210 Freeway
work crews to rebuild the westbound lanes of the SanGabriel River Bridge, which whisks vehicles over the river as it emerges from the San Gabriel Mountains.
Major delays are predicted along the 210 Freeway and surface streets because of the $30 million project.
Huge bottlenecks are predicted on westbound lanes as far back as Glendora and San Dimas and on the eastbound flows in Pasadena, from the 134Freeway in Glendale and possibly affecting the 210 Freeway in the east San Fernando Valley, officials said.
Though the bridge is safe to drive over, it is about 50 years old, explained Caltrans officials, and due for a major upgrade. Workers will replace two hinges that hold the bridge in place but allow for movement, while adding new steel rebar and stronger rapid set concrete on two 20-feetby-90-feet bridge deck portions. Plus, the bridge will have taller railings, and the freeway will get a higher concrete median.
“This is a major operation. Stay away from the area,” said Eric Menjivar, Caltrans spokesperson on Thursday from the state highway department's offices in Eagle Rock.
Cars and trucks will be detoured off the westbound 210 lanes. The six eastbound lanes will be shifted during the five days: three for westbound traffic and three for eastbound traffic. In essence, the eastbound 210 also will be affected because of the 50% lane reduction.
In addition, the following connectors roads and ramps will be closed: westbound 210Freeway to southbound 605 Freeway connector; northbound 605 Freeway to eastbound 210Freeway connector; westbound Irwindale Avenue on-ramps; and the Mount Olive on-ramps in Duarte to the eastbound 210 Freeway.
Caltrans is asking motorists not to drive on this part of the 210 during the five-day closure, or face long delays.
Drivers can take the 10 or 60 freeways, instead. Or ditch the car and ride the L Line (formerly Gold Line) that runs from Azusa to Pasadena to Los Angeles, or the Metrolink San Bernardinoto-L.A. line that roughly follows the 10 Freeway.
“It is going to be a jam-packed freeway in that area,” Menjivar predicted. “Take alternative routes. If you have any doctor's appointments, you may want to reschedule them.”
The northbound 605Freeway traffic also will be affected, he said. Travelers going north on the 605 through Irwindale and Baldwin Park will not be able to connect to the eastbound 210, routinely a bottlenecked interchange. That connector will be closed during the construction, he said.
“So if you are driving northbound on the 605 trying to get to Glendora or into Rancho Cucamonga, you won't be able to connect to eastbound 210 lanes,” he said.
However, traffic heading to the westbound 210 from the 605 north will not experience lane closures.
“So if you want to get to Pasadena, you will be able,” Menjivar explained. “It will be fully open with six lanes. But we still recommend people not go through that area. We are reducing capacity [on the 210] by 50%.”
Azusa Mayor Robert Gonzales predicted major traffic jams on city surface streets, including Foothill Boulevard, Azusa Avenue and Arrow Highway.
“Commuters take the path of least resistance,” he said Thursday. “If they can't take the freeway, they will take surface streets.”
And once this half of the bridge is repaired, Caltrans will do the other half in about a month. A second five-day closure affecting eastbound 210 lanes in the same spot will occur on Aug. 17 starting at 11 p.m. through Aug. 23 until 5 a.m.