Ramps Open at Adams for Harbor Transitway

Nearly one year after carpoolers began driving on the Harbor Freeway transitway, the first road built over a Los Angeles freeway, one of the last segments of the project will open today--new onramps and offramps at Adams Boulevard.

Once the construction barriers and orange cones come down, motorists in all traffic lanes should be able to legally drive 55 mph again--traffic permitting, of course--through the stretch south of downtown. The speed limit had been reduced to 45 mph through the construction zone for about two years.

The $28-million ramps will open to cars with two or more people by early afternoon after a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The new ramps extend the bus and carpool lanes on the freeway by 0.6 of a mile.

Officials with the California Department of Transportation say commuters exiting the sweeping new northbound Adams Boulevard offramp and proceeding down Figueroa Street should be able to reach the heart of downtown in five to seven minutes. (Carpoolers who want to stay on the Harbor Freeway can merge into the freeway’s regular lanes at 37th Street.)

Carpoolers who get off the freeway on the new Adams offramp will also be able to use a special lane installed by the city to bypass the traffic light at Adams and Figueroa.

The new southbound onramp can be reached via Flower Street south of 28th Street.

The opening of the ramps brings near to completion a $500-million Harbor Freeway improvement project begun eight years ago on one of the nation’s busiest highways. Caltrans has said the new lanes are used by 1,800 vehicles an hour and save carpoolers an average of 20 minutes in their commute time.

Work continues on five bus stations in the middle of the freeway. They are expected to be open by early next year.