Metro Blue Line for track installation

Metro Blue Line passengers will experience delays today and this weekend as crews install tracks that will connect the Blue Line and the Expo Line.

Delays of up to 40 minutes between Washington Station and 7th Street/Metro Center are expected from        9 a.m. today until the line closes Sunday night. Metro buses will provide service between Washington Station and 7th Street/Metro Center and will stop at San Pedro, Grand, Pico and the 7th Street/Metro Center stations.

The Metro Red and Purple lines will run on a regular basis.

This is the first of eight planned station closures over the next four months to allow construction work for the Expo Line, an 8.5-mile light-rail line that will connect downtown Los Angeles and Culver City.

Other closures will occur in January, February and March 2010. The Expo Line will share tracks and two stations with the Metro Blue Line along the Flower Street portion of the alignment.

-- Baxter Holmes

Eastbound 118 Freeway reopened after closure due to accident [Updated]

The eastbound 118 Freeway was closed at Woodley Avenue due to a jackknifed big-rig truck that was leaking oil. The incident was causing gridlock in the Grenada Hills area. [Updated at 12:01 p.m.: The freeway has reopened.]

The accident occurred on the 118 just east of the 405 Freeway, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Cars were being slowly escorted off the freeway at Woodley Avenue, and nearby surface streets were quickly filling up with traffic.

Motorists coming from the West Valley and Ventura County could take the 101 Freeway as an alternate.

-- Shelby Grad

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Workday commuters ride Gold Line extension for first time

Officials handed out coffee to commuters riding the new Gold Line Eastside extension this morning for its first day of service during the workweek.

The line opened to the public Sunday with about 75,000 riders taking part in a day of free rides and festivities along the Gold Line, which now runs from East Los Angeles to Pasadena. A ticket costs commuters $1.25.

“It’s still a party here,” said Los Angeles City Councilman Jose Huizar, who was at Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights this morning giving commuters free rail passes, commemorative pins and coffee.

Metro Chief Executive Officer Art Leahy also greeted commuters.

East L.A. hails arrival of Gold Line; activities are to be held today at four stations

The sun had not yet risen this morning as the first train to East Los Angeles in more than half a century picked up passengers at Union Station.

About a dozen people – train enthusiasts, students and workers for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority – stepped off the platform and onto the eastbound Gold Line train at about 3:40 a.m. They wanted to be the first passengers aboard the line’s Eastside extension, which officially opened to the public today, and some applauded as the train came in.

Some passengers snapped photographs of the historic occasion as others wiped the sleep from their eyes. “This train is now departing for Atlantic Station,” an automated voice told the group gathered in the first car.

“I think it’s great, ” said Mary Jaco, who grew up in East Los Angeles and is a rail enthusiast. She and her boyfriend, Eric Perez, rode the Gold Line’s first trip from Union Station to Pasadena in 2003.

This morning, they were at Union Station again, going the other direction, to East L.A. “It can connect everyone to different places, and I hope it helps give the community a boost,” said Jaco, 35, who now lives in Eagle Rock.

For her, the ride will soon be a familiar one. She plans to commute to work by rail. The Gold Line Eastside extension is the latest light-rail line in Los Angeles County and runs six miles from downtown L.A. at Union Station through Boyle Heights and into East L.A.

The last stop is Atlantic Boulevard. Commuters will now be able to ride the Gold Line from Pasadena to East L.A. Construction on the extension began in 2004. It cost $898 million to build. Transportation officials expect 13,000 people to ride the extension daily by the end of its first year of operation.

As part of the extension’s grand opening, the MTA is not charging anyone to ride the Gold Line today.

There are also several events and activities planned at four stations along the route:

East L.A. Civic Center Station: At 9 a.m., there will be a farmers market, cooking classes and an exhibition of bike programs; a ribbon-cutting will be held at 10 a.m., and there will be live music at noon.

Mariachi Plaza Station: At 8:30 a.m., there will be an unveiling of the Lucha Reyes statue and the introduction of several local politicians. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., there will be a mariachi festival and the  Boyle Heights Block Party, featuring music from groups such as Quinto Sol and Umo Verde. There also will be a ribbon cutting at noon.

Little Tokyo/Arts District Station: There will be karaoke and food beginning at 9 a.m. The ribbon-cutting is set for 2 p.m.

Union Station: There will be live music, food booths and other festivities beginning at 9 a.m. Santa Claus will be on hand at noon and from 4 to 5 p.m.

The train’s conductor at 3:40 a.m. this morning was Marcial Garcia, who had been working for the MTA for 24 years. He smiled as he pulled into Union Station on Track 1 and picked up the passengers. “It feels good, exciting,” Garcia said before taking off on the roughly 20-minute trip to Atlantic Boulevard. “People have been waiting for it.”

-- Ari B. Bloomekatz

Photo: The street-level entrance to the new Mariachi Plaza Station in Boyle Heights.  A mariachi festival and other activities will be held there today to celebrate the grand opening of the rail line to East Los Angeles. Credit: Al Seib / Los Angeles Times

Crowds applaud the inaugural ride of the Gold Line extension

Los Angeles County's latest light-rail line — the $898-million Gold Line extension through the Eastside — was dedicated Saturday morning at Union Station and a sparkling silver train full of dignitaries rolled out for the inaugural ride.

The six-mile extension of the line from downtown L.A. through Boyle Heights and into East Los Angeles opens to the public on Sunday, when passengers will be able to ride the entire length of the line to Pasadena for free. The Saturday event gave elected and transportation officials a chance to give speeches and laud the newest public transportation offering in the county.

At 9:30 a.m. sharp, the glimmering rail cars glided into the East L.A. Civic Center station, which sits in the middle of 3rd Street, where a crowd was assembled. As the train rolled into the station, it broke through a plastic black banner. Firecrackers rang and cannons blew out confetti.

"When I was on this train a few minutes ago, going through downtown and Boyle Heights, and here in East L.A., all the memories came back -- the memories of your boyhood, the memories as you go into manhood," said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who grew up in Boyle Heights. "I'll tell you something: I couldn't be prouder of this community today."

Santino Hernandez, 28, who lives in Boyle Heights, was elated at the rail line, which has been under construction since 2004.

"We're happy it's finally here. We've been needing public transportation out here to connect us with Union Station," said Hernandez, a day laborer. "It's more dependable than the bus."

His wife, Celene, added that it would be easier to load their baby stroller carrying their 2-year-old son, Christopher, onto the rail line than the bus.

Mary Louise Sevilla, 67, a retiree who lives in East L.A., was worried about the safety of the Gold Line, as she eyed a child playing flag football across the street from the station at David Wark Griffith Middle School.

"Hopefully, the kids understand that they have to look both ways before they cross," she said. "You know how kids are."

There are eight stations along the route: Atlantic, East L.A. Civic Center, Maravilla, Indiana, Soto, Mariachi Plaza, Pico/Aliso and Little Tokyo Arts District. At Union Station, riders can continue onto the existing Gold Line, which winds its way toward Pasadena; transfer to the Red Line subway to Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley; ride the Purple Line, which ends in Koreatown; or connect to Metrolink trains that carry riders to neighboring counties.

On Sunday, the East L.A. Civic Center station will feature live music, a farmers market and activities for children. And, of course, mariachis will perform at the Mariachi Plaza station.

-- Baxter Holmes reporting from East Los Angeles

Related stories:

Gold Line extension: Your questions answered

Recalling the Yellow Cars while riding the Gold Line extension

Molina is critical of MTA Eastside extension's rollout

Map of the Gold Line Eastside extension

MTA information on the Gold Line extension

Metrolink board delays decision on fare hike after thousands protest

Faced with strong opposition from riders and questions about agency finances, the board of Southern California’s commuter rail agency today postponed a decision on a proposed 6% fare increase just three months after the last rate hike.

After receiving protests from thousands of riders, Metrolink board members opted to review a range of possible alternatives to the ticket price increase, including cuts to lightly used service, at a meeting next month.

“You want to charge us more to ride your trains,” law firm employee Charlie McDaniel, who commutes from Riverside to Los Angeles, told the board. “Many of the riders barely have the money to pay their rent.” McDaniel presented petitions she said contained signatures of 2,500 riders opposed to the fare hike. Officials previously said they received more than 1,300 comments opposing the rate hikes.

Protesting truckers create gridlock on Long Beach Freeway and downtown L.A. [Updated]

Scores of protesting truck drivers are slowing traffic on the Long Beach Freeway this morning, flashing their lights and hoping to raise attention about new environmental fees at the ports that they say threaten their livelihoods.

Up to 100 trucks are driving northbound on the 710, and are north of the San Diego Freeway, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Francisco Villalobos. The CHP was not told in advance about the protest, and is sending units to monitor it.

According to the National Port Drivers Assn., the caravan of trucks is driving from the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports – among the largest in the world – to Los Angeles City Hall. They are protesting new container fees contained in the Clean Truck Program that they say are hurting independent truckers’ income.

Commuters might want to consider alternative routes, such as the 605 Freeway.

[Updated at 10:17 a.m.: The truck caravan has reached downtown Los Angeles. Truck drivers, who are circling City Hall, are honking their horns and protesters on the sidewalk are waving signs. The LAPD is urging drivers to avoid the area.

While the CHP said 100 trucks were involved, some witnesses have said the number is actually much higher.

Traffic on the 710 South is expected to be jammed as the convoy goes back to the port.]

-- Seema Mehta

Photo: (Top) Protesting truckers pass Los Angeles City Hall. Credit: Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times (Bottom) A caravan of trucks on the Long Beach Freeway this morning. Credit: Shelby Grad / Los Angeles Times

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Metrolink board to vote on proposed fare hike, the second in 3 months

The Metrolink governing board is expected this morning to decide whether to raise fares by up to 6% on top of a 3%  increase instituted three months ago.

Citing a sharp drop in ridership from the economic slump and moderating gas prices, the agency's staff has called for another fare hike beginning in January to close a several-million-dollar gap in the current year’s budget. Fare revenue is down 15% from last year and the five counties that help fund the service have signaled they can’t make up the difference.

The public has sounded off against the fare hike in hundreds of comments to the agency; more than 200 of those threatened to switch to carpooling or other transit alternatives, records show.

-- Rich Connell

MTA report calls for light rail, not rapid bus line, on Crenshaw corridor

A proposed transit line that will run through South Los Angeles should be light rail, not a rapid bus line, according to a report released by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

South L.A. officials and community groups cheered the recommendation from Metro staff and said the project estimated to cost at least $1.7 billion will provide unprecedented transit opportunities for residents who so far have been under-served by the county's rail network.

"We do consider it a victory," said Trevor Ware, chief operating officer of the Los Angeles Urban League.

"Look at the transportation options that we have now. We have buses on Crenshaw and we see other neighborhoods that are developing other types of transportation options," Ware added.

"To have a decision made that we will have light rail - that's so much faster and will have so much more of an economic impact - we need that too," he said.

The proposed line would run about 8.5 miles from the intersection of Exposition and Crenshaw boulevards, down Crenshaw, southwest through Inglewood and south to a stop near the airport and a connection with the Green Line.

About 2.5 miles of the project is proposed as a subway, including a section that would run underneath Leimert Park, said Metro's project manager Roderick Diaz.

The recommendation from Metro staff must still be approved by the planning and programming committee and then by Metro's board of directors.

Dan Rosenfeld, a senior deputy for L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, said the project could create some 7,800 jobs and that groundbreaking could begin as early as 2012 if funding can be secured.

-- Ari B. Bloomekatz

Map: MTA

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Freight train derails near Union Station, disrupting several commuter lines

A Union Pacific freight train derailed near Union Station this morning, disrupting several Riverside commuter trains.

Officials do not yet know what caused three of the 104 cars to derail about 1:30 a.m., said Metrolink spokesman Francisco Oaxaca. No injuries were reported, he said.

The derailment blocked two tracks on the east side of the Los Angeles River near 9th Street, Oaxaca said. Metrolink train 401 leaving Riverside at 4:42 a.m. and the 403 train leaving at 5:42 a.m. were scheduled to go only as far as the Montebello-Commerce station, he said.

Buses will be at that station to take passengers to Union Station. Riverside lines 405 and 407 will travel to Union Station but will be delayed 30 to 60 minutes. Metrolink suggests passengers consider taking the 91 or San Bernardino lines as alternatives in order to avoid the delays caused by the derailment.

-- Baxter Holmes

Photo: A Metrolink train passes through as crews work on clearing the railway lines after a Union Pacific freight train derailment near Union Station. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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New lanes open on 405 Freeway through Westside

After five years of construction, commuters this morning are using new lanes along the 405 Freeway built as part of a widening project.

New carpool and exit lanes made their debut on the southbound 405 Freeway between the 10 and 90 freeways over the weekend. The existing traffic lanes were also widened as part of the project.

It's part of a larger effort to widen the 405 Freeway through the Westside, eventually bringing seamless carpool lanes along the freeway between Orange County and the Valley. Lanes northbound between the 10 and 90 are expected to open in the coming weeks.

The widening project, which cost $167 million, comes to one of Southern California's most congested freeways. The nearly $1-billion widening of the 405 through the Sepulveda Pass is about to begin.

-- Shelby Grad

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