Earthquake: The Long Road Back : Simi Valley Freeway to Reopen in 2 Weeks : Highways: Traffic on the repaired section will be restricted to two lanes in each direction. Completion of the overall project could take a year.

Relief is in sight for the beleaguered, pre-earthquake users of the Simi Valley Freeway.

In about two weeks, the section of the freeway shut down by the earthquake--from Reseda Boulevard to the Foothill Freeway--will be reopened, Caltrans officials said Friday. Traffic will, however, be restricted to two lanes in each direction on the normally eight-lane highway.

“We’ll be utilizing the westbound lanes,” said Jack Hallin, Caltrans deputy district director. “They will be re-striped for service in both directions.”

The supports on the eastbound lanes have already been demolished in preparation for their reconstruction. The supports under the westbound lanes were also badly damaged but have been shored up by timbers.

“It will be perfectly safe,” Hallin said.

During the next two weeks, the shored-up lanes will be repaved. By the time they are ready, the transitions from the Simi to the Golden State and San Diego freeways will also be back in service, Hallin said.

Trucks will be allowed on the reopened lanes as long as they are carrying loads under the legal weight limit, he said.

In the meantime, work will proceed on the eastbound side with the rebuilding projected to take about about six months. Then all traffic will be rerouted to those lanes while the westbound side is demolished and rebuilt.

“It will be 10 months to a year until we get all the lanes completed and the freeway looks like it used to,” Hallin said.

The rebuilt freeway will be better able to withstand a major earthquake, he said. “There will be some additions to (the original) design” by designers and engineers using seismic data from the earthquake, Hallin said. He said modifications will be made to “the bridges, the columns, the footings.”

The partial reopening of the Simi Valley Freeway, which is a key freeway in the north San Fernando Valley, was a high priority for Caltrans, according to Hallin. Bidding on the paving contract was opened on Thursday and the contract was awarded the same day. The repaving began Friday.

“That’s a quick process,” Hallin said. “We can do it when we have to.”

The winning bid of about $4 million was submitted by a joint venture of Security Paving Co. of Sun Valley and Reyes Construction of Diamond Bar.

If the companies finish within 14 calendar days they will get a bonus, Hallin said. If they take longer than the allotted time, they’ll pay penalties.