SIMI VALLEY : Westbound Freeway Linkage Opened
One side of the long-awaited connector linking the Simi Valley and Moorpark freeways opened to traffic Friday afternoon, but cars will not be allowed to travel in both directions until late next week, Caltrans officials said.
At 12:12 p.m., workers removed barricades and let drivers continue west on the Simi Valley Freeway and connect to the southbound Moorpark Freeway, Caltrans spokesman Russ Snyder said.
Construction crews had finished these lanes but were still working on the side that connects the northbound Moorpark freeway to the eastbound Simi Valley, Snyder said.
The full highway will open after civic leaders take part in a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony, beginning at 10 a.m. Friday near the new Los Angeles Avenue exit.
Construction began in April, 1991, on the 2.2-mile, $39.5-million connector, which is expected to relieve traffic congestion on city streets in east Ventura County.
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