FHWA 07-15
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Contact: Nancy Singer
Tel: 202-366-0660

Orange County’s West County Connectors Project Completed

WESTMINSTER, Calif. – The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) today celebrated the completion of the West County Connectors Project in Orange County. The $293 million project, designed to improve mobility, relies on $141 million in federal-aid funds – of which $57 million is from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

"This project will help relieve congestion on one of the nation’s busiest highways," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. "This is exactly why we need a long-term transportation bill – so we can continue investing in projects that have a direct impact on people’s lives."

The Obama Administration recently announced a plan to address the infrastructure deficit with a $478 billion, six-year surface transportation reauthorization proposal. The plan makes critical investments in infrastructure needed to promote long-term economic growth, improves America's roads, bridges, transit systems, railways, and aviation systems; enhances safety; spurs job creation; and improves the way federal dollars are spent. On average, the proposal will increase the amount of highway funds by about 29 percent above current levels.

"The West Connectors Project will cut commuter time and make travel more efficient," said Acting FHWA Administrator Gregory Nadeau. "It will help the economy grow by making it easier for people in the area to access jobs and for businesses to expand."

The project is a joint partnership between the Orange County Transportation Authority and Caltrans linking high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes/carpool lanes on the San Diego Freeway (I-405) with those on the Garden Grove Freeway (SR-22) and San Gabriel River Freeway (I-605) to create a seamless carpool connection among the three freeways. The six-mile-long project creates a better link between the cities of Garden Grove, Westminster, Seal Beach, Los Alamitos, Long Beach and Rossmoor.

The improvements include two direct carpool connectors and the addition of a second carpool lane in each direction on the I-405 between SR-22 and I-605. The project will also reconstruct numerous on- and off-ramps, and improve landscaping along the route.

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