Ramp Jam, R.I.P.

A view of the completed Wilshire interchange facing northeast, with the newest ramp in the foreground. All of the reconstructed ramps are open to the public as of Thursday. Photo/Metro

The long-running freeway ramp construction project at one of L.A.’s most notoriously jammed intersections is officially in the rear view mirror.

The reengineering and reconstruction of the Wilshire flyover ramps—one of the most visible and ambitious elements of the 405 Project—wraps up officially on Thursday, Nov. 7, with the reopening of the eastbound Wilshire onramp to the northbound freeway.

With that last piece in place, all of the new Wilshire ramps will be fully open for business—that’s right, the construction effort known variously as “Ramp Jam” or “The Rampture” is over. After getting started on June 22 of last year, the massive project-within-a-project is wrapping up 13 days ahead of schedule.

Michael Barbour, who manages the project for Metro, said traffic in the area should get better for locals and all drivers passing through.

“The most significant improvement to any one interchange in the entire project is right here,” Barbour said. “It’s going to bring an operational improvement across the board.”

Before the project, motorists frequently backed up on the I-405 and Wilshire and Sepulveda Boulevards as they waited to enter or exit the freeway. With the new configuration, the capacity of the on-ramps and off-ramps has been significantly increased. For example, the ramp that opens Thursday is 3,129 feet long—more than three times the length of the old one, which was built in the 1950s. That added space will accommodate more of the approximately 8,000 vehicles that take the ramp each day, getting them out of normal traffic lanes. Turning lanes have also been added on Wilshire and Sepulveda so vehicles can slow down to get on the freeway without slowing everyone else down as well.

The new intersection will improve safety, too, Barbour said, with fewer vehicles weaving through lanes to get on and off the freeway.

The early opening of one of the nation’s busiest intersections is a welcome development for a project that has been beset by delays and cost overruns. According to Metro, construction work is now 85% complete. Next up is one last ramp at Sunset Boulevard, which should be completed by the end of November. At that point, all permanent ramp closures for the entire project will be finished. Barbour also expects all bridge work to be completed by the end of this year.

However, some construction will continue into mid-2014. That includes work on the medians around Sunset and Getty Center Drive, and median work further north near Valley Vista Drive.

The project as a whole has brought massive disruptions and inconvenience to the lives of commuters and nearby residents—and Barbour is the first to acknowledge what they’ve gone through.

“There has been a lot of frustration,” Barbour said. “Everybody wants a wider, better freeway, but the residents have taken the brunt of the effort.”

Still, each step toward completion is a satisfying moment for Barbour—a chance to put the past behind and to begin harvesting the fruit of more than four years of hard work.

“It’s going to be much better operationally, and we’re expecting to see something more manageable for folks, so that’s good,” he said.

When fully complete, the 405 Project will deliver a new 10-mile northbound carpool lane, three rebuilt bridges, ramp improvements and other modernizations along the heavily traveled stretch between the 10 Freeway and the 101 Freeway.

Those interested in finding out more or providing feedback on the project can attend a community meeting this Thursday evening at 6 p.m. at the Westwood Recreation Center.

Posted 11/6/13