Construction has begun on a $175 million High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane project along Interstate 10, just west of Los Angeles.

The project, which began on Nov. 3, will add 4.4 mi. (7 km) of new carpool lanes, one in each direction, on I-10 from the San Gabriel River Freeway (Interstate 605) to Puente Avenue.

General contractor Flatiron West Inc. also will construct soundwalls to mitigate noise at various locations throughout the project boundaries, according to Caltrans District 7.

I-10 is a key commuter and goods movement corridor linking Los Angeles County and the Inland Empire. The interstate has experienced serious congestion, as more than 240,000 vehicles a day travel the section of roadway where the new carpools lanes will be built.

The new lanes are projected to carry nearly 1,300 vehicles, or 3,300 persons per hour, during peak traffic times.

The project is funded with federal and state funds, including $66 million from Proposition 1B, the 2006 voter-approved transportation bond.

Completion of the project will occur during winter 2012.

This HOV lane job is the first of three projects that when completed will provide commuters a continuous carpool lane from downtown Los Angeles to San Bernardino County, a stretch of nearly 35 mi. (56 km). Los Angeles County currently has 485 mi. (780 km) of existing carpool lanes.

The next two phases of the I-10 carpool lane plan, estimated at $240 million, will extend the carpool lanes from Puente Avenue to Citrus Street in West Covina, and then to State Route 57 near Pomona.

These two projects are scheduled to begin in late 2011 and early 2012.

Besides these three HOV lane projects, several other projects are on going or planned along I-10.

An extensive pavement restoration project is currently under way from the Interstate 5 separation to I-605. This $165 million project began this year and is targeted for a spring 2011 completion.

The I-10/I-605 Interchange Improvement Project is scheduled to begin in 2012.

This $79 million, design-build project, will construct a direct connector interchange from southbound I-605 to eastbound I-10. CEG

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