Film project to close O.C. route
A normally busy stretch of the 73 toll road will be shut for shooting of “The Hangover Part 3.”
A normally busy stretch of the 73 toll road in coastal Orange County will be closed this weekend for filming of “The Hangover Part 3,” a deal that is drawing thumbs-down reviews from some. “I think that it’s another example of a state agency that just does what it wants without understanding what it does to a local community,” said Costa Mesa City Councilman Steve Mensinger. “Clearly,” he added, “the state doesn’t care what happens in local communities.” The three-mile section of California 73 from the 405 Freeway in Costa Mesa to Jamboree Road in Newport Beach serves as a gateway for southbound traffic in the county. It is the final stretch of free highway before drivers reach the first toll plaza. Gloria Roberts, a spokeswoman for the California Department of Transportation, said that the agency has been working with Costa Mesa, Newport Beach and Irvine since the summer. Warner Bros. is expected to pay the San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor for lost toll revenues and other costs, said Lori Olin, a spokeswoman for the agency that collects the tolls. The agency said it will receive a location fee of $10,000 each day the road is closed. After the weekend, the agency will assess toll losses for the weekend closure and will bill Warner Bros.
Olin said Warner Bros. will pay at least $25,000 to the agency.
Craig Reem, the public information officer for Irvine, said the closure skirts the edge of the city. He said it is anticipating light traffic but is prepared in case there are concerns.
“It’s weekend rather than weekday traffic, and that always helps,” he said.
This would be the third of the ill-fated-bachelor-party movies.
The original was set in Las Vegas and the follow-up in Thailand. According to IMDb, it’s back to Vegas for the latest installment.
How a stretch of Orange County toll road figures in the plot is unclear.