Caltrans announces bridge, road closures

NORWALK - Caltrans has announced the reconstruction and elongation of the Shoemaker, Rosecrans and Bloomfield bridges and the overcrossing at Silverbow Avenue to accommodate a wider freeway.To be closed are the Shoemaker Avenue Bridge (between Rosecrans Avenue and Excelsior Drive) and north Firestone Boulevard (between just north of the northbound I-5 on-ramp at Carmenita Road to the northbound I-5 off-ramp at Rosecrans Avenue) beginning Feb. 19 as part of Caltrans' overall I-5 South Corridor Improvement Projects, which will eventually widen the I-5 along a 14-mile stretch from the Los Angeles/Orange County line to the San Gabriel River Freeway (I-605) to lower traffic congestion while improving safety. The massive Caltrans construction project will construct one carpool and one general purpose lane in each direction, realign and upgrade adjacent frontage roads and reconstruct bridges along the way. The closure of the Shoemaker Avenue Bridge will last through early 2014; its demolition, which starts also on Feb. 19, will continue on weeknights for up to six weeks.

********** Published: Febuary 7, 2013 - Volume 11 - Issue 43